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Dental procedure recovery

Lynne G

New Born Pup
Joined
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Location
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Hello. I'm Lynne and I'm just about to go in to my second night of 2 hourly syringe feeding. Cookie had a dental procedure on Monday (so he's 3 days post op) and he's struggling to eat, as I see many guineapigs do. We were back at the vets yesterday. She said his teeth look fine following work on his molars and incisors. She gave me painkiller and motility medication which he hadn't come out with because they said following the GA he was eating and pooping. I've been syringe feeding since Tuesday but only every 2 hours since 3 30pm. Cookie is pooping much better and taking the syringe quite well - generally 5mls each time with a bit of water. He is unable to pick pellets, veg up and if he does manage it falls out mostly. He's currently eating some cucumber but is taking tiny pieces. He struggles to get purchase on anything. He did however eat 3 dandelions today that I passed to him which is a big improvement to yesterday when he couldn't chew and get it in his mouth. He is trying to eat straw but just can't get it in. My question (finally!) is, is it likely we will make progress with time? Will his ability to pick up, rip and tear possibly improve with time? Or do I look at contacting the vets in Nottingham for an appointment? I'm about an hour and a half away but would have to see if I could get someone to take me. In anticipation, thank you for your time. So worried 😔
 
Not sure why it says new born pup. I didn't notice that. Cookie was a rescue and they said he was over 1 and I've had him 18 minths
 
Heh, "New Born Pup" means you're a new member of the forum, that's all. Welcome to the forum.
 
Hello. I'm Lynne and I'm just about to go in to my second night of 2 hourly syringe feeding. Cookie had a dental procedure on Monday (so he's 3 days post op) and he's struggling to eat, as I see many guineapigs do. We were back at the vets yesterday. She said his teeth look fine following work on his molars and incisors. She gave me painkiller and motility medication which he hadn't come out with because they said following the GA he was eating and pooping. I've been syringe feeding since Tuesday but only every 2 hours since 3 30pm. Cookie is pooping much better and taking the syringe quite well - generally 5mls each time with a bit of water. He is unable to pick pellets, veg up and if he does manage it falls out mostly. He's currently eating some cucumber but is taking tiny pieces. He struggles to get purchase on anything. He did however eat 3 dandelions today that I passed to him which is a big improvement to yesterday when he couldn't chew and get it in his mouth. He is trying to eat straw but just can't get it in. My question (finally!) is, is it likely we will make progress with time? Will his ability to pick up, rip and tear possibly improve with time? Or do I look at contacting the vets in Nottingham for an appointment? I'm about an hour and a half away but would have to see if I could get someone to take me. In anticipation, thank you for your time. So worried 😔

Hi

It rather sounds like the dental has not gone right if your boy is unable to pick up food - can you check whether his incisors are working properly or whether they have been cut too short to meet?

Ideally you feed him fresh grass and hay stalks (if he can chew them). Make sure that the gut microbiome is accustomed to fresh grass but it is the best food for dental piggies as it has the silica but it is generally soft enough for dental piggies to deal with.
Place any strips into his mouth to help getting his back teeth to grind as much silica rich food as possible - it is the silica in the grass/hay fibre that guinea pig teeth have evolved against. Fresh herbs like coriander - fed stalk first - make also good initial foods when the pick up is an issue.
The more of that he can actually chew himself, the better. You may also find that lettuce, cut into fine strips may also go down if you place it in his mouth until he can pick things up himself.

Keep on syringe feeding as much as needed for the time being. You control the amount by weighing daily on your kitchen scales at the same time. I find first thing in the morning best as the weight is then lowest and you can cut out the weight swing over the course of the day. The transition phase is fluid; you always have to play that by ear. Your scales are your best friend during that process.
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

See whether things gradually improve over the coming days. I sincerely hope so!

