Are His Teeth Too Long?

[chesca_27]

Hi!

Oreo has had problems with his digestive system over the last week and a half and hasn't been eating as much. As a result, his teeth have been growing quite a bit because there is nothing to wear them down. I just don't know if they're too long or not. He's been to the vet a few times about and they did try to trim them consciously, but he got very stressed and wouldn't stay still. They said they would have to sedate him, but they don't want to do it until he's feeling a lot better.

I managed to get a couple of pictures of his top and bottom front teeth. They're not the best, but Oreo wouldn't keep still. Could anyone advise me on whether they're too long or not?

Thanks

 

[chesca_27]

 

[Swissgreys]

I am not an expert and obviously it is difficult to tell from a photo, but to me his bottom teeth look far too long and will prevent him eating properly.
They need to be trimmed by an experienced vet asap.
If the vet you were using is struggling them it might be time to find one who has more experience with guinea pigs.

 

[chesca_27]

We have been regularly spring feeding and his weight is increasing. He can eat leafy foods quite well. He ate most of his Swiss chard this morning.

It's not that they not experienced, it's just more of a case of not causing Oreo any stress.

Could he wait until Monday?

 

[Wiebke]

View attachment 54390 View attachment 54391

They lok a bit long and the edge of the incisors is not even, so your vet will first and foremost have to check whether the premolars at the back are OK and not growing spurs that can trap the tongue.

If you can at all, PLEASE travel to the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton to one of the best guinea pig dental vets in the country. A bad dental by an inexperienced vet can make things much worse instead of better, especially when the digestion is already impacted.
Simon Maddock sees dental guinea pigs from all over the country on a near daily basis and is currently likely the vet with the most experience, so you will be in the safest of hands. It can really make all the difference, as my own Hywel has shown. The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic

Please supplement the diet by offering syringe feed and switch to weighing daily instead the usual weekly weigh in to make sure that your piggy is eating enough fibre. Our syringe feeding guide has tips on how look after a dental/potentially dental guinea pig. Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

@furryfriends (TEAS)

 

[Wiebke]

We have been regularly spring feeding and his weight is increasing. He can eat leafy foods quite well. He ate most of his Swiss chard this morning.

It's not that they not experienced, it's just more of a case of not causing Oreo any stress.

Could he wait until Monday?

Yes, he can wait a few days provided it means that he gets to see a vet that is experienced with dentals. It is NOT necessarily a matter of just clipping the incisors, and as he is still able to eat on his own, he is not in a dangerously bad state.
PS: Simon Maddock is a specialist general vet and he doesn't fetch absolutely silly prices.

 

[chesca_27]

They lok a bit long and the edge of the incisors is not even, so your vet will first and foremost have to check whether the premolars at the back are OK and not growing spurs that can trap the tongue.

If you can at all, PLEASE travel to the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton to one of the best guinea pig dental vets in the country. A bad dental by an inexperienced vet can make things much worse instead of better, especially when the digestion is already impacted.
Simon Maddock sees dental guinea pigs from all over the country on a near daily basis and is currently likely the vet with the most experience, so you will be in the safest of hands. It can really make all the difference, as my own Hywel has shown. The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic

Please supplement the diet by offering syringe feed and switch to weighing daily instead the usual weekly weigh in to make sure that your piggy is eating enough fibre. Our syringe feeding guide has tips on how look after a dental/potentially dental guinea pig. Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

@furryfriends (TEAS)

Ok thank you. I will talk to my mum about it, but I don't think we could go there. It is very far for me. I know my vets are very experienced with rabbit dentals and they do dog and cat dentals pretty much on a daily basis.

We are syringe feeding daily, which he does not enjoy but he is happy to eat hay and play with his toys. He can feed himself hay and leafy vegetables. I am weighing about 3-4 times a day.

Yes, he can wait a few days provided it means that he gets to see a vet that is experienced with dentals. It is NOT necessarily a matter of just clipping the incisors, and as he is still able to eat on his own, he is not in a dangerously bad state.
PS: Simon Maddock is a general vet and he doesn't fetch absolutely silly prices.

My vets use a burr to make it easier as they said clipping can cause more problems. Ok hopefully I can take him Monday. I emailed the attached photos to my vet as well. Yes he can eat on his own, but he doesn't want anything too solid to eat.

 

[Wiebke]

Ok thank you. I will talk to my mum about it, but I don't think we could go there. It is very far for me. I know my vets are very experienced with rabbit dentals and they do dog and cat dentals pretty much on a daily basis.

