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Back Teeth Issues

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PAMELAKT

PAMELAKT

Adult Guinea Pig
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So tonight I am sad. I have had to book Rufus in to have his back teeth filed. I noticed he wasn't eating (usually is a proper greedy so & so) he was trying, but not picking anything up. His front teeth were very slightly overgrown so I took him to the vet and they were trimmed, but he has an ulcer in his mouth & has been eating on one side to avoid it - resulting in his back teeth being uneven.

I've been juicing vegetables & feeding him that thru a syringe all week which he's done great with, given him a hay cookie which he nibbled (think its easier because the hay comes off in smaller bits) & have put a second bowl of food in which has been soaked with water so he can eat soft food & he's been nibbling - but he has given up attempting proper veg etc now.

I have had no choice but to book him in tomorrow, and I feel sick with worry :(

I can't find a vet near me (Portsmouth Hants) which will do this without anaesthetic. I am so worried about leaving him at the vets it was so noisey with dogs howling the other day he will be so frightened. I'm so miffed he's only 18 months old & he usually eats bucket loads of hay & is a really good eater. For some reason he's got this ulcer & its messed up his teeth. Hope they don't find anything else.

Wish us luck tomorrow :0

PS. Sorry for not being on in a while, I lost my Dad to cancer in January & its been a really difficult year or so... :(
 
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So sorry to hear about Rufuses Toofuses, it sounds like you are being a perfectly well behaved hooman, pandering to his every need and want, hopeverything goes well tomorrow. please let us know how things are, plenty of healing vibes coming your way :laluot_02::laluot_02::laluot_02:
 
I know he's booked in for tomorrow, but you could try contacting http://wheekandsqueak.webs.com/ to see if they can recommend a vet who could take a look without GA?

Good luck!

Edit: Working in a vets, I can assure you that everything is done to minimise stress. Dog kennels are away from the cattery and they should have a separate exotics ward too, so it shouldn't be too stressful for him in that respect!
 
((HUGS))- I hope all goes well with the dental tomorrow! If it makes you feel any better, two of my pigs have had general anesthesia and day stays at the vet, and neither were overly stressed or had issues from the anesthesia. Hopefully his stay will go well!
 
Amanda thanks for that link I will check it out, want to be prepared in case there is a next time. They don't have a separate bit for small animals I don't think, my friend used to work in a vets she said there isn't - but I'm gonna ask. He is an indoor pig so he's used to the tv & hairdryer etc but not howling dogs ;(

Am so worried he'll die. I feel sick this morning! Guess I have to be cruel to be kind this time. He's never been away from his twin brother, I just can't wait to give them back to eachother later.

I keep reading they often still can't eat after this? I really hope he is able to eat bless him, it's heartbreaking watching him get excited about veg then realise he can't eat it. Just sits & watched Rodney demolish it. Poor little man ;(
 
Baby man is in ;( I literally feel ill today. I can't stand the vets its worse for your nerves than the dentist!

Apparently he has a splinter that's given him the ulcer. Why would he get this when he's a greedy hay eater?!

Waiting for dreaded phonecall now. Hope he's ok ;(
 
You are doing the right thing. Your little man needs this done so he can eat properly. I am so sorry you have had such a bad time of it. How awful you lost your father. I am really sorry to hear that. I will be thinking of you today.
 
Yeah it's the last thing I need is sick animals! My nerves are shot to pieces as it is!

But he is good, back home with his bro who was waiting for him, and he is trying to eat already! He's nibbled a bit but still having trouble but I'm hoping he just needs to adjust to shorter teeth etc. Can't believe a few hours ago he was asleep! He's quite bouncy!

Hopefully by 2moro he will be able to eat better, he def ses happier!

So relieved x)
 
My phone won't let me reply to the pm but that's fab info thank you! I will def look into that cos I couldn't keep putting him thru this. Hopefully once this ulcer heals he can go back to normal but I kno they have a habit of happening again.

Feel so happy knowing he's back with his brother, I have literally felt ill all day! Isn't it terrible!

He seems relatively not bothered about the stress of the day!
 
Great that he's pulled through :) fingers crossed he'll have no more problems after this. Have you tried him with grass and dandelions? Thats all my girl would eat when she had her back teeth filed.
 
