A future dental query, but the question is how far in the future... so Blod is new and scared and is in isolation with ringworm. At Her first vet check we found out she has a slightly misaligned jaw and 3 back tooth spurs. The vet says this shouldnt stop her eating...yet...but it needs fixing in the next 6 months or so. Quite impressed our lovely vet spotted this on a first inspection of a terrified pig. The question is when best to get this dealt with? It will mean GA as we are 120 miles from the experts so well recommended in Northampton and neither Blod nor me travel well in the car. She isnt eating much hay or pellets but I can't tell if that's fear because she's new, or her teeth. She slurps down critical care and grapes and beansprouts and cucumber but she doesnt seem too good with hard food like carrots and pellets and hay. But I can't really tell how much hay she eats when we're not watching. She has very good poops, lots and lots of them. She's off back to the vet next week to check on the ringworm but should I get the dental soon (though will she die of stress under GA?) or wait a while until she's settled but risk a big set back with recovery and bonding with the herd, and the teeth getting worse? Any opinions welcome on double vet bill bonus illness ringworm and dental Bloddy pig!
I can only speak from experience and I do have a lot, having run a guinea pig dental sanctuary for 7 years. I know you've already ruled out a visit to Simon Maddock in Northampton, but I really urge you to reconsider. The fact that your vet has identified a slightly misaligned jaw and back teeth spurs, but is saying that it needs fixing within the next 6 months, sends out warning signals, big time! A slightly misaligned jaw, suggests that the guinea pig has dental issues that need attending to NOW! In fact any dental problem, needs immediate attention!
I appreciate that Northampton isn't just round the corner, but by visiting Simon, you stand a very good chance of getting a complete cure for Blodwen. Only a fortnight ago, a very poorly piggy arrived here at TEAS. He couldn't eat anything for himself and was generally in very poor condition and looked very close to death. He saw Simon the next day, who identified very elongated teeth, found a huge clump of hair and food that had got stuck in his mouth, which was immediately removed and little Casper was eating by the time he left the practice. Casper had a follow up appointment on Monday and his teeth are almost perfect now. He will have a further check up in a month, but if all still going well, he will be able to return home. Casper had obviously had a very poor start in life (he's a very young piggy) with an inappropriate diet, but by jumping in quickly, he's now almost back to normal.
Simon has worked wonders, with so many dental piggies, from all around the UK. He does moreguinea pig dentals in a week, than most vets do in their whole career. Simon not only files the teeth without the need for GA, but he shapes them correctly, ensuring that the guinea pig has a set of teeth that will work, before they leave the practice. He's perfected his skill over more than 10 years of treating guinea pigs with dental issues and disease.
I still can't believe she was given to you in that condition. It makes me wonder what other horrors are lurking behind that breeders door 
Have bookmarked it
