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So upset right now- Chipy's teeth are messed up again

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PingandChipy

PingandChipy

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Today while cleaning the piggies cages I came across a green pepper in Chipy's cage and that is highly unusual as he loves them. Later when I gave him a piece of one he couldn't grasp it in his teeth, he just dropped it. So I sat with him for about half an hour handfeeding him tiny pieces. He greedily ate them up.

While eating I noticed his ears would move strangely as he struggled when I gave him a slightly larger piece and he would open his mouth really wide trying to chew it. Once he spat it out.

His teeth look all crooked again in the front like last time. I'm so upset. He had teeth surgery in April (I think approximate) and it took him 3 weeks to eat properly again.He had to have morphine for pain and it was a terrible experience for him.

I have an appt for him to see his Vet on Wed, the earliest they can get him in. Thankfully, I noiticed he can still eat his pellets as they are smaller than normal guinea pig pellets. they are from the Martin brand. The pigs love them. And he was eating a thin piece of hay.

But I feel so sad because he is 6 years old now and I just can't risk this surgery and him suffering so much like last time. I fear I will have to let him be PTS. :( So upsettting.

I will let you all know what the Vet says on Wed. For now I'm going to cut up all his veggies into tiny pieces. I just cut up all his hay into 2" pieces as it is easy for him.

I'm feel so sad and depressed. I love him so much.
 
oh dam sorry to hear about Chipy's toofies :(
Your description of his ears is right on :( i remember this too well from Duke.
Keep up with the hand feeding cut up all his food into smaller or long pieces. I know you'll be right xx>>>

WHEEEEEEEEEKS OF LOVE FOR CHIPY XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
There are vets in the UK that will do teeth with no anestetic, you may have to travel but this seems like a good option for chipy. :)

Goodluck, and I hope he is better soon!
 
I know you;re not in the UK...but I'm sure there ARE cavy savvy vets in Canada who can do successful dentals given Chipy's age....jsut as there are in the UK. You might have to go on Guinealynx to find them..and travel a bit!

Sorry can't be of any more help
x
 
Thanks pebble! I cant believe i didnt check the locations mallet head. Obviously tired. Good job your on the ball! :)
 
Hi everyone,

Thanks for the replys. I know of a vet that used to be experienced in exotics. I will give them a call and see if he still works there. I am pretty sure he doesn't though. But where I live I can't think of anyone else that is super experienced in guinea pigs. The last time he had it done she didn't do a bad job but he did get nicked and she couldn't stitch it up due to his teeny mouth. So he had to have morphine. Then he couldn't eat properly for 3 weeks because the teeth in the front were too short.

Okay, now that I read this I'm thinking it wasn't a very good job. But he survived and I guess that was my main concern. Also, he had done pretty good up until now. It's been almost a year since his teeth were done.

I'll see what the Vet says. Also, he has a runny nose and when he eats he squints his eye. The eye looks a bit crusty too.

I put chipy on a cancellation list for today so try to get him in faster. I want this Vet to look at his teeth though because she knows what they normally look like. She's been the one to view them over the last year.
 
Whee have all paws crossed that Chipy can get into the vets ASAP to correct those toofies !
HUGS for you too love XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
Update - Chipy's teeth, Vet.

Hi everyone,

I didn't post for awhile because I needed time to think and absorb what is going on with Chipy. So yes, his teeth are growing overtop his tongue, which is why he is having difficulties eating food. I have to cut up his food into small pieces and break his parsley into tiny leaves. I'm also cutting his hay up so it's easier for him to eat.

I'm worried I'm going to be slated but I am not putting him through the teeth surgery again. He is 6 years old and last time when he had it done it was very hard on him and he couldn't eat properly for 3 weeks. I had to handfeed him. He had to be on morphine due to pain and I don't want to put him thru that again at his age.

So basically I'm going to continue to cut up his food and then I will take him in to have him put to sleep when he can't eat the small pieces. I feel very sad and sick about it all. But I discussed it at length with my Vet and this is the decision I have come to.