We are syringe feeding daily, which he does not enjoy but he is happy to eat hay and play with his toys. He can feed himself hay and leafy vegetables. I am weighing about 3-4 times a day.



My vets use a burr to make it easier as they said clipping can cause more problems. Ok hopefully I can take him Monday. I emailed the attached photos to my vet as well. Yes he can eat on his own, but he doesn't want anything too solid to eat.

Try to cut his veg into thin slices and see whether that goes down better and continue to offer syringe feed, as much as he will take.

Good that you have a decent vet, but be reassured that as long as you can get food into him and his weight is going up, he is not an emergency.

 

[chesca_27]

Ok thank you so much

 

[chesca_27]

If his tongue was trapped, what would be the symptoms? Would he be able to use a bottle still?

 

[Wiebke]

If his tongue was trapped, what would be the symptoms? Would he be able to use a bottle still?

If his tongue was trapped, we would struggle to chew and swallow; there would be a lots of drooling, dropping of food that he cannot chew and major weight loss. Your boy is not there yet by any means!

However, as the front teeth have an uneven edge, I would strongly suggest that you have his teeth checked out in the coming week.

We often deal with owners that are not aware what serious consquences not properly treated dental problems can have. There are also still vets that think that just clipping front teeth will sort the problem. Decent vets with dental experience in small animals are sadly still pretty thin on the ground.

 

[chesca_27]

Ok thanks.

If his tongue was trapped, could he still use a water bottle?

 

[Wiebke]

Ok thanks.

If his tongue was trapped, could he still use a water bottle?

it depends on how long his teeth are - as by that stage he cannot chew, you have to offer him as much water as he wants with the syringe feed to help clear his mouth anyway, so he will get plenty of water that way.

However, you are nowhere near that stage and you won't get near it.

 

[chesca_27]

Thank you for all the help so far.

Oreo's teeth are reaching the stage where they are dangerously close to the roof of his mouth. He can't wait much longer for dental treatment. I have the option for him to go tomorrow, or to wait until Monday. He will need an anaesthetic as he is also have blood tests to see if there is any health condition that caused the bloat and to check his back teeth, which he won't let anyone see (at least two vets have tried on numerous occasions). It is affecting his ability to eat, but he no longer requires syringe feeding, although I do soften some pellets to help him eat those. He isn't off of his Fibreplex, Ranitidine and Emeprid medications, yet, and I am giving him Infacol before his main meals (pellets and veggies). Oreo is quite happy to eat carrots and peppers again, as long as they are in strips. He can also eat cucumber and I have invested in a range of leafy vegetables. Also, he does struggle to use the bottle, but he just about manages. I have seen him drop food a number of times. There are pros and cons to which day to do it, so I will go through them.

If he goes tomorrow, his teeth will be trimmed before they can cause him any more harm (if they go into the roof of his mouth), he won't have come to the point where he has completely stopped eating and be potentially weaker and I will be able to monitor him on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The downside is, he might not be at his strongest for the anaesthetic and that I might not be able to take him to the vet over the weekend (apart from Saturday morning) unless he goes to the RVC, which is my local Out-Of-Hours vet.

If he goes Monday, he will have had more time to recover from his tummy issues and could be stronger, but his teeth may be much worse and affecting his eating even more, causing him to lose weight. I also won't be able to monitor him throughout the day afterwards. In addition, my vet is going away after and won't be able to give him a check up. I also have the option for him to have a check-up on Friday, but no teeth trim as the vet doing the teeth trim, won't be able to see him.

I don't want to wait until it's an emergency, for his teeth. I'm really at a loss as to what the best option is, as I don't want to lose Oreo, during anaesthetic or from complications after, but I don't want him to be suffering with his teeth. What would be the best decision? We are able to take him Thursday, and I volunteer there afterschool, so I can see him then.

What would the risks be, bearing in mind he is still recovering from gut stasis and he is 5 and a half years old? I understand that anaesthetic comes with a risk of him not making it. He has a good quality of life, and is a very happy, friendly piggie. I can't get him a companion (he lost his cage mate about a month ago) until his health problems has been dealt with.

What would be good to take to the vets with him? Hay, food, water bottle, toys, fleece?

Thank you.

