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My 10 Week Old Baby To Be Put To Sleep?!

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AdamFrench

AdamFrench

Junior Guinea Pig
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Stanley, Durham, UK
After all we've been through with our little girl Teri and her illness, we've just been in to see the vet about her progress thinking she was on the road to recovery to find out bottom jaw is not straight and isn't closing properly and her bottom teeth are very long. This apparently means the back teeth can't chew food causing her to drop it out the mouth.

According to the vet, due to quality of life it is best to have her put to sleep. We are absolutely distraught! Even though we've only had her a short while she's made such an impact on us.

Gutted! :(
 
@furryfriends (TEAS)

I am tagging Furryfriends for you - perhaps she can help you! She runs a sanctuary for guinea pigs with chronic dental problems, but it depends on how full up she is and whether she can take on a new permanent resident.
 
I agree with the above posters. Please, please wait until @furryfriends (TEAS) has had time to read this and advise before making any drastic decisions

I had to have my boar pts late last year due to dental problems. It was the right decision for him at the time as he was suffering and had complications but I do have regrets and miss him so much x
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I'm out for the evening but can we talk on the phone tomorrow?
Click to expand...

Thanks for getting back to me.

We decided to get a second opinion from a different vets. Due to food at the back of the mouth and the little one trying to nibble at hands and wriggling around they said its very difficult to see the back teeth however they don't think it is as serious a problem as the first vet made out. However cant guarantee anything but is a bit more hopeful. So we have her booked in for an xray on Monday to see the extent of the issue and will take it from there.

By all means I'm available for contact tomorrow, or if you'd rather wait until the xrays are complete.

Let me know.

Thanks again!
 
Hi All,

Today I took Teri in for an X-ray on her jaw, after getting the second opinion. I've been stressing out all day and I finally got a call from the vet earlier. To my amazement, she said Teri's jaw closes perfectly and is unaware as to what the other vet has seen. She has a lot of gas from not eating and has given us a course of appetite stimulant. She also said she has been eating all day, slightly softened pellets and apple.

She come home and been eating cabbage fine.

I am so happy! I thought we were going to lose her! Keep a close eye on her now and pray she keeps eating!

Thanks for your help @Wiebke @furryfriends (TEAS)
 
AdamFrench said:
Hi All,

Today I took Teri in for an X-ray on her jaw, after getting the second opinion. I've been stressing out all day and I finally got a call from the vet earlier. To my amazement, she said Teri's jaw closes perfectly and is unaware as to what the other vet has seen. She has a lot of gas from not eating and has given us a course of appetite stimulant. She also said she has been eating all day, slightly softened pellets and apple.

She come home and been eating cabbage fine.

I am so happy! I thought we were going to lose her! Keep a close eye on her now and pray she keeps eating!

Thanks for your help @Wiebke @furryfriends (TEAS)

NOBODY GO ANYWHERE NEAR ABBEY VET CENTRE IN CHESTER-LE-STREET for Guinea Pigs.
Click to expand...

Great news :) I am keeping my fingers very firmly crossed for Teri
 
AdamFrench said:
Hi All,

Today I took Teri in for an X-ray on her jaw, after getting the second opinion. I've been stressing out all day and I finally got a call from the vet earlier. To my amazement, she said Teri's jaw closes perfectly and is unaware as to what the other vet has seen. She has a lot of gas from not eating and has given us a course of appetite stimulant. She also said she has been eating all day, slightly softened pellets and apple.

She come home and been eating cabbage fine.

I am so happy! I thought we were going to lose her! Keep a close eye on her now and pray she keeps eating!

Thanks for your help @Wiebke @furryfriends (TEAS)
Click to expand...

Hi! I am glad that there don't seem to be any problems.

Please make sure that she is getting plenty of fibre and NOT cabbage, which can promote gassiness, nor acidic fruit like apple. Weigh her at the same time in the feeding cycle to see whether she is eating enough. If necessary, top her up with syringe feed (mushed pellets if you wish). Massage/vibrate her gently to help shift any gassiness. It is vital to keep a guinea pig eating and to syringe feed a guinea pig that is not eating/not eating enough. The last thing you want to deal with is slowing down of the guts/partial or total gut stasis.
Be careful in how much cabbage you feed, and do so only in comabination with other veg. Take it off the menu list as soon as there are digestive issues.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Wiebke said:
Hi! I am glad that there don't seem to be any problems.

