Dental issues - can't eat! Looking for advice, South East vets, or how to get her up North!

[the_firs]

One of my girls is almost 6, she's always been small but I came home to my parents after working away for two months and found that she'd gone from 900g to just under 600g! She's also somehow down to one lower incisor but one seems to be growing back up top (she has previously lost one incisor permanently for an unknown reason and been checked over by a vet). Took her to the closest piggy savvy vet to me, fully expecting her to be put down, but the vet said as she's still feisty and hungry, and her body hasn't started to shut down, to see if we can get any weight back on her and then she'll be given "a little bit of gas" and have her molars trimmed/filed as they are getting a bit overgrown. Vet wants her to put on more weight otherwise she doesn't think she'd come round from the gas! The thing is, she can't eat without help (can't really pick up food), even though she's hungry, after one week of syringing every couple hours all we've done really is maintain her weight of around 600g. Can guinea pigs put on weight through syringe feeding?

Is it likely that getting her teeth sorted would solve the problem? I'm worried that even if the molars are filed that she won't be able to eat unaided without a couple more incisors. I'm almost sure it's a dental issue as she's inquisitive and hungry, poops have gone back to almost normal size, but she can only eat pellet mash, critical care and thin slivers of carrot etc. Water for some reason trickles straight back out her mouth even though she's thirsty! She's also on 0.2ml metacam twice daily.

I've been searching for vets that use no anaesthetic, the closest I've found is Anne at Goddard Vet Group in Surrey - 1.5 hrs drive one way - I assume she still works there, has anyone had experience with her? I can see that Simon and Kim Maddock do conscious dentals in Northampton nearly 3hrs away - another complication being I don't drive and I'm having trouble finding someone willing to drive a long way, so if anyone can recommend anyone closer to Rother let me know! It's a shame that Chris and Titch in Hastings are no longer there!

I'm finding it so hard to choose what to do, she seems to go up and down. I feel it would be a shame for her to be put down or die from anaesthetic if it's a curable problem. I'm also aware that she's almost 6, and is there an underlying problem? I'm just hoping that as she's hungry, it's a sign that something can still be done.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Sorry you are having dental problems with your piggie, they are the worst. I used to take my piggie Ted to Simon Maddock for regular conscious dentals and he was fantastic, if you could manage to get there he is the vet of choice (Kim is fab too) for any dental problems. There is a Facebook page dedicated to helping rescues and individuals deliver guinea pigs from A to B. It’s called The Piggie Train.
The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary in Northampton offers boarding to dental piggies so they can get the treatment they need from the Maddock’s too. Debbie is an expert at caring for piggies with dental issues and looks after many long term dental piggies at the Sanctuary.
You sound like you are doing everything you can with regards caring for her, maintaining weight is more important than actually gaining weight, if her teeth are correctly filed then she will starting eating better and will put weight on.
Weigh daily so you know she’s not losing weight. Good luck, hope you can get her teeth sorted soon x

 

[Free Ranger]

Having read so many good reports about the Maddocks on here I would also think about that clinic. I've never seen anybody say "Well they were fine but I'd rather have gone to..." if you know what I mean! They are not just excellent piggy dentists but excellent all-over piggy vets so if the origin of the problem is elsewhere they'd consider that too. I hear that you can register your pig and make an appointment but then potentially be seen sooner in an emergency..? You'd have to ask at reception about that though. If you do go elsewhere you might end up in the difficult position of deciding to try them anyway as a last resort...

I wonder whether the loss of the other incisor has made those two front teeth overgrow and prevent effective chewing. This might also cause her to struggle picking up food. If one incisor is lost there is still a good chance for the remaining one to be enough to wear the opposing pair (a vet told me this) but with just one on top and one on the bottom I'm not sure. There have been piggies on the forum with no incisors and they do learn to manage even with gums at the front as long as the molars are working effectively - and if she's keen to eat something that's great! Burring down incisors has a bit more leeway if a vet goes too short, as they do grow back pretty quickly. Incisors which are too short don't impede chewing. I had a girl done (too short) by my generalist vet: conscious, in and out in 10-15 minutes. She was really cross about it though - and she couldn't pick up anything for a week after, but her chewing action was immediately improved. I didn't know about the Maddocks at that time though.

