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Urgent burr teeth problem

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devonbelle

devonbelle

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I see that there are many threads on here about teeth problems but thought it more sensible to detail my problem for your advice.

I came in this afternoon to find Bill fluffed up and very poorly. I said to my husband yesterday that I wondered if he was losing weight but, as Ben is putting on at a rate of knots, I assumed it was just an optical illusion! However, we are just back from the vets and have been told that his burr teeth are growing over his tongue in a bridge shape, stopping him from eating at all. Apparently he was ok on muesli as he could force the little bits through the gap but since they have been on nuggets he hasn't been eating. He has dropped from 1.5kg to 950g. I am wracked with guilt, obviously.
The vet has explained that they can do a dental but this will probably need repeating. He suggested that this will need repeating every couple of months (at a cost of about £100+ each time). He suggested it might be kinder to PTS.

So Bill is booked in for surgery tomorrow.
He is on a sachet of recovery overnight and will be admitted at 9am.

My questions are:

1. Does this all sound right?
2. What can we do afterwards to help alleviate this problem?
3. Has anyone ever had to have this and NOT needed it repeated?

Any advice would be most gratefully received. Poor Bill looks soooo poorly and Ben is pining already. And please all keep your fingers crossed for tomorrow. Bill is quite weak so all your prayers would also be appreciated.

Thank you.
 
I was in a similar position with one of my piggies (Toffee RIP) last December. Her teeth were also growing over her tongue and almost trapping it (but not quite). We expected she would need regular dentals every few weeks at first as her teeth were so bad.... but after the first couple of times she was able to go a few months before needing them done. When she started going she was under 500g.... and ended up around 800g.

Toffee died a couple of weeks ago unexpectedly and, as far as I am aware, unrelated to her teeth as she had been gaining weight, albeit slowly, since her last dental a couple of weeks earlier.

Cost wise she had her teeth done conscious / fully awake and the costs were nowhere near that amount. Is Bill getting a GA ? Maybe as his teeth have already met the first time may be more expensive ?

I should also mention Toffee had a big operation under GA to remove an abscess. The op lasted over 40mins and she was tiny at under 500g and survived so I really hope Bill will be okay. I believe there are different ways of doing GAs too .... ?

Do I think it would've been kinder to put Toffee to sleep at the onset - definately not - she was a little fighter and despite the vet visits had a good quality of life. IMO Bill deserves the chance to fight this too.

Have some soft food / critical care etc ready for when he comes home. You may need to mash his pellets (soak in hot water, mash and cool) in case his teeth / mouth are sore when he gets home.

I hope Bill will be okay. Me and my 7 girls all send him healing wheeks,

HTH

xx
 
No this isn't right, my Fred had spurs grew into his cheek and Patrick has also had teeth problems both where done with little or no sedation in Patrick's case no sedation was needed.

I do hope CandyFloss see's this thread she also had a pig that's teeth grew over her tongue making it very difficult initially she needed dental work every 6 weeks (I believe), she recently left for the bridge but had not needed a dental for a good while.

Debbie (Furryfriends) also has many dental pigs - some needing more regular work fortnightly and she know's a great deal about dental piggies, hopefully she will see this thread to.

I think perhaps you would be best trying to find someone that could do a dental without GA, sometimes there are reasons for the teeth overgrowing another illness. How old is your piggy?

I know Debbie uses Simon Maddox at the Rabbit and Cat Clinic Northampton of course I don't know where this is from you.

In the meantime your best to start syringe feeding him to stop his gut slowing down has he been given any pain killers?
 
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My Basil had this and he had regular dentals without sedation and he was going 2 months once we had got on top of it, i did syringe feed him when i noticed his weight dropping as i weighed him weekly and got him straight into the vets i also syringe fed him after his dental and gave him some prebiotic prescribed by the vets, unfortunately the last time he would not eat after his dental and was fading away so we let him go over rainbow bridge but he was 6 years old.

I would recommend you get him treated Basil had a good quality of life and i think he only died as i had a 3 week old baby and so was not on the ball with my weighing of him and **** missed a sign that i wouldnt of done normally ( i feel very guilty over this but am trying to be honest)
 
How experienced is your vet in doing dental work on guinea pigs? Guinea pigs can live a very normal and happy life with dental issues, even if they need regular work doing on their teeth. However, you do need an experienced vet who can do this with the guinea pig conscious. I've taken in a number of guinea pigs with dental problems, and the frequency they need treatment varies considerably. Archie needs to go every 12 days, Brownlow fortnightly and Kevin is currently going three weeks, and we are hopeful that he can either be completely cured or need very infrequent work.

The vet I use is:-

Simon Maddock
Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic
1 Limehurst Square
Northampton.

Telephone 01604 478888

I see you live in North Devon, so not near. However, if you could possibly get to Simon I think it would be well worth getting his opinion. We have found that the guinea pigs who have been treated by various other vets and have then come to Simon have needed more regular work than those who have gone immediately to him.
 
It is a fairly large practice so I'm not sure who will be doing it. I will make a point of speaking to them when I book him in tomorrow. I will also ask if it can be done with little or no sedation.
I have syringed about 10mls of Recovery and some water this evening but he seems very tired (or maybe its filled him up). All I can do now is pray and wait for the morning. He seems so very poorly.
So I'm all set for the night. I have Bill in a small box on the sofa, Ben is in a large pen on the lounge floor and Tiggy (my dog who is currently waiting for a cruciate ligament repair) is on her bed in the lounge too. I have made up a bed in the chair and I shall sleep here for tonight.

Any more/other advice gratefully received and please keep Bill in your thoughts.
 
OMG noooooooo i'm so so sorry to hear about darling little Billy 8...8...8...
RIP Billy run free at the bridge, popcorn thru the lush green meadows and enjoy nibbling away on sweet dandelions leaves, you'll be so very very sadly missed by your devastated family and friend Ben but NEVER ever forgotten xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) and lots of loves from Glynis, Velvet and Onyx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Another little star now twinkling in the sky ............ :(


HUGE HUGS for you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
so sorry for your loss but you did everything you could and you were with him sometimes piggies are just too poorly and he is running free now.

Hope your ok
 
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