Not tried that I will do... He's still struggling today he's really trying & sits waiting to be fed with his brother bless him, but he can't seem to puck anything up. He took a couple of very tiny bits of pepper off me but then gave up trying & started sniffing frantically around my hand hinting for a veggie juice so I made him one. He's so hungry!
He did manage the ttiny bit of pepper but I'm talking the size of my smallest finger nail size & he took minutes to chew.

Do you think he'll get used to his teeth in a couple of days did yours? I have to take him back Monday for a check I hope he's eating better by then ;/
 
It can take days, weeks and even months for piggies to start eating again after dental treatment. Obviously if they aren't eating, then the teeth start to regrow again and that is why regular check ups are necessary, and where a vet who can do dental work with the piggie conscious is invaluable. Some piggies immediately start to do well, but in many cases it can take a lot of time. Especially if there is ulceration in the mouth. Has your piggie been given pain relief? How much syringe food are you getting in? For a piggie who isn't eating anything, then you need to aim for about 120 mls per 24 hours. It's very early days yet, so don't get disheartened.
 
Oh god, ok.... He did have an ulcer & I was given pain relief when I got his front teeth done last week but was told to only use for 3 days. He has anti biotics for ulcer should I give the metacam aswell maybe?

Tried grass & dandelion - got excited, then didn't try to pick it up.

Er not sure I'm not at home to see syringe at mo but I'm probably not doing quite that. I'll step it up...
 
Metacam will be good, to help take the edge off the pain for him.

Sometimes it is not only the physical aspects of having dental issues that can affect the recovery time, but also the psychological imprints that the pain and discomfort they have experienced has left which makes them reluctant to use their mouths. That is what can make the whole thing a vicious circle - they don't or can't eat normally, so the teeth continue to grow, therefore leaving them unable to eat. These pigs are sent to try us! :)
 
Yeah I'm sure.... he is definately trying harder than before he had the teeth done I mean he actually is taking food off me, hanging out the cage when I open it as normal & taking food - but then he doesn't get anywhere with it. He did chew pepper which is promising but I had to chop it up tiny & hand feed it cos he can't seem to break things off with his front teeth. He pulls & pulls but they seem not to be able to cut.

Really want him to eat hay :/ really worries me that he isn't. Is there another way of getting hay into him? I realise i can't juice it! ?/

Rodney on the other hand is really enjoying the whole experience. Rufus is usually the greedy gannet, so he's loving it. He's the size of a blimmin house! Haha
 
Hmmmm. It could be either that his front teeth have been trimmed too short and therefore they don't allow him to bite, or that his back teeth are still too long, which then stops his mouth closing properly.

Porridge oats might be a good option to try with him - they are good for gaining/maintaining weight while he is not eating for himself and can also stimulate chewing. I used to make them into a porridge-like consistency using warm water. To make them more interesting, I used to add finely chopped fruit or veg.

The key thing at the moment is to maintain Rufus's weight so that he is well enough to battle on. Hay might be too much for him at the moment, what with the ulcer he has in his mouth. Did the vet say how substantial it was? It is better to get any food into him to maintain his strength rather than worrying too much about hay. The difficulty hay gives a pig with bad teeth normally means that they can't eat it and that is where the need for repeated treatments arises as the teeth aren't being worn down as normal. :)
 
Oh right! I didn't realise they could eat porridge oats! I will go buy some in a minute cos have to stock up on juicable veg...

I'll have to stop Rodney eating the oats, he will explode if he gets any bigger! Mite have to put a little divide down the middle of the cage at feeding time.

I have found a vet 60 miles away who apparently deals with teeth without GA, so think that may be a stop off at some point. Quite a way to to :(

The lady vet I originally saw said the ulcer looked quite big, but the vet that did the op didn't comment. She also said it wasn;t infected so didn;t need anti b's but he has given me them. Very contradictive! :x
 
Small update : Little man is enjoying porridge oats & eating finely chopped cherry tomatoes, pepper & cucumber. Not huge amounts, but least it's proper solids.

If anyone has any ideas of other foods I can try I'd be most grateful! He also likes banana...

Hoping he has put some weight on....
 
My little guy had the same problem and had a dental op this week so I feel ** pain! Hope all is well now!
 
If you can get ** hands on Oxbow critical care fine formula that might help him out as its a complete formula ,if not,try soaking his pellets in warm water and syringe feeding them to him. Try get him to eat by tempting him with basil, parsley, coriander... Hope this helps!
 
He can't seem to eat anything leafy, and absolutely detests the critical care stuff.

How is your guy eating since his dental?
 
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