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Conscious Dentals

Stockyanna

Stockyanna

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
May 6, 2019
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Hi. I have a piggy with dental issues and wondered if anybody knew of any vets fairly near me that does conscious dentals on piggies. I am in Colchester in Essex. I have been going to Northampton but they are now on holiday for two weeks and I don’t think he will go that long. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks, Anna
 
I’m afraid I don’t think there are any others that do conscious.
 
The only vets I know who does conscious dentals is Simon and Kim you obviously go to now. There is also a vet called Jess at Dartvale Vets in Brixham Devon but that is a very long way away. Do you have an appointment booked for when they get back? Can you support feed him until then as inexperienced vets who perform dentals often make a terrible mess, I’ve experienced this myself, I used to go to the C&R for my rainbow piggies Bill and Ted
 
I can't remember the details but a while back I read there was a vet going to start doing conscious dentals. She was based further from me than Northampton, so I didn't take much notice. I think she was somewhere North West of me, something like Birmingham / Manchester / Gloucester / Welsh border.. 🤔
Not hugely helpful..
 
Black piggies said:
I can't remember the details but a while back I read there was a vet going to start doing conscious dentals. She was based further from me than Northampton, so I didn't take much notice. I think she was somewhere North West of me, something like Birmingham / Manchester / Gloucester / Welsh border.. 🤔
Not hugely helpful..
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Ellie Whitehead aka The Guinea Pig Vet is who you mean, I think. When doing some research in case we have dental problems in the future, I saw that she offers conscious dentals. She's based in Matlock, Derbyshire so is even further north.
 
I also wont use anyone else, but Kim and Simon at C&R in Northampton for anything dental related. Other vets can make such a mess of their teeth, and repeated rounds of anaesthetic are not ideal. I travel mine from Manchester to Northampton if they have dental issues (and I know some travel much further), but it really is worth the journey.
 
Thank you everyone. Amir at Broxbourne does conscious dentals but although he has a lot of experience he isn’t a patch on Northampton. Unfortunately I did have to go to him last Monday because Freddie could hardly swallow and until then he was at least attempting to chew the odd piece of green at the back if I pushed it in. But alas not now. And here I am a week later and it feels like his teeth gave overgrown at the back again as starting to struggle to swallow again. I do have an appt booked at Northampton but unfortunately not until the 21st. Debbie at TEAS has kindly offered to take him in for me on Saturday to try and get an emergency appt on their return. It’s a nightmare trying to get in to see them and with it being an 7-8 hour trip normally I can’t get there easily because of work (I’m the only one in for two weeks). I’ve been syringe feeding round the clock for 10 weeks now and it’s taking its toll
 
Black piggies said:
Yes I agree, I lost a dental piggy who had horrific treatment before I realised most vets can't do piggy dental. I travel from Herts to Northampton. But just thinking about options while Simon and Kim are away.
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Aww sorry to hear that. I’m feeling really despondent now. Yes that’s the problem. Simon and Kim are away for two weeks and getting an appt is a nightmare
 
Bradshaw Piggies said:
I also wont use anyone else, but Kim and Simon at C&R in Northampton for anything dental related. Other vets can make such a mess of their teeth, and repeated rounds of anaesthetic are not ideal. I travel mine from Manchester to Northampton if they have dental issues (and I know some travel much further), but it really is worth the journey.
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I agree. It’s getting so difficult now because he’s not eating alone on anything. I’ve been syringe feeding for almost ten weeks now and it’s becoming a living nightmare. I can hardly leave the house
 
Bill & Ted said:
The only vets I know who does conscious dentals is Simon and Kim you obviously go to now. There is also a vet called Jess at Dartvale Vets in Brixham Devon but that is a very long way away. Do you have an appointment booked for when they get back? Can you support feed him until then as inexperienced vets who perform dentals often make a terrible mess, I’ve experienced this myself, I used to go to the C&R for my rainbow piggies Bill and Ted
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I do yes but not until 21st. Soonest I can get in. Plus I’m the only ones at work for the next two weeks so can’t even get a day off. Debbie at TEAS has offered to take him for me next week if I get him to Northampton at the weekend
 
Stockyanna said:
I agree. It’s getting so difficult now because he’s not eating alone on anything. I’ve been syringe feeding for almost ten weeks now and it’s becoming a living nightmare. I can hardly leave the house
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I really feel for you. A horrific situation. My local vet has a big herd of piggies and she said there's only so many days she'll do total feeding support, just because it's not manageable with a full-time job etc. She'd have to give up being a vet. I found that reassuring that it's OK to say we've hit the wall, we can't do it any longer.
Are Simon and Kim back before your 21st appnt? Maybe they'd fit you in as an emergency once they're back if you phone?
In my many years of work I've never chucked a sicky apart from when I was losing the fight to help my dental boar. Not sure if that's an option too? I've gone to work so many times feeling unwell or having been up all night with my son, but a dental pig is a whole other level of challenge.
You've done an amazing job so far.
 
