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Meet Peggy - Dental Pig

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Sounds like you've had a tough couple of weeks so I'm glad that she's cooperating a bit more now. You're doing brilliantly and I'm sure she appreciates it, even if she has a funny way of showing it! x
 
Hi Laura

You are doing a wonderfull job with Peggy, stopping natural selection doing its nasy deed on her.

I can recommend doing Vedras Dental class if you can, its so much easier to clip there theeth once shown and as you already know you will be clipping and rasping for the rest of her life as that jaw deformaty is not going to get better. Is it a birth defect ot the result of a broken jaw?

Regards

SGP
 
Wilfie, the piggie who has come to live with me permanently, due to his severe dental problems, had a jaw that looked very much the same as Peggy's. His problem was caused by the very back teeth growing so long that they were pushing the jaw out of alignment. He had been seen by vets, Vedra, rodentologists etc and no-one had actually got to the very back of his mouth. As soon as the problem with the very back teeth was sorted (which had to be done under GA due to the severity of the situation), he started eating for himself within a week. Although he needs regular filing of his teeth, he eats completely independantly and doesn't look like a dental pig at all. His weight has increased from 700g to 1150g.

Is Vedra absolutely sure she is getting to the very back of Peggy's mouth?
 
I've just been looking at the pics of Peggy again, and a thought has gone through my mind. She looks so like Pops and also like Archie (a dental piggie who is staying with me long term). Are lilac pigs more prone to dental problems I wonder? Just a thought!
 
Vedra is getting the very back teeth, when I asked to watch the dental work she spent a while treating those ones. After her initial dental work (but before Peggy came to me) she went a month being entirely syringe fed without any dental checks. Given how fast her teeth overgrow - she needs work doing every 5-7 days - you can imagine how bad they must have been after a month of no treatment...no wonder her jaw was pushed out of alignment. So the very back teeth have been problematic and undoubtedly caused the misaligned jaw, but they are being kept on top of now.

I'm reminded of Pops quite a lot when looking at Peggy, no idea if there's anything genetic in lilacs that make them prone though. :)
 
In addition to my Wilfie, I've got two other dental piggies staying long term.

Here you can see Archie and Fifi chatting to one another through the bars. Archie is very like Peggy and Pops.

ArchieandFifi20.jpg


I think the bond you form with a dental piggie is so strong, especially when they are relying on you entirely for their food. However, nothing beats the feeling of joy and job satisfaction, when they start to eat for themselves again.
 
I've syringe-fed sick guinea-pigs and I know how time consuming it can be. Well done you for taking such good care of her.

Just wondering as I have no experience of this...

I also use the rabbit forum and I've heard of rescues who've had dental bunnies come in; they've sometimes found that removing the problem teeth has been the best option for the bunny. The bunny can then eat soft food (e.g. mushed-up hay-based pellets), without the stress of constantly having its teeth trimmed. So, I was wondering if this was a possible option for your piggie? Like I said, I have no experience of this, have not heard of guinea-pigs having their teeth removed and I'm sure your piggie is in the best possible hands, but thought I'd still mention it, in case it proved useful.
 
hey, dont know if you remember chatting on earlier post about my recent problems with my pigs teeth and jaw, but your picture of the miss-alined jaw is what mines like, but not quite to the extent as yours. Its been suggest to me that I could use some pain relief to try get her eating more hay, rather than the soft nuggets and veg. What type of nurofen do you use?
Unfortunately I don't live anywhere that does conscious dental work on pigs so have to wait until she stops eating to take her in and have a GA. :(

Its going to be very interesting and helpful for me to follow this thread.
thanks.
ellie
 
Archie is gorgeous, definitely looks similar to Peggy and Pops.

Ellie I do remember, have been thinking of your girl. Children's Nurofen - either orange or strawberry flavour - is good, I give 0.2ml 2x daily. I also give Daktarin Oral Gel (0.3ml 2x daily as it's long term treatment) to help oral hygiene, thinking of phasing the Daktarin out though soon as she's been on it a while. The Daktarin can be good for oral discomfort too (it's soothing).