I lost a girl to general anaesthetic when she went in recently to have an infected incisor removed. She had lost a little weight but not much and she was only 3 and a half. She actually made it though the op but just couldn't recover. It was a awful, tragic outcome as I fully understood the implications of GA but thought if she'd made it through we could hope. This was unfortunately during the two weeks of this year in August when the Cat&Rabbit clinic vets are on leave so we didn't have that option. I would worry for your older, lighter girl under GA.

In all honesty, in your shoes I would prioritise trying to get in to see the Maddocks. But if I was struggling and could find a local vet with experience in burring piggy incisors I would be tempted to take piggy for a visit to see if they think her remaining incisors might have grown to a length which impedes her eating. It might be possible that a quick, conscious incisor burr could at least improve her situation in the short term. Really well done on helping her to maintain her weight at this point and good luck getting her the treatment she needs x

 

[Black piggies]

I think a vet called Amir at Vets & Pets Broxbourne, Herts, might do conscious dentals, just in case that's somewhere you could get a lift to, if you can't get to Northampton.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I offer boarding, through my pet care business, for long distance clients of Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic. I charge £25 a week, which covers everything, including supportive care (syringe feeding, medicating, etc) as well as transport to vet appointments.

 

[the_firs]

Thanks so much for all your replies and recommendations, it truly restores my faith in humanity that there are so many people and groups that dedicate their time to caring for these little animals! I've been a long time lurker of this forum and the advice here has helped me nurse sick guineas back to health in the past, so goodness knows how many other furries have benefited from this forum!
I've phoned the Cat and Rabbit Clinic and they're currently not registering any animals but advised that I get a referral sent to the Maddocks from my vet for dental treatment, so if I can organise a boarding place at TEAS then I'll contact my vet to send her notes up there. Will hopefully speak to @furryfriends (TEAS) today and see, so that's Plan A!
I didn't realise that "The Piggy Train" was a Facebook group so I've found that now! And thank you to those who've said well done regarding her weight, the guilt has been weighing heavily on me that she got ill while I was away and I wasn't sure if I am doing enough to help her. Your support makes me feel quite emotional! Very sorry to @Free Ranger to hear about your guinea, that has definitely helped my decision making.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Thanks so much for all your replies and recommendations, it truly restores my faith in humanity that there are so many people and groups that dedicate their time to caring for these little animals! I've been a long time lurker of this forum and the advice here has helped me nurse sick guineas back to health in the past, so goodness knows how many other furries have benefited from this forum!
I've phoned the Cat and Rabbit Clinic and they're currently not registering any animals but advised that I get a referral sent to the Maddocks from my vet for dental treatment, so if I can organise a boarding place at TEAS then I'll contact my vet to send her notes up there. Will hopefully speak to @furryfriends (TEAS) today and see, so that's Plan A!
I didn't realise that "The Piggy Train" was a Facebook group so I've found that now! And thank you to those who've said well done regarding her weight, the guilt has been weighing heavily on me that she got ill while I was away and I wasn't sure if I am doing enough to help her. Your support makes me feel quite emotional! Very sorry to @Free Ranger to hear about your guinea, that has definitely helped my decision making.

If you can get your little lady to Debbie’s she will be in the very best of hands. My dental piggie Ted spent 3 months with Debbie in lock down so he could get his regular dentals when travelling far was not an option. Debbie is so experienced and has looked after so many piggies with dental problems, she amazing. If piggie gets to see Simon or Kim you will know exactly what’s going on, if it’s a dental problem and treatment will start there and then with that first consultation. Hang in there, I know how awful it is at the moment, constant worry, syringe feeding that never seems to end, but if you can get her to Northampton then there would be light at the end of the tunnel x
Wishing you all the luck x