Dental Help, guineapig with teeth problems.

[Natalia_W_500]

Hello everyone, I am very stressed out in this moment. My guineapig Dianna was having a hard time eating,( I Can tell she wants to eat but its very hard for her)(i was and am feeding her critical care) (she was Able to eat small pieces but now she cant) so we took her to the vets. Her lower molars on the right were overgrown, so They trimmed them down the next day. (Today) we are home now and she cant eat at all, its almost as if shes gone crazy, I give her her fav foods but she sucks on them and trys to chew them but she cant, she sucks on it and then does fake chewing for 5 mins... I am so worried about her and have no idea What to do. (We will call vets on the morning) does anyone have any idea What is going on? Has this happened to your piggies? Is it a brain issue?? I am Lost and really am hoping someone has seen this before. Attached is a video of her trying to chew but almost choking? I have no idea anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Can you guys see the video?

 

[Black piggies]

Sorry to hear about Dianna, hopefully you'll get some good advice. Just to say I had a dental pig that the vet made the teeth worse, subsequent vet said they'd trimmed him like a rabbit making it even harder for him to pick up food. I think the teeth grow back. You're keeping up the syringe feeding? Don't see a video.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Sorry to hear about Dianna, hopefully you'll get some good advice. Just to say I had a dental pig that the vet made the teeth worse, subsequent vet said they'd trimmed him like a rabbit making it even harder for him to pick up food. I think the teeth grow back. You're keeping up the syringe feeding? Don't see a video.

Thank you for the responce, i am feeding her every 3 hours or so. I hope the trimming didnt make it worse Also I have no idea how to make the video show up, if anyone has tips on that, would be great Have a great day

 

[Black piggies]

Aw, worrying. Keep up the good work feeding her. It's 5am in the UK, you'll get responses in a bit.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Aw, worrying. Keep up the good work feeding her. It's 5am in the UK, you'll get responses in a bit.

I will check back in the morning, at is is midnight where I am

 

[Piggies&buns]

Sorry to hear she is having problems.
We can’t host video directly on the forum, so you will need to upload it to a third party site such as YouTube first and then post a link to it here.

Ensure you weigh her daily so you can feed the correct about of syringe feed to her in a 24 hour period. If her weight is stable, she is getting the right amount. If she loses weight then you will need to syringe feed her more often. The fibre rich recovery feed is the most important food you can give her while she is not eating hay for herself. You can also cut veg into very thin strips and hand feed it to her.

Is she on pain killers?

If the dental has been done properly and problems resolved then it may take a couple of days before she gains back her confidence in eating, but there is a chance that a vet who isnt experienced enough can make dental problems worse.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Sorry to hear she is having problems.
We can’t host video directly on the forum, so you will need to upload it to a third party site such as YouTube first and then post a link to it here.

Ensure you weigh her daily so you can feed the correct about of syringe feed to her in a 24 hour period. If her weight is stable, she is getting the right amount. If she loses weight then you will need to syringe feed her more often. The fibre rich recovery feed is the most important food you can give her while she is not eating hay for herself. You can also cut veg into very thin strips and hand feed it to her.

Is she on pain killers?

If the dental has been done properly and problems resolved then it may take a couple of days before she gains back her confidence in eating, but there is a chance that a vet who isnt experienced enough can make dental problems worse.

Hello, thank you for the responce! Yes she is on pain killers. She did loose a bit of weight, she was 988g june 1 and today she is 918. I really am trying my hardest to get her to eat, i am cutting all kinds of veg really thin to get her to eat, she just cant, i have no idea why. And today at the 5 am feed she was really not wanting the critical care, she was fighting Me so hard. I dont know What to do . I will try to do the video later. Thank you.

 

[Black piggies]

Having a dental piggy is so tough

 

[Black piggies]

I'm no expert but I think if the teeth have been trimmed wrongly, they need to grow back before the piggy can pick up food. Pain relief, making the piggy have some syringe feeds, review at the vet to see what's going on, is all good. Mine have never liked critical care and so I just use mushed up nuggets and water, sometimes adding a very little plain puree fruit baby food to add interest.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hello, thank you for the responce! Yes she is on pain killers. She did loose a bit of weight, she was 988g june 1 and today she is 918. I really am trying my hardest to get her to eat, i am cutting all kinds of veg really thin to get her to eat, she just cant, i have no idea why. And today at the 5 am feed she was really not wanting the critical care, she was fighting Me so hard. I dont know What to do . I will try to do the video later. Thank you.

