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Teeth problems?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jane28
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jane28

Started a new thread in here for Bigbum because i would like some opinions...

He has been to the vets (new vets who have never seen him before). the vet told me he had lymphoma which i am taking him at his word for.

However I have a gut feeling his teeth are actually whats causing him problems.

i have a line that if they stop eating all together and just are going down hill each day and we have covered all bases then its time to let them go...
however Bigbum is not there...

He is still trying to eat and it taking interest in his fave food spinach and hay but is not eating anything hard like celery or pepper. He has started coming out of his house now and it lying in his nest he has made...

He is trying to eat and gets to a point where he has tto use his foot to anchor the leaf and does shake his head occasionally when he is eating but then he will turn his nose up at certain food and sometimes takes a piece of veg and drops it until he finds the right leaf...
Does this sound like teeth problems?:{

He still isnt 100% but i really think his teeth are the problem at the moment. So i am taking him back to the vet on monday to see if he can do a little teeth exploration. It may have to be under general anaesthetic but at the moment there is nowhere else to go...

My vet is a new vet i am using as my old vets had to close so I'm not too sure about him yet but we shall see on monday... ( i should say at this point the vet did do a little file down and clip of the left hand side back lower teeth and clipped the front teeth as they were slanted so it does seem he has been eating on one side of his mouth for a while so maybe he has an infection from his tooth and the file hasnt got rid of everything)?
 
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Lymphoma? Really? Do tell us more, please
Where are you?
How old is the pig?
Slanted front teeth indicate problems with back teeth.
Yet again I have to say:
A general anaesthetic is NEVER NECESSARY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TO EITHER LOOK AT, OR TRIM ANY OF THE TEETH.
Phone the Cambridge Cavy trust on
 
Hi... I'm in Stafford

The vet has already looked at his back teeth and as i said has already tried to file his teeth down at the back. he did a little bit but without having a proper look at his teeth he doesnt know

I do know that GA isnt good for small animals HOWEVER at the moment its a last resort.. I am going back on monday and we will try again without it and also see about throat infection anitbiotic whilst we are there...
He isnt eating much and is ill. If it ends up GA then if i dont do it he will die anyway over the next few weeks and if i do and he passes away under or i am right and his teeth are the problem then we have given him another lease of life...

He is 2 years old, neutered and apparently he has lymphoma as he has lumps behind his front and back legs.

I do know about the Cavy trust as my first guinea pig went there a good 12 years ago. However its 2 hours away and i dont want to phone them up and ask for advice if I'm not using their services... And Vedra phone number thats on gorgeous guineas is dead. no tone anyway.
 
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Yeah it sounds like it might be the back teeth causing the problem. Cut his favourite into very small pieces so he can still pick them up and eat them. If not you can always pop them into the side of his mouth, behind his front teeth and he'll take them from you and eat them himself. I found that sometimes after eating small amounts it helps to syringe water into his mouth to try and wash away any bits of food that are stuck. With regards to the lumps my piggie was covered in lumps but they weren't cancerous. Some were fatty lumps or cysts. This page might help http://www.guinealynx.info/lumps.html
 
rw3399 said:
Yeah it sounds like it might be the back teeth causing the problem. Cut his favourite into very small pieces so he can still pick them up and eat them. If not you can always pop them into the side of his mouth, behind his front teeth and he'll take them from you and eat them himself. I found that sometimes after eating small amounts it helps to syringe water into his mouth to try and wash away any bits of food that are stuck. With regards to the lumps my piggie was covered in lumps but they weren't cancerous. Some were fatty lumps or cysts. This page might help http://www.guinealynx.info/lumps.html
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I am syringe feeding him mushed up pellets but havent tried the small bits of food yet so will try it (if he lets me!).

I have to admit the lumps by my previous vets were thought to be non cancerous and i have a feeling thinking about it since friday that my new vet could be a bit keen about diagnosis...

