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Dental issues? Abscess? At my wits end!

EJMA82

Junior Guinea Pig
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Just under 2 weeks ago took my snowy to the vet suspected uri. Given Baytril etc. He stopped eating then took him back and they admitted him for the whole day, given fluids/injectable emeprid/metacam with some to bring home. He got quite a bit better pooing and weeing and eating but he’s now stopped eating again or rather is trying to eat but having difficulty like his jaw is moving more to one side which it didn’t a couple of weeks ago. I’m taking him back to the vet tomorrow but they checked his back teeth last time and said they were ok. He had a dental about 18 months ago there and was fine after. What should I be asking the vet to test for? Does abscess show on an X-ray? There’s no swelling I can see/feel. I’ve already spent over £200 over the last 2 weeks so money is getting tight. I don’t have the option to take him to the cat and rabbit right now as I’m working full time 12.30-9pm and the kids are off school this week. I’m already syringe feeding again. I just always go blank at the vets. Totally exhausted.again.
 
Just under 2 weeks ago took my snowy to the vet suspected uri. Given Baytril etc. He stopped eating then took him back and they admitted him for the whole day, given fluids/injectable emeprid/metacam with some to bring home. He got quite a bit better pooing and weeing and eating but he’s now stopped eating again or rather is trying to eat but having difficulty like his jaw is moving more to one side which it didn’t a couple of weeks ago. I’m taking him back to the vet tomorrow but they checked his back teeth last time and said they were ok. He had a dental about 18 months ago there and was fine after. What should I be asking the vet to test for? Does abscess show on an X-ray? There’s no swelling I can see/feel. I’ve already spent over £200 over the last 2 weeks so money is getting tight. I don’t have the option to take him to the cat and rabbit right now as I’m working full time 12.30-9pm and the kids are off school this week. I’m already syringe feeding again. I just always go blank at the vets. Totally exhausted.again.

The best dental vet in our area is Simon Maddock at the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton. He cares for the guinea pig at the Excellent Adventure Sanctuary (TEAS) and sees dental piggies from all over the country. He does more guinea pig dentals in a week than most vets in their career. He has also got all the experience with any other facial problems that can crop up, including dental abscesses as my Hywel has been dealing with two years ago.
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic

As soon as your piggy is going off food, you need to step in weighing daily and syringe feeding top up.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Simon is not an option for me this week for the reasons I explained. I’m now a gold medalist in syringe feeding having done it so frequently. I’ve weighed Dailey since he first became unwell. I was more thinking what I should ask my vet. Thanks for your quickness in replying anyway.
 
Simon is not an option for me this week for the reasons I explained. I’m now a gold medalist in syringe feeding having done it so frequently. I’ve weighed Dailey since he first became unwell. I was more thinking what I should ask my vet. Thanks for your quickness in replying anyway.

I would recommend that you contact Debbie at TEAS for further advice tomorrow. She is currently not on the forum but has offered to speak to members with dental issues. She is the most knowledgeable person to talk to when it comes to dentals, facial abscesses or problems.
The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary – Providing life-enhancing care for Guinea Pigs with extra needs
 
Spotted this and have logged in to see if I can offer any suggestions.

It may not be an abscess, but the teeth could be so overgrown at the back of the mouth, that they're forcing the jaw over to one side. I have seen this happen with a few piggies. Is there any way you could get your piggy to Simon, even if it was just a case of dropping off and then going straight home, for work? I am more than happy to pick him up from the vets for you and you could collect from me at a time and day to suit you. I just see so many people wasting money at other vets, with no improvement happening and then after spending many hundreds of pounds, go to Simon and the guinea pig is eating immediately. Simon isn't in tomorrow, but is there the rest of the week.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. We put Snowy to sleep. X ray showed his jaw was broken. I hurt worse than anything right now.
 
Nothing could be done. Don’t know what caused it but it could have caused all the other issues he had over the last 2 weeks.
 
We’ve dug a hole to lay him to rest but I’m still holding his body. I can’t let him go I feel so broken.
 
I'm so sorry. :( Many, many ((HUGS)) to you.
 
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