Really do keep trying with the syringe feeds - it’s the syringe feed which will keep her weight stable as 70g in a couple of days is a lot to lose. Also keep up with daily weight checks. I know it’s not easy. Is there something who can help you? You can also leave a bowl of recovery feed in the cage so she can try to lick at it on her own.
It can also be advisable to try mushed pellets as they tend to have more of a familiar taste and they can be more inclined to eat it. Not all piggies like critical care.
Have you got access to fresh dog pee free grass? If so, then offer her grass also.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Really do keep trying with the syringe feeds - it’s the syringe feed which will keep her weight stable as 70g in a couple of days is a lot to lose. Also keep up with daily weight checks. I know it’s not easy. Is there something who can help you? You can also leave a bowl of recovery feed in the cage so she can try to lick at it on her own.
It can also be advisable to try mushed pellets as they tend to have more of a familiar taste and they can be more inclined to eat it. Not all piggies like critical care.
Have you got access to fresh dog pee free grass? If so, then offer her grass also.

Yes i am feeding her every 3 hours, she really liked critical care the first few times I gave it to her and was eating it on her own, now she is really fighting Me on it... i hardly got any in her for her 12 feed she is acting normal but really doesnt want to eat, well she wants to, but she cant. She has fresh grass in her cage at all times, but she cant eat it, she sort of sucks on it. The vet we go it is the Best near us (which is 30 mins away) and They called us this morning to check in on Dianna, we told them whats happening, They offered to take her in for hospitalization to watch her and feed her to see if They Can figure out whats wrong, but i dont think i have the money after the teeth procedure as it was very expensive i dont see her recovering unfortunately, because she isnt even letting Me force feed her without hurting her, if she doesnt get a bit better by monday, we may put her down

 

[Natalia_W_500]

I'm no expert but I think if the teeth have been trimmed wrongly, they need to grow back before the piggy can pick up food. Pain relief, making the piggy have some syringe feeds, review at the vet to see what's going on, is all good. Mine have never liked critical care and so I just use mushed up nuggets and water, sometimes adding a very little plain puree fruit baby food to add interest.

Yes i blended some red peppers and am feeding her that too give variety. She liked critical care but now she really doesnt want to eat it. The get we go it is very good, but it is possible They trimmed it wrong

 

[Black piggies]

Sorry for what you're going through. There are videos on syringe feeding and I asked a vet nurse to show me the first time too. None of mine ever take it willingly and it's tough. Has she had a review vet appointment to help you know what to do, even if a hospital stay isn't affordable?

 

[Siikibam]

Have you tried soaking her pellets and syringe feeding her that? You could try mixing in a little critical care. You will have to switch to feeding every two hours, preferably minimum 5ml at each sitting.

How much (roughly) are you able to get into her at each feed?

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Yes i blended some red peppers and am feeding her that too give variety. She liked critical care but now she really doesnt want to eat it. The get we go it is very good, but it is possible They trimmed it wrong

Vet*^

Sorry for what you're going through. There are videos on syringe feeding and I asked a vet nurse to show me the first time too. None of mine ever take it willingly and it's tough. Has she had a review vet appointment to help you know what to do, even if a hospital stay isn't affordable?

Have you tried soaking her pellets and syringe feeding her that? You could try mixing in a little critical care. You will have to switch to feeding every two hours, preferably minimum 5ml at each sitting.

How much (roughly) are you able to get into her at each feed?

I will try to give her the pellets next feed. Would i have to wake up every 2 hrs in the night to feed her? At first i was getting 8-12 ml of food in her every 3 hrs, but now its so hard to even get 5 unless my mom helps Me pin her down and i force it i have to hurt her a bit to get her to eat and it makes Me cry every feeding. She is very stubborn. Thank you to every one who has tried to help I am very greatful.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Also a bit random but why does it say new born pup under my user name? How do i change it lol.

 

[avafaghani]

Also a bit random but why does it say new born pup under my user name? How do i change it lol.

That means you just haven't chatted much yet/are new! I hope your piggie heals and all the best. Be careful not to be aggressive when syringe eating because an irritated mouth can cause ulcers which has happened to me and made my piggie not want to eat. Please keep updating!

 

[Natalia_W_500]

That means you just haven't chatted much yet/are new! I hope your piggie heals and all the best. Be careful not to be aggressive when syringe eating because an irritated mouth can cause ulcers which has happened to me and made my piggie not want to eat. Please keep updating!

Yes i am new! Second post here, and was pretty shocked when people responded the first time, amazing and very kind people here I am doing my Best to be careful with feeding her, but it seems to only work when i hold her head tight she really doesnt wanna eat. Did your piggie recover From the ulcers? Thank you

 

[avafaghani]

Yes i am new! Second post here, and was pretty shocked when people responded the first time, amazing and very kind people here I am doing my Best to be careful with feeding her, but it seems to only work when i hold her head tight she really doesnt wanna eat. Did your piggie recover From the ulcers? Thank you

Yes! She was given ulcer medicine and some pain meds and recovered super quickly, she had originally lost 40% of her body weight from not eating but gained it back super fast after it healed.