 

[Swissgreys]

If his teeth are that close to the roof of his mouth, and he is struggling to drink I would take him tomorrow - he definitely needs to be seen and treated asap.
Waiting until Monday will not make him stronger - in fact if he isn't eating properly then most likely he will actually be weaker.
I hope you can go tomorrow good luck with it all.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for all the help so far.

Oreo's teeth are reaching the stage where they are dangerously close to the roof of his mouth. He can't wait much longer for dental treatment. I have the option for him to go tomorrow, or to wait until Monday. He will need an anaesthetic as he is also have blood tests to see if there is any health condition that caused the bloat and to check his back teeth, which he won't let anyone see (at least two vets have tried on numerous occasions). It is affecting his ability to eat, but he no longer requires syringe feeding, although I do soften some pellets to help him eat those. He isn't off of his Fibreplex, Ranitidine and Emeprid medications, yet, and I am giving him Infacol before his main meals (pellets and veggies). Oreo is quite happy to eat carrots and peppers again, as long as they are in strips. He can also eat cucumber and I have invested in a range of leafy vegetables. Also, he does struggle to use the bottle, but he just about manages. I have seen him drop food a number of times. There are pros and cons to which day to do it, so I will go through them.

If he goes tomorrow, his teeth will be trimmed before they can cause him any more harm (if they go into the roof of his mouth), he won't have come to the point where he has completely stopped eating and be potentially weaker and I will be able to monitor him on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The downside is, he might not be at his strongest for the anaesthetic and that I might not be able to take him to the vet over the weekend (apart from Saturday morning) unless he goes to the RVC, which is my local Out-Of-Hours vet.

If he goes Monday, he will have had more time to recover from his tummy issues and could be stronger, but his teeth may be much worse and affecting his eating even more, causing him to lose weight. I also won't be able to monitor him throughout the day afterwards. In addition, my vet is going away after and won't be able to give him a check up. I also have the option for him to have a check-up on Friday, but no teeth trim as the vet doing the teeth trim, won't be able to see him.

I don't want to wait until it's an emergency, for his teeth. I'm really at a loss as to what the best option is, as I don't want to lose Oreo, during anaesthetic or from complications after, but I don't want him to be suffering with his teeth. What would be the best decision? We are able to take him Thursday, and I volunteer there afterschool, so I can see him then.

What would the risks be, bearing in mind he is still recovering from gut stasis and he is 5 and a half years old? I understand that anaesthetic comes with a risk of him not making it. He has a good quality of life, and is a very happy, friendly piggie. I can't get him a companion (he lost his cage mate about a month ago) until his health problems has been dealt with.

What would be good to take to the vets with him? Hay, food, water bottle, toys, fleece?

Thank you.

As hard as it is, please go tomorrow and spare any him any potential suffering! Under the circumstances, all you can do is give him a chance to come out of the op and hopefully live a bit longer or to have him put to sleep - the fact that he is unable to drink means that his tongue is trapped and he is unable to swallow properly.

It is totally heart-breaking when you have to make a stark decision like that and are stuck between a rock and a hard place, but sometimes we just don't have the luxury of pandering to our own desires and fears when time is running out. We can only to our best for the welfare of a beloved piggy; the rest is in the hands of god and your vet team.

Take some hay and a favourite cosy, so he has a familiar calming scent. He won't be eating on his own straight away and it can take a while afterwards to start doing so, so you have to brace yourself for some continued syringe feeding.
Tips For Post-operative Care
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide (see dental piggies section)

I am keeping my fingers very firmly crossed for you!

 

[chesca_27]

Sorry I didn't explain the bottle situation very well. He can drink, but his teeth get in the way. I don't think his tongue is trapped because I have seen him on the bottle a lot, it just takes him longer because his teeth are annoying him and getting in the way. If his tongue was trapped, I would have lost him because he is still going strong. I have seen him eat quite a lot as well, his weight is steadily increasing and all his veggies and nuggets disappear and normal brown pellets reappear .

He doesn't seem very ill or bad enough to be PTS, but the way my mum put it was, he has a chance to make a full recovery (most likely), or go peacefully, while under anaesthetic (during the trim). It isn't the best situation, but it is a win-win as he won't be in any pain, either way. He is definitely being himself again, just his teeth bug him. He's always been a lazy, slightly bloated, chilled piggie and that's still him.

Syringe feeding isn't a problem for me. I've done it quite a few times, and Oreo has been getting used to it. Like I said, when it's the weekend, I can syringe and monitor as much as possible. I have lots of spare Critical Care for him, to syringe.

