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Reluctant to eat pig with no obvious dental problems

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EmmaDavy

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I have a 3.5yo m/n guinea, living outside until 2 weeks ago, prior to this we moved the cage twice to keep out of the wind. Noticed over a couple of days he wasn't eating his food, took him to the vet, weight loss (usually about 1.4kg, weighing 1.1kg), treated with pain relief, a/bs and syringe feeding for 24hrs, no improvement & further weight loss (1.08kg), burred front teeth even though they weren't really long, still no improvement, and further weight loss (1.04kg) introduced further pain relief and gut motility drugs. I spent 3 days syringe and hand feeding small strips of food which was all he could seem manage & he is taking well but struggling to chew, his weight went up to 1.1kg, so I took him back to the vets for a quick sedation to check back teeth, no spurs or other obvious problems, but rasped anyway. I'm still giving pain relief and hand feeding, I am also leaving food and hay in cage to encourage eating on his own, he seems to want to eat and is interested in food but still seems unable or reluctant to eat, I am absolutely grasping for any suggestions now before I have to make a very difficult decision.
NB. I am a veterinary nurse & able to take him to work daily to ensure regular feeding.
 
If you can get him to see Simon Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Clinic in Northampton then this would be the best for your piggie if you still feel this is a dental issue. People travel all across the UK to see him, he is the most experienced dental piggie vet and can do conscious dentals. I have a dental piggie and he sorted him out in 10 minutes, I travel from Cornwall. It only takes one tiny spur to stop piggies from eat and the front teeth should rarely need cutting, this just makes matters worse. He comes highly recommend on this forum x. Good luck hope you can get him sorted x The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic
 
I have to agree with @Bill & Ted, one of our sanctuary pigs Duke was very very poorly even after a dental at our usual vet. We took him to the Cat and Rabbit clinic although it was a bit of a drive, but if we ever get other dental piggies in I’d drive there in a flash. When Duke came back to the consultation room he was chewing and swallowing by himself, which he hadn’t been able to do for a week before hand. No anaesthesia or anything, they really are brilliant! They really may be able to help. Good luck! X
 
I agree with the above replies, coming to think of it, i did have an old boar with a tooth spur, it didnt stop him from eating, but simon sorted it in a few minutes anyway, before it became a problem
 
Those of you that have recommended the cat and rabbit clinic, do you have any idea on charges?
 
Definitely worth a visit to Simon. Another of our sanctuary residents was declared completely cured today. He had been seen by at least three other vets before coming to TEAS and all said euthanasia was the only option. Another Simon success story.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Definitely worth a visit to Simon. Another of our sanctuary residents was declared completely cured today. He had been seen by at least three other vets before coming to TEAS and all said euthanasia was the only option. Another Simon success story.
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I have asked a friend recently who seems to have a good vet for her rabbit, where does she go? It turns out rhodes vets in kingsthorpe may be a good back up vets incase anyone cant get in the cat and rabbit care clinic. But i dont know about dentals.They have treated her rabbits well and spayed one of them fine. I am going to find out how much they know about guinea pigs, if its enough, il post the address on thee forum list. They offered to operate on my pet rat when i was a little kid. But we decided not to
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
I have asked a friend recently who seems to have a good vet for her rabbit, where does she go? It turns out rhodes vets in kingsthorpe may be a good back up vets incase anyone cant get in the cat and rabbit care clinic. But i dont know about dentals.They have treated her rabbits well and spayed one of them fine. I am going to find out how much they know about guinea pigs, if its enough, il post the address on thee forum list. They offered to operate on my pet rat when i was a little kid. But we decided not to
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Rabbit teeth are very different to guinea pig teeth. Simon was saying that you can just file away any spiky bits on a rabbits teeth and they will eat, but with the guinea pigs, you have to get the teeth exactly right, or they won't eat.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Rabbit teeth are very different to guinea pig teeth. Simon was saying that you can just file away any spiky bits on a rabbits teeth and they will eat, but with the guinea pigs, you have to get the teeth exactly right, or they won't eat.
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Everydays a school day 👍. I might still check out if they deal with guinea pigs properly. I have my doubts, but could be better than many other vets
 
Simon from Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic is a genius when it comes to piggie teeth.He well known for his skills in this complicated field and has the experience that many other vets don't have simply because he sees so many and has perfected his techniques.
 
I know this may sound bats given everyone else is talking about dental but the only other time I’ve seen this problem of wanting to eat but not being able to is in heart failure. My piggie would get up and go to the food but she didn’t have the strength and turned around and went back to her pigloo. It’s like she was so breathless (not audible) that she could either eat or breathe but not both, as it was too much effort to eat. I may be completely and utterly wrong and don’t want to worry you but it is a small possibility.
 
Elthysia said:
I know this may sound bats given everyone else is talking about dental but the only other time I’ve seen this problem of wanting to eat but not being able to is in heart failure. My piggie would get up and go to the food but she didn’t have the strength and turned around and went back to her pigloo. It’s like she was so breathless (not audible) that she could either eat or breathe but not both, as it was too much effort to eat. I may be completely and utterly wrong and don’t want to worry you but it is a small possibility.
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I think heart failure would be obvious, as the breathing would look laboured.

Dental piggies desperately want to eat, but can't. After a while they do tend to stop trying, as they know they can't do it.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I think heart failure would be obvious, as the breathing would look laboured.

Dental piggies desperately want to eat, but can't. After a while they do tend to stop trying, as they know they can't do it.
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Fair enough. I’ve experienced both. Just didn’t want to rule it out as a non possibility.
 
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