Peggy had more dental work done with Vedra today, I now have a magnifying lamp so have a very clear view of the mouth but haven't been able to achieve any filing of the molars. Incisors no problem, molars not yet. Just as well as at Peggy's dental today, Vedra said her teeth are a little loose in the gums, weak at the roots from the pressure of overgrowth. At least I can see when the molars need treating now, even if I can't do anything about it yet. rolleyes

Interesting you question whether removal is an option Furries, it isn't something that would be done generally speaking and as Debbie said, they can start eating for themselves and need that option. I have heard of a lethal piggie in the US that needed regular dentals, and at one stage the question arose of removing the molars as the pig had other medical needs on top of tooth issues, and the general consensus was that removal was not a good idea.
 
Just another quick update as have had time to play with photos today! I've gathered a couple of comparison photos to show the difference in her physical size since she arrived in June.

13 June - 2 days after arrival. Weight 575g.
PeggyBodyProfile13June.jpg


30 July. Weight averaging 660g.
PeggyView30Jul.jpg


PeggyAboveView30Jul.jpg


She is still very small, but she looks a far healthier small. She looked, and I daresay was, malnourished on arrival.
 
Peggy definitely looks "right" now! What a credit to your dedicated care! :)
 
I added up how many syringes of food she's had since she arrived, felt rather dizzy. :))
 
Thank you, she's a good feeder, all I have to do is show her a syringe and she knows what to do, I don't do anything. :)) It's hard to get them to gain weight, never had a pig with such a low weight before, and although she is still so dainty it is wonderful to see her with a full face. And bum. rolleyes
 
Some problems with Peggy this evening - respiratory problems. It seems she has aspirated a little food or fluid; she has been very slow feeding the last few days again, but during one feed yesterday she coughed a little, I was worried at the time and now we have the result of that incident.

She has deep, raspy breathing, clears with a cough - likely to be congestion. Treatment so far includes Sudafed Expectorant, Furosemide (diuretic to clear the lungs), Vicks Vaporub (teensy tiny smear on nose, and around cage) and she's mostly off all oral feeds and is relying on SubQ fluids until her breathing eases enough to be syringe-fed again.

It's bad luck that she did aspirate a little, I'm always aware that it's possible when syringe-feeding but it's the first time it's actually happened. Instead of beating myself up I'm taking it as a lesson to be learned - and concentrating on getting her better.

She does improve when she coughs and she looks as bright as usual, I am hoping I've caught her in time.

She is due to have her teeth trimmed on Monday so if the breathing is still an issue then I will get Vedra's opinion on it and we'll consider if antibiotics are necessary. Of course if she worsens she'll be seeing Vedra before then. But hopefully not.
 
fingers crossed that your new addition akes a speedy recovery! :)
 
Thanks for the good wishes, they seem to have worked! Peggy's breathing has been normal now for a few days, just at the weekend she was struggling. The Sudafed Expectorant and diruetic saved her, I suspect - and drastically limiting the syringe-feeds for a couple of days (giving SubQ fluids primarily).

I took her to Vedra today for another dental, just nine days after her last dental work her teeth were in bad shape, I could barely get a syringe into her mouth and the most she would take at a feed is 5ml, much of that ended up just spilling from her mouth. Since having her teeth sorted this afternoon she's had a good 17ml feed with no spillage. The relief is enormous but it is pretty scary how bad her teeth got so fast, she really does need dentals every 7 days at most, every 5 days ideally.

Lots of feeds are in order now to get her back to where she was physically, but at least her teeth and breathing are ok now. I will get some nice, non-medical pics to post of her, I don't think you've really seen her properly yet!
 
Great news Laura - can't wait to see pics of Peggy x)
Well done to you too for getting to see Vedra today & looking after Peggy so well x
 
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