Dental Teeth

[Livia Rabideau]

I just adopted a sow from a rescue 3 days ago. I took her to my vet for an exam. He said her incisors we're a bit slanted and could mean trouble with the molars. She has been avoiding pellets for the most part. When she tries to eat them, she drops them. I sent a picture of her teeth to the rescue and they said she had no signs of dental issues and the teeth are normal. I will be contacting my vet, but is anesthesia regularly healthy? I worry about the stress of regular dental work. I have read a lot about piggies still not being able to eat after the dental work. I don't want her to suffer. Her weight is good. She eats veggies ok, but slower than my other piggies. She does not eat anywhere near what my other piggies do. I know she is still settling in, but I think she should be eating more. I will continue to weigh her each day. Any advice is appreciated thank you! Here are her teeth.

 

[DMS260820]

I cant help you there but there are member on here that will be along soon to help you. I'm sure of it .

 

[Claire W]

I can't help either but one of our experienced members will be along shortly but I've heard that slanted front teeth could mean a problem with the molars.

I've only experienced dental issues once with my Enoch. He didn't have slanted incisors but his back teeth were growing over his tongue preventing him from eating. My vet used a light sedation of gas to check his back teeth and carry out the dental. He too dropped pellets but also lost a lot of weight

 

[Wiebke]

It could be that she is working on a dental root abscess, either in a molar or in one of the incisors; I've had two piggies with the latter.
Abscesses manifest in pain when chewing some time before they become otherwise more visible/noticeable. Slanted molars are usually a sign that one side of the mouth is painful and that the chewing is not even and can lead to overgrowth.

An abscess does usually require a strong antibiotic to get on top of it. Depending on how the tooth is impacted, i may need removing. We recommend zithromax (azithromycin), which is used successfully against dental abscesses by the most experienced dental vet in the UK, who sees piggies from all over the country and does about 15 piggy dentals each week, but not many other vets use it.

Mush up your pellets and cut your veg into small strips or grate it; try some fresh grass or soft herbs.
Offer hay based syringe feed to make up for the 80% of hay that may be a problem to eat.
We have got a section about caring for a piggy with dental problems in our syringe feeding guide.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Here is my Hywel with his sliced veg breakfast while working on a dental abscess. I have found that the softer veg, greens and herbs (including fresh grass or dandelions that are dog/fox pee free) go down best.
He lived for another year to shortly before his 7th birthday with a persistent recurring jaw abscess.



I am tagging @furryfriends (TEAS) for you, who runs a sanctuary in the UK for guinea pigs with chronic dental problems, and who our most experienced member when it comes to dental problems and abscesses. She is very busy, though.
If necessary, contact her via the sanctuary website. She has given us permission to. The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary – Providing life-enhancing care for Guinea Pigs with extra needs

 

[Livia Rabideau]

Thank you! Would x Ray be the way to go as a first step in the diagnosis?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you! Would x Ray be the way to go as a first step in the diagnosis?

It may not be a bad idea, so you and your vet can then discuss any further steps on the basis of any findings, especially if your vet is not experienced in guinea pig dentals.

 

[Livia Rabideau]

It may not be a bad idea, so you and your vet can then discuss any further steps on the basis of any findings, especially if your vet is not experienced in guinea pig dentals.

Ok thanks.

 

[Livia Rabideau]

I can't help either but one of our experienced members will be along shortly but I've heard that slanted front teeth could mean a problem with the molars.

I've only experienced dental issues once with my Enoch. He didn't have slanted incisors but his back teeth were growing over his tongue preventing him from eating. My vet used a light sedation of gas to check his back teeth and carry out the dental. He too dropped pellets but also lost a lot of weight

Thank you. This poor girl just can't catch a break.

 

[HeatherRose]

They are really slanted, poor thing. I think Dr. Greenfield worked on one of Christie’s (the 4-h club leader) guinea pigs who had dental issues. Hopefully it is nothing too serious.

 

[Livia Rabideau]

Yeah. I don't know what to do. Not happy finding this out the say after getting her.

 

[flintstones]

I can't comment on the teeth as I'm not an expert. I can tell you about the procedure with my vet and what I have come up against. I've had a few pig's for different reasons given injectable/reversible GA for different reasons. To be honest in the past I have found they don't recover as quickly from it and if there are other things going on it can be a struggle to get them back to health.

Toby earlier this year was given a very small amount of GA and didn't bounce back as quickly as I'd have liked. When he recently went in for his dental I requested that GA was not used (injectable/reversible). I believe he was given diazapan and gas instead. Toby came round perfectly eating like a trooper and the vet got some awesome shots of his molars before & after, since he's eating like a trooper.

I would recommend weighing your new piggy if your not already, although I'm sure your doing this already.

 

[Livia Rabideau]

I have been communicating with the rescue and her vet never noticed the teeth. My vet noticed immediately. I will be contacting my vet to see what he thinks. I have videos of her trying to eat pellets. Of course when she was dropping them I didn't have my phone. I just don't want to put her through painful expensive regular procedures if it may not help her. I just need guidance from my vet I guess.