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Desperate help for sick piggie teeth

CaviaEkko

CaviaEkko

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jun 17, 2026
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Location
Slovenia
Hi everyone, I’m really scared and desperate for some advice about my guinea pig Jace. Jace is already sick and has kidney failure, so I’m extremely worried about him. I just noticed today, when I was giving him his medicine, that his teeth look EXTREMELY long, and it looks like they’re growing into or pressing against the upper part of his mouth. I have no idea how long they’ve been like this because I only noticed it now. His mouth also smells bad, and now I’m scared he might have an injury or infection in there. I’m terrified he could be in pain without me realising it.

I’m struggling because it’s the weekend, and I the vets around me aren’t open. I’m also worried because I have a doctor’s appointment on Monday, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to get him to a vet that day. I’m really scared about what will happen if he has to wait.

I’m also extremely worried about how they would even fix his teeth. Would they need to trim them, or would he need a procedure under anaesthesia? Because Jace already has kidney failure, I’m terrified that anaesthesia, the stress of going to the vet, or the treatment itself could be too much for his little body. I’m so scared of losing him, and I don’t know what to do.

Has anyone been through something similar with a guinea pig who already had serious health problems? How do vets normally treat teeth that have become this overgrown? What does the whole process look like, and how do they make it as safe as possible for a very sick guinea pig? Is there anything I should do or avoid doing while I’m trying to get him seen?
 
I am sorry to hear you are going through a difficult time. I cannot give advice, but would like to send support 🙏♥️
 
Just to say, I think front teeth are easier to deal with and if they need to be done with sedation, it should be a very light sedation 🙏♥️
 
- YouTube
Here is a video by Millie's Guineas about teeth. I think she is a safe source of information about guinea pig health care ♥️
 
Will be calling the vet today to see when he can get his teeth checked out.

Also noticed all four of my piggies have black dots that are moving and looks like small bugs on their bottoms so they will get that checked out as well.

Thank you ❤️
 
Are the bugs on their genitals or just around their back end in the hair?
The only piggy specific bug which is visible to the human eye is lice (they are pale or light brown though). Mites are not visible to the human eye. Only their eggs can be seen and they affix fast to the hair shaft. The eggs will not move.

I hope they are all ok
 
Piggies&buns said:
Are the bugs on their genitals or just around their back end in the hair?
The only piggy specific bug which is visible to the human eye is lice (they are pale or light brown though). Mites are not visible to the human eye. Only their eggs can be seen and they affix fast to the hair shaft. The eggs will not move.

I hope they are all ok
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Back end fur only. The vet told us to bring all four of them so they can get medicine. And of course to see if Jace’s teeth need a trim.

The bugs were definitely moving since I saw them clearly on a piece of paper and they were light brownish.
 
Best of luck with the vets. Those teeth definitely need seeing to ASAP, as the smell could indicate an infection and he will be in discomfort.
As @Truffolo has said if it is just his incisors hopefully they could be trimmed under sedation, not sure if this will be possible if they have curled right round though.
Unfortunately they sound very overgrown and could indicate an issue with the molars as well which would require an anaesthetic to rectify.

Fingers crossed it’s an easy fix for you!
 
Piggies&buns said:
It sounds like they may have lice. The vet will be able to confirm though

If the vet does confirm lice, then the guide below will help.
Treatment is with a course of ivermectin. You will also need to thoroughly disinfect the cages and throw away your hay.

I hope they are ok

New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights
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I was actually wondering if it could possibly be something coming from the hay, like some kind of tiny bug. A few months ago, when we had a problem with a lot of bigger bugs in the room where my piggies are (we found where they were hiding about two months ago, and thankfully they’re gone now), I started checking everything one by one. When I checked their hay, I noticed some really tiny, almost see-through bugs (that had nothing to do with the larger ones) in it, but I didn’t think too much of it at the time.

The thing is, I only feed them Timothy hay. We were using a different brand back then and have since switched to another one, but now I’m wondering if the hay could have been carrying these tiny bugs all along. And these are the only two brands of Timothy hay I have found in Slovenia so far..

