Why Do We Put Ourselves Through This?

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Tewdric

Tewdric

Teenage Guinea Pig
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I know the answer – I love my little bundles of fluff!

I’ve had to make the decision to have my two old boars pts earlier this year. This was due to dental issues presenting themselves after 5 happy years of having the pair of them. So two heart-breaking visits to the vet at 8 weeks apart back in the spring. It was the old quality v quantity decision that I had to make, and I know I made the correct choice for my boys.

Now I’ve got one little chap of around 7 to 8 months of age and his companion, a rescue boy of around 3 and ½ to four months old. I noticed yesterday morning that someone had been spitting out/dropping small bits of carrot in the hutch. The same had happened with some beetroot they’d had out in the run during the day. A classic tooth problem sign – unfortunately I’m tuned in now having lost three boys to dental issues over the years.

So off the vets with my little chaps tonight…… Not even sure what I’m posting for, but dreading what the news might be.
 
Sorry to hear your news, i have my fingers crossed that it's not what you think and wish your piggies luck and hope they are well soon :)
 
This Forum and everyone on it genuinely cares for their animals and we all care about supporting other members. Never worry about sharing your worries and thoughts.... not only does it help you it also helps others with your experiences and being able to share them.Good luck later. Sending healing vibes x:)
 
Inconclusive visit to the vets.

She agreed that one of my pair has probably got the very early stages of a dental problem due to the dropped bits of root vegetable. However after a long examination she doesn't know which one is showing the symptoms. The fact that they'd both spent the day grazing on the lawn and had quite a bit of food still clogging up their mouths didn't help with the examination even after attempting to syringe it all out.

So I've got instructions to continue weighing them regularly and keep a close eye on the amount of food being eaten. So there we go, not much to be said..... If I hadn't mentioned my tooth suspicion - they'd have been granted a glowing bill of health.
 
Could it be something in the throat? I don't know what the signs are of that though. I hope you get a resolution soon - maybe one of them was having an off day and will pick up again soon without intervention :)
 
piggyfan said:
That sounds like a puzzle. I really hope they do not have any dental problems.
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So do I! I really don't want to have to deal with dental issues with them being this young.

I like the idea that someone was just having an 'off' day and not chewing properly. Fingers crossed!
 
You are so observant to spot the signs so early. Lots of people would not even notice. I hope its not dental disease x
 
Well done on being so observant. Do either of them have a damp dishcloth smell to their breath?
 
Hope this does resolve itself without needing anything further. At least you have had them checked out and you are obviously observant so stand a good chance of picking anything further up early.
 
I do hope it was a one-off but a young pig with dental issues needn't be life threatening. Depends on the problem. My Peanut Butter started to have overgrown incisors at only 2 months of age. An X-ray showed he has a large overbite so his incisors won't meet to grind down. He has to have them trimmed every month and he will be 3 years old in August. Recently his molars have started to slant a bit so the vet is keeping a close eye on that.
 
Having lost three now to dental issues that only became apparent once they’d reached 5 years of age I’m rather ‘switched on’ to the signs of the start of dental issues.

Helen, I’m so bunged up with hay fever atm. I can’t really smell very much at all. Will see if I can detect anything when I get them back in this evening, I’m at work at present so have left them outside on lawn mower duties for the day. They’d noshed down a very stalky bag of meadow grass overnight, and were happily grazing when I left for work this morning.

Lily, I’d be less worried if it were an incisor problem if anything does develop from the dropped root vegie bits issue as I know my vet can easily treat that without needing to anesthetise whichever pig it is. I’m more concerned if it turns out to be a molar issue as my practice won’t treat them without anesthetising the patient.

The joys or remote rural living; loads of fresh, uncontaminated food to forage for the boys but I have no access to truly pig savvy vets. The practice I’m with is generally pretty good and will try their best….but they’re not truly 100% pig savvy.
 
Sorry to read this, they have a great piggy slave to keep eyes on them. Hope it turns out to be an off moment.
 
Tewdric said:
Lily, I’d be less worried if it were an incisor problem if anything does develop from the dropped root vegie bits issue as I know my vet can easily treat that without needing to anesthetise whichever pig it is. I’m more concerned if it turns out to be a molar issue as my practice won’t treat them without anesthetising the patient.
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Yes, I worry now too about PB eventually developing molar issues which are far worse. The vets here use gas rather than a GA for such dental issues. Much less dangerous.
 
oh my I hope everything works out. I'm responding to this as you've just made me realise my poor little Dudley may have been showing signs of dental problems prior to him passing away. He started dropping pieces of carrot, I assumed he was just being fussy/messy as he always managed to eat everything else. He recently passed away whilst I was on holiday and the vet told the person looking after them it was tooth problems...I feel absolutely awful now but am thankful I've read this post so I will know for the future.
Chelle x
 
Sorry to hear about Dudley. It's only after I lost my Zebadee (nearly 4 years ago now) to dental issues and then I found the Peter Gurney Guinea Pig book that I connected him dropping bits of carrot to the eventual developement of a full blown dental nightmare that became apparent months afterwards.

Anyway back to my curent monsters. I'm pleased to say I think someone must have been having an 'off' day of some sort. They had their weekly carrot out in the run yesterday and nothing was dropped! :)

They're both still putting on wieght.

Telford aged somewhere between 8 and 9 months old was 1100kg on the 16th June and weighed in at 1120kg this morning. I hope he stops growing soon otherwise he's going to be massive!

Brunel who I think is now somewhere bewtween 4 ane 5 months old has gone from 785g on the 16th June to 855g this morning.

I can happily send them down to my parents when we go away on holiday next week and not worry. Best news ever! :D
 
Could it be that he hasn't eaten enough hay previously to wear down his teeth as they are both fairly new to your family? Therefore if they increased hay intake it would help the teeth to wear down and therefore resolve the problem.

I had this with one of my bunnies last year and when I reviewed my hay I realised the hay supplier's hay had been becoming softer, so I changed supplier and their teeth are now perfect.
 
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