Caring for a piggie with dental issues

[Josie_lg]

Hiya everyone happy new year! I’m sorry to have to come on here for some advice but sadly our little honey has been a little bit poorly. She’s been having some appointments for the last couple of months as every now and again she would look like she was choking on food and would paw at the mouth. My first thought of course was dental issues. The first appointment the vet only saw a sore in the mouth and she had some rheumocam for a week and was completely fine after that. Then we went back a month or so later for the same issue and this time the vet noticed possibly an abnormality with the molar but said it wasn’t too bad and she may file it down on her own (typically she had gone back to normal the day of the appointment) and the vet said we didn’t need to rush into a dental at that time. We ended up taking her elsewhere for a second opinion to see another vet who is good with piggies. (The vet who did my other piggies surgery has left and I’m not aware of where he’s gone. And another vet who’s been amazing is away on maternity leave so there aren’t many cavy vets around now) the vet there said there is some pinkness on one side of the mouth and the teeth were a little slanted but once again she had gone back to normal within a day and was completely fine. So she prepared me that if this happens again she will need some x rays and then a dental. She couldn’t see any ulcers but she did say that you can’t rule that out until they are under. I’m aware of the amazing vets in Northampton who have been doing conscious dentals. (Honey is a very nervous and at times very flighty so don’t know how she would do) I’m also unsure if they are taking new clients as I’ve heard about this possible change regarding doing them conscious.
I’m really just looking for some advice. She had been fine up until Saturday night/yesterday which is when her symptoms started again. She is taking food in very small amounts and we are getting her critical care down her at the moment she is on rheumocam for any pain and fibreplex as she has some soft and small poops. We are weighing her too, atm no drastic weight loss. (She is also very prone to a sensitive tummy, which has been investigated) any advice is very welcome. I am so so worried about another piggie needing another GA. We have had our fair share of heartbreak the last few months with our girls. And I’m so worried that even after a dental what if she’s going to need continuous dentals or doesn’t get any better after the procedure. I’ve heard some awful stories.
Thank you all in advance. Having a poorly piggie is always a very worrying time especially when we only lost our buttercup two months ago

 

[Bill & Ted]

I am so sorry for you and Honey, dental problems are awful. I would definitely get an appointment with Simon Maddock if you can. he will give you a proper assessment of what is going wrong in her mouth, it sill put your mind at rest as to what the actual problem is. It might not be her teeth, it could be an abscess or a very minor spur on a molar. You can then discuss and take it from there. He is the best person for Honey and I can vouch for him, he is an amazing surgeon. All my piggies have sailed through ops for all sorts of things and also one piggie had 2.5 years of conscious dentals too, he is good gentle with them

Good luck

 

[Josie_lg]

Thank you. I may email or call and see if they are taking any new clients. As last I heard they had stopped taking on any new dental piggies because of the new guidlines possibly coming into place? I live in Essex so it’s quite a drive away.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Good luck, I hope you can get an appointment with him, at least an assessment you will know what the problem is, it might not necessarily be a problem tooth it could be an abscess? But at least you will know

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I’m pretty sure they’re seeing new clients. Send an email marked for the attention of Simon Maddock.

 

[Josie_lg]

Hello, I thought I’d just update. I’m a vet nurse and am very lucky that I work in a vets with 24 hours care and a CT and MRI scanner on site. However small experience with piggies dentals. I brought her to work with me to syringe feed and ensure she was taking it well as I worked a 10 hour day and my mums recovering from a surgery.
She’s taken the majority of her feeds very well. Eating a small amount of hay and parsley. I spoke to a vet at work today who advised a CT if that’s something we’d like to do rather than going straight for a sedation, head x rays and investigate the mouth +/- dental depending on the findings. Without knowing what’s wrong. She explained an x ray may not always show some problems they can get. I’ve had a brief explanation of the results back to me this evening but I have so many questions. She has dental disease and her eyes are asymmetrical? But I haven’t been given too much info and when stressed it’s hard to take all the big words of the report from the specialist in.
I have no experience with dental disease. And all these horror stories I have read are haunting me. I know that you need to be so careful and that some people’s piggies mouths have been ruined due to it not being done properlyI am so so scared that she’s going to need dentals for the rest of her life. We’ve just lost our sweet buttercup to a uterine tumour, that had advanced and her loss is still so fresh, only 2 months yesterday And I’m still recovering from the traumatic loss of my poppy after passing due to post op complications from a cystotomy after flying through her first surgery 9 months earlier. I put everything in to saving them and it wasn’t enough.
I feel like it’s a continuous nightmare.
If anyone knows of a way to get to Northampton (I’m located in Essex!) if you need specific town I can give that privately.
I’ve only just passed my driving test and have been driving my car for only one week so I certainly can’t drive there. There is a very small chance my dad will be able to drive me there but it’s something I need to discuss with him.
Are there trains there? I feel a train may be too stressful. She is a very sensitive piggie to sounds. Even sometimes saying her name in a squeaky voice makes her little ears fly back.
For now she’s on her pain meds fibreplex and syringe feed. Once I have the full report I want to send it to the vet who had seen her a few weeks ago for her opinion and see if I can get a telephone appointment with Simon maybe if he is able to take a look at the CT report. Is this something he may do?
This is the 5th CT we have done in total for my piggies but they are worth all of it I am just not ready for anymore heartbreak