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Dental piggies - What would you like including on my dental thread

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At what age would you consider it kinder or wiser to pts a dental piggy?
I have had only 3 piggies out of my group of 29-32 with dental problems,and they have all been between 3 1/2 and 5 years old . One lived for another 6 months ,one died within 24 hours of treatment,and the other is still here having made a good recovery.

Without being callous I wonder if it is kinder to pts an older piggie than put them through the stress of treatment,and also the great cost of vets bills,especially if the piggie has had a good quality and a good lenghth of life.
Hope I dont get shot down for this,but quality as much as quantity seems to me to be a guide.
 
How about good vets that are able to carry out dental treatment without GA or even with but very good ones? Do you know of many?

Christine dont be worried about asking such a question. It is something we may all have to consider for our pets one day sadly and its certainly not a bad thing to ask at all. Sometimes i would rather a pet be at peace than continue on for the sake of it, but also on the flip side i wouldnt want to give up on them easily either.

x.
 
I think it would be good to cover the basics. What are the first signs that my piggy may need dental treatment? Such as choosing to eat softer food rather than pellets... etc etc etc Because i dont REALLY know anything at the moment, and i would imagine there are some signs before you get to the eating nothing and dribbling all the time.

Also, what should i look for the vet to tell me when i take my dental piggy in for an exam, because in my area we have an exotics vet but ive yet to test their knowledge, so am always wary.
 
I consider it a very responsible thing to ask. As pet owners we owe it to our furry friends to be able to make this decision if and when life is no longer good, or when there are many more bad days than good days.

Please post on this thread the names and locations of any vets who are experienced in dental work so we can make a sticky of dental vets.
 
I'd also be very keen to find out the first signs of dental problems before it gets to the very bad stages!

Also, a general list of what dental problems there are would be useful, and the 'typical' treatments for these (although I do appreciate every case is unique), when a GA may have to be used and when it is not necessarily needed etc! I'm sure this is a huge subject so appreciate it will take some time to formulate a response!
 
I will do my very best to answer all your questions. Obviously this will be just my view on things, and what has worked for me and the piggies I have helped. However, I have dealt with many more dental piggies than most people are ever likely to come into contact with in a lifetime of keeping guinea pigs.

I want the dental thread to have as much information on it as possible, and also for it to be added to as more knowledge is gained. It can then become a reference point for anyone dealing with a piggie with dental issues.
 
Are there things you can do to try to prevent problems that are not due to misalignment of teeth? Especially foods/diet?
 
Hi Debbie!

Having just had a few problems with Betty's snapped front teeth (as you know!) I think how to prepare food in a way that's edible would be useful. This would probably depend on which teeth are the problem (front or back!) but you'd know better than me xxxxx
 
Debbie I wonder whether it would be possible to post some pics/links of photographs showing what a buccal pad separator/burring equipment looks like and how they are used, for those that haven't seen them before? I personally find it helpful, when talking to my vet, to have a picture in my head of what I am discussing!

Are buccal separators a piece of kit that vets would generally have? I know that Vedra at CCT used to sell them to clients (I have some), but just wondered whether the vet world had their own suppliers? Knowing that vets don't receive a huge amount of training in all things piggy, how do they become as proficient as Simon in tooth issues?

Sorry for all the questions!
 
Caviesgalore said:
Debbie I wonder whether it would be possible to post some pics/links of photographs showing what a buccal pad separator/burring equipment looks like and how they are used, for those that haven't seen them before? I personally find it helpful, when talking to my vet, to have a picture in my head of what I am discussing!

Are buccal separators a piece of kit that vets would generally have? I know that Vedra at CCT used to sell them to clients (I have some), but just wondered whether the vet world had their own suppliers? Knowing that vets don't receive a huge amount of training in all things piggy, how do they become as proficient as Simon in tooth issues?

Sorry for all the questions!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately most vets aren't going to have buccal pad separators although they could buy them from the CCT. I guess the problem is going to be the fact that a lot of the veterinary profession don't wish to have any association with the CCT, even to the point of purchasing a useful piece of kit from them. Also sadly they see that there isn't enough money to be made from guinea pigs.

Simon has become so proficient due to his interest in the veterinary care of guinea pigs. He is self taught in his treatment of dental issues and it's a case of practice makes perfect. The more he does the better he gets. He is seeing more and more of Vedra's clients whose piggies have failed to improve under her care and have started to eat after just one treatment from him. This doesn't mean they are cured after one treatment, but their condition is able to be managed.

Yes will include pics of buccal pad separators. I am pretty sure vets will have dental burrs.
 
Sadly Debbie I thought you were going to say that about the separators! I am incredibly lucky that my vet Nicola also has a passion for piggies and is also keen to continue to learn about their care.x) She recently attended a seminar given by Mark Rowland, an exotics specialist in Kent, and she has also spoken to Simon several times about piggy queries - so fantastic when vets are prepared to share their knowledge. I just need to convince her to increase her work on her conscious dentals now!

