Dental Guinea Pig- Post Dental Operation

[TsukiLouWho123]

I have had my little Buzzbe since birth and he is the cuddliest cutest most adorable boy in the world. For the past 2 & 1/2 months I have been trying my best to nurse him back to health after I noticed he stopped eating and drinking overnight. I panicked and called the closest vet and they reckoned it was Gastrointestinal Stasis and he got 2 injections and the vets was extremely rude and looked like they had no idea what they were doing- completely my fault!

A week after constant critical care, he was only syringe fed but his poops were squishy and really smelly.... Like fermented poop:/ I finally called a Cavy Savy vet 45 minutes away and they checked him over ( best vets ever btw ) and they noticed it was all because of a dental problem:
Firstly, I chose to put him on pain killers and antibiotics as they saw an abscess in the gap between his incisors and molars.
Secondly, after a slight improvement, the abscess went away and they had a proper look and found that his molars were growing into his tongue and needed trimmed as well as his incisors by this time as he couldn't wear them down on anything. I opted for the X-ray and dental procedure.

I was shown the X-rays which explained why his left eye bulges slightly as his tooth root has grown upwards. They trimmed everything down and for a week- I saw AMAZING results! Back to his old self eating CONSTANTLY!

Now ( 2 weeks post surgery ) I was advised to lower the amount of CC and he has gone downhill again. His poops are mushy again but I'm not sure if that's because he's not getting the extra fibre from the CC or because his dental problems have come back again. I don't know what to do he is my baby and I love the bones of him, I haven't slept through a night since this all happened because I try to nurse him as best as I can but I am starting to feel it's all for nothing. I need a second opinion. I am not one for keeping an animal alive for myself- I want the best option for his quality of life! I would hate to think that he needs to be fed CC for the rest of his life ( although I would do it ) I just think it would be for me... Am I prolonging his suffering?

I let him and the 4 girls out daily for floor time and he hops about happily but in their little set up he just goes into a hide and sits for hours and hours if I let him.. The girls are constantly looking for their next meal and he perks up only when he's made a fuss of. Could this be his new personality or do you think he's in pain?

p.s I would take him to the vets this second but my car was totalled the other day and I'm awaiting my new car to get to the vets, I just need some advice from someone who may have had a similar situation I'm new to this so hopefully I know how to work this and reply but thank you in advance!

 

[Wiebke]

Please put him back on syringe feed and water. it may well be that the abscess is coming back.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide (includes a chapter on care for dental guinea pigs)

In order to allow us to help you most efficiently, can you please tell us what antibiotic your guinea pig has been put on and how long for? Generally, you need the strongest you can with a dental abscess. Here in the UK we recommend zithromax (azithromycin), which seems to be the most efficient, but you may need more than one course depending on how severe the abscess is.

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@furryfriends (TEAS)

 

[TsukiLouWho123]

I'm from Fife, Scotland in the UK and the antibiotics he was previously on was Sulfatrim and Metacam as a pain Killer. These seemed to take the swelling down but because I don't have an otoscope ( I think that's what it's called ) I can look inside to check. I have continued to feed him CC through the night and his poops are becoming more formed.

Is there any way to increase his interest in hay again because o think that may be the problem- he's too used to the CC now? I've tried many brands, he sometimes munches on readigrass and I've cut the hay into smaller pieces but he doesn't eat an awful lot of it.

 

[Freela]

My suspicion would be that his teeth are overgrowing again because the abscess may not have cleared completely with antibiotics alone (they usually require being lanced and drained and then a course of antibiotics.) If he is still having pain, he may not be chewing properly and this leads to the teeth overgrowing again because they are constantly growing and with uneven chewing comes uneven wear. He will probably need another vet appointment to check his teeth and to assess the abscess and discuss whether it needs more invasive treatment, like lancing it, before more antibiotics. In the meantime, I would keep up the Critical Care, as you're seeing his poop deteriorate without it. It will give him fiber and nutrition while he's unable to chew well. He is probably avoiding hay as it is fibrous and hard to chew and might be causing pain, not necessarily that he prefers the Critical Care. I wouldn't give up on him yet, but you might have to be more aggressive in treating the abscess. I've been through similar experiences with a couple of my pigs over the years, so that would be my best guess, but obviously a vet assessment is the way to go once the car is up and running again! Keep up the syringe feeds in the meantime! Lots of luck, hope you get some answers for your little guy!