And I’m going to be completely honest but I first saw these bugs months ago on one of my piggies who has white fur. As a first-time guinea pig owner, I genuinely had no idea that something like this could even happen to them, so I didn’t realise it might be something to look into. Looking back now, I’m worried I might have missed the signs.
 
Have you been able to speak to your vet?

Bugs absolutely can and do come in on hay but what matters is whether they are just an annoyance or a species specific parasite which can cause problems for your piggies.

If they are bugs which will not live off of your guinea pigs then you still need to clean everything thoroughly but that’s an annoyance rather than posing a parasitic problem for your piggies

If you end up with a problem with species specific parasites such as hay mites (come in on hay), mange mites (some piggies carry reservoirs in the skin which can become active and then infest all piggies) or lice then that is a problem (hay mites are still a problem but are less of a problem than mange mites or lice are). Mange mites and lice feed off of piggy blood, can seriously weaken piggies and potentially kill a piggy if it is left untreated and weakened enough. Mange mites burrow into the skin and can cause seizures).

So given you can see them moving you are leaning more towards being a piggy specific lice or a general pest.
Lice require proper ivermectin treatment, thorough disinfection, sometimes a short course of vitamin c given to the piggies to boost the immune system.
A general pest would still require thorough disinfection of the cage and removal of any infested items but piggies them selves may not require any treatment
 
Piggies&buns said:
Have you been able to speak to your vet?

Bugs absolutely can and do come in on hay but what matters is whether they are just an annoyance or a species specific parasite which can cause problems for your piggies.

If they are bugs which will not live off of your guinea pigs then you still need to clean everything thoroughly but that’s an annoyance rather than posing a parasitic problem for your piggies

If you end up with a problem with species specific parasites such as hay mites (come in on hay), mange mites (some piggies carry reservoirs in the skin which can become active and then infest all piggies) or lice then that is a problem (hay mites are still a problem but are less of a problem than mange mites or lice are). Mange mites and lice feed off of piggy blood, can seriously weaken piggies and potentially kill a piggy if it is left untreated and weakened enough. Mange mites burrow into the skin and can cause seizures).

So given you can see them moving you are leaning more towards being a piggy specific lice or a general pest.
Lice require proper ivermectin treatment, thorough disinfection, sometimes a short course of vitamin c given to the piggies to boost the immune system.
A general pest would still require thorough disinfection of the cage and removal of any infested items but piggies them selves may not require any treatment
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The earliest they could fit us in was Thursday early in the morning, so I booked it and made sure we have an hour to talk everything through, including the bugs and the teeth of my sick piggie.

Honestly, I regret not taking the bugs more seriously when I first noticed them months ago. I genuinely thought they were just dirt, and because there always seems to be some kind of issue with my piggies, I think I sometimes convince myself that things are nothing serious instead of considering every possibility.

I’m also wondering how hay mites actually appear in the first place. Is it something I’m doing wrong, or can they just come in with the hay? I really want to provide the best for my piggies, and I’m worried about which hay to buy if this is where the problem started. I only give them Timothy hay, and it’s not always easy to get good-quality Timothy hay here.

Also, when you say that everything needs to be disinfected if there’s an infestation, would that include all their wooden toys and wooden hides? Would I need to throw those away, or is there a way to clean them properly? Or would I mainly need to get rid of the hay and replace their bedding?
 
