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Dental Problems

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Puinea Gig

Puinea Gig

New Born Pup
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Peterborough
Can anyone give me a glimmer of hope that piggies with dental problems do start eating again? I have been syringe feeding for 5 weeks now, feels longer. I haven't seen any improvement to encourage me to keep going. She has her teeth filed every 2 weeks by Vedra at CCT followed by 4 days of not eating at all then 3 days of looking interested then them back to not eating at all. I am giving her 26g of critical care daily but her weight is slowly going down. She also has a head tilt and now i have notice that one eye seems to bulge out more that the other.
Has any onr had a similar case or able to give me some tips.
Thank you x
 
So sorry to hear about your piggy. I've got 2 pigs that have had their teeth done - 1 regularly and 1 just the once. Both were eating when I got them home though.
Have you tried blending her veggies or mushing her pellets or anything like that ? I did that with my pig the first time she had hers done and also gave her oats which were soaked in boiling water and cooled but after the first time i realised she could eat normally after the dental. My vet also recommended baby food but I think youd have to be careful regarding the ingredients....
Hope your piggy makes an improvement or someone else has some help for you,
xx
 
oh gosh, that sounds really heartwrenching, I'm so sorry, poor thing, i havent any advice but wanted to say there are so many piggies out there with dental problems, you just need to find the thing that will hopefully tempt your little one to eat.

have you tried grated carrot or long thin slices of it?

Has Vedra given you any ideas? i think the oats thing is a good idea, i think they are really fattening too.

Good luck x>>
 
Thank you for your replies. I have just tried her on oats and she loved it, hopefully i can get her weight up now.
I am begining to wonder if she has an elongated root, although not sure how this can be treated. Back to Vedra on Friday.
Thank you x
 
I have cared for many dental piggies and in fact I am in the process of setting up a Dental Sanctuary.

The time it takes to get a piggie eating for themselves again varies enormously. One piggie took 5 1/2 months, during which time I syringe fed her day and night, another took just two days and others fall somewhere in between.

Oats are a great way to help them to put on weight. Archie loves oats sprinkled over his other food, or made up as porridge.

My vet, Simon Maddock, in Northampton has had fantastic results with dental guinea pigs. Recently he saw a piggie that had been going to Vedra since before Xmas and wasn't eating for himself. After just one treatment from Simon he started to eat again. Would you consider letting Simon have a look at your piggie? Vedra knows of Simon and I am sure she wouldn't mind you seeking his help. In fact how is Vedra? I heard she had dislocated her shoulder.
 
Personally I would recommend going to see Simon before you make any further decisions

I am booking in to see him with my "possible dental" pigs next week.despite the fact i have an extremely trustworthy cavy savvy vet here and one of said piggies is undergoing some pretty substantial diagnostic tests or other "stuff" tomorrow....


If you need transport help to get to Simon then please let us know

HTH
x
 
Thanks again for your replies. We have visited Vedra again today, apparently her cheek teeth were extremely overgrown again trapping her tongue. Each time we visit Vedra i think, this time she will start eating, but it never happens. I like the sound of Simon although he is about an hour and a half away from me.
Pebble, i hope you got on ok with your piggies x
Does anyone know how long i can give Daktarin? She is having her teeth filed every 2 weeks.
Thanks
x
 
I have got up this morning to do her early feed and her head tilt has got alot worse overnight. It is taking alot longer than normal to syringe feed her, she just isn't interested. I feel quite cruel having to force feed her. I am so disappointed again. i have been giving her baby nurofen regulary for the pain.
Her weight is 880g from 1000g but she always loses 50g in the few days after treatment and never regains it all back.
I hear of a vet in Uppingham called luke, is he any good or should i stick with Vedra. I would love to try to get to Simon, but i couldn't use him for the regular treatment she needs as he is too far away.
:(
 
Does her head tilt towards the side with the slightly buldging eye? I am wondering what is going on behind that eye. A tooth root abscess maybe? The antibiotic, Zithromax, would be the very best one if that's the case.

I know it's a long way to Simon, but I am thinking it would be useful to get his opinion on all of this, as I Ithink there is something more than just dental issues going on here. If you can get this sorted, then maybe the treatment she is receiving from Vedra would start to benefit her.

Simon returns to work after holiday on Monday, and I am sure if you phoned first thing on Monday and explained how poorly she is and the urgency in needing an appointment, they would fit you in.
 
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:{ I am so confused now. I have been giving her Nurofen twice daily as advised by CCT now i read threads that i shouldn't be.

I am also reading negative comments about the CCT. I thought i was doing the right thing.

I have no idea how i am going to get to Simon however i really do want to. I also have a full time job, a young family and other pets to care for. OH is losing patience at how much time i am dedicating to this piggie when really i should be spending more time with the family.