Stockyanna said:
I do yes but not until 21st. Soonest I can get in. Plus I’m the only ones at work for the next two weeks so can’t even get a day off. Debbie at TEAS has offered to take him for me next week if I get him to Northampton at the weekend
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When my Ted had a horrendous dental locally in the first lockdown and really messed up his mouth, Debbie took Ted in as a boarder as he had to have a conscious dental every two weeks after the mess that was made, previously it had been every 6 weeks. Perhaps you could board him and his companion if he has one there until he is back to eating for himself and stable, then he can come back home. We did this with Ted, he stayed for 3 months, it was a wrench but I knew he was in the best place for treatment when he needed it
At least if he is with Debbie he will get a dental on the Maddock’s return, appointments book up so fast, we used to book up to two months in advance
I don’t know where you live but the Cat and Rabbit has a Facebook site for people who travel long distance, you can meet people and share the travelling. We did this with a couple from Devon and would take it in turns, it was really helpful, put a feeler out to see if anyone else travels on your route
 
Black piggies said:
I really feel for you. A horrific situation. My local vet has a big herd of piggies and she said there's only so many days she'll do total feeding support, just because it's not manageable with a full-time job etc. She'd have to give up being a vet. I found that reassuring that it's OK to say we've hit the wall, we can't do it any longer.
Are Simon and Kim back before your 21st appnt? Maybe they'd fit you in as an emergency once they're back if you phone?
In my many years of work I've never chucked a sicky apart from when I was losing the fight to help my dental boar. Not sure if that's an option too? I've gone to work so many times feeling unwell or having been up all night with my son, but a dental pig is a whole other level of challenge.
You've done an amazing job so far.
Click to expand...
Aww thank you. I must admit it’s not been easy. I literally can’t go out or plan anything. Luckily I’m working from home but that might not be for much longer. It’s getting impossible and I can’t see a way out. I’ve talked myself out of putting him out his misery so many times. He’s now back on antibiotics which has improved Things but he’s now getting overgrown again. I feel like I’ve got a newborn! I’ve not had a good nights sleep in 10 weeks. I have been doing a night feed each night and each feed can take 1-1.5 hours and I’m feeding 5 times a day. I wish I’d never taken him to Vedra at Cambridge because that Is when this nightmare started. Not that she’d admit it. I know he has gum disease but he was managing perfectly well eating until she got her hands on him. I came home that day with a nightmare for both of us on what was just a free health check
 
Black piggies said:
I really feel for you. A horrific situation. My local vet has a big herd of piggies and she said there's only so many days she'll do total feeding support, just because it's not manageable with a full-time job etc. She'd have to give up being a vet. I found that reassuring that it's OK to say we've hit the wall, we can't do it any longer.
Are Simon and Kim back before your 21st appnt? Maybe they'd fit you in as an emergency once they're back if you phone?
In my many years of work I've never chucked a sicky apart from when I was losing the fight to help my dental boar. Not sure if that's an option too? I've gone to work so many times feeling unwell or having been up all night with my son, but a dental pig is a whole other level of challenge.
You've done an amazing job so far.
Click to expand...
Oh and Debbie at TEAS is going to get him in next week on an emergency appt to help me out so he can be seen sooner
 
Bill & Ted said:
When my Ted had a horrendous dental locally in the first lockdown and really messed up his mouth, Debbie took Ted in as a boarder as he had to have a conscious dental every two weeks after the mess that was made, previously it had been every 6 weeks. Perhaps you could board him and his companion if he has one there until he is back to eating for himself and stable, then he can come back home. We did this with Ted, he stayed for 3 months, it was a wrench but I knew he was in the best place for treatment when he needed it
At least if he is with Debbie he will get a dental on the Maddock’s return, appointments book up so fast, we used to book up to two months in advance
I don’t know where you live but the Cat and Rabbit has a Facebook site for people who travel long distance, you can meet people and share the travelling. We did this with a couple from Devon and would take it in turns, it was really helpful, put a feeler out to see if anyone else travels on your route
Click to expand...
He has 2 companions. Debbie is taking all 3 for me next week but i am worried what happens after that admittedly. He’s a piggy that can’t live on his own! He’d be a nightmare. But I do wonder if he’ll need to stay longer x
 