 

[Free Ranger]

First things first... painkiller.

If your piggy liked the CC but is trying to refuse it after the procedure it could be that her mouth is very sore. My pig had her molars ground down and I got a week of painkiller for her from the vet. We had the 'dog' metacam (loxicom is another name, dog is 1.5mg/ml - it is stronger than the cat one which is only 0.5 mg/ml) and we used 0.24ml twice a day for a 1 kilo pig... but they can actually have higher doses than this without any problem. Sometimes vets only prescribe the cat version which is licensed for piggies but they have a fast metabolism so once a day wears off fast and if they don't get enough painkiller her mouth will still be too sore. If you haven't been given enough she won't want anything touching her sore mouth as food becomes pain, syringing is pain etc.

If syringing is difficult things become stressful and piggy picks up on this and can panic. There are tips in the forum guides:
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
If you are tense she will be too so try and relax - your pig actually feels hungry which is good... some pigs don't and that makes things very hard. Try the 'piggy burrito' method of swaddling her in a towel? Only give a very little mush at a time - less than 1ml, even 0.5 or 0.2 ml at a time. I was clumsy in my first attempts and overfilled my pig's mouth making her panic about the syringe after that. if they are struggling to eat they might accidentally inhale a bit too - and we want to avoid that (which is why we don't syringe liquid like water - we just make the mush more runny). Talk gently to her, and give yourself plenty of time. You might lose several hours each day to this stage but she will not feel so hungry after. Make a cup of tea (or whatever is your choice!), sit on the floor and commit to a session - then you won't feel like you are rushing. If she realises you can go at her pace she will hopefully be less scared. Dentals are traumatic for an animal that is essentially a munching machine!

Don't fret too much yet about a 'bad dental' - just realise this stage can be painful for piggy and they lose confidence in eating, but if we can keep that gut moving and keep her interested in food there is a much better chance. Were you given antibiotics at all?

The final thing is that sometimes there is a reason for teeth overgrowth that is underlying... it might simply be spurs which have grown out of the teeth, poking into the soft tissue and making her chew on one side which means the teeth then start to be worn down unevenly. But there might also be underlying issues like an abscess at the root, causing pain when chewing on that side. Did the vet mention anything like this? This is why I was asking about antibiotics.

I have a little experience but am not an expert. We are just waking up here in the UK and you should receive more answers soon. Be brave, little Dianna

 

[Siikibam]

You need to keep your energy so don’t feed two hourly at night. You can try doing one before bed, in the night and then start again in the morning.

Watch the video on syringe feeding. You shouldn’t need to hurt her to feed her. You could also try offering it to her on a spoon or in a bowl. You’re aiming for a minimum of 60ml in a 24 hour period.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

 

[Natalia_W_500]

First things first... painkiller.

If your piggy liked the CC but is trying to refuse it after the procedure it could be that her mouth is very sore. My pig had her molars ground down and I got a week of painkiller for her from the vet. We had the 'dog' metacam (loxicom is another name, dog is 1.5mg/ml - it is stronger than the cat one which is only 0.5 mg/ml) and we used 0.24ml twice a day for a 1 kilo pig... but they can actually have higher doses than this without any problem. Sometimes vets only prescribe the cat version which is licensed for piggies but they have a fast metabolism so once a day wears off fast and if they don't get enough painkiller her mouth will still be too sore. If you haven't been given enough she won't want anything touching her sore mouth as food becomes pain, syringing is pain etc.

If syringing is difficult things become stressful and piggy picks up on this and can panic. There are tips in the forum guides:
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
If you are tense she will be too so try and relax - your pig actually feels hungry which is good... some pigs don't and that makes things very hard. Try the 'piggy burrito' method of swaddling her in a towel? Only give a very little mush at a time - less than 1ml, even 0.5 or 0.2 ml at a time. I was clumsy in my first attempts and overfilled my pig's mouth making her panic about the syringe after that. if they are struggling to eat they might accidentally inhale a bit too - and we want to avoid that (which is why we don't syringe liquid like water - we just make the mush more runny). Talk gently to her, and give yourself plenty of time. You might lose several hours each day to this stage but she will not feel so hungry after. Make a cup of tea (or whatever is your choice!), sit on the floor and commit to a session - then you won't feel like you are rushing. If she realises you can go at her pace she will hopefully be less scared. Dentals are traumatic for an animal that is essentially a munching machine!