Sadly I think you are also right that some vets think of guinea pigs as low income earners:(. I think some still think of piggies as being "disposable" pets and until their attitude changes we are fighting an uphill battle - one we must all continue to challenge. Ironically, if they only took the time to learn more about these beautiful animals they could increase their income considerably. Word has spread about Nicola and she now has patients travelling miles to see her.:)

Threads like this can only hi-light the best vet/owner practices, well done:)
 
I know that if any vets wanted to see how Simon does the conscious dentals he would be more than willing to show them. However, as he is such a busy man they would have to make the trip to see him in his practice.

Simon has people travelling from all over the country to see him, and if things could be sorted with just one visit this would be fine, but as dental issues can be ongoing it isn't always possible for people to travel every couple of weeks or so.

I just wish more vets would show an interest and see how dental issues don't have to be a death sentence.
 
I've dealt with a lot of vets that see piggies as 'disposable' and they always tell you the price like they expect you to change your mind when you've already said you'll do anything to get them better. Saying that, the fact that they've made a fortune out of me might help them change their attitude - if only for financial reasons! x
 
Thanks very much furryfriends for doing this.
My little piggie Woody has already had one GA to file his back teeth & the vet cut his front teeth too short, so he couldn't pick his food up at all for a week until they grew a bit. He picked up ok afterwards & was eating fine but all his symptoms have come back so we have taken him to a different vet that was suggested by a forum member. Unfortunately he has a infection & ulcers on his tongue due to the teeth growing back & cutting him, so he is on antibiotic & painkiller to try & sort it out before I have to take him for his teeth doing again.:(
The vet gave us a bit more confidence with his knowledge of guinea teeth & he is doing an Xray to give us more info about Woody's problem but he said he would have to give a little bit of gas & air as he didn't feel he could do the job properly with him awake. Although it is very expensive I really want to give him a chance but it also feels cruel to have the poor little chap in discomfort (& pain as well probably, although he never shows it) & for his life to be constantly at the vet. It is indeed heartbreaking as he is such a lovely piggie & so gentle & trusting.
One symptom my piggie has shown, which may be unique to him, is that he sniffs really loudly & sneezes loads. Thanks again for this information it is really helpfull & supportive. :)
 
I hope this is ok, i am just copying question i posted below. Its not an ongoing problem, but i would appreciate some advice anyhow?
I dont know how it happened but i noticed Spike was very quiet last night and whimpering in his cage. I lifted him out and noticed blood on his mouth. He has lost a tooth on the bottom, and on the same side he has lost half of the top tooth. I gave him pain relief and he slept. He is managing to eat a little bit today, and seems perky enough. Should i take him to a vet, or watch closely and just home medicate for pain. Money is a bit tight just now, but not that tight that i would deprive him of vetinary care. I am cleuless with teeth, never come across this before.
 
When we took our boy to the vets on sunday after finding a lump on the left had side of his face following some minor dental issues it was confirmed it was an abscess. The vet prescribed baytril 0.4mls twice a day and said to monitor it and if it hasn't gone or has gotten bigger in 2 weeks then to take him back and he will consider bursting the abcsess, flushing it out and injecting antibiotics, but he said this is a risky process.

My question is what are the risks exactly? Can it be done without GA?

Many Thanks x
 
When we took our boy to the vets on sunday after finding a lump on the left had side of his face following some minor dental issues it was confirmed it was an abscess. The vet prescribed baytril 0.4mls twice a day and said to monitor it and if it hasn't gone or has gotten bigger in 2 weeks then to take him back and he will consider bursting the abcsess, flushing it out and injecting antibiotics, but he said this is a risky process.

My question is what are the risks exactly? Can it be done without GA?

Many Thanks x
 
With a good vet the risks are minimal, but abscesses can be very stubborn and can be difficult to treat even after being lanced and drained. You need to keep it open and flush it a couple of times a day. If you could get your piggie to Simon to have it lanced that would be preferable because he has done this procedure many times. He would also prescribe zithromax which would give it the best possible chance of clearing up.
 
Pain relief - metacam isn't going to cut it after dental surgery, and many vets aren't keen to give our opiates for obvious reasons. Just because a guinea pig is alive doesn't mean that they have a reasonable quality of life.

Also in this subject - how do you identify if the molar roots are impinging on the nerves in the jaw and causing intractable pain? In chinchillas this can be identified from an x-ray and the only kind option is euthanasia. Similar to this is making the decision that teeth are so misaligned that they will never grow straight and *** cause lifelong pain.

I am not against dental surgery per se, but sometimes people have too much faith in what dental work can achieve. Guinea pig teeth are tiny and burning can only ever fix the top surface. Vets can sometimes have a go at something even when there isn't a realistic chance of long term success, so it is always essential to have a trusted vet that you can look in the eye and say "is this kind?".

Another essential topic is prevention - I frequently see pictures of food bowls overflowing with pellets. Some guidance on the correct weight of pellets for an adult pig so that the vast majority of the diet is hay or grass, supplemented with some vegetables (and absolutely no pet shop 'treats' except the dried herb ones) to wear the teeth.