I have managed to get him in to the Cambridge cavy trust tomorrow and i trust them with him so i am feeling a bit more optimistic... edited to say (i have been there with another piggy before)
 
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Good luck with Bigbum. I live a few minutes away from the CCT and have used Vedra many times before. The one thing I find her most valuable for is the dental work. Let us know what she says re: the lymphoma too.
 
Glad you are taking him to the CCT. Vedra gives advice even if you not take the pig to her. I have known many people who find it costs much less to go down to the CCT than to a local vet. One friend of mine would take a day return by rail from Scotland....
The main benefit is not the cost but the fact that you can trust Vedra to know what she is doing.
 
alcesterpigs said:
Glad you are taking him to the CCT. Vedra gives advice even if you not take the pig to her. I have known many people who find it costs much less to go down to the CCT than to a local vet. One friend of mine would take a day return by rail from Scotland....
The main benefit is not the cost but the fact that you can trust Vedra to know what she is doing.
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Thanks! This is what i want, you see, to get a proper opinion on things. We took our old pig there 10 years ago and she stayed the week for kidney problems...

I explained the symptons and she said she would take a look at him...

I have asked this question to another member (thanks Debbie!) but what happens with payments etc... i.e how much and what the protocol? My mother did it last time so i havent a clue...:red
 
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Vets. charges more than you would reasonably expect.
CCT charges less than etc
Give Vedra a call before you go, or I think, better still, a text message. It is usually easier for her to reply by text than by phone, if she is busy at the time.
 
Hopefully you are there and back by now, how did the visit go?

If you are a CCT member (£25 per year) then the consultation, dental work, worming, nail trimming and health checks are all free. Not sure about non-members.

The average consultation fee I had from vets was £20, plus £7 per additional pig. The one time I took my dental pig to the local vets, I was charged £30 - I could have had it done (and did for the months prior to moving away) for free at the CCT. Emergency costs were over £50, just for one consultation. Things are a *lot* cheaper when you don't have to pay ridiculous prices just to see someone.
The emergency vet bill for my Tuppy was £109, for two visits on a weekend and a few injections. I believe Vedra only charges for the treatment, no out-of-hours consult fee if you are a CCT member, so the treatment that Tuppy had could have cost as little as £30 had I been able to get to her.
 
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CCC4
You have reminded me, I haven't paid this years sub. yet!
 
Hello Everyone!

WELL!

After getting lost i finally got there (dont take the M6 Toll!)...

She said that he doesnt seem to have lymphoma. His teeth were not particulary bad but she did shave a bit of each back part BUT he is swollen around his neck but it doesnt seem to be his lymph it seems he has had a reaction to mites!

I feel sooo bad but he is infested with rodent hay mites :( I literally gasped with shock... I have been brushing them every week and they have been to the vets every month for the past few months and no one has said ANYTHING... She did say its something vets dont really know about... I thought it was hay dust particles but the poor boy is having a reaction to the dead mites...
So Squeaky and Mum have them too...

They havent been itching or losing hair or scratching which is why its gone on so long...

SO i have to disinfect everything. After they are being moved to the 2nd bedroom which is completely clean and they are now not having hay ( apart from eating in a hay rack and I'm the one who alwasy advocates hay! :red) apart from Spillers(?) which Bigbum is going to be sad about as he loves to cover himself in hay... and they will be getting vet bed once they have got rid of the mites.

They are being washed once a week for 3 weeks in Flea or Die (which they should all love {:|) and then they need to go back so she can check them over after the 3 weeks. She has given me the number of a rodentologist in Hednesford who may be able to take them down with her the next time she goes...

I feel so bad i didnt see this but everyone has been eating well and not itching or losing hair :(

I also have to use fog off on the carpet just to be on the safe side...

I cant bear to think what would have happened if Bigbum went to my vets today...

I'm so glad i went to see her and i hope this is the problem and we can get Bigbum (and the rest) healthy again... It was only about £30 for the treatment and the £25 membership fee so i only paid £5-8 for 3 doses of something and a bottle of Flea or Die... Plus the petrol money it came to about £50-£60 which is still cheap and worth the trip...

