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Dental issues

Lucy2103

Lucy2103

Junior Guinea Pig
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My guinea pig stopped eating hay in January so we had her in for a dental where her back molars were filed down and also the front as they were angled due to overgrown back molars. She didn't go back to eating hay very much but continued to eat veg and her Timothy hay nuggets from selective sciences. She maintained majority of her weight without resuming her usual hay consumption.

The same happened again recently and she had another dental in July. She recovered well and continued to eat her veg and nuggets but her hay consumption never resumed this time. Only the back molars were filed this time.

Now this week I've noticed a very wet chin and veg consumption has dropped. I have just noticed her front teeth are slanted. Her front teeth were not slanted before the dental and were also not taken down this time as there wasnt an issue. I am phoning the vets first thing to see her again.

Why would her front teeth become slanted after having a dental when they were fine before? I know this happens from misaligned back molars but shes only recently had them done and her front teeth were fine before so I wouldn't have expected them to become misaligned over a month later. She's been on daily metacam for over 2 months to help as a pain relief so that she eats.

Hopefully someone can give some insight on dental issues and experiencing anything similar.

Thank you
 
I’m sorry to hear this

As you’ll know teeth overgrow when they aren’t chewing enough hay or grass. Its the only thing which contains the abrasive silica required to keep them grinding down.
The front teeth slanting occurs when they don’t chew evenly at the molars - they favour chewing on one side often due to pain on the other side.
Is there a possibility of a dental abscess?
Wet chin means she isn’t swallowing saliva properly

Will she eat fresh grass? She needs to be used to it though as too much grass can cause digestive problems.
Veg and pellets don’t wear the molars.

Have you considered the cat and rabbit clinic in Northampton for dental work?
 
I'm not one of the forum health experts but I know from experience that the Cat and Rabbit Clinic in Northampton are experts with piggy dental care.

Our piggy Arfur has had an incisor and molar removed due to an infection and eats perfectly normally now. He does occasionally need the one incisor trimming but is otherwise fine. I would definitely recommend taking your piggy there if possible.

We travel there from Manchester and other forum members even further.
 
Yes we spend a lot of money on decent hay for our girls, always have, and since January when her hay consumption dropped after having her teeth filed we even tried different brands too and different types but shes never resumed hay consumption properly since January. However she went 6 months until July before we noticed signs of needing another dental again and happily consumed nuggets and veg. However this time round she started eating nuggets and veg much sooner than in January and didn't need critical care this time around. Her hay consumption has not changed since January so I don't understand why her front teeth have only become lopsided after having the dental when they were fine before. As i mentioned she's been on metacam daily since which I think has helped her continue to eat nuggets and veg.
Our vet is the exotics vet at the surgery that I go to. What could Northampton do that my vet couldn't?
Thank you
 
It is possible something else has gone wrong with the molars that has caused her to not eat evenly. Any pain under the teeth can do that.
Or perhaps it’s the insufficient fibre/grinding action which is causing issues to speed up

Northampton have the most dental experience in the country (they only treat cats, rabbits and guinea pigs). They see more guinea pigs with dental issues in a month than many exotic vets do and deal with some very complex issues.
 
They do piggy dentals all the time as they are the vets for The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary which cares mainly for piggies with these types of issues. So they really are experts. My local exotics vet is good with piggies but I know they don't see many for dental work and are happy for me to use another vet with more experience.

Debbie @furryfriends (TEAS) runs TEAS and can maybe offer you more information.
 
Piggies&buns said:
It is possible something else has gone wrong with the molars that has caused her to not eat evenly. Any pain under the teeth can do that.
Or perhaps it’s the insufficient fibre/grinding action which is causing issues to speed up

Northampton have the most dental experience in the country (they only treat cats, rabbits and guinea pigs). They see more guinea pigs with dental issues in a month than many exotic vets do and deal with some very complex issues.
Click to expand...
Thank you. She was 5 in June so is not a young piggy either. She was given antibiotics after last dental as he found a mouth ulcer so she was also treated for infection as a precaution. As well as the highest dose of metacam for her weight. As she's still on metacam and was eating well with this I'm wondering why her back molars would still be hurting. And even if we went to Northampton, other than pain relief and more filing, I'm wondering what else could be done. I'm so worried about her suffering at this age. My vet said he couldn't see any reason for tooth extraction but at this age even putting her through that I fear she would decline. She's never had an issue in her whole life until 5 years old with her teeth. She's otherwise happy and healthy, its such a shame this is happening. She sniffs at the hay like she wants it but just doesn't eat it. We have tried grass too but also the heat of this summer and dried grass meant less time outside and no green grass for her which was also the worst! We do keep offering grass, sometimes she'll take it but not always. She's just not herself anymore 😔
 
What could be done depends entirely on what is found to be wrong. Something clearly isn’t right but it obviously comes down to finding what that is. If your vet isn’t sure, then maybe your vet can speak to cat and rabbit to get some ideas.
Being on pain relief is good but maybe whatever is wrong may be surpassing it now, maybe her tongue is trapped and she just can’t eat properly - we can only make guesses

What dosage of Metacam is she on?
Dog or cat version?
Once or twice a day?
 
Arfur is also 5 years old and has recovered really well. He had never been unwell and suddenly couldn't eat. The only obvious symptom was a slant to his incisors. It is often very difficult to know if infection is present. Please do consider the Cat and Rabbit Clinic (the cost is no more than my local exotics vet). It's definitely worth going. We wouldn't have Arfur still with us now if we hadn't gone there.
 
Piggies&buns said:
What could be done depends entirely on what is found to be wrong. Something clearly isn’t right but it obviously comes down to finding what that is. If your vet isn’t sure, then maybe your vet can speak to cat and rabbit to get some ideas.
Being on pain relief is good but maybe whatever is wrong may be surpassing it now, maybe her tongue is trapped and she just can’t eat properly - we can only make guesses

What dosage of Metacam is she on?
Dog or cat version?
Once or twice a day?
Click to expand...
Cat. Once a day. 0.6ml. I asked about twice a day and my vet was adamant in following the guidance of that medication and only doing once a day even though I read online that some experienced vets offer it twice a day but that isn't how the drug is intended.
Her molars were not as bad this time as they were January my vet said. So it was a more straightforward filing of the molars. He could see no other issues apart from an ulceration but couldn't see any other obvious issues with her teeth
 
It’s because they metabolise it more quickly than cats do - once a day is fine but it can mean any pain will come back between doses.
Experienced vets will do it twice a day in certain situations (it’s better to be twice a day for acute issues) and also give dog Metacam which is three times stronger

You have to do what you think best.
We always mention cat and rabbit because they have solved issues other vets haven’t been able to
 
I would 100% recommend trying to get an appointment with Cat and Rabbit care clinic in Northampton. They are fantastic especially with dental issues as @YvonneBlue says.

Here’s our experience…..

A few years ago we had a foster pig who was clearly struggling. He came from an all animal rescue, we visited their vet, and their visiting vet, both of which suggested investigating under anaesthetic. I repeatedly asked permission to take to C&R. When I finally got permission turned out he had oral thrush, antibiotics & a mini file on a back tooth all done in one appointment. He was absolutely fine after & much happier.

We have Herman pig currently living with us- he has regular dental check ups at C&R, since having a tooth root access & one tooth removed.

I hope you can find out what’s causing the pain & teeth issues for your guinea pig.
 
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