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Dental and gabapentin

exia

exia

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi Dear forumers,

Joe struggled with a sharp molar and was trimmed last Thursday. He has been on metacam 0.8ml twice a day. He eats his veggies with a good appetite, better than before the trim. But he still doesn't want to eat hay. I syringefeed him critical care, between 70-90ml/day. He eats soaked pellets but not hard. Its like he cant really get a grip?

He was booked with his regular vet today, but we re-schudeled so he can see his dentist tomorrow.

The regular vet, that met Joe twice last week, prescribed him Gabapentin and told me to keep giving metacam. Does anyone have experience with giving gabapentin to Guinea pigs, and what effects and side effects it might give?
I'm not new to this drug, I eat it myself and remember those first fluffy marshmallow-days very well. I'm very pleased if Joe experience the same 😂
 
It’s great he’s eating a bit better since the op and you are getting him seen again. Did they trim his incisors too?

I don’t have any experience of Gabapentin but people on here have said it can make them really sleepy.
 
An update;
It seems like Joe was so stressed out by all this, and gabapentin really helped him. In a couple of hours he ate alot of hard pellets and hay and keeps on eating. But when given the dosage the vet prescribed he was very very drowsy, almost as his been under a GA. Mouth and teeths and overall health looks very good according to the dentist vet, and the diagnosis is stress and anxiety after this drama (also, Joe lost his buddy Bob in august, bonded with Chip, lost Chip in december. Its like everything in a very short period of time).

Gaba makes him very sleepy, but he can relax and eat. He is prescibed 100mg gaba, I mix it with water and give him 0,7mg twice a day right now. Hopefully we can go lower and lower and in a couple of weeks Joe feels better and doesn't need it to be comfortable and happy. Joe does not love all this syringe-feeding and I guess he is pretty stressed out by that too that I need to give him so much care and attention.

@weepweeps
They only trimmed the sharp molar, rest of the teeths looks just fine. He has one slightly crooked tooth that might affect his chewing and make this molar sharp, but the molar is also embedded in gums. Were thinking of doing a 3D-scan, but I'm not sure how that will help Joe not having this problem again? Also his almost five and obviously a nervous wreck... Last time we trimmed that molar (eight months prior) everything went smooth. Now at least we know what Joe might need if he has to do this again in the future.
 
That is a very high dose to be fair, I do the same with the 100mg capsules (mixing with water) we're prescribed and mine are on 40mg twice daily. The exotics specialist who last checked the dose said that was high and any more usually causes a sedative effect. That being said, she was surprised mine weren't drowsy on the 40mg, but she did repeatedly say that guinea pigs are often the exception to the text books. She teaches other veterinarians and often says to them "We do X with rodents...except guinea pigs where we do Y" so it's very possible they have tolerance for higher doses. The sedating effect would only become an issue, at least for me, if theyre not wanting to eat, or their GI tract becomes sluggish.
 
Eriathwen said:
That is a very high dose to be fair, I do the same with the 100mg capsules (mixing with water) we're prescribed and mine are on 40mg twice daily. The exotics specialist who last checked the dose said that was high and any more usually causes a sedative effect. That being said, she was surprised mine weren't drowsy on the 40mg, but she did repeatedly say that guinea pigs are often the exception to the text books. She teaches other veterinarians and often says to them "We do X with rodents...except guinea pigs where we do Y" so it's very possible they have tolerance for higher doses. The sedating effect would only become an issue, at least for me, if theyre not wanting to eat, or their GI tract becomes sluggish.
Click to expand...
Why are your pigs on it? And for how long?
I really hope Joe can live without it in the future. Right now I'm trying to balance the dose. I want him to enjoy life and not be sleepy, thats not a life for a pig.
 
exia said:
Why are your pigs on it? And for how long?
I really hope Joe can live without it in the future. Right now I'm trying to balance the dose. I want him to enjoy life and not be sleepy, thats not a life for a pig.
Click to expand...

Pippin is on it as she had bladder stones almost a year ago which she passed herself, before and after that she had bladder pain, so she's been kept on it to keep her bladder comfortable, and will be on it for the rest of her life (she's 6 now)

Silver has been on it for the last 2.5 years give or take, as he has neurological issues, which gabapentin is also meant to help with. He is a lethal white so there's also possible internal deformities that may be causing him pain (his skull isn't correctly shaped for example) and he also has bladder pain off and on. He does tend to sleep quite a bit, but he did that off the gabapentin as well so I think that's just due to his neurological issues.

I've had multiple other piggies on it at the same dose who have since passed, pretty long term too who have done well on it. From arthritis, to inoperable tumours, it's been a bit of a godsend for pain. I totally understand what you say about not wanting him to live life being sleepy though, it's something I watch for as it does worry me that it may effect their quality of life. But hopefully there will be a happy medium when you're able to lower the dose and fingers crossed he will be able to eventually come off it.
 
My knowledge about this drug is only how it affects humans (or me), but when it works it works. I'm okay with giving Joe this for the rest of his life of he can enjoy his life and not be very drowsy. Today he was eating alot of hay and pellets and I just got the feeling we're on the right track. In a couple of days I will try to lower the dose a bit, maybe try the same your pigs have? Last couple of weeks has been such a mess for him, so I really dont want to jinx it and stress. I think we're both pretty tired of this critical care. I know Joe is very tired of my company 😂
 
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