help! piggie slowly dying after malocclusion surgery

[NicD]

Hello
My 4 year old boar had general anesthetic for malocclusion 10 days ago and won’t eat
He’s had all the usual, antibiotics, pain relief and vet says teeth fine now.
he miraculously ate his fave chicory yesterday but now it’s like it didn’t happen.
Any ideas how I can save him?

 

[Lady Kelly]

Are you topping him up with syringe feeding? When did your vet last check his teeth? It's not uncommon for recovery to take longer or need several teeth corrections before things return to normal. It's highly important that good is going in to keep his guts going though

 

[NicD]

thank you for the reply
the vet has seen him frequently since surgery, says teeth are fine. he’s having critical care and i make some mush out lf his own pellets
he just sits still in cage but is more himself out, but clearly not so good.
what can i do? he doesn’t want anything today, vet said yesterday if there’s no change the best is to put h to sleep wednesday

 

[GPTV]

Are you anywhere near the cat & rabbit clinic Northampton? They specialise in teeth issues. Try feeding strands of hay, grass or gratered veg/cucumber to help keep foods going in, but step in with syringe feeding if necessary. Good luck & speedy recovery little man Xx

 

[Lady Kelly]

thank you for the reply
the vet has seen him frequently since surgery, says teeth are fine. he’s having critical care and i make some mush out lf his own pellets
he just sits still in cage but is more himself out, but clearly not so good.
what can i do? he doesn’t want anything today, vet said yesterday if there’s no change the best is to put h to sleep wednesday

How much critical care or pellet mush is he eating and how often?
@furryfriends (TEAS) is our dental expert based here in the UK where it is still early but hopefully she will be able to give some specific dental advice

 

[NicD]

is it humane to keep forcing critical care into him when he shows really little interest in life? i think he teeth may feel ok to him soon so am tempted to justify keeping him alive longer , beyond what the vet sees as reasonable in the hope he may eventually get an apetiite back

 

[GPTV]

Just a thought is he having pre/probiotics if he's on antibiotics? Baytril often upsets the gut when used & Guineas are reluctant to eat. X

 

[NicD]

Are you anywhere near the cat & rabbit clinic Northampton? They specialise in teeth issues. Try feeding strands of hay, grass or gratered veg/cucumber to help keep foods going in, but step in with syringe feeding if necessary. Good luck & speedy recovery little man Xx

thank you for your reply. problem is he’s not eating by himself, he literally turns his back on me and food. yesterday vet rolled up chicory and he did bite and eat it, and he ate well for one time yesterday afternoon but now he’s actually using his mouth to push the food out. It’s soul destroying.
sadly i’m miles and miles from the dental clinic..in France

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

It's important to keep lots of food going through the system, whilst the guinea pig regains confidence in eating for themselves. For a guinea pig who isn't eating well, I aim to get around 100 - 120 mls of syringe food into them, per 24 hours. This can be Critical Care or their normal nuggets mushed up, by adding boiling water to a cupful of nuggets and leaving them to cool. Does your guinea pig take syringe food well? Has the vet prescribed drugs to keep the digestive system moving (Ranitidine (zantac) and Emeprid)? However, every day your guinea pig isn't eating, the teeth will be regrowing. I am concerned that he isn't eating well by now.
Which pain relief has been prescribed and at what dose?

 

[NicD]

How much critical care or pellet mush is he eating and how often?
@furryfriends (TEAS) is our dental expert based here in the UK where it is still early but hopefully she will be able to give some specific dental advice

I’m giving him about 10ml syringe worth a day, vet says to ease off to encourage hunger. thin line
he’s finished his antibiotics and is no longer on any meds

pre surgery he was 700g, now level at 630. before he was over 900

 

[NicD]

It's important to keep lots of food going through the system, whilst the guinea pig regains confidence in eating for themselves. For a guinea pig who isn't eating well, I aim to get around 100 - 120 mls of syringe food into them, per 24 hours. This can be Critical Care or their normal nuggets mushed up, by adding boiling water to a cupful of nuggets and leaving them to cool. Does your guinea pig take syringe food well? Has the vet prescribed drugs to keep the digestive system moving (Ranitidine (zantac) and Emeprid)? However, every day your guinea pig isn't eating, the teeth will be regrowing. I am concerned that he isn't eating well by now.
Which pain relief has been prescribed and at what dose?

looks like i’m not giving him enough mush. he was on 3,5mg of metacam for around a week. he’s had 2 pain killing injections, last one yesterday

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I’m giving him about 10ml syringe worth a day, vet says to ease off to encourage hunger. thin line
he’s finished his antibiotics and is no longer on any meds

pre surgery he was 700g, now level at 630. before he was over 900

He's going to be weak and starving on that amount and I am very shocked that your vet has said to reduce it. A guinea pig who can eat for themselves will eat, regardless of whether they are receiving syringe food. Syringe feeding does not stop a guinea pig eating for themselves. I've been running a sanctuary for guinea pigs with dental issues for over 8 years now and have never found syringe feeding stops the guinea pig eating!

 

[NicD]

than

He's going to be weak and starving on that amount and I am very shocked that your vet has said to reduce it. A guinea pig who can eat for themselves will eat, regardless of whether they are receiving syringe food. Syringe feeding does not stop a guinea pig eating for themselves. I've been running a sanctuary for guinea pigs with dental issues for over 8 years now and have never found syringe feeding stops the guinea pig eating!

ok, I’m mixing up a fresh batch now. can yoi tell me how many desset spoons (powder form) he should have per day?

