• 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

Dental pain and syringe feeding

Sorry your piggy has teeth problems and isn't improving. Hope tomorrow's vet visit can help.
When you feed him matchsticks of veg, do you put them in the side of his mouth? I had a piggy that needed a bit of handfeeding after a painful incisor burring, he couldn't take the pieces at first, then I realised that if I pushed them a little way into the side of his mouth he could then manoeuvre them in the rest of the way himself.
 
He is rejecting all hard foods … only critical care and I add in minced parsley or dill or apple for variety. He is slobbering a lot so I’m sure it’s malocclusion… I hope it’s not too late to fix! Tomorrow I’ll have answers. Vet suggested euthanasia and the thought just kills me! Is malocclusion terminal?


Qualcast&Flymo said:
Sorry your piggy has teeth problems and isn't improving. Hope tomorrow's vet visit can help.
When you feed him matchsticks of veg, do you put them in the side of his mouth? I had a piggy that needed a bit of handfeeding after a painful incisor burring, he couldn't take the pieces at first, then I realised that if I pushed them a little way into the side of his mouth he could then manoeuvre them in the rest of the way himself.
Click to expand...
 
I’m so sorry there’s still no improvement. Dental problems in my opinion are the worst thing to deal with and you have really cared for him so well. I really hope your vet can find the cause of all the pain and his problem trying to eat. It does sound like dental to me. Vets often cut guinea pig incisor far too short, it happened to my Ted. They think they should be short like rabbits teeth but actually guinea pigs incisors are generally quite long. The only other thing is thrush or a brewing abscess perhaps, this can have a real impact on eating due to pain and sore mouth and throat? Once a piggie stops eating due to pain or struggled to swallow food it impacts on their confidence. It’s really strange but you often see his with some piggie, it’s as if they have to start from scratch and actually learn how to eat again. Have you tried some mashed banana mixed into his critical care or a bowl of plain dry porridge oats placed in his cage to tempt him?
Good luck for tomorrow, you are doing amazing caring for your little Truffle 🤞
 
Hi I just got home from Vet where Truffle, 5.5 years old had undergone anesthesia to look in his mouth which was all excellent… he’s been in a lot of pain last 5 weeks and I’ve been syringe feeding him. He also had GI stasis… he endured a lot! Too much for a little guy 2 lbs!
My question is he’s whimpering and trying to move around and anesthesia hit him hard! I’ve got him on me now and he is still and super sedated… not sure why he is trying to move so much! I’m just worried!
He has an infection in his jaw they found on x ray so he’s starting antibiotics tonight for a month or longer. I can’t give him food or drink until 6 pm bc he is too sedated. I fed him lots through the night to build his energy bc he’s been on syringe food for over a month
I hope he recovers from this!
 
Sorry to hear he has an infection. Hopefully the meds will kick in and he can start feeling better.

Did they try feeding him at the vet before they allowed him home? The worry is his not eating anything for several hours. How many hours till 6pm?

I’ll tag @Piggies&buns @VickiA as I’m not versed on anaesthesia and how to help them etc.

Have a read of the guide below while you wait for someone to answer you. I hope he is more alert soon.

Tips For Post-operative Care
 
Thank you
The Vet said he doesn’t have control of his tongue so to wait until 6pm for food drink and antibiotics. He keeps trying to walk and his body all over the place… falling left and right so he’s on me …. I just hope he doesn’t have any residual problems from anesthesia!

Siikibam said:
Sorry to hear he has an infection. Hopefully the meds will kick in and he can start feeling better.

Did they try feeding him at the vet before they allowed him home? The worry is his not eating anything for several hours. How many hours till 6pm?

I’ll tag @Piggies&buns @VickiA as I’m not versed on anaesthesia and how to help them etc.

Have a read of the guide below while you wait for someone to answer you. I hope he is more alert soon.

Tips For Post-operative Care
Click to expand...
 
Hi my Truffle can’t walk after anesthesia this morning! His back legs are limp! He keeps trying to walk when I put him in the cage so I’ve got him in a blanket to protect him on my chest. I’m really worried!
He’d been on syringe food for 5 weeks for GI stasis and couldn’t eat we thought was molars and nope! He has an infection in his jaw.
But now I’m terribly worried about him bc of anesthesia and I don’t know what to do. He’s whimpering restless wants to keep moving!
Any advice?
 
