# Clipping teeth at home



## jcottonl02 (Jan 29, 2011)

Lots of you will know i have been taking Benji to the vets every few weeks for about 6 months now for his incisor malloclusion. It seemed to get much better but it still isn't totally 'fixed', even though the vet has high hopes.

It costs Â£15 each time, and I'm not sure about the stress for Benji being taken there in the car journey etc. with barking dogs in the waiting room every literally 2 weeks now.

The vet suggested the idea of whether we would feel comfortable clipping them at home. He of course knows the risks of the tooth splitting etc. and he has always used the correct dental equipment to trim Benji's incisors, but I wonder whether the advantages of trimming at home (less stress, not soooo expensive- of course if this had to be the case then the money would be spent, but being a poor student I'd rather spend as little as possible) would outweight the risks of possible tooth splitting?

Anyone have any input on this? Anyone trim at home? Anyone totally opposed to the idea? I've always been told trimming at home was bad and should not be done, but I'd like some of your opinions on this, in case it might not be as bad as I previously thought. 

Jen


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## maxysmummy (Jan 29, 2011)

i've heard about it and i've heard lots of people CAN do it sucessfully... it's admirable that your vet is almost voluntarily giving up a source of income...  must be a great person! i think with proper instruction from your vet, perhaps go for it? when max was falsely diagnosed with malloclusion we were considering it...


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## kirbyultra (Jan 29, 2011)

Would you be trimming at home with a dremel? Or are we literally talking about clipping? But either way, I'd be very afraid to do it at home in case the tooth does split, or if the bun reacts badly and struggles to run away while you have a tool in your hand. In my opinion, the risk is just not worth the savings in money and the car trip to the vet with the bun. I know you mentioned wanting to spend as little as possible, but in the long run and if the bun is healthy enough to undergo the procedure, removal of the problem incisors might not be a bad way to go.


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## jcottonl02 (Jan 29, 2011)

Yeah I did think that was pretty good of the vet to suggest that.

I am not entirely sure to be honest. I'm guessing that if I can get hold of the correct equipment then the better one would be better. Dremel? Is that to 'file' through the tooth kinda thing?

Benji is incredibly good when he is getting a tooth trim. I once went with the vet to trim them, and I was holding Benji and the vet was trimming. I barely even needed to hold Benji. He was SO good. He's had sooo many things in his mouth and on his teeth etc. so often I am sure he is very used to it, and I often put my finger between his teeth to kind of 'check' them and he lets me all the time. 

I would definately trim them WITH someone. My Dad probably. So someone holding and someone trimming.

What if the tooth split and there wasn't an available vets etc. because it was evening time? That is what terrifies me. Also what if it just makes the whole tooth situation worse? 

Jen


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## elrohwen (Jan 29, 2011)

I personally wouldn't feel comfortable doing it on my buns because they're squirmy and hard to deal with. Then again, I don't even do their nails myself so I'm a huge wuss. Haha.

If you're comfortable with it and your rabbit is that relaxed, i say go for it. I have no idea what vets use to do it, but I would try to get the exact same equipment and have the vet give you a few lessons. I would also only do it when you know you can take him right to the vet. Don't do it on Sundays, evenings, etc if the vet isn't open.


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## kirbyultra (Jan 29, 2011)

I was trying to get you a pic or a vid of a dremel tool. It's an electrical rotating tool blade that cuts things with precision and speed. But then on Youtube I came across a video of some lady clipping her bunny's teeth with a pair of wire cutters... it gave me the creeps. Perhaps it's "easier" as shown because that bunny's incisors were so clearly overgrown that they were sticking out its mouth so she didn't really need to get the clippers IN the bun's mouth. But if your Benji's been getting trimmed at the vet's every 2 weeks then I assume his teeth are all inside of his bunny lips. It would terrify me to have to stick a pair of clippers or a dremel near his mouth to do the trimming, but I'm wimpy... and my bunny education comes from the school of thought that clipping is absolutely not the way to go. The folks at the shelter where I volunteer won't even allow our bunnies to see a vet that clips teeth with clippers. It's dremel or find another vet.


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jan 29, 2011)

Ok I have done it when Sooty was alive he had Malo and the vet taught me after a few visits and i tried it with her watching me and all. I bought the same exact tool, which was like a type of toe nail clippers, i wanted to make sure it was the same as hers. I did do it a few times.

I was too nervous to do it, it stressed me out to have to do it to him, he didnt fight and was amazing about it, i would wrap him in a burito of sorts to clip them and he would just sit there. I was ssssooo nervous that i was going to break the tooth, that i was going to cut him or hurt him in some way, so that was a big deciding factor in me stopping it. I think the risks are the same as if the vet does it. I have had the vet have Sooty's tooth break below the gum line, and i worried until the tooth came through again.

You also need great hand and arm strength,lol, maybe i am a wimp but it is VERY hard to cut the teeth you need alot of hand and arm strenght the get through the teeth.

Having said that it made me way to nervous to do it, and i was stressed and i am sure i stressed him,lol, so i just decided on taking him to the vet, he also didnt seem to stressed about it either so that was a deciding factor. With clipping them , yourself or the vet there is ALWAYS the risk of the tooth spiltting or breaking below the gum line and causing an abcess. I did look into getting his teeth removed completely, i dont know if that is an option for you, but that didnt fare well as he started dying on the table and they were able to bring him back so afterwards i had to deal with the every 4-6 week trimmings for him. He eventually had to be put to sleep and not because of his teeth because he had a tumor, so he lived the rest of what would be his life with no problems with trimming his teeth.


now there are people on here that are EXTREMEMLY against the trimming, i think you need to out weight the risks of it, taking the bun to have it done, doing it yourself, having the teeth removed completely. good luck.


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## Peppers mom (Jan 29, 2011)

i had a 6 yr old mini lop that lived outside as a free range buuny she was really nice and calm i had to trim her teeth every 2 or 3 weeks i did it my self with a pair of wire cutters and never had any problems she would sit on my legs on her back and let me trim her teeth...


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