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nutmeg

nutmeg

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I have read through lots of threads about teeth problems, so I will be asking that no GA is used. My pig has seen the vet about 2 weeks ago. I am struggling to maintain her weight, it's up and down within 40g daily, which isn't a lot I know, but she is only between 480g and 520g at around 8 months old. Vet checked front teeth, top ok, bottom discoloured. Used torch/Scopy thing to look at back, but was unable to see properly. Gave pain relief injection, told to observe if eating improved. Made no difference at all. She is bright, alert,popcorns, but just very thin, eats but very very slowly. She loves oats, and I think it is this sustaining her, along with slowly eaten veggies and hay. Teeth now: One front top tooth broken (so one long and one short now) The bottom front teeth now look 'short, stumpy, discoloured' not too good really. I tried to take photo but unsuccessfully. Whilst doing this I did notice there was a lot of back teeth grinding.? Any advice on care, or conversations with vet welcomed. (Not syringed any food yet, and have added vit. c to water which I never usually do. She is drinking, but not a lot) xx
ps. vet appointment 10.15 am tomorrow. x
 
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With her not eating 'normally' it's fair to assume there is a degree of molar trouble going on there, perhaps even likely. How long had she had dental trouble for?

I would recommend that you do start syringe-feeding her, it is good she is able to eat a little on her own but with her weight that low, you really need to try to get her weight increased.

It is also probably worth giving some Daktarin Oral Gel to soothe her mouth and throat, it will treat any oral fungal infections which may also be preventing her eating normally. Dose is 0.5ml twice daily; it can be given three times daily if necessary.

Definitely avoid a GA if possible, I would be concerned at putting a pig of that weight through such a sedation. Have you checked if there are any rodentologists locally?
 
Thanks. She has been like this since I got her about a month ago, so difficult to say. I have not heard of any rodentologists around here, but I am hoping my vet will be ok tomorrow. She is nibbling away at melon at the moment. Do we have a list on the forum anywhere? xx
 
Not a list of rodentologists, there is a vet list though:

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38481

I wonder if she has some genetic dental trouble, she is quite young to have teeth in such a condition. I also wonder about a deficiency, such as Vit C or calcium deficiency, but having said that there are usually symptoms elsewhere in the body e.g. hair loss, affected mobility.
 
Thanks Laura, I am quite happy with my vet, although that may change tomorrow. I have just made a concoction of crushed burgess exel, oats and meadow herbs mixed together with vitamin c water, she is having a little chomp at that now, and she has been drinking from the bottle of water with a bit of vitamin c too. There really are no other symptoms, she is as bright as a button. Will definitely get the daktarin gel though in anticipation of what the vet may do tomorrow. Thanks for help. xx
 
Good luck at the vets tomorrow Jane, hope they can find out what the problem is - if not, I can highly recommend Andale vets in widnes. I go there now (I know it's miles away mallethead) & they have sorted out Truffles teeth (without GA) x
 
I go to Steve, the original Andale Vet in Gt. Sankey. I agree they are very good. Thanks Suzanne. xx
 
Hi Suzanne, sadly it's not good news. The vet was able to check out some but not all of Opal's teeth. What she could see was not good, and after her trying with the scope, sedation was needed for a fuller examination. This revealed that Opal's back teeth were all mal aligned, growing at the wrong angles, and pushing her little tongue to stick underneath them in a sort of gully that they were making. The different positions of her teeth were making it virtually impossible for her to chew food, her front bottom teeth were extremely bad, (and her teeth in general were very brittle). The outcome was that there was little to be done, and although I could keep feeding her small amounts, she was only ever going to be able to take barely enough to sustain her, or even less, so eventually I think it most likely she would waste away, so we took the decision to have Opal pts.
I am gutted, this is the first pig that I have ever had to do this with. I have nursed Opal for a month and worked hard with her, but I think that helps me to know it was the right decision for her, the fact that I had to nurse her, and no more could be done, she would quite soon start to be in pain as the teeth grew more into her tongue.
I posted Opal's age wrongly, she was only about 4 months old, and herself and her mother had never had any vegetables, and a very poor diet and care generally,so it is likely this was a genetic problem. It's just so very sad, I am really upset about it now. Thanks for support.
Laura thank you for your pm too, and your kind words. x
 
Hi jane,

It was the right thing to do. She would not have been able to survive much longer with the abnormalities she had. It was the kindest thing. We never get used to it but she did have a wonderful foster home and love in her last weeks - so thank you for that.

Helen.
x
 
So sorry to hear that Jane, at least your tried your best and gave her a chance.

I had a beautiful little piggy here last summer, whose teeth were in a terrible state, the vet did not know how she was still alive. Tried our best but she only survived for another 4 weeks. I think that you did the right thing.

x
 
sorry it did not end well for you or your piggy but sounds like the best thing for the piggy, big hugs to you!
 
Oh Jane, I'm so sorry to hear this. As Helen said, at least she will have had a lovely last few weeks being fostered by you x
Sleep well Opal x
 
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