Sorry your boy is struggling, I wish I had some useful advice but I've no experience of post-anaesthetic problems. All I can suggest is keep him warm and try to give him a little water so he doesn't get dehydrated. Can you contact your vet or an emergency vet for phone advice?
Unfortunately it's the early hours in the UK so most UK based members won't be around for a few hours yet most likely.

Sending Truffles loads of healing vibes xx 💗
 
Good luck Truffle. Hopefully he’s just had a bad reaction to the anaesthetic and once it wears off he’ll perk up 🤞

I’d call the vets to ask their advice.
 
So sorry you and Truffle are having such an awful time. I would contact the vets as soon as possible. Sending healing vibes to Truffle. I hope his problem back legs start working soon and it’s just a temporary issue due to the anaesthetic 🤞
 
Oh @Angela99 I'm so sorry to hear this. I've been offline a couple of days visiting family but I've been holding you both in my heart. I'd thought that for the Herculean amount of effort you've had to put in for Truffle it had to be something more than overgrown incisors. I think the infection would have stopped him trying to eat and the incisors overgrew as a consequence. That infection might have been brewing for many weeks - as they get older they can be more susceptible to things that a younger pig would be able to battle.
I have no magic to offer and you are heading into unknown waters. Some piggies just can't get over anaesthetic and I don't know why. Back leg paralysis can have a range of causes and depending on what has triggered it, it may be only temporary. You will have to be guided by your vet and your piggy. They don't know about medicine or surgery or things we can try - but they know when they've had enough and I think you'll be able to tell too because you love him so much. He might be determined to keep going, in which case he'll know you are always on his side, or he might be very tired now and just be comforted by your presence. Whatever you decide between you will be a decision made from love x
 
Thank you! I rushed him back to Vet and now he is better! The x rays showed he has abscess infection inside his gums … through his jaw. Maybe systemic. His teeth were perfect and no issues there.
So he is on antibiotics for month’s as doctor said it may take time. I should see an improvement in a few days or so. I’m glad I got all the tests I needed and I hope these antibiotics kick in asap. It’s inoperable as it’s in the gums.

Free Ranger said:
Oh @Angela99 I'm so sorry to hear this. I've been offline a couple of days visiting family but I've been holding you both in my heart. I'd thought that for the Herculean amount of effort you've had to put in for Truffle it had to be something more than overgrown incisors. I think the infection would have stopped him trying to eat and the incisors overgrew as a consequence. That infection might have been brewing for many weeks - as they get older they can be more susceptible to things that a younger pig would be able to battle.
I have no magic to offer and you are heading into unknown waters. Some piggies just can't get over anaesthetic and I don't know why. Back leg paralysis can have a range of causes and depending on what has triggered it, it may be only temporary. You will have to be guided by your vet and your piggy. They don't know about medicine or surgery or things we can try - but they know when they've had enough and I think you'll be able to tell too because you love him so much. He might be determined to keep going, in which case he'll know you are always on his side, or he might be very tired now and just be comforted by your presence. Whatever you decide between you will be a decision made from love x
Click to expand...
 
Oh my goodness I’m so pleased he is ok now. Good luck with the ABs. Keep an eye on his weight/eating as sometimes they knock out their appetite. I had a piggy on ABs for three weeks and he hardly ate anything for himself.
 
Aw, so glad Truffles legs are moving again. Good luck with the AB’s I hope they kick in quickly and rid your boy if this nasty abscess infection 🤞Do monitor his weight daily as some AB’s do upset their appetite and obviously keep on with the syringe feeding as required. Once the pain eases Truffle should start to eat he’ll need less support x
 
What a relief that it was only temporary paralysis. It's seriously scary when that happens x

We have people describing different types of gum infections on here. Sometimes there's a big localised lump of an abscess that has to be surgically drained and then regularly rinsed out by the owner as the wound heals. Sometimes there is no abscess but there is infection that has spread around the soft tissues of the mouth. In the UK the first antibiotic you tend to get for anything piggy is called Baytril (enrofloxacin, I think), or we sometimes get Septrin (co-trimoxazole), but one that seems to be more and more prescribed for abscesses in the mouth is called Zithromax. Whichever one you've got I hope you see some improvement soon for him. I'm assuming he's back on the metacam painkiller too. You might also find a probiotic helpful if he is on long term ABs. Our vet gives us a powder to mix in with the syringe food called 'Bio-lapis' but we've also had something called Fibreplex that arrives in a giant plastic syringe and takes a bit of working out but has had very good reviews and is supposed to be quite tasty. The Pros are given about an hour after the ABs to try and keep the gut populated with microbes... although my timings were always terrible so I just mixed whatever into the slurry and it went into piggy every few hours. As probiotics aren't meds they don't need a prescription so we just ordered the Fibreplex online. Keep trying little Truffle, we're all with you 💕
 