Please don't beat me up about it. I really need support at this time. I have enquired about teeth being fixed without anesthetic and they do not do that here on the Island. I don't want him to suffer at his age and in his twilight years.
 
Sorry to hear your sad news and that there is no other way where you live.

Hope he manages to eat for a long time to come honey x
 
I can fully understand your decision. I would make the same choice. At six you have to be careful. I am so sorry he has to go through this. Poor baby.
 
Thank you guys, it is so hard. I bought a digital scale today and weighed him. He is 2.4 lbs. I had a scale but it wasn't reliable and wasn't digital so this one is much better. He is eating green peppers right now.
 
oh nooooooo ChipyChanga boy :(:0
I'm so sorry love, i wish you had a vet who was able to help Chipy more with his toofies :(
Enjoy and treasure your time together, whee will be thinking about you both very much XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
I was in a similar situation with my dog, she had cancer of the mouth. I handfed her for as long as I could but then she couldn't even eat like that. That was when I knew the time was right. Its a tough decision to make but I think your doing the right thing.
Treasure every single day you share together, sending you hugs x
 
I am so sorry to hear about Chippy. I have an elderly boy going through similar and it is hard. On top of everything my boy's bottom front incisor splintered when trimming recently (his teeth have got thick and brittle with old age) wihch caused a tooth root infection so he's just had that tooth removed(we hope its all gone and won't grow back). But I am the same as you...chopping food up small.

Try grating carrots and perhaps putting things like peppers in a blender for a short time. I also soak his pellets.

I am fortunate in that I have a fantastic guinea dentist and equally fantastic guinea vet so he has the best care possible but I am VERY fortunate.

You are doing absolutely the right thing for Chippy, the gift of love you are giving him by caring for him in his twilight time is the biggest gift you can give. You are clearly a very loving guinea mum don't beat yourself up.

Sending you lots of love and hugs.
xx
 
Guinea Slave said:
I am so sorry to hear about Chippy. I have an elderly boy going through similar and it is hard. On top of everything my boy's bottom front incisor splintered when trimming recently (his teeth have got thick and brittle with old age) wihch caused a tooth root infection so he's just had that tooth removed(we hope its all gone and won't grow back). But I am the same as you...chopping food up small.

Try grating carrots and perhaps putting things like peppers in a blender for a short time. I also soak his pellets.

I am fortunate in that I have a fantastic guinea dentist and equally fantastic guinea vet so he has the best care possible but I am VERY fortunate.

You are doing absolutely the right thing for Chippy, the gift of love you are giving him by caring for him in his twilight time is the biggest gift you can give. You are clearly a very loving guinea mum don't beat yourself up.

Sending you lots of love and hugs.
xx
Click to expand...

I'm sorry I only just saw this now. Thank you for your reply. I'm just about to update about Chipy.
 
Missing Bottom Teeth!

Hi everyone,

I've been weighing Chipy daily and today he has lost 2 oz, which is upsetting. He also is starting to look abit raggedy around the edges. His eyes aren't as bright and he is looking like an old man.

I took a look at his teeth and his top teeth are so long and crooked. Honestly they remind me of elephant tusks. And then to my shock I noticed he has no bottom teeth! I don't understand how this could have happened. I"m the ONLY one who picks up my pigs, we have no children, and I know I have not dropped him. He hasn't been biting the wire of his hutch so I don't understand where they could go?

Is it due to them being brittle and due to his age? He is 6 years old. :( I feel sad and worried. I cut up some grass for him and he eagerly ate it. I am confused how he can even eat like this but he was. Last night he had green pepper cut up small, romaine lettce broken small and grated carrot. It's all gone this morning.

Any ideas?

Thanks.
 
Most of their eating is done by their molars. My Jeff managed fine when he lost all his front teeth. with bite sized food, he ate fine.
 
Hi

I'm really sorry to hear about Chipy and while it is difficult I think you have made the right decision. No one will slate you for not wanting to put him through all that. If he was young and hadnt been through it before then it might be worth trying.

