Malocclusion
Malocclusion is a very serious problem in chinchillas and rabbits. It's when the teeth do not meet properly to file themselves down. Both rabbits and chinchillas have teeth that continue to grow throughout their lives. Their teeth meet in such a way that their constant chewing of hay, pellets, and chew toys helps to wear the teeth down as they grow. Unfortunately, in cases of malocclusion, the teeth don't meet properly and therefore they over-grow causing a list of other problems from mild difficulty eating, to infection, to death if not corrected.
It's often genetic, though in older animals it can be caused by poor diet (one tooth rots out and the other tooth is left to grow), or from poor care practices (offering no chews can lead to cage chewing which can break teeth off). Unfortunately, when seen in very young bunnies like the one below (9-10 week old lionhead), it's usually due to a genetic defect.
Treatment varies based on the severity of the malocclusion. Mild cases can be kept in check by providing extra chew toys and being checked regularly to assure it's not progressing. Moderate cases usually require regular tooth trimming. Some people prefer to do this at home with wire cutters, but you can also have your veterinarian do this for you if you are uncomfortable with this level of care. In severe cases, like the one below, chew toys may not help at all, and the frequency of clipping can be prohibitive. You may have to have all effected teeth surgically removed to prevent more serious side effects. In some extreme cases, it becomes a quality of life issue, though this is usually only when the malocclusion has been left untreated for too long. Unfortunately, many owners facing any malocclusion issues will choose to euthanize rather than treat due to the expense and additional effort involved. Most cases of malocclusion are treatable if you have the time and money to spend on your rabbit or chinchilla. An animal with malocclusion cannot be shown and should never be bred!
The saddest part is that malocclusion is usually preventable. If you know the genetics you're working with (don't breed animals with malocclusion, or those with relatives who have it), and you give your bunny/chinchilla the care and diet they should be getting, malocclusion shouldn't be an issue. In the case of this bunny below, she came from an accidental pairing of brother to sister. We brought her home as a pet, unaware that she had severe malocclusion, until her teeth started to "bulldog" out 10-12 days later.
If you look at the last photo below, you will see that this bunny has severe malocclusion. The bottom teeth bow out and up, putting pressure on her lip and nose, starting to cause the fur to rub off. The top teeth are behind the bottom teeth and are growing out sideways and then curving back into the bunny's mouth, like reversed elephant tusks. At this point, the bunny was having trouble eating, and had gotten her fur matted in her teeth while trying to groom herself. We are clipping the teeth at home, but for her, this will be a life-long battle, as her teeth are uneven and do not match up to file themselves down.
It's often genetic, though in older animals it can be caused by poor diet (one tooth rots out and the other tooth is left to grow), or from poor care practices (offering no chews can lead to cage chewing which can break teeth off). Unfortunately, when seen in very young bunnies like the one below (9-10 week old lionhead), it's usually due to a genetic defect.
Treatment varies based on the severity of the malocclusion. Mild cases can be kept in check by providing extra chew toys and being checked regularly to assure it's not progressing. Moderate cases usually require regular tooth trimming. Some people prefer to do this at home with wire cutters, but you can also have your veterinarian do this for you if you are uncomfortable with this level of care. In severe cases, like the one below, chew toys may not help at all, and the frequency of clipping can be prohibitive. You may have to have all effected teeth surgically removed to prevent more serious side effects. In some extreme cases, it becomes a quality of life issue, though this is usually only when the malocclusion has been left untreated for too long. Unfortunately, many owners facing any malocclusion issues will choose to euthanize rather than treat due to the expense and additional effort involved. Most cases of malocclusion are treatable if you have the time and money to spend on your rabbit or chinchilla. An animal with malocclusion cannot be shown and should never be bred!
The saddest part is that malocclusion is usually preventable. If you know the genetics you're working with (don't breed animals with malocclusion, or those with relatives who have it), and you give your bunny/chinchilla the care and diet they should be getting, malocclusion shouldn't be an issue. In the case of this bunny below, she came from an accidental pairing of brother to sister. We brought her home as a pet, unaware that she had severe malocclusion, until her teeth started to "bulldog" out 10-12 days later.
If you look at the last photo below, you will see that this bunny has severe malocclusion. The bottom teeth bow out and up, putting pressure on her lip and nose, starting to cause the fur to rub off. The top teeth are behind the bottom teeth and are growing out sideways and then curving back into the bunny's mouth, like reversed elephant tusks. At this point, the bunny was having trouble eating, and had gotten her fur matted in her teeth while trying to groom herself. We are clipping the teeth at home, but for her, this will be a life-long battle, as her teeth are uneven and do not match up to file themselves down.