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Dental Issue?

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Coco&Luna

Coco&Luna

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I'm hoping to god it's not, but here goes.....
A couple of months ago I noticed cocos chin was wet and took her to the vet, but she wriggled so much the vet couldn't get the scope in long enough to check.
I havn't noticed a wet chin since then and since she was happy and eating fine I didn't push it.
But I've noticed recently she has stopped eating hard vegetables like carrot and baby corn, and when she does try it, I just find it crumbled into little pieces beside her bowl.
She also woke me last night with making a horrible crunching grinding noise with her teeth for ages?
and seems to be making a coughing/choking noise more than usual ( but she's always ate too fast and choked herself more than any pig i've known so i'm not sure about this one)
Cheers guys, x

EDIT: I've tried to have a swatch at her teeth myself, but can only see the front ones, which look even, nice and short and lovely and pearly white! lol.
 
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I would be concerned about the back molars being overgrown... two of my pigs had dental issues at various times, and they showed similar symptoms, such as avoiding hard foods and leaving chunks behind when they did eat them, as well as coughing/choking (I think the teeth were either trapping food or interfering with swallowing.) My dental pigs would also pull their lips back periodically when eating- you could see their ears move. One of them would also paw at her face while doing this, as though something was stuck and she wanted to dislodge it. Definitely worth a vet visit to check the teeth with a vet who is experienced with guinea pig teeth. I would also feel along the sides of her jaw for any swelling... sometimes dental abscesses can present with these symptoms. Lots of luck and hope you are able to get a diagnosis and fix the problem!
 
How old is Coco?!

Of course, it would be advisable to have Coco's teeth checked!

As I am sure you have read on the forum, weighing your guinea pigs weekly is recommended - Weight loss is often the first indication of dental issues!
 
@Freela Thank you. If it was her molars that were overgrown would this be easily fixed? Is a GA always necessary?

@Guinea-pigGaga - She's 5 (nearly 6). I weigh her regularly, she has always been a small girl, but since last January has lost just under 200g (she now weighs - 772g) She dropped under the 800g mark about a month ago. I thought the weight loss was due to a combination of her ageing and losing her sister. The weight loss has been very very gradual.

Ahhh dear, back to the vets, feel like I'm never away from the place! lol.
 
Quite a few cavy-savvy veterinarians are now able to perform conscious dentals!

However, this procedure/technique is particularly beneficial for guinea pigs that require routine treatment!

If it is discovered that Coco's weight loss is due to a dental issue/s, as Coco is an older guinea pig, I would hope that she would require a single treatment, rather than routine treatment - Guinea pigs that require routine treatment typically develop dental issues quite young!

I believe that it is very much a case of, why risk general anaesthetic when there is a safe alternative?!

@furryfriends Excellent Adventure Sanctuary
 
Unfortunately very few vets seem willing to do conscious dental work. We are very lucky here in Northampton as we have Simon and Kim Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Clinic, who are excellent guinea pig vets, but also very knowledgeable about guinea pig teeth and are able to do conscious dentals. This was the reason I set up TEAS, so as to enable guinea pigs to have either a permanent or a temporary place here so they can get treatment from Simon and Kim.

It does sound as if your piggy has the start of dental issues. A lot of dental problems start due to a brewing abscess. Often this doesn't immediately become apparent, but just causes pain, which changes the way the guinea pig eats.

It is a pity you are so far away, as ideally a visit to see Simon or Kim would be my recommendation. I would be willing to offer a temporary place here at TEAS if it would help, but I can fully understand that you would probably prefer to explore options closer to home. You really are going to need to find a vet who can examine the back teeth, as saying they can't due to a wriggly guinea pig is a very poor excuse, and would suggest they aren't guinea pig savvy.

If you would like a chat I am more than happy for you to call me. My contact details are on my website www.teasnorthampton.co.uk You can also check out the FB page and see the work that we do. https://www.facebook.com/teasnorthampton
 
What Debbie is describing above is exactly what my Barney is being treated for at the moment, he just all of a sudden started dropping weight and stopped eating anything except his hay. He has seen Kim and is now on antibiotics for a couple of weeks and has improved since starting them. It would be worth taking up Debbie's offer if you can, though I believe that Glenn at Apex Vets is also good and obviously much nearer to you.
 
@furryfriends Excellent Adventure Sanctuary thank you for your offer. :) the vet I took her to then was new to me and yeahhhh, she was very timid with her. She was holding her awkward and getting her slip through her fingers like water, lol. I'm taking her to her usual vet who's a small animal specialist and seems to be the only vet i've been too that's worth making an appointment with in the first place. I'll see how I get on with her.
@helen105281 Yeah, i was gunna say, ill take her to Apex if it comes to it, because it's so much closer.
I'll keep ye updated though,
Thanks again guys,
 
Whether the vet can do conscious dental work very much depends on where you are and who works there. I've read of it being done in the UK... there really is no one who does it that I can find where I live in Ontario. Fortunately my pigs have always done well with the GA, and with the dentals they seem to be under and woken up fairly quickly and never had an after-effects of the GA (the same pig was groggy after a longer procedure, so I think the fact that it is quick makes a difference.) Lots of luck with your appt and hope you can get some info and treatment for her!
 
@Coco&Luna where in Scotland are you? I'm in Glasgow I could put you on to my vets she's a rabbit and piggy specialist she has here own piggy's she's really good she treated my boy Junior when he has dental problems.
 
I'm in glasgow too, that would be really good actually?

I'm deffo gunna take her to see her usual vet, shes really good with small animals and I trust her, but It would be great to have a back up so close just incase this doesn't go well because dental stuff can be tricky & for future reference too!....I dont have much faith in glasgow vets, lol :)
 
Coco&Luna said:
I'm in glasgow too, that would be really good actually?

I'm deffo gunna take her to see her usual vet, shes really good with small animals and I trust her, but It would be great to have a back up so close just incase this doesn't go well because dental stuff can be tricky & for future reference too!....I dont have much faith in glasgow vets, lol :)
Click to expand...
Cathkin Taylor vets ask to see Laura if you do make an appointment
 
THATS MY VET! i love her! :D
Every time I get a different vet something gets skrewed up, I hate when she's off!
 
Coco&Luna said:
THATS MY VET! i love her! :D
Every time I get a different vet something gets skrewed up, I hate when she's off!
Click to expand...
OMG hahaha :lol!::lol!::lol!: shes the only one i'll let touch my piggies when u ask for a appointment you need to tell them with Laura if shes at EK or Clarkston surgery just ask to make a appointment there that's what I do I took Junior to the Clarkston one to see her. x
 
When Juniors back teeth had overgrown trapping his tongue I thought one of the other vet that examined his was going to break his jaw trying to look in his mouth I was in tears I'm still traumatised now......after all that she says there was nothing wrong with his teeth the next day I went back asked to see Laura its took her 2 secs to see what was wrong.
 
ahhh, ok. I always just take the appointment with anyone when she's off because I worry about leaving the pigs too long, but I always regret being so impulsive, it's always a waste of time, lol. I KNOW! she's always so good with my pigs, she's really quick and the pigs seem to respect her authority and don't even try to thrash about. haha
 
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