You obviously love him and are doing everything you can to make his twilight years happy and comfortable.

x
 
Thanks for the replies. wow I didn't realize that he would still be able to eat without those bottom teeth but he definitely is. I just gave him more carrots and green peppers as those are his favorites and easiest to eat. :)
 
PingandChipy said:
Thanks for the replies. wow I didn't realize that he would still be able to eat without those bottom teeth but he definitely is. I just gave him more carrots and green peppers as those are his favorites and easiest to eat. :)
Click to expand...

Sorry my reply before was a bit short - I was in the middle of cooking risotto!

Jeff managed fine with no upper or lower incisors. He still ate hay, pellets and veg fine. Obviously things like carrots he had to have chopped up, but I found the easiest way for him to eat them, was to cut them into long thin strips. He would pick them up by one end, and then munch on them with his molars until it disappeared! He also found eating leafy veg much easier than "harder" veg.
 
Amanda1801 said:
Sorry my reply before was a bit short - I was in the middle of cooking risotto!

Jeff managed fine with no upper or lower incisors. He still ate hay, pellets and veg fine. Obviously things like carrots he had to have chopped up, but I found the easiest way for him to eat them, was to cut them into long thin strips. He would pick them up by one end, and then munch on them with his molars until it disappeared! He also found eating leafy veg much easier than "harder" veg.
Click to expand...

Chipy is the same with the leafy veggies. I gave him parsley and he was struggling with it. He is doing fine with eating grated carrots as the pieces are long and thin. I'm going to cut up his green pepper this way today and see if that makes it a bit easier for him. Thanks for the advice, it really helps. I feel so sad for him because not only are his back molars slowly growing over his tongue but now he's missing his front bottom teeth. sigh. I hope his weight will be up today.
 
I had to take Chipy to the Vets yesterday because his front teeth were so overgrown and looked like tusks. She looked at his molars and found out that his tongue was trapped. :(

I had to decide what to do and I don't know if I made the right decision but I couldn't let him go yet. So today he had his teeth done and was put under. I was so scared. But I felt like I had to try. His tongue is now free from the molars and she trimmed the front teeth. Of course, now he is having a super hard time picking any food up.

This really isn't like the last surgery where he was perky when he came home and wanted to eat right away. He looks super groggy and unhappy. He half heartedly tried to eat some grated carrot. I put it in his mouth for him and he ate is very, very slowly. I then gave him some grass and he ate about 4. Then he refused to have me put food in his mouth. He was trying to pick it up himself.

I tried to syringe critcal care and he had a bit but mostly spit it out. I'm so worried. I feel like I selfishly had his teeth done for myself cause I couldn't say goodbye and now he is suffering! I'm so upset about this.

What can I do? PLease help.
 
Please dont blame yourself. We all want what is best for our pets. He sounds like he is simply recovering very slowing from the aneasthetic, no two aneasthetics are the same and this one may have just knocked him out a little bit more. Making it harder for him to eat this time. Just bare with him for a bit, let the drugs get out of his system (this can take up to a couple of days). Carrying on with the feeding, you are doing the best for him and he knows it. Dont give up yet. Sending you lots of love from me and my herd. x>>

x
 
hi honey,
just got caught up with your thread. I'm really sorry to hear about chipys struggles. i dont have any advice, but i wanted to wish you the best of luck, and i hope your baby makes a full recovery. it does sound like hes dealing with the anasthetic, so hopefully in a day or so he'll come around. also, please dont blame yourself. i would have done the same thing, I'm sure. you just want whats best for him, and nobody can blame you for that. good luck lil pig. xx
 
Hi thank you for the replies. I'm so worried. I tried syringing critical care again and managed to get some in I think. I hope he will pull thru.
 
He is much perkier this morning and trying really hard to eat hay and pellets but he isn't doing very well and keeps choking and coughing. I've softened his pellets and cut up his hay small. I'm going to go and get him some baby food to syringe. He hates the critical care but I managed to get some in him.

His normal weight is 2.4 oz but today it is 2.1 oz.

Thanks everyone. I will keep updating.
 
Keep up the good work, have everything crossed that Chipy makes a speedy recovery from his dental work. xx
 
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