The Cat & Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton is badly oversubscribed; so they will only accept new dental piggies if they are referred by vets who are unable to do dentals or get on top of a problem.
The Cat and Rabbit Clinic, Northampton - Referrals for guinea pigs with dental issues
 
Thank you for your reply. They do appear to be meeting so I'm not sure if he's just struggling to adapt to a new way of eating now his teeth have been done?
He was weighed at the vets yesterday and I weighed him at lunch today but I'll switch him to mornings tomorrow.
I'm trying with grass and I've tried to get him to have parsley but no go with that . He's had a little grass today and has been attempting to pick some up thus evening. Sometimes he is receptive to me putting things in his mouth, sometimes he rejects it, so I'm not sure whether to let him lead?
Although he has lost weight he was quite a big boy to begin with so he's withstood it quite well. His temperature was fine yesterday, and his coat is still glossy so I'm hopeful for a positive outcome 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞.

I've been giving him critical care but running out of that now. Do you think his normal pellets mashed up will be OK?

Not surprised about the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic. If he doesn't improve I'll see if my vet would be willing to do a referral....
Thank you so much for your help
 
I would strongly recommend you get a referral to the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic. However, you will have a little wait, as Simon and Kim Maddock are on holiday, after today, until 9th May. If you can get your vet to send the details over, you should hopefully be able to get an appointment, once they are back from leave.
 
Thank you. I'll see what they say. I'm due to go away from 7th to 11th May but not sure how realistic that is now unless there is some major improvement over the next week.......
 
If he is taking the syringe well that's something. In the past we've come out of dentals with painkiller for a week as it does make their mouth sore. What did they prescribe you and how much?

The incisors grow all the time and very quickly. One of mine had hers trimmed too short but within a week they'd grown back enough for her to pick things up again. Some pigs manage very well with missing incisors even - they just learn to adapt. You could try a bit of fresh grass if he can't manage his hay - not 'straw'... if you are buying straw for him to eat then I think it's the wrong stuff. Straw is also a bit too hard and pointy to be used as bedding as it risks poking them in the eyes! There is 'Timothy hay' which is thick and chunky and then there is meadow hay which is thinner and preferred by some pigs - this is just sold as 'hay' here in the UK. I bed on the thin hay but have some chunky in a pile in the open area.

Sorry - back to the point. I was prescribed a week of painkiller so they expected it might take that long. But I wasn't feeding through the night for a week. I did the last one at 11 and started again at 7. Your boys is not eating enough but he is eating and he is trying. If you offer the syringe mush in a little bowl can he take it himself? If you are weighing him (a good way to measure intake) is he gaining or losing or maintaining his weight? My pigs have generally taken 6 or 7 ml comfortably and after that don't want more... I think that must be just how big the tummy is.

Mushed pellets are OK short term but the special food is better if it's going to be long term. Our vet supplies 'Recovery' which is bland but palatable. 'Emeraid' has a good rep on the forum. My pig's fave is the papaya flavour Critical Care 'Fine Grind' in the brown pack (not green - that's aniseed flavour - some like it but not mine!) You have to send off for FG and it's not cheap but it is pretty easy to syringe. But it's worth trying soaked pellets - if he's fond of his pellets normally he might be able to take a puffy soaked pellet from the bowl himself. Some of it is physical but some of it is also confidence... they lose confidence in being able to eat. Good luck Cookie and Lynne x
 
If he is taking the syringe well that's something. In the past we've come out of dentals with painkiller for a week as it does make their mouth sore. What did they prescribe you and how much?

The incisors grow all the time and very quickly. One of mine had hers trimmed too short but within a week they'd grown back enough for her to pick things up again. Some pigs manage very well with missing incisors even - they just learn to adapt. You could try a bit of fresh grass if he can't manage his hay - not 'straw'... if you are buying straw for him to eat then I think it's the wrong stuff. Straw is also a bit too hard and pointy to be used as bedding as it risks poking them in the eyes! There is 'Timothy hay' which is thick and chunky and then there is meadow hay which is thinner and preferred by some pigs - this is just sold as 'hay' here in the UK. I bed on the thin hay but have some chunky in a pile in the open area.