 

[TsukiLouWho123]

My suspicion would be that his teeth are overgrowing again because the abscess may not have cleared completely with antibiotics alone (they usually require being lanced and drained and then a course of antibiotics.) If he is still having pain, he may not be chewing properly and this leads to the teeth overgrowing again because they are constantly growing and with uneven chewing comes uneven wear. He will probably need another vet appointment to check his teeth and to assess the abscess and discuss whether it needs more invasive treatment, like lancing it, before more antibiotics. In the meantime, I would keep up the Critical Care, as you're seeing his poop deteriorate without it. It will give him fiber and nutrition while he's unable to chew well. He is probably avoiding hay as it is fibrous and hard to chew and might be causing pain, not necessarily that he prefers the Critical Care. I wouldn't give up on him yet, but you might have to be more aggressive in treating the abscess. I've been through similar experiences with a couple of my pigs over the years, so that would be my best guess, but obviously a vet assessment is the way to go once the car is up and running again! Keep up the syringe feeds in the meantime! Lots of luck, hope you get some answers for your little guy!

Thanks, I'm still trying to get my head around working this website so sorry for getting back to you late. Since I posted here his poops hardened up again but just right now he seemed to be staying away in a hidey house then soft poops again I'm feeding him CC as much as I can... It makes me feel so up and down: one day I feel like he's getting better and I'm the best piggie mum ever.. The next he's going downhill and I feel like I'm making him suffer and having him in pain:/ everyone keeps telling me to put him down and sometimes they get in my head and I feel like I'm making him endure so much pain... But he's my WORLD! Hes got another appointment at the vets

 

[Tiamolly123]

I think you have to tell the people who are saying to put him down, to butt out. This can be solved with the right treatment, YOU will know when it's time to put him down & that is not now. Try not to let them get you down.
Ask the vet if he needs pain meds, if it is his teeth, we all know what toothache feels like. Lol
Are you syringing water as well

 

[TsukiLouWho123]

I think you have to tell the people who are saying to put him down, to butt out. This can be solved with the right treatment, YOU will know when it's time to put him down & that is not now. Try not to let them get you down.
Ask the vet if he needs pain meds, if it is his teeth, we all know what toothache feels like. Lol
Are you syringing water as well

Thank you he's my little baby I never want to put him down yes I'm stringing water also... Could too much water make his poops mushy? Also a lady on a Guinea pig FB page I post on said I should tag 'The excellent adventure sanctuary'... I'm new to this and I have no idea how to do that:/

 

[Freela]

Thanks, I'm still trying to get my head around working this website so sorry for getting back to you late. Since I posted here his poops hardened up again but just right now he seemed to be staying away in a hidey house then soft poops again I'm feeding him CC as much as I can... It makes me feel so up and down: one day I feel like he's getting better and I'm the best piggie mum ever.. The next he's going downhill and I feel like I'm making him suffer and having him in pain:/ everyone keeps telling me to put him down and sometimes they get in my head and I feel like I'm making him endure so much pain... But he's my WORLD! Hes got another appointment at the vets

A lot of people don't seem to understand our wanting to seek out good medical care and treatment for their guinea pigs. Somehow they are not always seen as animals that are as 'worthy' of medical care as a dog or cat. Of course, we all know that those people are wrong. You're not wrong for trying to investigate his medical options before making drastic decisions, so put comments like that out of your head. I think, as a tuned-in owner, you know the difference between a guinea pig who is ill but still has fight in them and wants to live and a guinea pig who has simply had enough. Just tell people that you would never make him suffer, but it's not that time now and you need some positivity as you look for answers to his problems!