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Dental Tooth Spurs - Ways to help

Dom R

Dom R

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
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Hi All,

I have recently had to take Peanut, my 3 Year Old boar to the vets, and it turns out he has spurs on one side of his teeth. He's currently on 0.8ml of Loxicom twice per day. Even with that he's still losing weight. He's normally at 1.3kg, and at the vets he was 1.18kg, and he's now just over 1.12kg, the vet trip was a week ago.

My vet asked me to give her a 1 week update, which was yesterday, and she didn't seem worried and told me to update her next friday. He now seems to be losing around 10-20g per day, in which he will be around 1.07kg or so, which is a lot lower than his usual weight, which worries me. The next step would be to put him under anaesthetic and grind his teeth down, but with him being a much lower weight I would say the risk is much higher, and he doesn't seem to be eating any more than before.

Is there anything I can do to encourage him to eat more hay and what not, he will happily eat veggies and pellets and what not, but not his hay (I've not changed his hay, and he chooses to eat softer foods). I don't want to stop giving him veggies and things as that will probably just make him drop weight a lot more.

My vet is piggy savvy, before anyone comments about that. She also did say that I caught it early, which is why she wants me to try and get him to eat to wear them down.

Thanks for any help :)
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
They won’t correct themselves. He will need a dental to sort them. Often the spurs will be rubbing or cutting into the soft tissue of the mouth.
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Even when its caught really early? No wonder why he's still losing weight, even on pain meds :/
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Where about are you based? It sounds like the problem could be sorted quickly, with the correct treatment x
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I'm near Sheffield, so that clinic is around 2hrs away or so. I'd prefer to get it sorted sooner rather than later, I feel horrible just having to wait.

I'm not sure if you know, but do you know the prices at the clinic? I've heard that he does dentals while they're awake, so much lower risk than being under anaesthetic. I'll probably give them a message anyway, but I just was wondering beforehand.

Am I doing the right thing in syringe feeding him mushed pellets and giving him his vegetables and things? Is it also worth possibly moving him out of his current enclosure and somewhere where its easier to monitor his feeding habits?
 
Dom R said:
I'm near Sheffield, so that clinic is around 2hrs away or so. I'd prefer to get it sorted sooner rather than later, I feel horrible just having to wait.

I'm not sure if you know, but do you know the prices at the clinic? I've heard that he does dentals while they're awake, so much lower risk than being under anaesthetic. I'll probably give them a message anyway, but I just was wondering beforehand.

Am I doing the right thing in syringe feeding him mushed pellets and giving him his vegetables and things? Is it also worth possibly moving him out of his current enclosure and somewhere where its easier to monitor his feeding habits?
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Just to back this up, not that I really need to, but def go see Simon an Kim at the car and rabbit care clinic, you will not regret it 👍.
 
If he’s got a friend I would leave him with his little mate. Top him up with syringe food and offer whatever he will eat. Porridge oats are a big favourite here and help keep weight up.
Price wise, the first appointment is the most expensive as you pay a consult fee and dental but it’s a longer appointment and very thorough. After that you just pay the fee, which is £50- £55. You can double check when you contact them. Simon carries out the work with the piggy conscious. We’ve had so many come here, where other vets have had no success, but have been eating as soon as Simon has filed the teeth x
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
Just to back this up, not that I really need to, but def go see Simon an Kim at the car and rabbit care clinic, you will not regret it 👍.
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furryfriends (TEAS) said:
If he’s got a friend I would leave him with his little mate. Top him up with syringe food and offer whatever he will eat. Porridge oats are a big favourite here and help keep weight up.
Price wise, the first appointment is the most expensive as you pay a consult fee and dental but it’s a longer appointment and very thorough. After that you just pay the fee, which is £50- £55. You can double check when you contact them. Simon carries out the work with the piggy conscious. We’ve had so many come here, where other vets have had no success, but have been eating as soon as Simon has filed the teeth x
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He has two friends, so I'll leave them all together. I've been using a 5ml (approx) syringe to feed him, and he allows me to give it him while he's in his enclosure. He takes probably around 1-2 syringes every couple of hours. I'll go out and pick some oats up tomorrow. I'll drop them an email just to get all of the information I need.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Email [email protected]
Mark for the attention of Simon Maddock
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I've sent them an email, hopefully I'll get a message back tomorrow, or whenever he is in next. I'm unsure on why my vet would suggest waiting if it wont correct itself.

I'm glad I looked into this a little bit, as I was starting to get a bit stressed regarding his weight loss, at the least I'll get a second opinion, and it'll definitely be worth the 2 hour travel to see them. I'll check you out on facebook, I do love seeing pictures and videos of other piggies!
 
I reccomended Simon and Kim to @Black piggies the other day, for dental issues, and her guinea pig has started eating again. Where another vet before cut the teeth too short
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
They’re not open until Monday, but hopefully you’ll hear back then.

I was in Sheffield a few days ago, as my daughter lives there 😊
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Hopefully,

I'll get some porridge oats tomorrow to feed him alongside his mushed pellets. I'll keep giving him his veg. I'm also going to put hay in his enclosure as bedding, rather than it just being in the hay rack, so it's much easier for him to eat it, and he doesn't need to pull it through (Their bedding is fleece with little blankets for extra comfort/bedding. Is there anything else I could do to help him keep his weight on?