Sorry - back to the point. I was prescribed a week of painkiller so they expected it might take that long. But I wasn't feeding through the night for a week. I did the last one at 11 and started again at 7. Your boys is not eating enough but he is eating and he is trying. If you offer the syringe mush in a little bowl can he take it himself? If you are weighing him (a good way to measure intake) is he gaining or losing or maintaining his weight? My pigs have generally taken 6 or 7 ml comfortably and after that don't want more... I think that must be just how big the tummy is.

Mushed pellets are OK short term but the special food is better if it's going to be long term. Our vet supplies 'Recovery' which is bland but palatable. 'Emeraid' has a good rep on the forum. My pig's fave is the papaya flavour Critical Care 'Fine Grind' in the brown pack (not green - that's aniseed flavour - some like it but not mine!) You have to send off for FG and it's not cheap but it is pretty easy to syringe. But it's worth trying soaked pellets - if he's fond of his pellets normally he might be able to take a puffy soaked pellet from the bowl himself. Some of it is physical but some of it is also confidence... they lose confidence in being able to eat. Good luck Cookie and Lynne x
Thanks so much for your reply. It is hay (always say straw for some reason 🤔)
He's now prescribed rheumocam 0.3ml once daily. Although I've weighed him at a different time today, it was 10g more. He also took some celery (the shorter, leafy bits from the middle) with his 7am feed. I've tried mushed pellets in a bowl but he's not tried them. I think he is taking about 7ml each time of critical care. I'm going to ring the vet for some more today.
I am hoping if it's his incisors being too short the problem may resolve quite quickly. I was also thinking it might be a confidence thing. When he has taken small bits of veg it's like he's really thinking about the mechanics of eating so it could be him adapting.
I think if I consistently get 7 to 10ml in him today I may drop to 1 nightly feed? I'm just terrified he won't make it through the night.....
Once again, thank you so much for your reply. It's really appreciated and it all gives me hope 😊
 
The reason I had a nighttime gap was that was what my vet does "to give them a rest". I said pigs or night-nurses and she said "both!" I mean, when they first come round from an op and everything is shaky and the poops aren't moving through properly leaving them too long between feeds can make or break it, but if you have established pooping and he's not losing weight and he can eat something for himself I don't think that's so urgent. The gut should keep moving through the night if he's pre-loaded. If you're worried you could try leaving a 4 hour gap instead of 2 and just getting up once in the night for a syringe to see how he goes. If he's on his own overnight see if he can lick some up from a plate... I've never been able to do this though as the greedy cage mates have slurped up the lot! If he's got a friend and he's happy with them don't split them for the sake of a few ml though 💕

You might have seen 'Readigrass' in pet shops which is dried grass in short bits rather than dried hay. It's can be successful as a 'starter' to get them back to eating hay again as I think it's supposed to be easier to tackle. Mine have had it and enjoyed it but tbh if they're eating normally mine'd rather have hay.
If the painkiller makes a difference you should see him eating better in the hours after he's had it and the effect will gradually wear off through the day. I suspect that he's still trying to get used to the new teeth. Sometimes, of course, dentals are not done right and that results in a lot of posting on here; sometimes they're effective enough but piggy has to get used to things. The opposing teeth wear each other down. Is he an older or younger boy? Were his teeth very obviously overgrown or was it just that he stopped eating or was losing weight? Sometimes there is an underlying reason for pigs eating less and the overgrown teeth are a symptom rather than the cause. But cross that bridge if/when you come to it. Sometimes it's just getting them back on the horse!
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. I hope Cookie is feeling better soon. You are doing a fab job.
 