Hay mites literally come in with hay. Unfortunately it’s something which can just happen - it’s not anything you’re doing

Yes - everything would need to be disinfected.
Anything cardboard would need to be thrown away - tunnels for example.
Wooden hides can be soaked in F10 vet grade disinfectant (if you can get it).
Any fabric bedding would need to be hot washed.
Any hard surfaces within the cage wiped with disinfectant (ideally F10)
Throw away all hay supply and start all over again

Once you have spoken with the vet you will have a better idea of what needs to happen. We can help advise you
 
Piggies&buns said:
Hay mites literally come in with hay. Unfortunately it’s something which can just happen - it’s not anything you’re doing

Yes - everything would need to be disinfected.
Anything cardboard would need to be thrown away - tunnels for example.
Wooden hides can be soaked in F10 vet grade disinfectant (if you can get it).
Any fabric bedding would need to be hot washed.
Any hard surfaces within the cage wiped with disinfectant (ideally F10)
Throw away all hay supply and start all over again

Once you have spoken with the vet you will have a better idea of what needs to happen. We can help advise you
Click to expand...
So everything would need to be disinfected if the bugs are hay mites, lice or mange mites?

The vet will also probably explain everything, atleast I hope so.

Ill give their cage a big clean today and then follow the vets instructions on how to disinfect the cage and everything else.
 
It would need to be disinfected anyway - whether the bugs are mites or lice but also even if they are not bugs which can infest your piggies.
You don’t want any bugs laying eggs in the environment so you need to disinfect.

The only difference is that if they are not bugs which will infest your piggies, then the piggies probably won’t need any ivermectin treatment themselves.
If they are mites or lice then your piggies will need a full course of ivermectin treatment (that is three treatments per piggy with usually two weeks between each treatment)

As I say, if you can get hold of F10 then that is a brilliant disinfectant. It is vet grade and does a wonderful job, it even kills ringworm which isn’t possible with some other pet disinfectants
 
Piggies&buns said:
It would need to be disinfected anyway - whether the bugs are mites or lice but also even if they are not bugs which can infest your piggies.
You don’t want any bugs laying eggs in the environment so you need to disinfect.

The only difference is that if they are not bugs which will infest your piggies, then the piggies probably won’t need any ivermectin treatment themselves.
If they are mites or lice then your piggies will need a full course of ivermectin treatment (that is three treatments per piggy with usually two weeks between each treatment)

As I say, if you can get hold of F10 then that is a brilliant disinfectant. It is vet grade and does a wonderful job, it even kills ringworm which isn’t possible with some other pet disinfectants
Click to expand...
Okay, Ill see what the vet says tomorrow morning, what bugs these are and what and how needs to be disinfected.

Ill post what they say in case someone finds this helpful in the future.

Thank you for helping! 🙏
 
A little update on my pigs for the bugs and teeth. They’ve been given an ampule, and the vet told us it’s nothing serious and that some people even choose to leave the lice untreated because they don’t cause any harm or discomfort. Still, we’d really like to get rid of them completely. Also told us to disinfect the cage but its nothing serious.

On the other hand, we had to leave Jace at the vet to get his teeth fixed under anesthesia, and I’m honestly devastated. I know the vets recommended it, and I’m trying to trust them, but I’m so scared and keep worrying that he won’t wake up. I’m so sad, and I couldn’t even hold back my tears in front of the vets. Leaving him there was so hard, and all I can do right now is hope and pray that everything goes well and that he comes back to us safely. With his kidney failure there’s a bigger chance he won’t wake up.
 
Sending love, my Bramble is at the vets now too and he too has kidney issues so I feel the same. Felt bad crying in the vets but they're our babies otherwise we wouldn't do what we do for them! Will keep everything crossed for Jace x
 
CaviaEkko said:
A little update on my pigs for the bugs and teeth. They’ve been given an ampule, and the vet told us it’s nothing serious and that some people even choose to leave the lice untreated because they don’t cause any harm or discomfort. Still, we’d really like to get rid of them completely. Also told us to disinfect the cage but its nothing serious.

On the other hand, we had to leave Jace at the vet to get his teeth fixed under anesthesia, and I’m honestly devastated. I know the vets recommended it, and I’m trying to trust them, but I’m so scared and keep worrying that he won’t wake up. I’m so sad, and I couldn’t even hold back my tears in front of the vets. Leaving him there was so hard, and all I can do right now is hope and pray that everything goes well and that he comes back to us safely. With his kidney failure there’s a bigger chance he won’t wake up.
Click to expand...