Thank you 🙏 Yes he has an infection is the soft tissue of his gums mouth, but Vet said it may be systemic so antibiotics for 4 months possibly! And now he has soft poops so I’m starting poop soup. Thus saved me many times in the past.
He ate veggies yesterday! After so many weeks! I had to slide the parsley, cilantro, dill into his mouth. His incisors still too short which is why he can’t pick up his food.
Unfortunately he had no interest in hay as I tried to slide that in his mouth as well 😭 so I’m syringe feeding as normal because it’s the hay eating that is most important. Yes his appetite not great but he gets jealous when I feed his brother veggies and so he will suddenly want to eat…. Tip … motivation by jealousy!
Vet says he’s pretty tough fella … almost there! Praying for a gay eating breakthrough! 🙏🐹🙏❤️🌈

Free Ranger said:
What a relief that it was only temporary paralysis. It's seriously scary when that happens x

We have people describing different types of gum infections on here. Sometimes there's a big localised lump of an abscess that has to be surgically drained and then regularly rinsed out by the owner as the wound heals. Sometimes there is no abscess but there is infection that has spread around the soft tissues of the mouth. In the UK the first antibiotic you tend to get for anything piggy is called Baytril (enrofloxacin, I think), or we sometimes get Septrin (co-trimoxazole), but one that seems to be more and more prescribed for abscesses in the mouth is called Zithromax. Whichever one you've got I hope you see some improvement soon for him. I'm assuming he's back on the metacam painkiller too. You might also find a probiotic helpful if he is on long term ABs. Our vet gives us a powder to mix in with the syringe food called 'Bio-lapis' but we've also had something called Fibreplex that arrives in a giant plastic syringe and takes a bit of working out but has had very good reviews and is supposed to be quite tasty. The Pros are given about an hour after the ABs to try and keep the gut populated with microbes... although my timings were always terrible so I just mixed whatever into the slurry and it went into piggy every few hours. As probiotics aren't meds they don't need a prescription so we just ordered the Fibreplex online. Keep trying little Truffle, we're all with you 💕
Click to expand...
 
OMG he ate a few veggies! 💕🥲
It's only a step but it's a step in the right direction and after sooo long! If it still hurts him to chew, but the ABs are working to take down the infection, he'll be able to start with softer things and move onto harder things like hay later on. When we've had antibiotics prescribed we expect to see improvement within the first day or two but when you said about all his gums being affected, and maybe his whole system, I wondered if it would take longer. But everything crossed that he will improve more and more. Oh Truffle you're such a brave lad x
 
Hi thank you 🙏 He can’t eat hay yet… I tried to put a piece in his mouth but he whimpered a bit so I pulled it out and he couldn’t break it down 😞 it’s been several days on antibiotics now. I’m lying with him now and he’s grinding his teeth so he is still in pain or I’m annoying him!
I’m worried. I’m happy he can eat a bit of veggies but if he can’t eat hay… i don’t know I guess I’ll have to be patient. Vet offered euthanasia and I said NO! I love him too much. I gave him a bit of morphine at 3am but I can’t tell if it helps 😭

Free Ranger said:
OMG he ate a few veggies! 💕🥲
It's only a step but it's a step in the right direction and after sooo long! If it still hurts him to chew, but the ABs are working to take down the infection, he'll be able to start with softer things and move onto harder things like hay later on. When we've had antibiotics prescribed we expect to see improvement within the first day or two but when you said about all his gums being affected, and maybe his whole system, I wondered if it would take longer. But everything crossed that he will improve more and more. Oh Truffle you're such a brave lad x
Click to expand...
 
Hello… I’ve posted about my Truffle recently as he had stopped eating, Gi stasis which is better now, but he has an infection inside his gums and Vet assumes it’s systemic. He has been to Vet 4 times. Had anaesthesia to check his teeth which were fine. X rays revealed inflammation infection.
The dilemma is he is not eating yet and has been on antibiotics for over a week plus metacam for pain. I thought he was getting better as he was able to eat soft veggies, but last three days he can’t. I syringe feed every 3 hours and I get up at 3am as well. It’s been over 6 weeks now that I have syringe feed him.
My heart is broken 😞 the vet suggested euthanasia if he is suffering but my question is how do I know when that is best? He grinds his teeth loudly, he sits by his brother and doesn’t move for hours, he doesn’t eat, I don’t want him to suffer but I don’t want to lose him! I just don’t know at this point where to turn. If I tell the Vet I know what he’ll say. I was praying he’d make a comeback. As to why he won’t eat my only thought is the antibiotics…. So should I stop a couple days to see? He started last Saturday night
Any advice?
Thank you 🙏
 

Attachments

  • E7563184-B3EC-426A-BA05-D751B8F9ACE3.webp
    E7563184-B3EC-426A-BA05-D751B8F9ACE3.webp
    34.1 KB · Views: 8
First off, I’m so sorry that sweet Truffle is doing so poorly.

