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Examining back teeth

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wind1

wind1

Teenage Guinea Pig
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One of my guineas Bazil has had a weepy eye for a couple of days. It had a dry patch underneath the eye which I have been using GG lavender and Myrhh on and it has got a lot better. However, this morning I gave him a little treat (dried pea) and he seemed to have trouble eating it. I then gave him some long stalks of grass and he took ages to eat them. I cannot tell how much he has been eating as he lives with Truffle and he is the greediest pig out! I'm now wondering if he has a tooth problem. Is it possible to see the back teeth as I have tried to look but can see no teeth at all. I will take him to the vet tomorrow but would like to look myself in the meantime.
 
See pm.
Basically, you can check the teeth yourself, with the right equipment. Whereabouts are you located?
There is no need at all for a general anaesthetic to look either at the teeth or to trim them, if needed.
 
Bumping the thread means putting it higher up the list. No need if already on the first page though. :)
 
It was the "bumbing" I couldn't understand!!
b is a long way from p on a keyboard, at least on a keyboard here in the old country!
 
I have been to the vet this morning and he has clipped Bazils bottom front teeth as they were a little long. He said the molars looked ok but it was difficult to see as Bazil had lots of green stuff around them (he had been eating grass before we went). He said give it a couple of days and if no improvement to go back but if the molars need cutting it will be a GA! I know by reading on here that is not neccessary so I will find a vet or rodentologist who will do it without. I have now felt the molars with my finger but not knowing how much gap there should be I dont know if they are overgrown. There is a definite gap between them but it's not a very big gap. I will feel another one of my guineas teeth to see what the gap is like.
 
Have just felt another ones teeth and the gap is much bigger so I'm thinking Bazils are definitely overgrown. Does it vary from guinea to guinea or should the gap be the same?
 
Give or take the gap should be the same.
Guinea pig's front teeth are very long in relation to the size of the jaw. Many vets don't realise this and trim the teeth only to find the teeth no longer meet when the mouth is closed and the pig has more problems in eating whilst the teeth grow back to the proper length.
 
alcesterpigs said:
Give or take the gap should be the same.
Guinea pig's front teeth are very long in relation to the size of the jaw. Many vets don't realise this and trim the teeth only to find the teeth no longer meet when the mouth is closed and the pig has more problems in eating whilst the teeth grow back to the proper length.
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I am worried now that the vet has caused more problems. The teeth that he clipped are not even the same length. Will this cause problems?
Does anyone know if the vet at O'Meara (I think her name is Anne) will do the teeth without GA? I know people have said on here before that she is very good. I am about an hours drive away but it would be worth me going there if I know Bazil will be treated properly.
 
Yes, I believe Anne does do dental work without GA - I heard from someone that Peter Gurney helped her out a lot. From all accounts, and there are a few members on here who see her, Anne is one of the better piggie vets we know of!
 
CCT 07721 026401
Hacking lumps off the front teeth without looking at the back teeth is indefensible.
You cannot look at one tooth without considering the whole mouth.
 
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alcesterpigs said:
CCT 07721 026401
Hacking lumps off the front teeth without looking at the back teeth is indefensible.
You cannot look at one tooth without considering the whole mouth.
Click to expand...
The vet did look at the back teeth and said they looked ok but I'm not convinced.

I have spoken to Vedra but all the vets she recommended are a long way from me. I asked her if she had heard of Anne Taylor at O'Mearas and she has so I am taking Bazil there Weds morning. Bazil is having real trouble eating his tea, I fear the vet has done more harm than good cutting the front teeth. He is eating but very slowly and every so often he opens his mouth really wide like there is something stuck. Should I consider syringing some food into him or should I leave him to eat on his own albeit very slowly?
 
Give him some syringe food. This will help keep his teeth "in trim"
 
Have been to see Anne this morning and as I thought the back teeth were overgrown almost meeting in the middle. This was trapping the tongue and also not allowing his jaw to move from side to side properly to chew. He had lacerations on both sides of his tongue. The teeth have now been clipped and filed along with the bottom front teeth straightened up so they are the same length. Bazil had given up eating by himself so I have been mashing up pellets and carrot to feed him with some banana. I now have critical care and metacam for him and I'm hoping with the teeth now sorted he might want to start eating again. I am so angry with my vet who not only missed the overgrown teeth and sore tongue but obviously made the problem much worse and has caused suffering for the last 2 days (Bazils and mine). I have put in a complaint but the main vet is away so I will be speaking to him Monday when he is back.

alcesterpigs: thankyou for your help
 
Wind1
Your pig is not the first to have had this trouble. Sadly, there will be others.
I would not be surprised in the slightest if you get a vague response along the lines of
"It is down to the clinical/professional judgement of the individual vet, there are always going to be differences of opinion...."
 
I am so pleased Anne was so helpful. Were you given anything to help with the lacerations on the tongue? Daktarin Oral Gel may soothe his mouth and encourage him a little more to eat.
 
Anne did say I could use bonjela for his tongue. He is eating a little now. I have very finely grated carrot, celery and brocolli stalk and made them into little balls which he loves. I am also syringe feeding critical care. He will eat a little grass with encouragement which is good as he hasn't done for the last 3 days. He has also attempted to nibble on a pear so he is trying to use his front teeth again. I gave him metacam this morning and I'm also giving him a little water with the food. He appears to be very unhappy though, spending all his time in his bed.
 
Does anyone know roughly how long it will take the bottom front teeth to grow to full length again? They are quite short and he's very reluctant to use them.
 
Should only be a few days, teeth grow very quickly. Hope he's back on track soon.
 
Bazil now appears to be constipated. His poos are small, dry and hard. What are the best fruits and veggies for constipation bearing in mind I am syringe feeding him at the moment and all fruit and veg has to be very finely grated.
 
Dehydration could also be the issue, is he drinking at all? How much are you syringe-feeding him? The "abnormal" pattern of food intake is likely to be partly to blame; make sure he is getting plenty of syringe-food as frequently as possible, and to ensure a good water intake. At this stage, whatever veggies he will take is good - no banana I believe, but anything else should be fine. I don't know of anything in particular dietary to deal with constipation.
 
I am syringing water into him but alot of it just runs out, he's not keen! I am feeding little and often. He has just had some apple and melon but only a tiny amount as he gives up very quickly. He has also just had some critical care as well. His poos in the hutch were slightly better than earlier.
 
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