• 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 Eating slow

Peri

Peri

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Feb 5, 2020
Messages
28
Reaction score
10
Points
130
Location
New Zealand, Wellington
Lately one of my guinea pigs have been eating really slowly, like chewing food for a long time. Such as leafy veggies and grass. For harder foods like cucumber and carrot he takes really small bites. I suspect it could be overgrown teeth but I checked and I don't think it is. Does anyone think they know why?
 
I would suggest a phone call to the vet and explain your concerns.
If it is a tooth problem they will need to do a proper examination.
If it’s something else, again only a vet can tell you.

Meanwhile weigh daily to keep a check on any possible weight loss.

You may also want to think about shredding vegetables finely.
@VickiA advised me to do that when my Jemimah was recovering from dental surgery and it was much easier for her to eat.
 
Peri said:
Lately one of my guinea pigs have been eating really slowly, like chewing food for a long time. Such as leafy veggies and grass. For harder foods like cucumber and carrot he takes really small bites. I suspect it could be overgrown teeth but I checked and I don't think it is. Does anyone think they know why?
Click to expand...

Hi!

The overgrowth happens on the back teeth, which are mostly invisible and only secondarily impact on the self-sharpening front teeth; slower eating can also be an indication of a developing root abscess in an incisor that is not yet visible but is making itself felt as toothache. The incisors are actually about 4 cm long, run along the jaw and have their roots just in front of the premolars and molar teeth.

How are your incisors looking - are they slanted, jagged or inward pointing?

Please switch to weighing daily at the same time instead of weekly. You cannot control the hay intake, which makes around 80% of the daily food intake otherwise; so your piggy can lose a lot of weight quickly without you noticing.
Cut up any veg into fine strips and mush up the pellets. If possible offer fresh dog pee free grass, as that contains the same abrasive silica that keeps the back teeth nicely ground down but introduce it slowly with just a small handful at first if your piggy's gut is not used to it.
If necessary, step in with support syringe feed; in a pinch, mushed up pellets will do.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Please contact a vet as soon after Easter as possible.
 
I agree that you do need to get a vet to check the teeth. Piggies have far more teeth than you can see.

Daily weighing will pick up any weight loss. And while you are waiting to see the vet then providing mushed softened pellets and veggies in thin strips will make it easier for your piggy to eat but this is a stop gap only - you do need to get a vet to see the teeth with a scope and then decide what action needs to be taken.
 
Okay my family won't let him go to the vet because "its too expensive" and some other dumb excuses. It is obvious something is wrong and I'm not sure what to do. :/
 
Peri said:
Okay my family won't let him go to the vet because "its too expensive" and some other dumb excuses. It is obvious something is wrong and I'm not sure what to do. :/
Click to expand...
Aw no :( Sorry to ask but did you not plan ahead and get some sort of fund for it - Hope your piggies ok x
 
Hope the vet will find out what the problem is, good luck with him x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top