• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Advice On Dental Issues?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Claire W said:
It's really up to you whether you'd like to feed them seperate or not. I just feed mine together as my vet said the diabetic diet wouldn't harm Emma (she has IC) although I do sometimes give her a bit of carrot away from Ellen.

They have about 1/8 cup (30g) of pellets each per day.

I feed Harringtons pellets although I expect the pets at home ones would be fine to carry on feeding
Click to expand...
Thank you that's really helpful :nod:
 
So sorry to hear about this. Cushing's disease is an endocrine disorder where too much steroid is produced. This could have been going on for a while and could be the reason that Toast gets a lot of health problems. Over production of steroids can also cause diabetes. I suspect it is rarely diagnosed in piggies because vets don't test for it. It is quite difficult to diagnose for definite, but hopefully you will get some answers soon.
 
pig in the city said:
So sorry to hear about this. Cushing's disease is an endocrine disorder where too much steroid is produced. This could have been going on for a while and could be the reason that Toast gets a lot of health problems. Over production of steroids can also cause diabetes. I suspect it is rarely diagnosed in piggies because vets don't test for it. It is quite difficult to diagnose for definite, but hopefully you will get some answers soon.
Click to expand...
Thanks you. Is cushings disease something they can live normal lives with if they get the right treatment? I really cannot believe how many health issues she's having, I feel terrible about it.
 
Beans&Toast said:
Thanks you. Is cushings disease something they can live normal lives with if they get the right treatment? I really cannot believe how many health issues she's having, I feel terrible about it.
Click to expand...
Yes it is potentially treatable, l think vets treat it in other animals, l guess it will be tricky to find out the best treatment for piggies though as there is little experience of treating it.
 
Beans&Toast said:
That's what happened with Toast, spurs sticking into her cheeks, luckily her spurs were very minor and the molars were only overgrown by 3mm.
Almost right after coming around from the GA she was eating hay and veg, although it took her a few days to be able to chew her pellets again.

How old was Sundae when she had her teeth done under anaesthetic?
Click to expand...
Probably around 3 or so. I think she was under anesthesia three times during the year that she was three. Glad she's eating well!
 
My Milo supposedly had cushings disease, I never did treat for it. Funnily he also had a dental after the dental he recovered well he was a very unique little pig I could walk right up and pat him when he was sleeping with no response. He was a big drinker, I think he was maybe two when diagnosed with suspected Cushings however they never did have enough information for me to truly believe it. There just isn't enough information, there may however be more now.

I had a cortisol test done on Milo and I also had his adrenal glands measured. Milo was a boy with symmetrical hairloss, and big drinking habit.

Milo lived until he was 5, he became very poorly with URI. Well recovering from this he developed inner eat infection, he also had elongated roots in his mouth. Sadly I had to PTS, when he developed Bloat given all his other ailments this was the best decision.

You can treat cushings but even in dogs a lot of people shy away from it. It doesn't necessarily kill the animal just puts strain on other organs. It was a few years ago when I made my decision to allow Milo to live a life without intervention I don't know if perhaps there is more research now.

Poor Toast hope she gets better soon.
 
Getting ready to take Toast to the vets, got a fresh urine sample and she'll have more blood taken, just a pin prick this time.

Her urine is very milky/cloudy.
And for 2 days now she's back to being agressive with Beans and she seems extremely agitated sometimes, she's doing this thing where she'll twitch her head and body for a few minutes a couple times a day.. (definitely not popcorning)

Apart frm obviously being worried for Toast's health, I'm really starting to struggle with the cost. I'm up to over £800 since March in vet bills and it just keeps adding up.

I think I'll need to speak to my vet about paying up as it's getting to be a struggle paying for Toast's treatment/medication
 
Good luck at the vet today. :hug:
I have everything crossed it is something simple (and cheap).
At this rate you should have your own personalised arm chair in the waiting area.
 
good luck at vets,cushing syndrome can cause dental problems because the putritary gland is involed with all endocrie disorders,it is the main hub in the brain that controls all the other endocrine glands in the body of the cavy,eg pancreas,thyroid,adrenal ,reproduction glands.the thyroid also controls calcium ,electrolyte levels in the blood,which can effect the teeth,and the metabaism,how slow fast cells reproduce,i believe the teeth has a connection to all this.really hope you get your cavy well.Hugs to you.x
 
So good news :nod:

Toast had her urine and blood tested again and everything is back to normal.

After checking them again today my vet thinks the reason certain levels were too high/low last time (which made him think possible diabetes/cushings) was due to all the stress of the GA/other meds she was given during the dental procedure.

She's eating fine since the procedure and not dropping any pellets so he thinks the reason she was drinking crazy amounts of water (the reason for taking blood the first time) was due to her dental disease, but her water consumption is a normal amount now.

Apart from being a bit agitated with Beans (which is dying down today) she's back to normal now (fingers crossed) :yahoo:
 
It's been a while since I've had to write on this thread, but last night I noticed Toast is chewing funny and dropping her pellets again... she's going to need her teeth burred down again :no:

My heart sank when I noticed it, it's exactly how it started last time, chewing to one side, then dropping pellets, then eventually not able to eat any hard food at all and needed CC. I'm going to phone and get her in as soon as. I'm hoping it can be done under sedation instead of GA (had to be under GA last time as she also had bloods taken)

My poor Toasty, it's one thing after another with her :no:

Do anyone have any experience with multiple dentals? So worried!
 