Well. As I left the house to go and get more supplies from the vet, Cookie was independently eating grass! I got back and he'd had a bit but not all. Did a syringe feed and he's just eaten dandelions and some celery independently and then run around his cage (original cage which I don't use anymore - he's gone up in the world!) and had a few popcorns! I'm ecstatic. Just need to get him OK with his hay and pellets now. And need to work out how much to supplement him.....?
He does have a friend (Teddie) but they are divided as they haven't been able to sort their dominance out, but spend a lot of time together at the divide..... 😊
 
Oh it's great that he's on the up! Well done you 😄 Let's hope the worst is over and he'll be back to munching and crunching soon x
 
Oh it's great that he's on the up! Well done you 😄 Let's hope the worst is over and he'll be back to munching and crunching soon x
This is such a roller coaster. Still desperately trying to eat his hay but just can't get it in. He's tugging at it but not being able to grasp it. And he just had a few poos stuck in his bum which has spooked me. Don2know if they were stuck because he was wrapped up being fed? Was hoping we were avoiding any digestive problems. Such a worry 😔
 
Older boys can sometimes get impacted but it might just be erratic pooping - the poops can be as much as a couple of days behind intake. George is 5 and is unbunged pretty much every night now. His anal sack is baggy (sorry George but it is) and a dozen or so poops can collect in there at a time! He poops fine because they presumably go round any obstruction but eventually an accumulation forms a bit of a cork... which I guess he could still pass on his own, but it's just easier to check and clear him each evening before it gets to egg-like proportions. George says to not fret over 2 or 3 because every-boar can have an off day 😉

I know it's hard when they are keen to eat and not able to manage it but i can tell you it's much harder when they don't actually want to eat anything... it makes my heart drop to the floor. Hay is their hardest food and if he still feels tender when his teeth try to grind he might have to stick to the soft stuff a bit longer. It is a rollercoaster and I really feel for you x
 
Older boys can sometimes get impacted but it might just be erratic pooping - the poops can be as much as a couple of days behind intake. George is 5 and is unbunged pretty much every night now. His anal sack is baggy (sorry George but it is) and a dozen or so poops can collect in there at a time! He poops fine because they presumably go round any obstruction but eventually an accumulation forms a bit of a cork... which I guess he could still pass on his own, but it's just easier to check and clear him each evening before it gets to egg-like proportions. George says to not fret over 2 or 3 because every-boar can have an off day 😉

I know it's hard when they are keen to eat and not able to manage it but i can tell you it's much harder when they don't actually want to eat anything... it makes my heart drop to the floor. Hay is their hardest food and if he still feels tender when his teeth try to grind he might have to stick to the soft stuff a bit longer. It is a rollercoaster and I really feel for you x
Thank you 😊 It's the fact that he can't even get it into his mouth to even attempt to chew. And he tried several pellets around 5.30 but they just dropped out so he gave in but did eat quite a few small chunks of cucumber. He seems to be getting irritated by the syringe feeding now, but hey ho! I'm trying to hold on to the progress he's made today and hope there will be more tomorrow 🤞🤞 Think for my own peace of mind I'll do another couple of night feeds tonight and see where we are in the morning....

Poor George. The indignity 🙈
 
The reason I had a nighttime gap was that was what my vet does "to give them a rest". I said pigs or night-nurses and she said "both!" I mean, when they first come round from an op and everything is shaky and the poops aren't moving through properly leaving them too long between feeds can make or break it, but if you have established pooping and he's not losing weight and he can eat something for himself I don't think that's so urgent. The gut should keep moving through the night if he's pre-loaded. If you're worried you could try leaving a 4 hour gap instead of 2 and just getting up once in the night for a syringe to see how he goes. If he's on his own overnight see if he can lick some up from a plate... I've never been able to do this though as the greedy cage mates have slurped up the lot! If he's got a friend and he's happy with them don't split them for the sake of a few ml though 💕

You might have seen 'Readigrass' in pet shops which is dried grass in short bits rather than dried hay. It's can be successful as a 'starter' to get them back to eating hay again as I think it's supposed to be easier to tackle. Mine have had it and enjoyed it but tbh if they're eating normally mine'd rather have hay.
If the painkiller makes a difference you should see him eating better in the hours after he's had it and the effect will gradually wear off through the day. I suspect that he's still trying to get used to the new teeth. Sometimes, of course, dentals are not done right and that results in a lot of posting on here; sometimes they're effective enough but piggy has to get used to things. The opposing teeth wear each other down. Is he an older or younger boy? Were his teeth very obviously overgrown or was it just that he stopped eating or was losing weight? Sometimes there is an underlying reason for pigs eating less and the overgrown teeth are a symptom rather than the cause. But cross that bridge if/when you come to it. Sometimes it's just getting them back on the horse!
I did see and read this but realise I didn't reply. It must be the tiredness! I'm going to leave a bigger gap tonight - 3 or 4 hours. Haven't decided which yet 🤔
I can't tell you how grateful I've been for your advice, guidance and support ❤️
 
