Teeth Not Growing Properly.

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Hey guys,

I took my girlies to the vets today, just for a check up, and I've found out that Cissys [side] teeth are growing inwards [towards the tongue] in a sort of diagonal fashion, rather than straight up as they should be. My vet has said that it doesn't seem to affect her as she's still eating and drinking normally and putting on weight, but it does seem to cause her to dribble a little (after eating tomato she gets an alarmingly red neck!).

Can anyone advise me on whether or not this is serious or just something to keep an eye on as my vet suggested? It's made me very worried now as I know that teeth problems can be serious. She also said that if they did become a problem there wasn't a lot we could do about it... Is this a common problem?

Thanks for reading.

[Edits in bold/underlined. I forget to mention things lol sorry]

 

[Wiebke]

I am tagging @furryfriends (TEAS) and @MintyAndGarry (TEAS) for you, as they are our most experienced members when dealing with guinea pigs with dental issues.

 

[7squeakers.]

Ooh dear! Very sorry to hear this, poor girl. Yes, you will have to keep a close eye on how well she is eating. Her teeth will have to be filed down every few weeks in order to stop the edges from cutting the inside of her cheeks. As long as the teeth can be kept short, she should not have too much trouble eating. A metal device is used to keep the mouth open whilst the filing is being done ,and this can leave the mouth sore for a while , so she will not want to eat for a day or so afterwards. Good luck.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Thanks @Wiebke !

Oh my goodness @7squeakers. that sounds awful aha is that something I'd have to do or do you think I could get the vets to do it? She didn't mention having to file them or anything. They're not growing out though so probably won't affect the cheeks, they're growing in so I think that's why she's all dribbly as her tongue hasn't got as much movement? Idk

 

[7squeakers.]

Are all the molars growing in towards the centre of her mouth? She will still need the teeth filed down to stop them from meeting in the middle. Your Vet will do the filing as he will have the right tools and will be able to sedate her to calm her down and keep her still. Remember, a rodents teeth never stop growing.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Are all the molars growing in towards the centre of her mouth? She will still need the teeth filed down to stop them from meeting in the middle. Your Vet will do the filing as he will have the right tools and will be able to sedate her to calm her down and keep her still. Remember, a rodents teeth never stop growing.

I'm not sure tbh, she did say which teeth they were but I've already forgotten So will they only need filing if Cissy can't wear them down naturally? And isn't sedating dangerous for small animals? I'm so worried haha. Poor little love is only 13 weeks old.

 

[flintstones]

How did she look in her mouth?

 

[7squeakers.]

Yes, if they are not wearing down naturally, they will have to be filed down. And, yes, you are right. Sedating is dangerous for small animals, but if she struggles a lot during the procedure, they may have no choice if they do not want to injure her. I would also advise that you check her for lumps and bumps around the jaw every day, as teeth trouble can also lead to abscesses under the jaw. I know this from experience with my boy Clyde. He had to have his incisors filed down twice and then I discovered a huge abscess under his jaw.

 

[MerryPip]

Teeth need looked at quickly as if they grow over too far they can trap the tongue and stop them eating at all.... If your youngster is only a few months old then it's likely her condition is a genetic thing. Eating hay is necessary for dental health but some piggies will still have a tendency towards dental problems. If they are treated properly and managed then they can improve greatly. Hopefully @furryfriends (TEAS) or @MintyAndGarry (TEAS) can offer some better, more targeted advice.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

How did she look in her mouth?

With an implement, not sure on its name but it's like the thing doctors use to look in your ear but with a longer nozzle... Thing. Sorry I'm having trouble with my words rn!

@7squeakers. lumps and bumps, got it. After a long nap after the vets they've woken up now and are munching on Readigrass, Cissy seems perfectly normal, just seen her eat pellets, a bit of hay (they don't like this brand, sigh) and she's had a drink so she's a good actress if she's uncomfortable aha. We had cuddles when we came back from the vets and was eating lettuce like normal, and she peed on me like normal so... I'm just worried about the future.

@MerryPip I'm not sure if I would notice her teeth being too long but I'd definitely notice her not eating, as she is always eating when awake haha. Yes my vet has said it's probably genetic, although her sister is fine.

Do any of you have piggies like this? And thanks for replying

 

[MerryPip]

With an implement, not sure on its name but it's like the thing doctors use to look in your ear but with a longer nozzle... Thing. Sorry I'm having trouble with my words rn!