I think I'm going to bring some pre-cut veggies, just so he's used to them (he only gets the best and I don't want him having anything he's not used to) and also so they are the right size.

I really appreciate your help.

 

[Wiebke]

Sorry I didn't explain the bottle situation very well. He can drink, but his teeth get in the way. I don't think his tongue is trapped because I have seen him on the bottle a lot, it just takes him longer because his teeth are annoying him and getting in the way. If his tongue was trapped, I would have lost him because he is still going strong. I have seen him eat quite a lot as well, his weight is steadily increasing and all his veggies and nuggets disappear and normal brown pellets reappear .

He doesn't seem very ill or bad enough to be PTS, but the way my mum put it was, he has a chance to make a full recovery (most likely), or go peacefully, while under anaesthetic (during the trim). It isn't the best situation, but it is a win-win as he won't be in any pain, either way. He is definitely being himself again, just his teeth bug him. He's always been a lazy, slightly bloated, chilled piggie and that's still him.

Syringe feeding isn't a problem for me. I've done it quite a few times, and Oreo has been getting used to it. Like I said, when it's the weekend, I can syringe and monitor as much as possible. I have lots of spare Critical Care for him, to syringe.

I think I'm going to bring some pre-cut veggies, just so he's used to them (he only gets the best and I don't want him having anything he's not used to) and also so they are the right size.

I really appreciate your help.

I agree with your mum; it is the kindest thing you can do before things get bad and really painful for him. Whatever happens, at least you know that you have done your very best for him. It is one of the hardest things you can do to commit an already frail piggy to an operation, but also one of the most loving ones if it is the only way to have a chance at buying him time.

HUGS

 

[Tiamolly123]

I hope everything goes well for you tomorrow, let us know. I'll be thinking of you & Oreo, but I'm sure he'll be fine

 

[chesca_27]

I've packed a bag with some toys to chew, a fleece, hay, nuggets and some Critical Care. I'm going to cut veggies up in the morning and pack his meds, bottle and teddy. Little "ill" troublemaker is running around his cage, chewing everything, drinking and eating. His weights also stabilising. You would never guess that he hasn't been well .

If his teeth are that close to the roof of his mouth, and he is struggling to drink I would take him tomorrow - he definitely needs to be seen and treated asap.
Waiting until Monday will not make him stronger - in fact if he isn't eating properly then most likely he will actually be weaker.
I hope you can go tomorrow good luck with it all.

Sorry, just saw this. Thank you so much .

I agree with your mum; it is the kindest thing you can do before things get bad and really painful for him. Whatever happens, at least you know that you have done your very best for him. It is one of the hardest things you can do to commit an already frail piggy to an operation, but also one of the most loving ones if it is the only way to have a chance at buying him time.

HUGS

Ok thank you .

I hope everything goes well for you tomorrow, let us know. I'll be thinking of you & Oreo, but I'm sure he'll be fine

Thank you so much .

 

[flowerfairy]

Hope all goes well at the vets.

 

[chesca_27]

Oreo didn't end up having a teeth trim but he was monitored all day. They decided not to because they saw the way he was coping with vegetables and hay. Thank you anyway for all the good luck.

Tonight, I am more concerned. He won't close his mouth properly, although he is still eating and maintaining a good weight. His teeth do look very long.

My vets have said they don't want to do a check up for another two weeks and the vet he's been seeing is going away in a few days for around two weeks so I have booked an appointment at The Cat and Rabbit clinic for him. I can't complain to my vets or anything because I am a regular volunteer there, and I know all the vets. I don't know which vet I am seeing, as I did it online (and got a great time slot), but I did ask to see Simon Maddock in the notes section. It is 4:30pm on Monday. Fingers crossed he's ok until then.

I'd rather wait until Monday to take him there rather than the RVC, which will be expensive. Hopefully it can just be a conscious dental there and then. I don't want Oreo to have anaesthetic unless it's completely necessary. My dad is taking him but I will have to miss my last lesson at school to go with.

Please wish him luck that he's ok until then and that they are able to do his dental then.

 

[Wiebke]

Oreo didn't end up having a teeth trim but he was monitored all day. They decided not to because they saw the way he was coping with vegetables and hay. Thank you anyway for all the good luck.

Tonight, I am more concerned. He won't close his mouth properly, although he is still eating and maintaining a good weight. His teeth do look very long.