Please make sure that she is getting plenty of fibre and NOT cabbage, which can promote gassiness, nor acidic fruit like apple. Weigh her at the same time in the feeding cycle to see whether she is eating enough. If necessary, top her up with syringe feed (mushed pellets if you wish). Massage/vibrate her gently to help shift any gassiness. It is vital to keep a guinea pig eating and to syringe feed a guinea pig that is not eating/not eating enough. The last thing you want to deal with is slowing down of the guts/partial or total gut stasis.
Be careful in how much cabbage you feed, and do so only in comabination with other veg. Take it off the menu list as soon as there are digestive issues.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Click to expand...

Ive taken the cabbage out. Ive softened the pellets which she was eating a lot of at the vets. However, i'm concerned that because they are soft they are not working the teeth and she still isn't back on hay yet. She put on a little weight yesterday but this may have been simply due to syringe feeding, and she has increased in weight today while she was at the vets. I've been feeding her around the clock for over a week now. Due to the weight increase I was planning to hold off on this tonight but I'm worried this weight gain is not to continue without syringe feeding. At what point should I start syringe feeding again?

Ive been rubbing her tummy off and on since she returned from the vets. I've just been circling motion rubbing her tummy, how long and how often should I do this?
 
I was going to agree to try herbs and small amounts of grass rather than cabbage. Watch her eating - is she eating at normal speed and can she chew grass without it hanging in the mouth afterwards?

Keep massaging from time to time. A cheap electric toothbrush on the lowest setting can also help with vibrating.

If a guinea pig is dropping one of the important food groups like hay, veg or pellets completely, it is usually the sign that something is not right, either with teeth, the digestion or very often that it is caused by a pain issue. Her digestive problems can be caused as a knock-on effect by dental issues, hence furryfriends' question.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Do we know why she isn't eating? It's still sounding like it could be dental. Will she eat grass?
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I'll try her with some grass. She's eating the odd bit of kale and softened pellets but no hay. What else can I do, I have one vet telling me she needs put down because her jaw is out of line (without an x-ray) then another telling me herself and 2 other vets have looked at the x-rays today and her jaw and teeth look fine.

What could it be dental wise that the x-rays wouldn't show?
 
AdamFrench said:
I'll try her with some grass. She's eating the odd bit of kale and softened pellets but no hay. What else can I do, I have one vet telling me she needs put down because her jaw is out of line (without an x-ray) then another telling me herself and 2 other vets have looked at the x-rays today and her jaw and teeth look fine.

What could it be dental wise that the x-rays wouldn't show?
Click to expand...

We want to make absolutely sure that all is OK. Please bear with us!
@furryfriends (TEAS)

PS: Please be aware that kale is a form of cabbage, too!
 
@furryfriends (TEAS) @Wiebke
Ive just put out a pile of fresh grass out, she had a sniff and walked straight over the top. The other pig came straight out and started eating the pile.

I was very happy with the news today after the devastating news at the weekend. Now I don't know what to think!

Ive got to go back to the vets on Thursday, are you thinking I should go sooner, or somewhere else or...?
 
AdamFrench said:
@furryfriends (TEAS) @Wiebke
Ive just put out a pile of fresh grass out, she had a sniff and walked straight over the top. The other pig came straight out and started eating the pile.

I was very happy with the news today after the devastating news at the weekend. Now I don't know what to think!

Ive got to go back to the vets on Thursday, are [you]you thinking I should go sooner, or somewhere else or...?[/you]
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Could you please bear with us until furryfriends has been able to discuss things with you; she has got the relevant experience of all of us.

A pity that she doesn't love grass. I guess that if she is so keen on kale, then better give it to her to make sure that she is eating. Continue to syringe feed to make sure that she is getting plenty of fibre; hay should make up to 80% of the daily food intake. As long as she is off hay, it is advisable to offer her syringe feed and let her have has much as she wants.