@7squeakers. lumps and bumps, got it. After a long nap after the vets they've woken up now and are munching on Readigrass, Cissy seems perfectly normal, just seen her eat pellets, a bit of hay (they don't like this brand, sigh) and she's had a drink so she's a good actress if she's uncomfortable aha. We had cuddles when we came back from the vets and was eating lettuce like normal, and she peed on me like normal so... I'm just worried about the future.

@MerryPip I'm not sure if I would notice her teeth being too long but I'd definitely notice her not eating, as she is always eating when awake haha. Yes my vet has said it's probably genetic, although her sister is fine.

Do any of you have piggies like this? And thanks for replying

Ideally you want things sorted before she stops eating as that causes all manner of other problems...

Yes I currently have a chap that has on-going dental problems due to genetics but not super serious. He has them trimmed by the vet every 9 months or so. He's now 4 and has had these problems since I got him when he was 12 weeks old. The vet gives him a GA to trim them as he can get quite stressed otherwise. He's never had any problems with this but any anaesthetic carries a risk and as he gets older we may consider other options but unfortunately there is only a very few vets around who will perform conscious dental work in guinea pigs. Thankfully one is near enough me if I need it. I have had two other piggies with intermittent dental issues in the past too and one had conscious and GA for dental work on various occasions and one had a GA as he needed an X-ray too.

Just be ready that you will be in this for the long haul as if she'd having problems now it is more likely (but not definitely) to be a long term issue for her. If you get things under control now then you give her the best chance of growing up with a jaw and teeth that are the best they can be.

Good luck!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Thank you. I think I might have a look around for a vet who is a particularly tooth savvy piggie vet. Idk if they exist but I shall look all the same haha. My trouble is that I can't have a vet too far away atm as I can't drive so I don't have transport for the piggies, especially in an emergency. My vet is lovely and helpful, but I'd want Cissy in the absolute best hands if this is to be an ongoing condition. I can't see any recommended ones on the vet locator that's close to me, apart from Brighton but I live outside of Brighton.

Every pet is with me for the long haul, rain or shine. I'd never let any of them suffer with no treatment. Her jaw is fine currently but you're right, I certainly don't want it to deform due to her teeth.

Maybe I'll just get them removed and get her some nice false teeth instead

 

[Freela]

I would try to book a consult with a vet that is experienced with guinea pig teeth... the idea that the vet said that there's not much you can do would be a red flag to me that what the vet is really saying is that there's not much that he/she can do based on the limit of his/her knowledge and experience. Many dental problems are actually treated quite successfully with know-how.

I've had a couple of dental pigs over the years. With my first one, we didn't realize that there was an issue until her face puffed up with a large abscess. Unfortunately our vet wasn't the greatest (though I didn't know that at the time) and long story short, she passed away after the abscess was drained and was not adequately treated with antibiotics. However, when one of my current pigs, Sundae, began having difficulty eating, a more experienced vet was able to file back her teeth successfully every few months to give her relief (her teeth were growing inwards and cutting into her tongue and cheeks, poor little thing!) After about six months of dental treatments, she suddenly puffed up on one side of her face and ended up with an enormous dental abscess that was lanced, drained, and treated aggressively with antibiotics and aftercare, both from me and from the vet. She made a full recovery and actually never needed her teeth filed again. I suspect that the pain of a deep abscess was preventing her from chewing normally on that side, which led to uneven wear on her teeth, which led to the molar spurs in the first place. So I would keep a close watch for lumps/bumps along the jawline, as there could potentially be an underlying abscess or deeper problem not yet apparent.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

@Freela yes I wondered that when she said that there wasn't a lot we could do, which panicked me a bit. I have no idea how to look for a specialist vet in this area of expertise, would they have a qualification in it or...? And as I said before travel is a huge issue for me but I could probably get a taxi but it'd be around £100-150 to and from the nearest vet on the locator aha. I really really need to drive and... Get a car. And money lol.

I assume there's no special way to check for lumps, just the normal way? Looking for abnormalities and stuff? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just busy worrying rn aha,

It's so encouraging to hear that you guys just deal with it well, it's repressing the rising panic I can feel lol.