Knowing when it’s the right time for euthanasia is hard, no matter how many times you’ve been in the position to make that decision. I recently had to for my boy; he was very sick with a double inner ear infection/calcified bullae for over a month which ultimately didn’t respond to antibiotics. At some point, round the clock supportive care was all that was keeping him alive, and even then, he wasn’t really living. He was lethargic, couldn’t stand up, was constantly caked in his own feces/urine because he couldn’t groom, was very painful (constantly grinding his teeth), and was no longer the wheeking happy boy I knew. His quality of life had dropped off, and there was nothing more we could do. It was agonizing, but we made the decision to let him peacefully pass on.

I’m a vet tech by trade, and am planning to go on to vet school within the next couple of years, so here’s my more professional advice when it comes to assessing quality of life using a scale that we use in the field:

1. Hurt- Is he in pain? Can the pain be managed by medication, or is it uncontrollable even with meds?

2. Hunger- can he eat at all by himself? Does he need to be entirely hand fed, and if so, can he tolerate feedings?

3. Hydration- is he drinking/getting fluids?

4. Hygiene- can he groom himself? Does he have any pressure sores/urine scald from sitting in one place/in his own urine?

5. Happiness- is he acting like his normal self? Does he still have happy times (popcorns, happy cuddles with pals, excited moments)?

6. Mobility- is he able to move around?

7. More days than bad- this one is tricky with small pets, like piggies. My pig vet says when a pig is in critical condition, it’s more like assessing “is he having a good 12 hours” than full days, because they can decline so quickly. But is he, overall, having more good stretches than bad ones?

Ultimately, the decision’s up to you, but taking a step back and using my own professional skill/these criteria has helped me immensely when I’ve had to think about when it’s time to seriously consider euthanasia.

Here is a link to a comprehensive questionnaire from the Ohio State University that can also aid in assessing quality of life: https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/defau...ionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

Lastly, it’s worth thinking of yourself. How long can you feasibly keep up this level of care with no improvement? It won’t make you a bad person to take your own wellbeing into consideration, I promise. It’s genuinely something to keep in mind as well.

I know this is a lot to digest, and I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this. ♥️ If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them. Take good care.
 
I'm so sorry to hear your news. I've only just caught this today (for some reason I din't get an alert) when I had a little search to see if you'd posted again.

In the past when we've had antibiotics - and they were going to work - I've seen improvement within a few days. If there has been no improvement it meant the problem was not bacterial or that the bacteria was resistant to that antibiotic. So we usually tried a second antibiotic if the first one showed no improvement. Of course, if the antibiotic was working we still completed the course, whether it was days or weeks. But if we saw no improvement we didn't continue - we switched. Would your vet be willing to write a script for an alternative without seeing him again? Something you could just pick up?

If there was something like an infected abscess the antibiotic struggles to get inside to kill of anything there - but they didn't find one did they.

As they get older their immune systems become weaker. I once had an old girl who developed a fungal problem all over but her 3 younger cage mates never showed any signs. He might struggle to fight off anything if he's an older boy. But it's the teeth grinding that worries me... is it pain...

Still thinking about you all x
 
Hi @Angela99 I hope you're doing OK. I checked in because I didn't get any alerts for a bit so I didn't want to look rude. Don't feel you have to reply though if you're not in a good place right now x

I don't know whether you've seen this thread Guinea pig CAN’T eat from a poster in Alberta. Two year old Marsh has stopped eating and it took 2 vets to identify the problem - a gaping hole at the back of the mouth which may be some sort of infected ulcer. First vet looked very carefully at the teeth under sedation and found nothing amiss but that hole is really hard to spot amid all the cheek muscles. Marsh is now on antibiotics and we are keeping things crossed he can turn a corner. We always think about tooth problems in the mouth but sometimes it's a soft tissue problem.

Take care 💕
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top