Dental treatment

[donna83]

Hi was just wondering if anyone had any advice on how long it takes for a guinea pig to fully recover after dental treatment long story short my boy who is approximately 4yrs old had dental treatment 4 weeks ago by an exotic vet as we noticed he was unwell and not eating so back n forwards to the vet who didn't pick up on the problem 300 pounds later i realised it was his teeth as he just couldn't bite or chew n was losing weight so i got him booked in for sedation n xrays of his teeth which came back he had dental diesese and they apparently filed down the spurs they could reach which cost another 300 so over 600 in total so now 4 weeks on he still can't eat he trys a tiny bit of greens but still can't bite he uses his hands to help I've tried everything chopping things up tiny mashed banana grated veg porridge oats etc the first 2 weeks were horrendous as he just wouldn't take the critical care or meds i was having to force feed him every 2 hours including water its been heartbreaking so the last 2 weeks have been a bit easier as he's willingly taking the critical care 3-4 times daily about 30ml in a day I'm still giving him metacam daily as everytime i stop it he gos back downhill not eating barely moving also he's poos are very soft n mushy I know he's gonna need to go back to the vet I'm very reluctant as I don't think they have done a very good job n he's worse now than b4 he had this treatment so my question is really how long dos it take for the teeth to recover can it take longer than 4 weeks will he be able to eat sufficient again how long do I carry on with the critical care n pain medication b4 I think he's never gonna to recover i know once dental problems start he would need it done again n again I just was hoping for more improvement after the treatment so any advice would be greatly appreciated as I know this can be a common problem and I'm just heartbroken and really considering what I do next thanks for reading

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm sorry to hear this.

First, are you weighing him each morning? This is essential as without daily weight checks you can’t know he is getting enough critical care.
A piggy who is not edging any hay independently needs more than 30ml of critical care a day. 40-60ml is the smallest amount but it could need to be higher depending on what the weight checks are telling you.
Critical care is needed for as long as it takes him to get better and eat for himself.

If the dental hadn’t been done properly, if he is in pain, if there is still anything still going wrong then he won’t eat. Dentals can be needed every 2-6 weeks depending on the issue to get things back right. Then they can go longer between dentals and potentially, depending on what went wrong, not need any more.
If he hadn’t chewed any hay or grass then as their teeth grow constantly and are kept in check by chewing hay and grass, then the overgrowth will continue.

How much pain relief is he getting? Piggies need their pain meds twice a day.
Is he on dog or cat metacam?

Would there be any way you could get to Northampton to the Cat and Rabbit clinic? They are the best recommended dental vets in the country.

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[donna83]

Hi thanks for your reply forgot to mention I don't think he's eating much hay he lies in it but can't see him eating it he's lost so much weight he went from just over 1kg down to 770 he's currently just over 800 as weighing him daily I'm trying to get more critical care down him daily I'm just hoping to get his weight up a bit before another sedation if that's what I decide n yes I have considered the clinic in Northampton as I've read on here about it I'm currently trying to arrange the transport as I'm 4 hours away I know that is the best option thanks again

 

[donna83]

Sorry he's on 3ml daily of the cat metacam

Hi thanks for your reply forgot to mention I don't think he's eating much hay he lies in it but can't see him eating it he's lost so much weight he went from just over 1kg down to 770 he's currently just over 800 as weighing him daily I'm trying to get more critical care down him daily I'm just hoping to get his weight up a bit before another sedation if that's what I decide n yes I have considered the clinic in Northampton as I've read on here about it I'm currently trying to arrange the transport as I'm 4 hours away I know that is the best option thanks again

Hes on 3ml daily of the cat metacam

 

[donna83]

Sorry he's on 3ml daily of the cat metacam
Hes on 3ml daily of the cat metacam

That's 0,3 daily

 

[Bill & Ted]

Sorry to say that is quite a small dose. Ideally they need a dose twice a day as their metabolism is so fast to help with pain relief.