I hate when a piggy is unwell, its so stressful. I think its even worse as he was my first piggy in quite a few years and I have the strongest bond with him compared to my other three. Still love them all to bits though.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I give them what I call their all ‘you can eat buffet’. Mushed nuggets, porridge oats, grated carrot, cut grass, puréed veg and finely chopped veg and salad leaves.
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He still eats full sized veg, including carrot, so I'll keep offering him them. I'll stock up on greens to keep offering him, I usually only give him what we have in (Bell Peppers, Cucumber, Carrot, Cherry tomatoes) I'll pick up some mixed leaves with Watercress and things, they love that when I get it so. I'm unsure what greens I can give daily/commonly, so any advice on that is appreciated.
 
Dom R said:
He still eats full sized veg, including carrot, so I'll keep offering him them. I'll stock up on greens to keep offering him, I usually only give him what we have in (Bell Peppers, Cucumber, Carrot, Cherry tomatoes) I'll pick up some mixed leaves with Watercress and things, they love that when I get it so. I'm unsure what greens I can give daily/commonly, so any advice on that is appreciated.
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It’s good he’s still eating so well! I feed a mixture of all sorts. In the summer they get loads of grass. I still pick some for them during the winter months, but they have more Veg/Salad too!
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
It’s good he’s still eating so well! I feed a mixture of all sorts. In the summer they get loads of grass. I still pick some for them during the winter months, but they have more Veg/Salad too!
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Yeah he's eating well with his veg/mushed pellets, but not his hay, which is probably why he's losing weight. He only nibbles hay for a few minutes every now and then, compared to before when he was munching more time than not.

I currently have him on Ings hay from Hay-and-straw. Should I look into getting a different type of hay that's soft/really tasty for him? I was thinking some Timothy hay or something, but that's really hard so it'll probably be uncomfortable for him to eat. He does like that hay, but I'm just wondering if there's a really sweet one or soemthing that I could get him, just for now.
 
Dom R said:
I'm near Sheffield, so that clinic is around 2hrs away or so. I'd prefer to get it sorted sooner rather than later, I feel horrible just having to wait.

I'm not sure if you know, but do you know the prices at the clinic? I've heard that he does dentals while they're awake, so much lower risk than being under anaesthetic. I'll probably give them a message anyway, but I just was wondering beforehand.

Am I doing the right thing in syringe feeding him mushed pellets and giving him his vegetables and things? Is it also worth possibly moving him out of his current enclosure and somewhere where its easier to monitor his feeding habits?
Click to expand...

Our syringe feeding guide has a chapter on looking after guinea pigs with dental issues, into which @furryfriends (TEAS) experience has gone.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Here are our travelling tips and vet visit tips. Please bring the companion as well; it really helps to keep the stress down with having the comfort of another piggy to snuggle into:
Travelling with guinea pigs
Tips For Vet Visits

The Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic is run by a general vet specialising in cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, so they do not take supervet fees but they are also providing specialist care that is well above a no frills clinic. In my own experience, you get very much value for money there but it is not quite cheap. A lot depends on whether anaesthetics have to be used (they are the most expensive part) and any medication that may be needed.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Have you got access to grass? It’s as good as hay but easier to eat. I also find readigrass is managed by most
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I can grab some out of my garden, but I'm not sure what its like, I don't venture back there too often. I could probably pick up some readigrass for him, and see if he likes that.

Wiebke said:
Our syringe feeding guide has a chapter on looking after guinea pigs with dental issues, into which @furryfriends (TEAS) experience has gone.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Here are our travelling tips and vet visit tips. Please bring the companion as well; it really helps to keep the stress down with having the comfort of another piggy to snuggle into:
Travelling with guinea pigs
Tips For Vet Visits

The Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic is run by a general vet specialising in cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, so they do not take supervet fees but they are also providing specialist care that is well above a no frills clinic. In my own experience, you get very much value for money there but it is not quite cheap. A lot depends on whether anaesthetics have to be used (they are the most expensive part) and any medication that may be needed.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'm not too fussed on how much it'll cost him for the procedure, as long as its done with minimal risk as possible, I just like to know beforehand so I can gather the money and pay it off. I'll see what they say when they contact me on Monday (hopefully) and go from there. Thanks! :)
 
Dom R said:
I can grab some out of my garden, but I'm not sure what its like, I don't venture back there too often. I could probably pick up some readigrass for him, and see if he likes that.



Thanks for the info. I'm not too fussed on how much it'll cost him for the procedure, as long as its done with minimal risk as possible, I just like to know beforehand so I can gather the money and pay it off. I'll see what they say when they contact me on Monday (hopefully) and go from there. Thanks! :)
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Simon and Kim will use as little anaesthetic as possible; it depends on their findings and how bad the overgrowth is. Piggies treated by them are usually able to eat on their own straight after treatment - it is amazing considering how many threads we get from other members contacting us because their piggies are not eating after dentals from other vets. They also have great 'bedside' manners.
I go there even if I have to use the train and taxis at either end if necessary. They have saved several piggies of my own over the years that my local vets couldn't deal with.
 
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