I really do feel for you. Its such a big worry when they want to eat but just can't quite manage it. My piggy Wilbur has been through a very similar problem and sees an excellent piggy vet on a very regular basis. He ended up having dental work under ga and although I was syringe feeding him he lost a lot of weight but did want to eat. The vet suggested cutting cucumber very thinly and offering him very small pieces to begin with. It took a lot of time and left me in despair at times, but gradually he did start eating hay again, so, what I am trying to say is hang on in there - you are doing a wonderful job with your piggy and your love and dedication shines through.
 
I really do feel for you. Its such a big worry when they want to eat but just can't quite manage it. My piggy Wilbur has been through a very similar problem and sees an excellent piggy vet on a very regular basis. He ended up having dental work under ga and although I was syringe feeding him he lost a lot of weight but did want to eat. The vet suggested cutting cucumber very thinly and offering him very small pieces to begin with. It took a lot of time and left me in despair at times, but gradually he did start eating hay again, so, what I am trying to say is hang on in there - you are doing a wonderful job with your piggy and your love and dedication shines through.
Thank you so much. Hearing of positive outcomes makes such a difference. I've always known how much I love my Cookie but have been blindsided by the strength of my emotions in the past week. I literally feel like I will do anything to keep him going. But you do get despondent when they are struggling so much, so your encouragement to hang in there is very much appreciated. I'm tired, but determined, and I think he is too ❤️
 
I spent hours with Wilbur on my lap syringe feeding, then giving him water via syringe, then the cucumber and I found out that he liked red pepper in small slices too. Weeks later he is still on loxicom and has a loose back tooth, but it doesn't appear to trouble him and he is back to eating for England :yahoo:
I acknowledge it isn't the same for every piggy, but I send you lots of hugs and healing vibes for Cookie. Keep us updated xx
 
I spent hours with Wilbur on my lap syringe feeding, then giving him water via syringe, then the cucumber and I found out that he liked red pepper in small slices too. Weeks later he is still on loxicom and has a loose back tooth, but it doesn't appear to trouble him and he is back to eating for England :yahoo:
I acknowledge it isn't the same for every piggy, but I send you lots of hugs and healing vibes for Cookie. Keep us updated xx
Thank you. So pleased Wilbur is back to doing what piggies do best, and love the most. I hope to soon be updating you with a similar story 🤞🤞🤞 xx
 
We tried thin slivers of red pepper too and they worked well as long as I peeled the skin off. Wilbur, you're an inspiration! I hope Cookie is feeling better today 💕💕
 
We tried thin slivers of red pepper too and they worked well as long as I peeled the skin off. Wilbur, you're an inspiration! I hope Cookie is feeling better today 💕💕
Did a midnight feed, a 4am feed and 7.30 am. He's put on 10g but still really struggling with the independent eating. I'm leaving lots of his favourites out. He manages to bite tiny bits off cucumber portions. Had some grass but not a lot. Still trying with the pellets but still falling out. He did devour a slice of red pepper last night but not interested today. Seem to be getting about 7 or 8 mls in now with the syringe feed. Just really worried he's going to get fed up of it all and the effort of eating independently.....and I'm due to go away on Saturday for 4 nights so need to be making some sort of decision about that in the next few days..... 😔
 
If you could sort out a referral to Cat and Rabbit Clinic, I could offer boarding through my pet care business and take them to an appointment. I could offer boarding from Friday or Saturday. I would need an appointment to have been sorted though, before I could take them.
 
I've managed to get some pictures of his incisors. Does anybody know if these look OK?
 

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