 

[MintyAndGarry (TEAS)]

I think you're jumping the gun a bit and worrying over things that aren't actually happening yet. As she is eating well and gaining weight, it seems there is nothing to be concerned about. Ensure that hay makes up at least 80% of her diet. Weigh your piggy weekly to make sure her weight is stable. A loss of up to 50g is possible within a day for a fully grown piggy and is no cause for alarm. However, if weightloss happens, weigh more regularly at a similar time of day to make sure there is not a downward trend.

The reason The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary exists is because of our proximity to Simon Maddock at Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic, here in Northampton. At the present time, he is the only vet in the UK who can get positive, ongoing and long term results when dealing with dental pigs. In most cases, he can treat without the need for anaesthetic which, not only keeps the cost down, but is a far less risky procedure for the piggy involved. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to dental disease in pigs - some take only a few dentals before really improving, others are a much more complex case. We have had piggies who have improved to the point that they need to go every three months, others - like Monty, who turned 7 in October - have been needing regular treatment (at the moment fortnightly and never longer) for the last 3-4 years. Initially treatment needs to be regular - sometimes additional dental work will need to be done within a week at the start of treatments - and this is why using GA doesn't work. There is no way you could safely knock a pig out to do their teeth again so soon after another GA. So, by waiting, the teeth are still not being worn down and are overgrowing even further. Bear in mind that piggies have often lost a substantial amount of weight and you can see exactly how frail they are and how any form of anaesthetic could be hugely risky.

Not only is it technique that is lacking within the veterinary world, it is also general knowledge about the anatomy of guinea pig teeth. I would seriously suggest you look for a more cavy savvy vet in your area. Pigs' teeth are supposed to slant in towards the tongue and this will cause no problems while they are functioning normally. Too many vets seem to think that pig teeth are the same as rabbit teeth and should be 'straight'. Again, this causes huge problems when teeth are filed, as they are left in entirely the wrong position to have any chance of growing back in a normal fashion.

There is so much that can be done for piggies with dental disease, but sadly there seems to be only one man who can get the results we are all desperately searching for. When asked about dental issues, the only advice that either me or @furryfriends (TEAS) can give is to take your pig to Simon as soon as you suspect anything is wrong. As more knowledge is gained, more of the piggies are curing or are at least manageable. However, once the teeth have been 'treated' by others, it is difficult to reverse any work that has already been done. We are more than happy to advise on supportive care or diet, but as far as treatment goes, Simon is the man!

 

[Freela]

@Freela yes I wondered that when she said that there wasn't a lot we could do, which panicked me a bit. I have no idea how to look for a specialist vet in this area of expertise, would they have a qualification in it or...? And as I said before travel is a huge issue for me but I could probably get a taxi but it'd be around £100-150 to and from the nearest vet on the locator aha. I really really need to drive and... Get a car. And money lol.

I assume there's no special way to check for lumps, just the normal way? Looking for abnormalities and stuff? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just busy worrying rn aha,

It's so encouraging to hear that you guys just deal with it well, it's repressing the rising panic I can feel lol.

My experience is that abscesses can be felt if you run your hands along the bottom jawline. You can generally feel the jawbone as a smooth line going back towards the ears. Any lump or bump along that line needs checking out as it may indicate a dental abscess or other issue. The good think is that since you have two sides of the face, you can feel for differences between them. My pigs have tended to have the abscesses puff up quite far back on the jawline- almost next to the ear.

It can be hard to find vets... I know there are some vet locators on the site. I'm in Canada and there seems to be less experience in treating guinea pigs here generally. You need to look for a vet that treats exotics (they may seem pretty commonplace, but guinea pigs are classed as exotic pets!) It's hard when you don't have a car. I drive about 40 minutes to my vet, believe it or not!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

@MintyAndGarry (TEAS) I've reread your message a few times now and looked up piggie teeth, I had no idea they slanted in naturally so I do apologise for my ignorance. I've been too busy worrying about their front teeth I think! Perhaps you're right and my vet just has no idea... Sigh. I can't believe I might have been wasting everyone's time... I'll get a savvy vet asap, I'm going to be so embarrassed if it's normal. She said she was a regular piggie vet too...

Could there be another reason for her chin dribble? Also I just remembered that she was grinding her teeth for no reason lately, noticed my other girl do it a few times, is that connected to anything? Thank you so much for all that useful info, sadly I have no way of transporting piggies all that distance haha or I would be up there.