Beans&Toast said:
It's been a while since I've had to write on this thread, but last night I noticed Toast is chewing funny and dropping her pellets again... she's going to need her teeth burred down again :no:

My heart sank when I noticed it, it's exactly how it started last time, chewing to one side, then dropping pellets, then eventually not able to eat any hard food at all and needed CC. I'm going to phone and get her in as soon as. I'm hoping it can be done under sedation instead of GA (had to be under GA last time as she also had bloods taken)

My poor Toasty, it's one thing after another with her :no:

Do anyone have any experience with multiple dentals? So worried!
Click to expand...
Keep feeling along the side of her jawline for any lumps or bumps. When Sundae has multiple dentals like that, she did end up having an abscess on her jawline that was causing the problems. It just took a long time for the abscess to puff up and become visible to the naked eye. But before that, she was probably chewing abnormally because of discomfort and that was causing her teeth to grow out of alignment because she was not chewing normally due to pain. She had three or so dentals over the course of four or five months... after that she puffed up with a very visible abscess and had to have it lanced and drained. Healing was a long process, but she didn't have recurrent dental problems once the underlying abscess was treated.

You might want to ask for an x-ray of the head while she is having her teeth trimmed, as it may show an area of infection earlier. Hope this helps- poor little thing!
 
Freela said:
Keep feeling along the side of her jawline for any lumps or bumps. When Sundae has multiple dentals like that, she did end up having an abscess on her jawline that was causing the problems. It just took a long time for the abscess to puff up and become visible to the naked eye. But before that, she was probably chewing abnormally because of discomfort and that was causing her teeth to grow out of alignment because she was not chewing normally due to pain. She had three or so dentals over the course of four or five months... after that she puffed up with a very visible abscess and had to have it lanced and drained. Healing was a long process, but she didn't have recurrent dental problems once the underlying abscess was treated.

You might want to ask for an x-ray of the head while she is having her teeth trimmed, as it may show an area of infection earlier. Hope this helps- poor little thing!
Click to expand...
She had an xray to look for that before and there was nothing but I will ask again to be sure. Is it common for dental issues to involve an abscess or could it just be the teeth over growing again without an abscess? I feel sick with worry
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
It can just be the teeth overgrowing. Abscesses are a common cause of dental issues, but not the only reason.
Click to expand...
Thanks. It's impossible to look at Toast's teeth while she's conscious, my vet has tried a few times but she got her self so worked up he had to stop, she was squealing so loud the people in reception could hear her. She will not tolerate anyone looking at her mouth/teeth at all..
Would you say the best thing would be to get a concious xray to have a look for abscesses first or to get her under sedation and check her teeth first?
 
Fred had his teeth done reguarly for two years before his dental issues where sorted out.

I have little Wilma going in for bloodwork on Monday too.
 
Beans&Toast said:
She had an xray to look for that before and there was nothing but I will ask again to be sure. Is it common for dental issues to involve an abscess or could it just be the teeth over growing again without an abscess? I feel sick with worry
Click to expand...
There can be other reasons than an abscess; however, it's something to watch for. My dental pigs both had abscess issues, but it's not always the case.
 
Toast had her dental work done again today. Wasn't under full GA this time as she didn't respond well to it before. It was very mild work that needed done, very slight spurs starting to grow.

I picked her up at 630 and she was so out of it. She hasn't moved much, but she's got Beans who's cuddling in to her and giving her a little lick :love: she's eating some pellets and hay so I'm happy :nod:
 
I'm sure he mentioned Diazepam but I can't remember... it's always information overload when I leave the vets.

How did your wilma get on yesterday?
 
So glad Toast is ok and that Beans is looking after her.
if it was one of my lot the others would probably just steal their food and then sit on them!
 
Beans&Toast said:
I'm sure he mentioned Diazepam but I can't remember... it's always information overload when I leave the vets.

How did your wilma get on yesterday?
Click to expand...

She was in and out, he took the blood's well I was there. She was up in minutes, you wouldn't have thought anything had happened. She's such a dainty little girly - Tiny! Fred also had a check up as he had a Bloat issue recently, and mouth infection.

Diazepam is Valium, Fred likes it :))
 
Toast is doing so well today. She's eating, running about and munching on hay, and unlike last time, she's not been left all bloaty after the sedation which is good :nod:

Beans has been so lovely looking after her sister. They're not normally cuddly pigs but she seems to be able to tell that Toast isn't herself... she's cuddling into her, licking her and basically letting Toast do whatever she wants, including sitting right on top of her... :love:
c23cd3d1-3e9e-4a80-b601-b7f519a0b943-1.webp
 
Toast was taken in for her 3rd dental under GA this morning. It absolutely broke my heart to leave her knowing how petrified she is being there.

I'm anxiously waiting on the phone call that she's out and okay, should be anytime now. My nerves cannot take this :no:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top