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I'm going through exactly the same thing at the moment with my piggy Poppet. Its taking a very long time, but slowly she seems to be improving. I take her to see Simon, my vet every week to ten days at the moment so he can do her teeth, as we are finding little and often is working the best.

I know how frustrating and upsetting it is to see them not tucking into their food. I've also found it useful to feed Poppet away from her cagemate Skye, as she is polishing off all the food while Poppet is still thinking about getting started. I've found that giving a little syringe food and then putting her back into the cage with either chopped up veggies or some grass seems to encourage her to try and eat a little on her own. I then top her up again with syringe food.

I really hope Cookie starts to eat more very soon.
 
Thanks everyone, hopefully Monday will go well.
It is worrying when he is not eating any normal food :(. When i put him back in his hutch with his bro, he has not been coming out from the bed part. But he is perfectly happy when i bring him in for syringe food and abit of normal food.

Oh, i got some more Bio Lapis from the vet, the name has been changed to 'Professional' but it is still the same thing.

Fingers crossed for monday, otherwise I'm off to see the reccommended vet in Bath.
 
Actually I just checked on the Protexin site. Bio Lapis and Professional are the same type of medical treatment, but they are different.
 
Thank you :D
Today he is still loving Critical Care and very eager to get the syringe in his month lol and drinking too. Also i saw him picking food out on his own in his hutch. Great news as i thought he had stopped eating altogether in the hutch. :). Weighed him yesterday and he hasn't lost any more weight, still 800g.

All good news so far :)
 
Excellent.
If you do ring Roger, say hi from me (Lucinda Hart - Dr and Scarby's mummy!) He will remember....
 
Hi

He may need vitamin C as well as they don't make there own.

Recently a guinea pig was broungt to me that was found in a field and his teeth were an awful mess and he vitamin c definicey sadly he didn't make it as his teeth were to bad.
He was quite small though but the vet couldn't do anything as his jaw wouldn't close.

Jaye
 
Will do that Lucinda, if i go there :).
I fed him again this evening and he didn't want his syringe, instead he wanted to eat the critical care from a spoon. :)
I have still been putting sliced up apple into their hutch at night......i hope he will eat some.

Oh, and Weet Weet (Cookies bro) cos he is pretty big (i don't over feed them). He just always since i got them, likes to eat some of Cookies share.....Well turns out he is 1kg 400g. Not sure how i will get him to loose weight.
 
I wouldn't worry about getting him to lose weight. Like one of my vets used to say it is better to see them a bit chubby than underweight.
 
Took Cookie to the same vets but saw a different vet. She agrees with everything i have done- Bio Lapis and Critical Care (says i have the best Critical Care make - Oxhay). Apparently they gave me the cat appetite medicine because they use that for all animals and one of the side effects is improvement in appetites, so they take advantage of this.
I told her i have been giving him bio lapis instead and she said thats fine as he is much more lively and happier.

She checked his molars and they are sightly overgrown, but he is not dribbling and can still move his tongue. And they would always put guinneas under when opperating on their molars. She didn't recommend opperating on him yet. All i need to do now is keep feeding him up with Crit Care (he now eats it from a spoon/bowl) and grated fruit/veg. Also keep weighing him.

Then hopefully he can have his molars trimmed when he is well.

:) :)
 
My concern would be that his molars would continue to grow so when he has put on enough weight through syringing him food his molars may be more difficult to cut, therefore if your vet only uses anesthetic he would be under for longer as the trimming would be more difficult. This might be something for you to consider :)
 
I'm so sorry I'm just catching up on this thread HUGE HUGS xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You're doing a brilliant job xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
I wouldn't get a piggie to diet love......it may cause problems later 8...
As for the toofie problem, unfortunately from my experience once they start needing trims it seems to keep happening, it's a rotten vicious circle :{
Good luck and keep up all the fabulous feeding, keep encouraging him to eat as much veggies and hay and pellets as you can. Even if you have to slightly moisten the pellets to make it easier, they remember the taste x
 
Well done!

The anaesthetic thing is a double-edged one. Some guineas find it less distressing to have gas than to be awake.
 
Not been a good day so far :(. Doesn't want to eat any crit care from the spoon nor grated veg :(. So had to force feed him by wrapping him in a towel.........he wasn't impressed with that :(. All he does is sit there on my lap huddled up and not moving. Comparied with being all happy and lively over the past 3 days.

Maybe he is just having an off day, i don't know. Making me feel upset today aswell 8...
 
So sorry to hear he's not looking so good today - I don't know what else to suggest apart from all the things you've tried already, poor little guy. Sending you big hugs. Sounds like he'll need to see the vet again? Fingers crossed for you

Sophie
x
 
My sow lost a lot of weight the first time she started having problems with her teeth and the vet was doubtful as to whether she would survive the anesthetic but she did at the age of 6. If your piggie isn't happy it could be because he is uncomfortable with his overgrown molars. I know it's a hard decision to make but I really think his teeth should be trimmed soon so he won't be anxious or uncomfortable and would be able to feed for himself. I'm sorry if I sound pushy but I have had piggies with dental problems as have many of us on the forum and I personally think it is quite urgent that it's sorted out soon :)
 
Thank you for the advise RW3399. :)
So if i ring the vets to get his teeth trimmed, say have an appointment this week, and feed him up for then, he should have a chance to wake up?
 
If they won't do it without anaesthetic then there's always a risk with any animal, even if it's strong and healthy. Perhaps if you ring they will let you talk to the vet before the appointment? If he's as weak as it sounds then I'd think you need an appointment quite urgently. Good luck

Sophie
x
 
Like SophieW said there's always a chance with any animal when it goes under anesthetic but you have to give him a chance like any animal. While you are feeding him up over the next couple of days try and find a vet that will do it without anesthetic. It won't hurt him because piggie's teeth don't have any nerves in them. Where do you live? Maybe someone can suggest another vet that will do it without anesthetic. Another option is to contact Vedra at the Cambridge Cavy Trust. She does it without anesthetic and I think she knows of people around the UK who do the same.
 
Ensure they use Isoflurane. This is used for humans and is the best for guineas.

I have had pigs undergoing surgery 7 times now. I have never lost a pig due to anaesthesia. Having said that of course it is worrying, and their lungs are only tiny etc. Realistically though, anaesthetics are very safe and effective these days - both for humans and pets.
 
He did eat some grass earlier, more interested in that than the Crit Care........maybe he is bored with it, he can be very fussy. I have booked him in to the vets for friday morning to have his teeth trimed and he will have anesthetic. So tomorrow and Thursday is 'feed him up time'.
Fingers crossed he will be happy after that :)
 
I'm sure he'll be fine. I understand how difficult it is to make decisions like these but we have all been there and will give you the support you need :)
 
Thank you :).........i appreciate your support and help, so glad i found this group, otherwise i wouldn't have known about crit care, and everything :).
Just hope he pulls through the anesthetic.......i know he is a little fighter :).
 
Update: No better today, not feeling his normal self, found him dribbling this afternoon before feeding him, wasn't interested in food or water. Decided to take him to the vets. Took him to the hospital this evening. Told the vet there about everything, even about what the other vet on Monday said (his teeth isn't that serious, just need to feed him up)..........How wrong she was!!
The vet at the hospital looked in his month and said it is serious. So he is there over night (will be given injections and feed) and will have his teeth trimmed under anaesthetic tomorrow morning.

If you read this, say a little prayer for my sweet Cookie and hopefully he will pull through.
 
thank you for telling us. me and my little family's thoughts and prayers are with you and your little family xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
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