Malocclusion in nearly 6 year old's bottom front tooth, vet wants to remove tooth

[scottymac]

So my nearly 6 year old boar, jesús, started to lose a small amount of weight a few weeks ago but was eating as normal. After I returned from a week's holiday, he was visibly struggling to eat, but not through lack of trying. Due to my work schedule and having no one else to take him, I self medicated with meloxicam (metacam / loxicom)for a day.
Anyway, getting to the point, when I took him to the vet (exotic specialist), she said he had a malocclusion and it had got infected and the only real option is to remove the tooth.
In the meantime she told me to double his dose of loxicom (dog version) to 0.4ml twice a day, which seems to have made him constantly starving and he's eating what I call spaghetti lettuce with gay abandon and has gained 40g in 3 days (now 1050g, was an average of about 1165 for last 2 years).
Obviously he is struggling and I want that resolved but is tooth removal the only option at this point and will it be ok with just one lower tooth? Also, moving forward, will he adapt or will I need to get his upper tooth burred every few weeks?
I'm assuming the infection is bad enough as she hasn't offered filing down or burring as an option.
I'm absolutely terrified of him going under anaesthetic as I lost 2 pigs last year plus I'm feeling like a bad pig dad although I've always done everything recommended to try to prevent tooth issues (but must add that he is a mad cage biter when hungry!)

 

[Gem789]

I see you are in the UK.I don't know where abouts you are but is it at all possible to get to the cat and rabbit clinic in Duston, Northampton? They really are the best with teeth issues and it would be well worth that trip.

 

[ScrufflesRules]

Sadly the Cat and Rabbit clinic would be over 200 miles away, but there might be some piggy-savvy vets nearer to you on this list: Recommended Guinea Pig Vets. It sounds like you're doing the best you can with an exotics specialist though.
Do you have critical care recovery food and syringes on standby?
Big hugs- we know how tricky it is to look after a dental piggy, especially whilst working full time.

 

[Hannah_xx]

Hello, sorry to hear about your piggies tooth. I have 2 Guinea pigs whom are both also around 6 years old with front teeth issues. Lion somehow damaged his bottom incisor over a year ago and has had to have it trimmed and checked every 4-6 weeks at the vet. It has grown thick and ugly looking and occasionally gets infections that we keep on top of. Despite all this Lion hasn’t lost too much weight and had a perfect appetite. The vet does not want to remove the tooth due to the risk involved, Guinea pig jaws are easily broken with dental surgery. Even though he is an awesome exotic vet he doesn’t want to take the risk. So we manage with trims and checks. The other Guinea pig has completely lost one of his bottom incisors after a failed bonding, fight with another Guinea pig. Newton was also having trims and checks every 6 weeks but now the tooth hasn’t grown back this time and his mouth has settled down. He is happy and healthy with the missing tooth.

Please do make sure your pig is seen by a Guinea pig specialist who knows exactly what their doing when it come to teeth. As my vet said, it can easily go wrong especially in the wrong hands.

 

[scottymac]

Thanks for your replies. He's going in this morning, I'll be at work so my ex is taking him in but she'll be armed with a list of questions from me, essentially asking if there's any way the tooth can be saved. He's a fighter, and a greedy one at that , so hoping he'll adjust if he does have it removed. My vet does seem to know what she's doing.
I'm in Cumbria, so Northampton would be way too far to go. Especially the journey back if he'd had anything done.
I'm armed with critical care and loxicom at all times lol.
Will keep you all posted.

 

[weepweeps]

Hi. I had a piggy with only three front teeth and he ate fine and didn’t need any burring done. Good luck at the vets Jesus. Sending healing vibes.

Is he on antibiotics for the infection too?

 

[scottymac]

Thank you all so much for your positive messages and vibes .
I'm elated to say he came through the surgery amazingly well, was up and eating in no time at all. I'm so so proud of my little soldier (yes, I'm a straight male but I really don't sound it at this point ), he's eaten hay, nuggets and just had some romaine, little gem, orange pepper and coriander. Yes, he's eating a little bit gingerly but you'd expect that.
At this point I'm debating not giving him recovery food as he seems to be eating just fine. Is this a bad idea? Obviously I'll watch how he goes but while he's eating of his own free will, I'd rather not force feed him mush that he hates, unless one of you guys advises me otherwise.
He's to stay on metacam for the foreseeable but they haven't given him antibiotics. I asked when I collected him and they said he'd be ok without them. I do have baytril on hand at all times and I've been tempted b

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m glad to hear he is ok, and great that he is eating.

I would offer syringe feeds. Seeing them eat does not mean they are eating enough hay to maintain weight as hay intake can’t be gauged by eye, so you need to continue with daily weight checks and monitoring before you can decide he doesn’t need to be syringe he fed.

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so pleased he’s doing ok.

 

[scottymac]

Thanks. I took your advice and tried syringe feeding him, which has always been a nightmare in the past. He would down 10ml (10 syringes of 1 ml, a couple of minutes apart), absolutely no force feeding required, went mad for the stuff .
Thanks again for all the well wishes

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Thanks. I took your advice and tried syringe feeding him, which has always been a nightmare in the past. He would down 10ml (10 syringes of 1 ml, a couple of minutes apart), absolutely no force feeding required, went mad for the stuff .
Thanks again for all the well wishes

If he is keen to eat the syringe feed, perhaps he would be able to eat it out of a shallow dish, which would be easier for you.
I had a boar who needed syringe food, he was so keen that I was able to use a bigger - 10ml+ - syringe (the sort that comes with the 10-packs of recovery food). You do have to be careful not to squeeze out too much at any one time though. I should have thought to give him a dish instead, but I never did

Sending your boy healing vibes