Actual guinea pig specific lice are serious - they do cause harm and discomfort. They feed off of a guinea pigs blood so weaken their immune system. If piggy specific lice are left untreated they can kill the guinea pig.
Also, if lice are left untreated then they will obviously continuously lay eggs so you would have an infestation so large that it would be absolutely awful.
Treating Guinea pig specific lice is three separate treatments of ivermectin spaced appropriately over many weeks.

If your vet is saying the bugs your piggies have are not guinea pig specific lice (and that they are just a bug which cannot infest your piggies and won’t perpetually lay eggs in their environment) then that is one thing but it is very important to know the difference.

New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

Fingers crossed for Jace
 
CaviaEkko said:
A little update on my pigs for the bugs and teeth. They’ve been given an ampule, and the vet told us it’s nothing serious and that some people even choose to leave the lice untreated because they don’t cause any harm or discomfort. Still, we’d really like to get rid of them completely. Also told us to disinfect the cage but its nothing serious.

On the other hand, we had to leave Jace at the vet to get his teeth fixed under anesthesia, and I’m honestly devastated. I know the vets recommended it, and I’m trying to trust them, but I’m so scared and keep worrying that he won’t wake up. I’m so sad, and I couldn’t even hold back my tears in front of the vets. Leaving him there was so hard, and all I can do right now is hope and pray that everything goes well and that he comes back to us safely. With his kidney failure there’s a bigger chance he won’t wake up.
Click to expand...
Sending you hugs and healing vibes to Jace ❤️
 
The vet only told us that they’re lice and that people usually only get medication for their pigs because of the way they look with these tiny bugs. Also told us that these don’t feed off of guinea pigs. Of course we wanted to get medication for all 4 of them.

About the cage they told us that it would be good if we cleaned everything properly today, didn’t say we have to do anything crazy though. Ill wipe and clean everything throughly and rebuild their cage after I'm done.

And thankfully Jace woke up. Will be taking good care of him.
 
If they are guinea pig specific, they can cause actual trauma to the piggy because of the itchiness. So it's best to get rid of whatever they are just in case ♥️🙏
 
Hopefully they’re not.. Atleast the vets didn’t make a big deal out of it. Ill give them the medicine the vet gave us and we’ll see how it goes.
 
What medicine did the vet give?

So if they aren’t feeding on your piggies blood, then you do not have their species specific lice. Therefore they cannot cause a problematic infestation. They must be coming into your house for another reason

Lice of another animal won’t live on your guinea pigs. Lice need to feed off their hosts blood to survive but they can only feed off their blood of the right animal.

I’m glad Jace is ok
 
Piggies&buns said:
What medicine did the vet give?

So if they aren’t feeding on your piggies blood, then you do not have their species specific lice. Therefore they cannot cause a problematic infestation. They must be coming into your house for another reason

Lice of another animal won’t live on your guinea pigs. Lice need to feed off their hosts blood to survive but they can only feed off their blood of the right animal.

I’m glad Jace is ok
Click to expand...
The medicine is Selehold, they mentioned that its the same medicine dogs and cats get. I'm gonna give to 3 of them when I'm finished with the cage and then the vet said that usually one is enough but sometimes they need to get a second one in a month if there’s still some bugs. Jace was already given one by them.

We asked how they might have appeared and they said that there’s a chance they already had these when we got the pigs from their previous home.
 
If they are not species specific lice then it’s not possible they got them from the previous home. Any lice for which a guinea pig isn’t a host won’t survive for more than a couple of days on a guinea pig (the bugs wouldnt be able to reproduce and would starve very quickly).

Selehold is a selamectin based product for cats and dogs meaning it is off label for guinea pigs. It is used to treat mange mites and lice in guinea pigs ie the species specific variety.

It’s recommended that disinfection is carried out a couple of days after a treatment is given as it means any dead bugs fall off piggy and then get removed with the next cage clean

All you can do is give the treatment and see what happens.
 
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