Does your rabbit have problems with its teeth? Has your vet recommended the removal or trimming of your rabbit’s teeth? This is the most common problem, so you may be wondering how much it will cost you and whether it is worthwhile.
Rabbit teeth removal could cost between 100 and 400 dollars, and rabbit teeth trimming could cost between 20 and 60 dollars; these estimates do not include medications or other vet fees.
It is worthwhile to keep your furry friend happy and healthy because putting off treatment will just cost you more in the long run.
How much should your rabbit dental care cost you?
Your rabbit’s regular dental care should cost you nothing outside the cost of an annual checkup because their teeth naturally get filed down as they eat.
As with any other medical issue, prevention is always more affordable than the cost of treatment or a cure.
Read on to find out about some of the general costs of rabbit dental care. But first, there are a couple of extra costs to be on the lookout for.
Extra dental issues
If you need to take your rabbit to the vet for a dental issue, there may be other costs to get him or her healthy again.
In addition to resolving the dental issue, vets will charge for the underlying problem that caused the dental issue, such as abscesses.
Lancing or draining an abscess cost about 20-200 dollars, depending on the cost of living in your area.
Another costly issue to fix is malocclusion, which means a misalignment of the front teeth. This can be hereditary, and the solution could be regular filing or removal of the front teeth.
The cost of filing or removing the teeth will be addressed later in this article.
Other vet fees
Every vet has a baseline cost for each appointment, and in addition, a normal vet may have an exotics fee.
There are also fees for blood work, anesthesia, and pain medications to take home or antibiotics to prevent infection if needed.
Sometimes dental issues are only a sign of other more significant health problems, which could cost more. Some vets might also charge about 5 dollars for a medical or hazardous waste disposal fee.
Typically, a vet will want to keep your rabbit overnight for 1-2 nights to ensure they recover well from being under anesthesia and monitor their appetite.
Sometimes this is included in the cost of the surgery or the anesthesia. It just depends on your vet.
Cost of rabbit teeth trimming.
Rabbit teeth trimming can cost between 20 to 60 dollars.
There are two types of rabbit teeth: molars, sometimes called cheek teeth, and incisors. Rabbits do not have canine teeth.
Molars are the teeth inside the cheeks, and incisors are the front teeth. Molars can sometimes cost more to trim because of their location.
They are more difficult to reach inside a rabbit’s small mouth. Overall, teeth trimming costs less than teeth removal.
Cost of rabbit teeth removal
Rabbit teeth removal typically costs more than cats’ or dogs’ teeth removal because rabbits’ mouths are very small. It could be between 30 to 400 dollars for the removal cost.
The cost depends on the number of teeth being removed and which ones. Then you will need to add on the cost of anesthesia and pain medications to figure out the total cost.
Molar removal
The baseline cost for molar removal is between 50 to 120 dollars per tooth. Rabbits may also need an adjusted diet while they recover.
Your vet will give you detailed instructions for post-operative care, which can include mushing up their food and some pain medications.
Rabbits have more molar teeth than incisors, and it is unlikely that all of them would need to be removed at the same time.
However, once some molars are removed, then you will need to take your rabbit to the vet for regular filing since the remaining teeth will not wear down evenly.
The cost of teeth removal is just the beginning of your rabbit’s dental care.
Incisor removal
The baseline cost for incisor removal is between 30 to 100 dollars per tooth.
Rabbits do not require incisors to eat everything, so generally, this is less invasive and less difficult to recover from than molar extraction.
Rabbits have a second set of teeth behind the top incisors, and they have two bottom incisors, so up to six incisors can be removed.
Other factors
Of course, this all depends on the cost of living and how many teeth are being removed. It will also depend on what the complications are, such as draining or lancing an abscess.
Anesthesia usually costs between 30 to 200 dollars depending on the method, which would be either inhalant or injected, or a combination of both. It could cost even more depending on the length of time the rabbit is under anesthesia.
Pain medications can cost anywhere from 15 to 100 dollars, depending on how much is needed.
All of this means that rabbit teeth removal could cost you anywhere from 105 dollars for one incisor removal with anesthesia and pain medication to 600 dollars for multiple molar extractions with anesthesia and pain medications to take home.
Cost of preventative care
You can save the most money by keeping your rabbit healthy in the first place.
You should also never try to trim or remove your rabbit’s teeth at home, as this will cause more problems that will cost you more to fix.
Filing incisors without checking molar teeth may not address other underlying health problems, and you will end up at the vet again.
The consequences could be severe, such as multiple surgeries and lifelong pain medication, which will, of course, cost more than if you did not have to do these things.
Remember that part of what you are paying the vet for is to hold your rabbit still, probably under anesthesia, so that they do not suddenly move when sharp tools are involved.
A sudden movement could result in a costly and even fatal injury.
Regular vet visits
You should have your rabbit get a regular vet visit at least once a year.
A regular annual checkup should cost you between 50 and 300 dollars, depending on the cost of living in your area. There may be additional fees if you choose to do optional bloodwork.
If you use a regular vet, then they will probably have an additional fee for exotic pets.
Your vet can also recommend further scans that may be needed to diagnose teeth problems, such as a CT scan or X-ray.
You are the first one who will notice any problems with your rabbit, but if they never see a vet, then more serious or subtle problems could go undiagnosed, which will ultimately take more money from your wallet.
Healthy food
To keep your rabbit’s teeth filed, you will need to provide lots of hay and some leafy green vegetables.
This food cost will depend on where you are buying from, but you can probably expect to spend about 20 dollars a month on hay and 35 dollars a month on fresh green vegetables and leafy herbs.
You need to keep your rabbit’s teeth filed because their teeth are always growing and can even grow up to 5 millimeters in a week, depending on age, gender, and nutrition.
Such quick growth without proper wear from eating hay could add up to expensive dental issues.
Pellet-shaped food does not allow for the proper wear and tear of their teeth, so you do not need to spend a lot of money on specialized rabbit pellets.
Three tips to save costs on rabbit dental care
Preventive care
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Keeping your rabbit healthy will always be cheaper than treating any illness.
Sign up for subscriptions
you can order timothy hay on Amazon with a subscription and save a discount. You may also consider a subscription box-like Ugly Foods or Misfit Market for your vegetables and herbs.
Go to a trusted exotic vet.
Regular vets will upcharge for exotic pets or charge an additional fee. You can avoid this by going to a vet that already specializes in exotic pets.
You could also prevent incorrect diagnoses by going to an expert.
Conclusion
In conclusion, you should not have to worry about the cost of trimming or extracting your rabbit’s teeth unless there is a medical problem.
Always listen to the advice of your vet and take good preventative care of your rabbit. You will be able to avoid the most expensive medical bills with proper care.
If your rabbit requires teeth trimming because of a condition it was born with, never attempt to file or trim its teeth yourself.
You do not need to cause more expensive medical bills by trying to do this at home.