? struggling to eat after teeth trimmed

[mojules]

Morning all

Jules had both sets of front teeth trimmed last week but his bottom set had one tooth shorter than the ther afterwards vet said this was fine but it now just appears to be a stump and he seems to be struggling to eat things (he can manage muesli and is still drinking and has a whistle on him like never before soooo cute )

We read on internet to cut food into long strips so that he can use his back teeth to chew - is this right?we have been doing this but he seems to still just nibble and then give up @) He has been seen eating long stems of parsley and had a couple of nibbles off an apple yesterday morning along with pepper the day before

Would it be worth syringe feeding him mushed up veg or oats just so that he is getting nutrients until his tooth grows back?

Thanks in advance

 

[flintstones]

I would weigh him, to make sure he's eating enough to keep his weight up.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

The problem he will be having is picking things up. Plenty of people say no grated food as they can't pick it up...of the dental pigs I have had, they have had more success with grated than anything else. As long as the grated food is put in a little pile/mound, the pig can usually get mouthfuls at a time.

You can also try cutting the food into small thin batons, a bit like strands of hay, except shorter (how short depends on his preference, I'd estimate an inch is the maximum though). Some pigs can manage with cubed/diced food, around half a centimetre in size.

If you are concerned that he is eating too little, I would syringe feed but not too instensely - he is able to eat, just needs a little assistance, so to support him and prevent too much weight loss, I'd give up to 20ml 2x daily.

 

[flips]

Someone on here said they'd had success with a dental pig using one of those hanging wire balls and putting veg in there. The pig could tear off pieces of lettuce, etc without needing to manipulate as they would in picking it up. Might be worth a try.

 

[mojules]

I would weigh him, to make sure he's eating enough to keep his weight up.

We have been regularly weighing him since his last weight loss and he has put on weight and is now back over 1kg though he was a bit heavier than this at his heaviest

The problem he will be having is picking things up. Plenty of people say no grated food as they can't pick it up...of the dental pigs I have had, they have had more success with grated than anything else. As long as the grated food is put in a little pile/mound, the pig can usually get mouthfuls at a time.

You can also try cutting the food into small thin batons, a bit like strands of hay, except shorter (how short depends on his preference, I'd estimate an inch is the maximum though). Some pigs can manage with cubed/diced food, around half a centimetre in size.

If you are concerned that he is eating too little, I would syringe feed but not too instensely - he is able to eat, just needs a little assistance, so to support him and prevent too much weight loss, I'd give up to 20ml 2x daily.

Thanks Laura - I will try grating some food for him tonight and see how he gets on - my parents are going to be looking after them while we go on holiday and will need to have tried and tested methods so that these can be written down for them

Think when I give them their veggies tonight I will sit with them and make sure how much Jules is actually eating

Someone on here said they'd had success with a dental pig using one of those hanging wire balls and putting veg in there. The pig could tear off pieces of lettuce, etc without needing to manipulate as they would in picking it up. Might be worth a try.

That sounds like it might work will give that a try also the vet did say he might be a wee bit sore afterwards (I know the feeling after having dental work done myself that it can take a few days to get back to eating on the area that has been worked on)