Avoiding over supplementation of vitamins or minerals that can actually make the situation worse. Overdoses of some will reduce absorption of others or can actually cause illness. It's another thing that always worries me when I see people doing it.

Guidelines on syringe feeding and when to stop. Syringe feeding carries the risk of aspiration of food into the lungs, causes stress and can also stop gps feeding themsleves, so should be used as little as possible. As with the first point, just because you can do it and keep a GP alive doesn't always make it the right thing. Also with all soft foods, syringe or in a bowl - all the time they are eating this the teeth are not wearing correctly and will just overgrow again.

Paula
 
I will go through all the issues you raise as they are very very good points. I would like to show this video of Archie though, as Archie has dreadful teeth, they are totally misaligned and yet he eats for himself and doesn't need any syringe feeding. He is tiny and only weighs about 680g but he has such a zest for life. He is on the go all the time and really knows how to enjoy himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33l6-lE8Xew&list=FLXQ1Joq08_CdUgmUqVX54HA&index=2&feature=plpp_video
 
Early signs of dental issues- maybe some video. My dental piggie had a very distinctive 'lip pull' when her teeth were bad. Info on dental abscesses and antibiotics used to treat them would be good too.
 
furryfriends (Excellent Adventure Sanctuary) said:
I will go through all the issues you raise as they are very very good points. I would like to show this video of Archie though, as Archie has dreadful teeth, they are totally misaligned and yet he eats for himself and doesn't need any syringe feeding. He is tiny and only weighs about 680g but he has such a zest for life. He is on the go all the time and really knows how to enjoy himself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33l6-lE8Xew&list=FLXQ1Joq08_CdUgmUqVX54HA&index=2&feature=plpp_video
Click to expand...

Awwww :(|) Archie says "muuum I know there's food in here but I can't get at it - open it at once. ".

I know my post comes across as a little negative and I know treatment can work for some (my 13 year old chinchilla has been treatment free for 6 years), but I've also been guilty in the past of trying for too long when I should have done the kind thing.

Paula
 
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Hello, I'm not sure if this is the 'dental thread' or a thread about what should be on the dental thread - I'm a bit lost on the forum so please guide me correctly if I'm posting this in the wrong place!

Had a check of Clive's teeth today and he has lost a little chip off one of his bottom teeth - it's slightly diagnal (diagnol?) now instead of level with the other tooth. He has had no change in eating / chewing his wood toys. He does clack a fair bit during floor time. Is there anything I ought to be doing? Thank you.
 
Spice had her teeth done yesterday and although I'm syringe feeding she is still loosing weight. I feed her every 2 hours with 30g of baby food or recovery plus. Is there anything else I can try her on?
 
I had a female guinea pig who had to have dental work at the vets. She had GA and she was fine afterwards and she was 3 years old at the time :-) I had to syringe feed her for a while but after a few days she was eating perfectly fine. Good luck with your piggie :-)
 
how to syringe feed would be a very helpful section. I've had to do it three occasions now (UTI's and operations) so about 30-40 times in total. No matter how much I wrap up my GP nice and secure they manage to wriggle out and spit all the medicine /critical care feed everywhere, down my hands and down their chins! haha

pointers like how far you can put the syringe in the mouth, or whether you prefer to drip it down the groove leading to the top lip so they lick it up. Or how much you can feed in one go...

this might be better in the food category but I feel its includes medicine and is common enough with dental surgeries to be relevant here?
 
My pig has been having dentals for the past two years. She has a deformity of Her lower roots which has forced her other teeth out of alignment. It appears to be getting worse with more frequent dentals. I too am realising that the decision of, is it fair on her to keep going, is getting nearer. It is really tough. But she bounces back after each dental. I think that the time she doesnt, will have to be decision time. When the bad days out number the good.

I have some videos of her making funny mouth movements/coughing if you want to use them.

I use Lance Jepson who covers south west wales area. She has had a g.a everytime, and is only under for 5 - 10 mins. All the recoveries have been fine and un eventful.

I find that many people on this site act as if G.A is a dirty word and they should be avoided. But in my opinion if they are not starved before, kept warm throughout, given fluids, as short a time as possible under g.a and kept warm during recovery, the risk of death is small. Over 10 g.a's later and mines fine.

I hope in your thread you are going to include the merits of having a g.a for dentals, and not imply it is the wrong thing to do. As someone who has a nervous, unfriendly pig, i find that putting her in a chamber and letting her fall asleep in her own time a less stressful option to towel wrapping, battling with, and performing a dental on a scared, wriggly pig. One slip from a head movement from the pig, and the instrument can penetrate the tissue and sever nerves and blood vessels = bleeding to death. Of course it can happen if thy are under g.a, but at least the fact that the pig is not moving makes it less likely, and gives more time to properly look at the teeth especially the very back ones.

Thanks
 
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