I am currently doing the same with my Hywel, whose dental root/jawbone abscess has come back and who has had some weight loss and stopped eating hay for several days now in order to ensure that he can keep his weight and his guts balanced.
 
The crowns of the teeth are the important bit and not what can be seen on X-ray. If there was a brewing abscess this wouldn't show on x-ray either. Unfortunately most vets have no idea about guinea pig teeth, which is why people travel from all over the country to see the vet the sanctuary uses. I know you are a long way away, but is there any chance you could get your piggy down to Northampton to see Simon Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic. I currently have a piggy at the sanctuary who has come from Edinburgh. The vet there said there was no other option than to put him to sleep. He had a very aggressive tooth root abscess but he is now doing really well now, since having treatment from Simon. Simon is able to examine the teeth, and in most cases do any dental work without the need for GA, and he has worked wonders with so many piggies. He has recently seen a guinea pig from Newcastle who wasn't eating but owner had been told by the local vet that the teeth were fine. In desperation she traveled down to see Simon last week. After dental treatment from Simon, he is now eating really well and has gained 100g in weight. Simon is on annual leave this week but will be back on Monday 11th. I really think it would be well worth getting your piggy seen by him. www.catandrabbit.co.uk
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
The crowns of the teeth are the important bit and not what can be seen on X-ray. If there was a brewing abscess this wouldn't show on x-ray either. Unfortunately most vets have no idea about guinea pig teeth, which is why people travel from all over the country to see the vet the sanctuary uses. I know you are a long way away, but is there any chance you could get your piggy down to Northampton to see Simon Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic. I currently have a piggy at the sanctuary who has come from Edinburgh. The vet there said there was no other option than to put him to sleep. He had a very aggressive tooth root abscess but he is now doing really well now, since having treatment from Simon. Simon is able to examine the teeth, and in most cases do any dental work without the need for GA, and he has worked wonders with so many piggies. He has recently seen a guinea pig from Newcastle who wasn't eating but owner had been told by the local vet that the teeth were fine. In desperation she traveled down to see Simon last week. After dental treatment from Simon, he is now eating really well and has gained 100g in weight. Simon is on annual leave this week but will be back on Monday 11th. I really think it would be well worth getting your piggy seen by him. www.catandrabbit.co.uk
Click to expand...

If he's on annual leave this week the first opportunity I would get would be Friday/Saturday 16/17th which means she could be getting worse or in pain and means she'll only have been syringe fed for almost 3 weeks.

I'm flapping now, I won't get her put down if someone else can help her but I'm struggling at work due to being up all night for night feeds (I'm a terrible sleeper). I feel like we're just abandoning her :( but I know she needs help. I just hate the fact there's everyone here seems to not have a clue!
 
We are very aware how frustrating it is for you, but as something is clearly not right, and your two local vets have come up with such divergent diagnoses, we are as much in the dark as you and can only go on past experiences.

Would it be possible to contact the Cat&Rabbit and try to make an emergency appointment for as soon possible next week? We could try to arrange a volunteer transport to Northampton for your little girl.
 
Wiebke said:
We are very aware how frustrating it is for you, but as something is clearly not right, and your two local vets have come up with such divergent diagnoses, we are as much in the dark as you and can only go on past experiences.

Would it be possible to contact the Cat&Rabbit and try to make an emergency appointment for as soon possible next week? We could try to arrange a volunteer transport to Northampton for your little girl.
Click to expand...

I could make an appointment if there is a voluteer transport. Simply based on work commitments and the time I've taken off already to stay with her I couldn't do anymore, so if it was me for transport I'd have to wait till the Friday or Saturday. How do I go about arranging volunteer transport?
Also, what would the procedure be if she's found to have an on going issue or even if she's fine?

Thanks
 
I'm going to keep an eye on her for a couple of days just monitoring because shes been eating grass and hay today. Not huge amounts of hay but lots of grass. She's eating hay very normal, speed and technique. Not dropping any. Her poos are getting larger. She was in the vets for a while today having her eating and drinking monitored. She's still lost a few grams between Weigh this morning and this evening. I've got a video camera to monitor her at all times.
 
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