Is there a possibility that you can go see Simon or Kim Maddock at the C&R Clinic in Northampton? You don’t need a referral, they are the UK experts when it comes to dental issues. I used to travel with my piggies Bill and Ted many times from Cornwall, all I can say is it is worth the travel. they got my Ted eating hay straight away as soon as he had had a conscious dental. If the dental has not been performed perfectly then it is unlikely that your piggie will eat hay and then that leads to spurs regrowing again very quickly. Dental problems like spurs tend to need regular treatment but with proper dentistry the gap can become longer so it’s really worth getting that expert treatment if you can. You can ring everyday at 8.00 am for an emergency appointment, they have a limited amount so you have to ring on the dot to get one. Your piggie will be assessed there and then so at least you will know from an expert what you are dealing with and can then move forward
Will he eat grass (a little bit at first unless he is used to grass) and plain dry porridge oats in a bowl in his cage? Good luck!

 

[Piggies&buns]

So 0.3ml once a day?
That amount probably isn’t doing much, it’s a rather small dose
Piggies need their pain meds twice a day and can take considerably higher amounts of cat version than one would expect for an animal of their size.
If he is getting worse and is in pain then he needs to be seen again.
I hope you can sort out the travel to get to Northampton

 

[Bill & Ted]

@furryfriends (TEAS) might be able to offer boarding (with his companion if he has one) while he is receiving treatment. She runs a sanctuary for guinea pigs with special needs such as dental problems

 

[donna83]

Sorry to say that is quite a small dose. Ideally they need a dose twice a day as their metabolism is so fast to help with pain relief.

Is there a possibility that you can go see Simon or Kim Maddock at the C&R Clinic in Northampton? You don’t need a referral, they are the UK experts when it comes to dental issues. I used to travel with my piggies Bill and Ted many times from Cornwall, all I can say is it is worth the travel. they got my Ted eating hay straight away as soon as he had had a conscious dental. If the dental has not been performed perfectly then it is unlikely that your piggie will eat hay and then that leads to spurs regrowing again very quickly. Dental problems like spurs tend to need regular treatment but with proper dentistry the gap can become longer so it’s really worth getting that expert treatment if you can. You can ring everyday at 8.00 am for an emergency appointment, they have a limited amount so you have to ring on the dot to get one. Your piggie will be assessed there and then so at least you will know from an expert what you are dealing with and can then move forward
Will he eat grass (a little bit at first unless he is used to grass) and plain dry porridge oats in a bowl in his cage? Good luck!

So 0.3ml once a day?
That amount probably isn’t doing much, it’s a rather small dose
Piggies need their pain meds twice a day and can take considerably higher amounts of cat version than one would expect for an animal of their size.
If he is getting worse and is in pain then he needs to be seen again.
I hope you can sort out the travel to get to Northampton

Thanks I'm gonna ring my vet tomorrow and ask about the dose as they only recommend o.3ml daily for 5 days after the dental treatment which obviously isn't enough n ill hopefully get him seen again whilst trying my best to get him in at Northampton

 

[donna83]

Sorry to say that is quite a small dose. Ideally they need a dose twice a day as their metabolism is so fast to help with pain relief.

Is there a possibility that you can go see Simon or Kim Maddock at the C&R Clinic in Northampton? You don’t need a referral, they are the UK experts when it comes to dental issues. I used to travel with my piggies Bill and Ted many times from Cornwall, all I can say is it is worth the travel. they got my Ted eating hay straight away as soon as he had had a conscious dental. If the dental has not been performed perfectly then it is unlikely that your piggie will eat hay and then that leads to spurs regrowing again very quickly. Dental problems like spurs tend to need regular treatment but with proper dentistry the gap can become longer so it’s really worth getting that expert treatment if you can. You can ring everyday at 8.00 am for an emergency appointment, they have a limited amount so you have to ring on the dot to get one. Your piggie will be assessed there and then so at least you will know from an expert what you are dealing with and can then move forward
Will he eat grass (a little bit at first unless he is used to grass) and plain dry porridge oats in a bowl in his cage? Good luck!

Thanks for your reply I'm gonna speak to my vet tomorrow about the dose as they only recommend 0.3ml daily for 5 days after the dental treatment which obviously isn't enough and I'm currently trying to arrange the transport to Northampton as I'm 4hours away from there and thanks I've been trying him with grass n porridge oats thanks again for your advice

 

[VickiA]

That’s a very small dose of cat metacam. Piggies metabolise metacam very quickly so they usually have 2 doses a day.