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Just back from the vets with Lenny :(

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trunky

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I thought id just updaate from the "my guinea pigs are losing weight" thread

Derek is fine according to the vet a little on the low weight side but hes ok. Lenny on the other hand is not so great, he is underweight and dribbling which the vet has said is usually a sign of somthing wrong in his mouth, she did have a look but couldnt see anything obvious due to piggies mouths being quite fleshy and pink.

so Lenny is going into hospital next week for a dental operation :( As you can understand I'm quite upset by this prospect ... ive never had my own pets before and this is only my 2nd experiance at the vets so its all completly new to me.

He has been prescribed Metacam 4 drops a day on some food, i believe this is for pain ? ..

Is there anything else i can be doing to try and build him up in readiness for his op on wednesday ? One nice thing is that Derek gets to go with him to reduce stree to both of them.

thanks so much for any advice you can give x
 
I am very sorry to hear your little man is poorly. It sounds like the vet knows the problems and can fix them which is good. All the best Lenny.
 
Hi, I have no advice really as I have never had a dental pig but it sounds like you have found the source of the problem early which is good. Is your vet experienced at giving dentals?

I have never heard of putting metacam on food before. Will Derek be eating the same food? Yes, metacam is a pain reliever.

Try not to worry and good luck for you all on Wednesday xx
 
Metacam is a painkiller. Personally, I would rather syringe it for best effect (twice daily 1.0ml; 1 drop equals 0. ml). Most piggies love the taste.

Debbie, who runs a dental sanctuary/hospital in conjunction with a very good vet in Northampton, may be able to give you tips re. care for dental piggies. That is as important as competent dental treatment. Guinea pigs often need several rounds of dental treatment before the problem is solved.
http://www.teasnorthampton.co.uk/
 
Hope Lenny has a speedy recovery :) do contact Debbie as she will be able to give you lots of advice!
 
I have no advice but can empathise with you on the new to having my own pet and first experience of vets! It's quite daunting and I know at first I was just an emotional wreck, I'm nore pragmatic and practical now and following a course of action and taking it as it comes and just trying to do the best for them. You are too, I hope it all starts to get better for them, and then it will for you x
 
Aw, poor Lenny :( Such a worry when our little furries are not right.
Before Harley had his bladder stone surgery last year, he had lost an awful amount of weight and the vet advised us to give him Critical Care for a few days to build him up. Maybe just monitor his intake carefully and mush his pellets if you're not already - this may help after his treatment too as his little mouth may be sore so he'll be used to the soft diet.
Cucumber including the skin I believe is good for helping remove any build up of hay in their mouths, sure I read it helps dental piggies ?
Good luck and please keep us posted on Lenny - healing vibes sent from us all here :rose
 
If you give the metacam with a syringe, you could also give him some food with the syringe, it could really help with his weight, and get him used to it just incase he needs it after his surgery. I used to give Maisie Ella's Kitchen baby food from a syringe, she liked it so much she would come right up and take it through the bars of her cage, she took the metacam that way too, so I didn't even have to upset her by catching her if she wasn't in the mood, your other lad would probably like it too, and it might help with his weight and any future meds, if he ever needed any.
My girls still get a 1ml syringe full everyday just to keep them used to it.
 
Thankyou so much for your replies ... lenny is having 4 drops each evening on his soaked porridge oats and loves this and is eating all i put in front of him, I'm also slightly soaking his nuggets also, I have noticed he wont eat any veg he picks it up and drops it each time .. On his oats a couple of times i have grated a very little amount of a bland apple I thought about grating broccoli also.
I have however noticed he cant drink from his bottle, I was thinking about ringing the vets back tomorow and seeing if we can get him in sooner just incase his condition is worsening ?

I will get in touch with Debbie, many thanks .. the vets we are using is a teaching hospital so i should imagine they have quite a bit of experiance .
 
Hi! If you want any advice I am more than happy to have a chat on the phone. My contact nos are on the Sanctuary website www.teasnorthampton.co.uk Unfortunately most vets don't get to see many guinea pig teeth or dental issues and finding appropriate treatment is often very difficult. My vet, Simon Maddock, sees guinea pigs from all over the country, many with dental problems, and he has turned around so many piggies who have come to the Sanctuary, whether as permanent residents or as temporary residents. Dental issues aren't usually resolved with just one treatment and often they need regular checks in the early stages. Whilst having a good vet is essential, the supportive care you give following dental treatment is just as important, and that is where I have lots of experience as I have provided this care for dental piggies for nearly five years now. I am more than happy to share any ideas that have worked for me and to give you as much support as possible.

Debbie xx
 
Thankyou Debbie :) .. thats much appreciated, I'm actually posting on behalf of my daughter who is lennys mummy ... shes at work today, and ive got the job of taking lenny to the vets tomorow morning, they have told me to take Derek also so they dont get stressed being apart for longer than is nessesary. At our vet visit last week i wasnt made aware that this would be an ongoing treatment for Lenny, do you know roughly how often this will need to be done? I have noticed today that hes not really interested in his food, and I'm not sure if this is down to the fact he is bored of porridge or if its him letting us know hes really not upto it at the moment? He has however had a small amount of grated carrot which we mixed into his porridge.

Is there anything i could ask the vet/nurse tomorow when we arrive?
 
Taking his little friend too is a really good idea. I always take a cagemate whenever any of the sanctuary piggies stay in at the vets.

How experienced is your vet with regard to guinea pig dental work? So many vets do one dental and expect everything to be fine from there. This is rarely the case, and although it is possible to cure dental issues, many require ongoing treatments. However, regular check ups in the early stages are essential as the teeth will regrow again very quickly if the piggie doesn't start eating immediatelyl If all is going well, the length of time between dentals can be extended until hopefully they won't require any further treatment.

I hope all goes well tomorrow and I will be thinking of you all.
 
Well thats it i dropped Lenny off to the vets this morning, Unfortunatly i didnt ask about their experiance with dental work :( and so bit worried about it now ! ...
Derek is with him so theyve got each other.

The nurse said he may need to stay in over night depending how quickly he recovers from the op ... So I'm sitting like an expected grandparent waiting for news from the vets.. I thought about ringing but dont want to bother anyone . eekkkkk
 
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