I tell you something if Bigbum gets better after the 3 weeks I'm off to the vet to give him the info so it may stop him wrongly putting other piggies to sleep...
 
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furryfriends said:
Glad you got on ok, but just one thing. When you say you aren't giving them hay, do you mean, no hay at all? Piggies need hay as a main part of their diet, Sorry if I have misunderstood you!
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No sorry! I meant hay for bedding! I'm going to go back and amend that bit...

One thing i need to ask is she said about Spillers green hay or normal hay? Whats the difference between this and bog standard hay?
 
I know Vedra advises everyone NOT to give meadow hay because of mites and fungal spores. She only gives redigrass and Oxbow timothyto her guineas. She told me the same and I disagreed with her. I would say to change your hay supplier but guinea pigs need hay and who can afford Oxbow timothy for bedding and eating? plus, timothy hay is kind of like eating steak for dinner every day-a bit rich. Nothing wrong with good quality meadow hay ;)

Glad you have a diagnosis though x
 
Awwww Jane, what a relief! Thank goodness you went to see Vedra.
Been thinking about you and BB all day!

My boys have got lice at the mo, I am currently using Peter Gurney's idea of aromatherapy (lavendar, lemongrass and almond oil) and hoping that will work....they smell gorgeous though. My two love burying themselves in the hay, which is something I;m thinking about changing completely and having hay racks instead.

vibes for his speedy recovery......so glad you went to see another vet
xx
 
lavenderjade said:
I know Vedra advises everyone NOT to give meadow hay because of mites and fungal spores. She only gives redigrass and Oxbow timothyto her guineas. She told me the same and I disagreed with her. I would say to change your hay supplier but guinea pigs need hay and who can afford Oxbow timothy for bedding and eating? plus, timothy hay is kind of like eating steak for dinner every day-a bit rich. Nothing wrong with good quality meadow hay ;)

Glad you have a diagnosis though x
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Yeah i was worried about the cost of different hay but if the supplier i am getting them from has the mites in it then i suppose readigrass it is...

I'm unsure at the moment as i just dont want to havet o do this again... All my other petsa er fine on it and previous piggies havent had this problem either so I'm stumped!

i will pop out and get some vet bed for the forseeable future thoughh.. it will eb nice not to hoover up so much hay every day...:))
The piggies are investigating the fleece blanket i have put down for them... scaredy cats...
 
Sooo glad it's better news than you thought. I'm panicking about the hay situation now though! My piggies are long hairs and though they are groomed everyday, they are bedded on hay (grass hay). Eek!
 
I'm glad you got a diagnosis tho have to say i'm not a vedra fan & I've always fed meadow hay and have never had any problems :)
 
I have been having mental dreams about these pigs...

I am getting beyond my nerves with this situation and feeling quite depressed. They only like to sit on hay... anything else doesnt do it for them.
They are having another appeal for rehoming (they are fosters technically) as this situation has shown me i cant afford to keep this up. this episode has cleaned my account out and i now have £20 a week to live on,. I cant afford the vet bed and the cost of washing it every 2 days nor can i afford to help the piggies if anything else should happen again.

They have mites. i have seen them, and i also have had many animals on hay with no problems. i have no idea whether this lot are more suceptable to mites so i now have many different opinions...

I do trust Vedra but i cannot afford to care for these pigs for much longer with the increase in cost this is going to cause. I cant think of anything else at the moment...these guys havent had much interest and i dont know why because they are a lovely bonded group of piggies and once over this hurdle they will be healthy as well...
 
Jane, you are doing a fantastic job with the piggies. I really don't think you should worry too much about the hay. As you say, they love sitting on it and to be honest that's what guinea pigs do, thats normal. I really wouldn't change that.

To be honest it upsets me that someone who is doing such a great job is made to feel as though they are doing something wrong and causing a problem, by what in my opinion is scare-mongering. Others may disagree, but this is how I see this.

All my piggies are on megazorb and hay. They love burying themselves in it, and if they get mites, then I treat them, but there is no way I would do things any differently.