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

than

ok, I’m mixing up a fresh batch now. can yoi tell me how many desset spoons (powder form) he should have per day?

I use mushed nuggets as I find most piggies hate the taste of Critical Care, so I don't tend to use it. I just make up about half a cupful at a time and give them as much as they will take. I note down how much they have at each sitting and aim for that 100 to 120 mls per 24 hours. Some piggies will take around 25 to 30 mls per time, others prefer little and often.

 

[NicD]

I use mushed nuggets as I find most piggies hate the taste of Critical Care, so I don't tend to use it. I just make up about half a cupful at a time and give them as much as they will take. I note down how much they have at each sitting and aim for that 100 to 120 mls per 24 hours. Some piggies will take around 25 to 30 mls per time, others prefer little and often.

ok, thanks. he’s just around 20mls.

 

[Lady Kelly]

is it humane to keep forcing critical care into him when he shows really little interest in life? i think he teeth may feel ok to him soon so am tempted to justify keeping him alive longer , beyond what the vet sees as reasonable in the hope he may eventually get an apetiite back

It's not humane to force but if you put critical care in his mouth and he eats it that is not forcing. Force feeding is dangerous. Syringe feeding is not dangerous. I see you have already been given advice on amounts to feed. With weaker pigs I would do little and often. Keep going as long as he is willingly taking food. I have always found that when piggies are ready to eat by themselves they will feel stronger when feeding them and start fighting the syringe more

 

[VickiA]

I think you’ve had some great advice here. I would keep feeding little and often with the syringe feeds. If he’s just had 20mls he’s hungry.

 

[NicD]

I think you’ve had some great advice here. I would keep feeding little and often with the syringe feeds. If he’s just had 20mls he’s hungry.

For sure.
My vet says that keeping on with just critical care and him not eating food will just lead back to the original tooth problem.

seeing how he flat refuses foos I can’t see it improving. it’s like he’s tried, it hurts/doesn’t work and it’s put him off trying again. It’s a nightmare

 

[VickiA]

Does he have pain relief?

 

[NicD]

what would a UK vet say to it all? I am so sick at the thought of putting him down during what may just be a long and difficult road to recovery. how can I know when to stop? he is pretty motionless in the cage but the other 2 have naturally gone above hime even though Buddy ( my ill little darling) is older by 2 years than the other males. out of the cage he’s fairly ok, perky enough. it’s not like he’s flopped out and listless, he’s just not himself

 

[NicD]

Does he have pain relief?

he had an injection at vet’s last week and yesterday and was on matacam for a week.

 

[NicD]

also fibreplex that the vet said should help him feel hungry

 

[Lady Kelly]

Was he more willing to show interest in food when on the metacam? If so I would be asking for some more to cover you for a week or two to see if with more syringe feeding he starts to pick up and eat for himself

 

[VickiA]

Was he more willing to show interest in food when on the metacam? If so I would be asking for some more to cover you for a week or two to see if with more syringe feeding he starts to pick up and eat for himself

 

[NicD]

Was he more willing to show interest in food when on the metacam? If so I would be asking for some more to cover you for a week or two to see if with more syringe feeding he starts to pick up and eat for himself
[/QUOTE
hard to tell. will ask for more to try

 

[VickiA]

I always end a syringe feed with a bit of a piggy’s favourite treat to help get them eating again. Usually I offer some herbs (coriander or dill) or some Timothy hay. Usually once they’ve had a decent amount of feed they will nibble on the treat and it helps stimulate their chewing again.

 

[Bill & Ted]

I syringe fed my Ted for nearly 6 weeks, as his incisors where cut too short, so don’t give up yet. Have you tried hand feeding him tiny bits of grass, veggies, herbs etc. Anything he likes to just get him chewing again
Do you live in the UK? If so we could advise a good dental vet

 

[NicD]

I find it hard since vet says trying time is almost up.

I always end a syringe feed with a bit of a piggy’s favourite treat to help get them eating again. Usually I offer some herbs (coriander or dill) or some Timothy hay. Usually once they’ve had a decent amount of feed they will nibble on the treat and it helps stimulate their chewing again.

that’s a really good idea, I’ll try it next feed

I always end a syringe feed with a bit of a piggy’s favourite treat to help get them eating again. Usually I offer some herbs (coriander or dill) or some Timothy hay. Usually once they’ve had a decent amount of feed they will nibble on the treat and it helps stimulate their chewing again.
[/QUOTE
the problem is that Buddy is turning his head away from any food now.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Can you speak to a different vet?

 

[NicD]

I syringe fed my Ted for nearly 6 weeks, as his incisors where cut too short, so don’t give up yet. Have you tried hand feeding him tiny bits of grass, veggies, herbs etc. Anything he likes to just get him chewing again
Do you live in the UK? If so we could advise a good dental vet

thanks for the encouragement. Was Ted happy to take the syringe? Often Buddy turns his head. Vet said it’s ok to hold his head, so I do. He seems happy to have it, he eats it, never spits it out. Was Ted ok behavior-wise while waiting? As he’s not rummaging around looking for food, he’s just sitting still in his cage.
I did manage to hand feed him chickory yesterday but today it’s like it didn’t happen