Anaesthetic - is it safe?

[Bubble&Squeak]

Can anyone tell me whether denistry problems can be sorted out without anaesthetic and whether anaesthetic is dangerous for guinea pigs, especially those over three years old?

I'm probably jumping the gun a bit as I don't even know if Beano is suffering with her teeth but, just before Christmas I lost my first guinea pig Bernie because of her teeth and I wish I had acted quicker.

It had taken a few days to noice she wasn't eating as she shared her food bowl with Beano and even then to start with I didn't think it was anything too bad as they had both gone off their food for a day or so and then started eating again and been fine and she seemed her usual happy self. The only difference was that she seemed to want to spend time with us. Then on the third day she started looking scruffy, like she hadn't groomed herself and as the day went on she started to seem listless. I decided if she hadn't improved by the next day I would taker her to the vets.

The folllowing day she seemed worse and she looked like she'd suddenly lost loads of weight. The vet said it was due to a tooth hooked around and it was preventing her from eating. She would need an op, arranged for two days time, but she needed to be syringe-fed this emergency food mix as she was so weak she may not survive the op,

I had her on my lap trying to feed her. She had some of it and I became hopeful she'd get stronger and be okay. Then she suddenly refused it and wouldn't eat, even though I'm sure she knew she would die if she didn't eat.

We took it in turns to stay up through the night with her then my boyfriend woke me in the morning in a panick, saying she was much worse. She could barely stand up and looked really disorienatated. It was a Sunday but I called the emergency number for the vets and they got hold of my vet and got him to head for the surgery, we were going to get in the car with Bernie and meet him there.

But as we were gettig ready to leave Bernie started acted really weird, like she couldn't breathe. We held her and she died in our arms.I tried to hold it together on the phone to the vets and on the way down to the vets for her cremation but I was so unbellievably upset.

I'd acted as soon as I realised something was wrong, I just wish I had realised sooner.

That's why, if there is something wrong with Beano's teeth now I want to do soemthing straight away. But Beano's so nervouse and jumpy and would be so scared being left at the vets for an op. Pkus she's three years old and I'm worried about her going under anaesthetic so I want to know if there's any way of sorting their teeth without anaesthetic and if anaesthetic is safe for guinea pigs to have?

 

[mojules]

Welcome Bubble&Squeak

So sorry to hear of your loss of Bernie - you acted as soon as you could and piggies can hide illness very well as they are preyed on animals - I am sure Bernie knew you did everything you could for her

With regards to anaesthetic for dental problems there is a debate as to whether it should be used or not but everyones opinion is different. In my personal opinion and experience with Maurice (who was over 3 at the time when he had an op for his teeth) I would not have let him have anything done without an anaesthetic as he was struggling enough when the vet tried to look at his teeth

he had his op on 30th December 2009 and had no problems with the anaesthetic and has had no problems since which we are soooo happy about |)

in cases like this it is a personal choice as there is no wrong or right answer to the anaesthetic question

I hope Beano is ok x

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Hi Bubble&Squeak, I am so sorry Bernie didn't make it.

With all the right training, skill, knowledge and experience, anesthetics should not be necessary to treat almost all dental problems. The only dental problem I would have a pig put under for is an extraction.

I do think there are a few exceptional cases where some pigs are extremely distressed by any human contact, particularly pigs in rescue who have had extremely negative experiences with humans in the past, in which case a whiff of anaesthetic may be beneficial or necessary to calm them for just long enough to get the teeth treated. But I don't feel there is much need at all for putting a pig completely under anaesthetic.

Dental work - examining, trimming, filing - takes just a few minutes for the large majority of pigs. The pig is towel-wrapped, laid on their back, mouth held open and teeth treated. Back up on their feet within 3-4 minutes in most cases, and that is the ordeal over and done with. They can go back home and settle back into an environment they know. If they have extensive problems that need more than basic treatment and will take more than a few minutes, the pig will usually be allowed breaks for a reassuring cuddle between each problem tackled.

I've come across the case for pigs being stressed by conscious dental work being performed on them. In my eyes, it's a lot more stressful to:

- Leave a pig in an unfamiliar environment all day;
- Have them anaethetised (a face mask held on their face, or placed inside an anaesthetic chamber);
- Wake up in a strange environment with strange people tending to them;
- Have to travel when often still feeling quite shaky and unstable.

It's a full 8-9 hours of stress and unfamiliarity, just for a few minutes of dental work.

Also, as you found out with Bernie, the vets will not anaesthetise a pig who is weak from not eating well. Sadly this is a costly delay, because the pig will not be able to eat and swallow as well as normal until those teeth are dealt with! It's a nasty cycle to get stuck in. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) it is one which can usually be got around by doing dental work without anaesthetic. For teeth bridging over the tongue, they can be clipped back in no time at all, freeing up the tongue so the pig can swallow easily again.

Not many vets will do (or agree to try) dental work without anaesthetic - and it's very expensive too. I had my sow Tuppy's incisors and molars treated by the CCT for many consecutive weeks - for free. CCT does not charge its members anything for dental work. Naturally I gave small donations each time, with it being a charity and bearing in mind what it would cost to get my pig treated elsewhere. When I moved away for a few months, I took Tuppy to the local vets: it cost £25 to get her incisors filed once - and they would not touch her molars. It turned out cheaper to pay petrol for the 60 mile round trip to the CCT!

Dental work on piggies is a hot topic, most people have their own views and experiences, but the general consensus is that you should avoid anaesthetic whenever possible. The CCT can tell you if there is a rodentologist local to you:
www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk

 

[Paul-H]

If you ever have a piggie that need a GA ask the vet to use Isoflurane as its not as dangerous to Piggies as the more commonly used GA

Paul & Jeanette

 

[lovelygirl]

I wouldn't have my piggies anaesthetised for dental treatment unless it was for an extraction like laura said. Cottonbud has had a little bit of her incisor filled and she was distressed for the minute or two it took. I think the best thing you can do is to get your piggies to be as confident and trusting as possible. You can practice yourself wrapping them in a towel and getting them used to that so it is less worrying for them. I think it is more distressing to us as owners watching them struggle than it is for them at times.

 

[Paul-H]

Just a quick note about my post above

I was refering to giving GA to piggies that need it for opperations and not dental work, obviously the vast majority of dental work can be done with the piggie wrapped

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Thanks for addressing that issue Paul. I was focused on the dental work aspect and missed the question about anaesthetic safety!

Servoflurane is another good anaesthetic agent. As a general rule, no injectable anaesthetic should be used on guineas.

 

[Paul-H]

Haloflurane is another GP safe Gas

As safe as safe can be that is

Paul & Jeanette