Please try not to worry! You are doing just great! x
 
Good to hear that the problem is relatively simple and cheap to cure.
Meadow hay is more than good enough for bedding and feeding.
Some pigs do seem to be more susceptible to mites and/or lice.
Regular Ivomec ie every 6 months will help.
A monthly bath with Flea or Die will keep them in good condition.
I would venture to say that it is an exceptional pig that never has either lice and/or mites during it's lifetime.
 
Furryfriends posted whilst I was slowly typing my previous reply.
My pigs, 24, are also kept on Megazorb covered with meadow hay. Cost per week is around £30.
Don't forget that Vedra is allergic to hay.
 
alcesterpigs said:
Good to hear that the problem is relatively simple and cheap to cure.
Meadow hay is more than good enough for bedding and feeding.
Some pigs do seem to be more susceptible to mites and/or lice.
Regular Ivomec ie every 6 months will help.
A monthly bath with Flea or Die will keep them in good condition.
I would venture to say that it is an exceptional pig that never has either lice and/or mites during it's lifetime.
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Flea or die should not be used on gp`s as it is a treatment for fleas and ticks which gp`s do not get.

Giving regular Ivermectin is not good practise nor is the routine giving of any medication.It simply makes the mites or whatever immune and renders the drug useless.

Ivermectin is a strong drug and should only be given if the gp actually has mites.Gp`s renal system is their weak point so it is best not to put any meds/supplements into them unless they are needed.


Maryh
 
Flea or Die is safe on guinea pigs. Above all it WORKS.
Amongst others it states on the bottle that it is effective against LICE, which they do get. Furthermore the label also states "Can also be used on rabbits and small furries"
I have also phoned the manufacturers just who confirm this. I have been told the active ingredient is garlic.
Sometimes a gp will have sub-clinical mites and in those animals, with otherwise undiagnosed weight loss, Ivomec can, literally, be a life-saver.
Evidence would seem to show that pigs who are given Ivomec on a 6 monthly basis suffer fewer problems with mites than those who are treated on a case specific basis.
An overdose of Ivomec is more likely to be neuro-toxic rather than nephro-toxic.
 
Thanks guys :)

I have been working myself up today because i have no idea what to do... they HATE fleece bedding and are not using it to sit on keeping to the newspaper parts.

When i put some hay down they all go for it so they are goin back on the hay.

I am going to Flea or Die them today and wrap them up in towels in their carry case by the radiator and i have scrubbed out their cage.

If their mites go whilst they are on the hay then I'm a happy bunny...

I can't think of anything else to do really!

I have to say Vedra didnt make me feel guilty just shocked as its never happened to me before with meadow hay...

So anyone know how to bathe piggies who have never been bathed? :))

I have a plastic bowl with holes in it which i am putting a towel on the bottom so they can grip, i have a jug ready with water...
 
I usually bath my piggie in the sink or bath. Have the water warm, but not too hot obviously. Put enough water in the sink for them to stand in but not too much. Then use a plastic beaker to pour the water over your piggies. Be careful not to get water in their ears. Have a few towels ready for when they come out and be prepared to be soaked in water when they shake afterwards :)) I usually then wrap a hot water bottle in a towel and my piggies used to lie out on that which is a great way to dry their bellies. The top half I used a hair dryer on a low heat. Good luck :)
 
^^ Thanks :)

I managed it... Just... They wouldnt let me touch their noses and Squeaky and Mum were not having any of it... Holding a pig with one soapy wet hand and trying to wash it with the other is a hard business...

I didnt keep it on for 10min like i was told as they started to clean themselves and i didnt want them ingesting it :o.

They now hate my guts and i have undone all the hard work with them ( only joking they will come round!)

they are in a plastic open topped box at the moment on an ikea rug in front of the radiator and protesting everytime i go near the box rolleyes

They are now going back into a nice clean cage with HAY in it (but not as much as normal)

They are still a bit damp but are enjoying running around in the cage and i have a heater a bit in front of it so they will be nice and toasty...
 
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