Black piggies said:
Yes I agree, I lost a dental piggy who had horrific treatment before I realised most vets can't do piggy dental. I travel from Herts to Northampton. But just thinking about options while Simon and Kim are away.
Click to expand...
Aww. Amir at Broxbourne isn’t far from you if you were desperate but he’s not as thorough as Kim and Simon. But I had to use him as a stop gap
 
Stockyanna said:
Aww thank you. I must admit it’s not been easy. I literally can’t go out or plan anything. Luckily I’m working from home but that might not be for much longer. It’s getting impossible and I can’t see a way out. I’ve talked myself out of putting him out his misery so many times. He’s now back on antibiotics which has improved Things but he’s now getting overgrown again. I feel like I’ve got a newborn! I’ve not had a good nights sleep in 10 weeks. I have been doing a night feed each night and each feed can take 1-1.5 hours and I’m feeding 5 times a day. I wish I’d never taken him to Vedra at Cambridge because that Is when this nightmare started. Not that she’d admit it. I know he has gum disease but he was managing perfectly well eating until she got her hands on him. I came home that day with a nightmare for both of us on what was just a free health check
Click to expand...
My rainbow dental piggy was a while back. He was the same, only able to take tiny amounts at a time. Don't know how you've coped this long! Hope there will be solutions or answers soon.
 
It's important to remember though, it isn't just about whether the vet can do the dental with the guinea pig conscious or under GA. It is about whether they can do it correctly! Sadly, very few seem to get it right! Whether the guinea pig is asleep or awake isn't often relevant, although it can be difficult to see the very back of the mouth, with the piggy asleep, as all the soft tissue in the mouth goes floppy. Also, whilst under anaesthetic the blood pressure drops, so any areas of inflammation in the mouth, might not be so obvious when the guinea pig is asleep.
 
Ted stayed on his own for 3 months as his brother Bill had died the month before and Ted had been neutered and was waiting his 6 weeks safe time. Debbie always made sure he had company of other piggies through the bars and he was really taken by a little female piggie called Buttercup. On the day Ted should have been bonded with his new two wives he was taken up to Debbie’s which was sad really, but the very best place he could be. Ted was later bonded with Ginger and Posh in July last year. Sadly Simon found a large kidney stone or tumour on a routine dental in December as Ted had had a UTI the previous week (well that was what we thought) and within les than a week he was poorly and in pain so we had him PTS as we had been told we were on palliative care
 
Black piggies said:
My rainbow dental piggy was a while back. He was the same, only able to take tiny amounts at a time. Don't know how you've coped this long! Hope there will be solutions or answers soon.
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I don’t know either if I’m honest. The thing is it started out as just the front incisors cut short (or broke off as she claimed) so I was told it would only be a week to 10 days and things have hot progressively worse. He was 1500 grams when I took him to see Vedra. He’s now 1075 grams 😢
 
Bill & Ted said:
Ted stayed on his own for 3 months as his brother Bill had died the month before and Ted had been neutered and was waiting his 6 weeks safe time. Debbie always made sure he had company of other piggies through the bars and he was really taken by a little female piggie called Buttercup. On the day Ted should have been bonded with his new two wives he was taken up to Debbie’s which was sad really, but the very best place he could be. Ted was later bonded with Ginger and Posh in July last year. Sadly Simon found a large kidney stone or tumour on a routine dental in December as Ted had had a UTI the previous week (well that was what we thought) and within les than a week he was poorly and in pain so we had him PTS as we had been told we were on palliative care
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Aww that’s sad. They’re such delicate little creatures. I love them to pieces but without a good piggy vet near me it’s really made me question whether I can keep doing this
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I was just thinking, how crazy am I, that I choose to look after poorly guinea pigs, every day of my life!
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You sure are! After a piggy on special care before this for 15 months, I wonder if I am slightly crazy too! But they are my life
 
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