Don't fret too much yet about a 'bad dental' - just realise this stage can be painful for piggy and they lose confidence in eating, but if we can keep that gut moving and keep her interested in food there is a much better chance. Were you given antibiotics at all?

The final thing is that sometimes there is a reason for teeth overgrowth that is underlying... it might simply be spurs which have grown out of the teeth, poking into the soft tissue and making her chew on one side which means the teeth then start to be worn down unevenly. But there might also be underlying issues like an abscess at the root, causing pain when chewing on that side. Did the vet mention anything like this? This is why I was asking about antibiotics.

I have a little experience but am not an expert. We are just waking up here in the UK and you should receive more answers soon. Be brave, little Dianna

Wow thank you so so much for the reply, it means the world. Dianna has been given cisapride 2.5 ml (0.3 ml twice daily) (helps keep gut moving nicely) And M-eloxyn (0.2 ml twice daily) ( pain killers says for cats and dogs) They gave Me every syringe pre portioned, i will ask if i Can give bigger dosage. I am not sure if she has sores although it could be possible, i Can tell she really wants to eat, and trys sucking on her Favorite foods such as grass, tomato and cucumbers, even as thin thin fine slises she cant seem to eat it. But ill ask the vet on the morning.

I tried the borrito methood but she is crazy even when I wrap her up snug, and my mom holds her down, she pushes up with all her might and squirms out! She is pretty smart .

Yes I am doing everything you say, I spend almost the whole day with her, as at every feeding session I at least spend half an hour feeding her, as little at 0.2 at a time. I have found the best way to feed her is to do a little bit quickly, so I quickly hold her mouth and squeeze around 0.2-0.3 in at once, and then she chews and chews and chews and chews... and I keep going untill she’s really had enough or untill I reach the proper amount.

So I was not given antibiotics, and was not told about abscess as they checked her mouth and would 100% tell me. Could this mean she has other abscesses else-wear? I was also told this can be a neurological problem.

Thank you so so so much for the kind reply, and for all the tips, I will continue updating and possibly take her to the vet to see if her mouth is sore, and will ask about upping her pain meds. Thank you everyone!

 

[Natalia_W_500]

You need to keep your energy so don’t feed two hourly at night. You can try doing one before bed, in the night and then start again in the morning.

Watch the video on syringe feeding. You shouldn’t need to hurt her to feed her. You could also try offering it to her on a spoon or in a bowl. You’re aiming for a minimum of 60ml in a 24 hour period.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

I have found a way to give it to her and not hurt her, but she is very squirmy and runs away from me, she will either strike her head up or she will push to the ground, or spin away, or push away on my hand, which I then have to grab her head and squeeze it a bit but I have found a way, I gently place my hand around her mouth and quickly put it in the front, I know you are supposed to put it on the side but I would have to hurt her to do that is it ok to administer it at the front? Thank you for the reply

 

[Black piggies]

Well done! Struggling is tough but at least it's a sign she's healthy enough. Very poorly guinea pigs are a bit easier to feed. My local vet has a herd and she has a maximum number of days she'll syringe feed. I've never managed to feed quite as much as recommended but managed to keep piggy's weight up.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Well done! Struggling is tough but at least it's a sign she's healthy enough. Very poorly guinea pigs are a bit easier to feed. My local vet has a herd and she has a maximum number of days she'll syringe feed. I've never managed to feed quite as much as recommended but managed to keep piggy's weight up.

Thank you! It is a struggle, but so worth it! I also struggle with getting the right amount. I’m hoping she’ll start eating veg in the next few days.

 

[Natalia_W_500]

Hey everyone another question. Someone said to up the pain killer, but the vet didn’t answer my call and they closed at 12 today my other pig was also prescribed pain meds and gave us the whole bottle (this was over a month ago) (picture attached of what it looks like) we didn’t throw it out as it doesn’t expire till next year and there is a lot left, and it is the exact same thing dianna is having right now for pain. So my question is, do I give her some? If so how much? Right now she is getting 0.3 ml 2 times a day. Should I give it to her a 3rd time? I’m a bit worried it will hurt her, I would like someone with experience to let me know how much more to give, thank you all

 

[Piggies&buns]

we cant tell you what to do give with pain meds, I'm afraid, only a vet can do that. dosages are based on weight etc.

you wouldn't give it three times though you would give a bigger dose twice a day

 

[Black piggies]

My 1.2 kg piggy was on 0.4ml morning and evening and that was considered a good high dose, so I wouldn't worry that Dianna is on a tiny dose. Hope your vet can help tomorrow.

 

[Bill & Ted]

My Ted was often prescribed dog metacam (meloxicam) twice a day at 0.4 ml for dental problems he weighed 1100 - 1200 gms at the time. A dose twice a day is enough to cover their 24 hour pain relief.