@Freela thank you, I shall always keep an eye out just in case. They're getting quite used to me man handling them every day now Wow that's a long journey for you and piggies! Gotta be done though, hopefully when I get my driving sorted all of this will be a lot easier.

 

[Seven]

Teeth chattering/grinding is a natural way guinea pigs communicate annoyance to each other.

The thing is, when it is combined with drooling it is a likely sign of a dental annoyance. If the teeth are hitting the tongue this will occur. Yes, guinea pigs teeth aren't naturally perfect but when signals of dental issues like drooling and chattering are present this is a sign of something with complications. Moniter weight and eating.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Are we talking serious drooling here or just a guinea pig getting a bit messy when eating juicy foods? As has already been mentioned, the teeth are meant to angle inwards and I've had guinea pigs arrive here at TEAS, where a dental issue has been caused by vets who have interfered with normal dentition due to their lack of knowledge!

 

[MintyAndGarry (TEAS)]

@MintyAndGarry (TEAS) I've reread your message a few times now and looked up piggie teeth, I had no idea they slanted in naturally so I do apologise for my ignorance. I've been too busy worrying about their front teeth I think! Perhaps you're right and my vet just has no idea... Sigh. I can't believe I might have been wasting everyone's time... I'll get a savvy vet asap, I'm going to be so embarrassed if it's normal. She said she was a regular piggie vet too...

It's not your ignorance that is an issue. Many people - including vets - assume that the teeth should be straight to work properly, but that is not the case. Sadly, people are paying money for a vet's 'knowledge' when there isn't any. You may need to look at travelling further afield to find a more knowledgeable vet. Piggies travel well, so public transport wouldn't be an issue to get to somewhere in your area.

 

[7squeakers.]

@MintyAndGarry (TEAS) I've reread your message a few times now and looked up piggie teeth, I had no idea they slanted in naturally so I do apologise for my ignorance. I've been too busy worrying about their front teeth I think! Perhaps you're right and my vet just has no idea... Sigh. I can't believe I might have been wasting everyone's time... I'll get a savvy vet asap, I'm going to be so embarrassed if it's normal. She said she was a regular piggie vet too...

You haven't wasted anyone's time. You have simply shown that you care deeply about your piggies and are keeping a very close eye on their health. Well done to you! I only wish everyone looked after their piggies like that!

 

[Freela]

@Freela thank you, I shall always keep an eye out just in case. They're getting quite used to me man handling them every day now Wow that's a long journey for you and piggies! Gotta be done though, hopefully when I get my driving sorted all of this will be a lot easier.[/QUOTE]

My experience is that pigs tend to do okay with car travel... we go back and forth to a cottage all summer, which is two hours in the car. In the case of the vet, I have a pet carrier that I use, but going to the cottage I move the whole cage and the pigs just go about their business as usual. They are mostly annoyed that I remove the water bottle for the trip so it doesn't leak and continually go over to where it should be and look for it! They travel much better than hedgehogs (which I owned for 12 years previously to getting my first pair of pigs.) One of my poor hedgies especially used to throw up in the car every single time, within a few blocks. I felt awful for him! The others also had some motion sickness, but he had it the worst!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Are we talking serious drooling here or just a guinea pig getting a bit messy when eating juicy foods? As has already been mentioned, the teeth are meant to angle inwards and I've had guinea pigs arrive here at TEAS, where a dental issue has been caused by vets who have interfered with normal dentition due to their lack of knowledge!

I'm not really sure, she tends to get a bit matted on her neck and if she eats a coloured veg it marks her there too which is how I first noticed it. Her sister doesn't seem to get that at all that I am aware of and I've checked periodically. Not even after juicy tomatoes.

@MintyAndGarry (TEAS) yes I worry that I got a bit conned there... Definitely time to travel for a better vet. It's incredibly disappointing that a lot of vets don't cover all the pets commonly owned... Seems to be exclusive to cats and dogs, sometimes rabbits...

@7squeakers. thank you haha. I'm a worry mummy to my 3 girls

@Freela awh bless poor hoggies! I don't think mine like travel very much, poor pumpkins. They go in a pet carrier but they tend to just hide under the towels and fleece lol. A car is more direct though, not sure I'd wanna put them through an hour bus journey (at least) and who knows how much walking around aha.

Thanks everyone, idk what I'd do without your help and info!