My vets have said they don't want to do a check up for another two weeks and the vet he's been seeing is going away in a few days for around two weeks so I have booked an appointment at The Cat and Rabbit clinic for him. I can't complain to my vets or anything because I am a regular volunteer there, and I know all the vets. I don't know which vet I am seeing, as I did it online (and got a great time slot), but I did ask to see Simon Maddock in the notes section. It is 4:30pm on Monday. Fingers crossed he's ok until then.

I'd rather wait until Monday to take him there rather than the RVC, which will be expensive. Hopefully it can just be a conscious dental there and then. I don't want Oreo to have anaesthetic unless it's completely necessary. My dad is taking him but I will have to miss my last lesson at school to go with.

Please wish him luck that he's ok until then and that they are able to do his dental then.

All the best for your trip to Simon. He is the best for dental issues, as he sees so many these days.
Please weigh daily at the same time to check the food intake; just watching a piggy chew can be very deceptive. I know from my own experience. If necessary, start topping up with syringe feed.

 

[chesca_27]

Thank you!

I'm weighing 3-4 times a day, so I know what his weight should be roughly at different times of day. For example, he is around 1020g in the morning and 1045-1050g at night and in between at lunch and in the afternoon.

I'm not syringe feeding anymore as his weight is stabilising at that but if he goes any lower, I will.

 

[Wiebke]

if he is still able to hold his weight eating on his own, then I would not yet worry too much, to be honest! It should be relatively easy for Simon to bring under control, compared to other dental piggies he sees.

 

[chesca_27]

That's really what I'm hoping for! I am just a massive worrier and my pets are really important to me. Oreo is a massive part of my life and we have gone through a lot together. He's also the friendliest guinea pig I've ever met!

He's currently sitting in his house eating hay and forage. Normally I wouldn't treat him so much, but I need to keep him eating to help his teeth and tummy.

Any idea how much Simon charges for dentals and regular appointments?

 

[Gem789]

That's really what I'm hoping for! I am just a massive worrier and my pets are really important to me. Oreo is a massive part of my life and we have gone through a lot together. He's also the friendliest guinea pig I've ever met!

He's currently sitting in his house eating hay and forage. Normally I wouldn't treat him so much, but I need to keep him eating to help his teeth and tummy.

Any idea how much Simon charges for dentals and regular appointments?

When my Sam had a check up and his teeth seen to it was about £50 I think x

 

[chesca_27]

Ok thank you x

 

[Livy]

Hi!

Oreo has had problems with his digestive system over the last week and a half and hasn't been eating as much. As a result, his teeth have been growing quite a bit because there is nothing to wear them down. I just don't know if they're too long or not. He's been to the vet a few times about and they did try to trim them consciously, but he got very stressed and wouldn't stay still. They said they would have to sedate him, but they don't want to do it until he's feeling a lot better.

I managed to get a couple of pictures of his top and bottom front teeth. They're not the best, but Oreo wouldn't keep still. Could anyone advise me on whether they're too long or not?

Thanks

Definitinely, definitley take him to the vet to ensure everything is okay. Take it from me that the consequences could be horrible not to. My Benny's front teeth grew too long and it caused a nutritional deficiency and bacteria growth. I came home one day to him paralyzed in the corner of his cage. It caused multiple seizures and constant spasms. I rushed him to the vet the most heartbroken I ever been and in tears and was prepared for the worst thinking it was a problem with the brain, but all it was was overgrown teeth. he made a quick and miraculous recovery all thanks to our wonderful vet. I had to feed a sugar medicine every hour for a couple days and the teeth were trimmed 2 days later and all was good. But please do what I didn't and save yourself any future grief or pain for Oreo and get them checked

 

[Livy]

Definitinely, definitley take him to the vet to ensure everything is okay. Take it from me that the consequences could be horrible not to. My Benny's front teeth grew too long and it caused a nutritional deficiency and bacteria growth. I came home one day to him paralyzed in the corner of his cage. It caused multiple seizures and constant spasms. I rushed him to the vet the most heartbroken I ever been and in tears and was prepared for the worst thinking it was a problem with the brain, but all it was was overgrown teeth. he made a quick and miraculous recovery all thanks to our wonderful vet. I had to feed a sugar medicine every hour for a couple days and the teeth were trimmed 2 days later and all was good. But please do what I didn't and save yourself any future grief or pain for Oreo and get them checked

I just read through all the thread and read that you brought him. I'm so sorry you have to worry, and wish Oreo luck in finding out the problem from me!