I feel so guilty.

Is there a train station near Simon's surgery. Maybe i could get on Saturday morning with children in tow.

Sorry to ramble on i think i'm just tired of 5 weeks of syringe feeding and only getting 5 hours sleep a night and trying to be mummy, wife, and full time employee.

:( :( :(
 
What you need to remember is, everything you read on this forum is people's own experiences and opinions. It doesn't mean anything is actually right or wrong.

Without doubt Vedra is very knowledgeable. However, she isn't a vet. She is more knowledgeable than some vets, but I really think your piggie needs to be seen by a guinea pig savvy vet as there appears to be more issues than just dental ones going on here.

If you can get a Saturday appointment with Simon, I am more than happy to collect you, plus children from the railway station in Northampton and take you to him. Let's see what Simon thinks and if your piggie is going to need a few appointments to sort her out, then I would be willing to have your piggie stay with me for a little while, but obviously you would need to pay for veterinary treatment.

It must be really difficult trying to balance family, working and caring for a sick pet, but it sounds like you are doing a fantastic job.
 
Thank you, i feel a bit better now and cookie looks a bit better this morning head tilt and bulging eye seem to have reduced and she has nibbled at banana and her soaked gerty food.

No luck with the trains, they don't run from Peterborough to Northampton, i would have to travel to London Kings cross first then to Northampton. I have checked out the buses but thy take 2 1/2 - 3 hours. I don't think i could do with children.

I may have to try and drive but i would probably have a nervous break down at the thought of it. I am not a very confident driver.

Would Simon be happy to speak to my vet?

Thank you again for all your kind offers.
 
Thank you, you are all so kind. It's nice to get some moral support.

I've lost count how many times i've been told 'it's only a guinea pig.'

x
 
Well i went back to my local vet last night armed with information on the best antibiotics for cookie if she had a possible root abscess.
I was told that what ever i Googled is wrong and that he wants to put under GA to have a look in her mouth because she can't close it. I had a look and her front teeth dont meet but is that because vedra filed them on Friday? I am not sure what they should look like after filing.
He also implied that if she died under GA it wouldn't be a bad thing.

I have added a post the TGPV list asking if anyone knows of a good piggie vet nearer to me.

Thanks x
 
I had a piggie come to me who couldn't close his mouth, yet his front teeth didn't meet. The reason - his very back teeth were so long they were forcing his jaw apart. No-one had picked up on this, yet Simon immediately saw what the problem was. I really think it would worth getting him to take a look and in the meantime you can try and find a closer vet. Something needs to be done soon though.
 
Puinea Gig said:
He also implied that if she died under GA it wouldn't be a bad thing.
Click to expand...

Ive had vets say similar rather insensitive things to me about my animals over the years ..... and without fail each animal wasnt as bad as they thought .... seems sometimes they right animals off without thinking IMO,

Hope you find a better vet - Simon sounds really good :)

xx
 
buldging eye

Hello
Iv'e read a vetinary article about overgrown teeth. Apparently according to the research when piggies go for substancial amount of time not eating properly with overgrown teeth that (i cant remember whether is caused by or causes) the muscle jaw is weakened. There proved to be a cure called a chin sling made from neoprene that the piggies wear and the muscle improves and the piggies begin eating again alongst regular trimming. I'll try finding the article for you....maybe this could be a possibility?
If the problem is diagnosed as definatly teeth....persevere....and don't give up no matter how many people claim is just a guinea pig :(. I nursed one of my boys day and night, for 5 months, a vet near me took xrays which showed he had inflammation in his jaw bones caused by his teeth, which were only slightly overgrown. Then a few weeks later the whole not eating began again. I tried everything and only time heeled him. I went from scotland to Vedra and she found nothing wrong with him....teeth and all. I persevered and can only assume that with his jaw bones his teeth need to be kept really good and slight overgrowth causes lots of pain. So he only gets tough vegetables and he has been fine ever since. I went against everyone's advice as I knew he wanted to eat and wasnt ready to go, Ive had piggies I know are just ready to leave me.
Keep going and take him to Simon, it sounds like its the last and only hope. Good luck because I desperatly need a Simon in Scotland for my poorly boy, hes gone downhill the last two days and now completly puffed up and off everything and I cant afford a vet that will make me put him under GA to even check his teeth :( and all the vets try antibiotics before they even suggest the GA. Arggghhhh lack of vets for guinea really frustrated me :(. Started syringing with priobotic and vit c added, but I have only one dose of antibiotic so I cant even start him on that incase its an infection I need a full dose.
Its so worrying living with a poorly piggie so big*hugs*
 
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