To celebrate Pet Dental Health Month, we hosted a Facebook Live event in February 2025 with Dr. Andrew Bean, DVM, MPH, CPH, DABVP (Exotic Companion Mammal Practice) from our Avian & Exotic Medicine Service. Dr. Bean shared valuable dentistry tips for rabbit and rodent pet owners. You can watch the replay here or read a summary of the key insights below.
As a board-certified veterinarian specializing in exotic companion mammals, Dr. Bean cares for a wide variety of unique pets, including rabbits, rodents, ferrets, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, and more. While these small mammals may differ in many ways, they often share a common health concern—dental issues!
Common Warning Signs
Small mammals tend to hide signs of pain or illness due to their prey instincts. This makes it essential for pet parents to closely monitor even the slightest changes in behavior, as early warning signs of oral pain can be subtle and easy to miss.
- One of the first indicators of a dental issue is a change in food preference.
- For example, if your rabbit usually eats plenty of hay but suddenly starts favoring pellets or only eating select parts of hay, this could be a sign of discomfort.
- As dental pain worsens, your pet may approach the food dish, mouth food, and drop it without eating.
- You might also notice excessive drooling or a persistently wet chin.
- Cessation of eating completely.
- Visible overgrowth of the front teeth (more information below!)
Causes of Overgrown Teeth in Small Mammals
Rabbits and rodents, such as guinea pig and chinchillas, have continuously growing teeth, including their incisors (front teeth) and cheek teeth. To maintain proper dental health, these pets must grind their teeth together while eating to keep the teeth naturally worn down. If this natural process is disrupted, their teeth will continue growing, leading to significant oral health issues. Common reasons for disruption of grinding include:
- Improper diet:
- When a pet isn’t consuming foods like hay that allow natural grinding, the teeth won’t wear down properly. As a result, the excess growth increases pressure between the teeth, often causing them to point inward which can cause sharp spurs to form. These sharp spurs may dig into the tongue or cheeks, causing pain and making eating difficult.
- Note: Often, blood isn’t noticeable because it gets swallowed. Instead, over time, tissue injured by spurs may appear white and abraded.
- Dental abscesses:
- Dental abscesses can develop due to infection in the teeth or jaw. Pets may have facial swelling, but often, abscesses form deep within the jawbone. Advanced imaging such as CT scans may be necessary to diagnose.
- Malocclusion or missing teeth:
- A “malocclusion” is a misalignment of teeth. Small mammals rely on paired teeth for effective grinding. When a pet has one missing tooth, your pet may be able to adjust its chewing so as to allow the remaining teeth to grind the single opposing tooth. But if multiples are missing, sufficient adjustment of chewing technique may not be possible.
- Trauma and broken teeth:
- Trauma may occur when rabbits get the “zoomies” and collide with walls or furniture, guinea pigs get into a scuffle, or pets chew aggressively on cage bars. These can all lead to broken teeth that may grow back abnormally, leading to long-term dental problems.
Diagnosis and Treatment
When seeking veterinary care for dental issues in small mammals, a CT Scan may be needed to help lead the treatment. A CT scan provides a highly detailed view of a pet’s head, allowing the veterinary team to identify issues. Traditional x-rays don’t offer the same level of clarity, especially in small mammals with tiny jaws. Without advanced imaging, a misdiagnosis could lead to unnecessary procedures, added costs, and stress or pain for the pet. To prevent this, a CT scan and physical examination are essential before treatment to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
If there are overgrown teeth, those will be trimmed. Depending on which teeth are overgrown, the pet may require sedation or full anesthesia. Most commonly, incisors can be trimmed under sedation while cheek teeth often require the pet to be anesthetized.
At-Home Prevention
The best way to help small mammals prevent oral issues is to:
- Provide A Proper Diet
- Rabbits and rodents like guinea pigs and chinchillas need a diet primarily made up of hay. Chewing hay requires a back-and-forth grinding motion, much like the action involved in smoothing a piece of wood using sandpaper. Chewing hay helps wear down their constantly growing teeth. Pellets, on the other hand, consist of ground-up hay compressed into pieces, requiring little to no grinding.
- Offer a variety of grass hays like Timothy, oat, or orchard hay—whichever your pet prefers. Avoid alfalfa for adult pets, as its high protein and calcium content are only beneficial for growing, pregnant, or lactating animals.
- Remember, pellets should be a supplement, not the main diet. Stick to high-quality, plain pellets (no added seed, fruit, or cereal,) and limit portions depending on your pet’s size.
- Discourage Cage Bar Chewing
- Avoid letting rodents and rabbits chew on cage bars, as this can lead to painful, broken teeth. If your pet chews out of boredom or to get your attention, provide enrichment options. If bar chewing is a habit, consider covering the bars with a barrier.
- Only Allow Teeth to be Trimmed by Knowledgeable Professionals
- Small mammals have delicate teeth that require specialized veterinary care. Overgrown teeth indicate an underlying issue, often disease, making them more prone to fractures. Veterinary professionals use fine drills while the pet is sedated or under anesthesia to safely trim the teeth. Using clippers or nail trimmers can cause severe trauma, fractures, and even abnormal tooth regrowth.
- Even some veterinarians may attempt a quick tooth trim with improper tools— always advocate for your pet and ensure proper dental care.
If your small mammal is drooling, has wet fur around the mouth, changes eating habits, or shows other signs of oral health issues, talk to your family veterinarian to determine the cause.
Learn more about our Avian & Exotic Medicine Service here.
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