08/02/2026
We were contacted a few months ago regarding a bunny that had become a regular visitor to a homeowner's backyard. They had affectionately named her "Bucky" because of her unusual teeth, but started becoming concerned as they continued to grow longer.
I explained that Bucky had a condition called malocclusion, which happens when teeth do not line up correctly and are unable to wear themselves down. Rabbit teeth grow continuously, so if left untreated, the teeth would grow through the top and/or bottom of the rabbits mouth, not only causing extreme pain and infection, but prevent the rabbit from being able to eat properly.
Because Bucky was a frequent visitor and was used to eating treats off of a plate, the homeowners were easily able to trap her in a live trap and bring her to me.
Upon her arrival, I immediately trimmed her teeth, the tops of which were already growing into the inside of the bottom of her mouth.
Because teeth grow so fast, they would need to be trimmed every 3 weeks to stay at a reasonable length. That is not feasible with a wild bunny, so the only permanent solution was for Bucky to have her incisors extracted.
Rabbits bite off food with their front teeth, but chew with their back teeth. Bucky had already learned how to eat without using her front teeth/incisors.
I got in touch with my amazing vet, Dr.Fran Hoffpauir, and she was able to get Bucky in for the surgery ASAP. After a short recovery time here, Bucky was released back to her home territory with her other rabbit friends. The homeowners have reported seeing her visit the treat dish frequently. Bucky is doing fantastic and looking great! ❤️
Thank you to Phebus for being vigilant about her backyard bunny visitors, trapping Bucky, transporting her back and forth and donating to cover the cost of her surgery.
Thank you also to the always amazing Dr.Fran Hoffpauir and staff at Custer Road Animal Hospital!
