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I think Buttercup is ill

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Neve38

UPDATE - SEE LAST POST

Buttercup had her teeth done just over a month ago and after two weeks started eating really well again and I was so pleased but the last couple of days she doesn't seem bothered to come out for food although if I take her igloo out she comes to her bowl. She hasn't been biting the bars which she usually does when I go in to see her. I really don't know what is wrong, I may take her to the vets in the morning to get their opinion, I am worried in case there is something internally wrong. I took her out her house when I got in from work tonight and handed her some leaves and she had some of them and then ate some hay when I put her in her house again. I may just be panicking about nothing but you just know when something isn't right. God I am such a worrier.

Joy xx
 
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Does she seem lively in herself i.e. her normal self?
Is she pooing and weeing ok?

What did she have done to her teeth? Was it just the two front teeth or the back ones which were in trouble?

Sorry, if it seems a lot of questions, but I am just trying to narrow down what might be wrong.
 
Hi and thanks for replying. She goes into her igloo and turns it around, this is what she was doing when her teeth were playing up and just after she had them done. It was her back teeth, they had to cut them/file them as they were long. For a couple of weeks she barely ate and I was syringe feeding her and gradually over that two weeks she ate more and more until she was back to normal. Mum and dad fed her before I got home from work tonight and when they took her igloo out they thought something was wrong but to be honest I think perhaps she was just a little startled. They are not as in tune with her as I am. When I came home I took her out for a cuddle, there was a couple of warning noises from her, you know the noise they make when they are scared, she doesn't normally do that. I handed her some leaves and she ate a few which was good, she had a good wander around, she normally just sits around or hides. I put her back and funny enough she hasn't gone back into her igloo she has eaten a little hay and has been resting out of her igloo which again is a good sign, she hasn't been doing much of that the last couple of days. Maybe I am overreacting, if you touch her belly she squeaks a little but then she never likes you touching her belly anyway. Maybe it is just me panicking thinking something is going to go wrong but she definitley isn't eating as much the last couple of days and biting the bars which she always does.

Sorry I know this sounds something about nothing, just something I can't put my finger on.

Joy xx
 
It sounds as if her teeth need cutting/filing again. This can be a common thing and some piggies can have their teeth trimmed once a week. I know Glynis is very famiilar with this problem as I think Dukey has his teeth trimmed quite often.
 
I would go to the vet. It never hurts. If a pig is acting out of character or doing something strange there could be a problem. I remember saying to Roger once that he must think I was a bad guinea mummy because I was always going to see him; he said, no, I would be a bad guinea mummy if I didn't.

Do let us know. Lots of good luck.
 
Thanks for your replies. I hope it isn't her teeth, she only had them done about 5/6 weeks ago and then took 2 weeks or so to recover after that barely eating at all. I am going on holiday in just under 2 weeks (I wish I hadn't booked it now) and if she needs syringe feeding again I don't know how mum and dad will cope without me there to sort things out. I might pop along to the vets tomorrow morning and see what is what. Having said that I would rather it be her teeth than something more serious.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Joy xx
 
hmm sometimes their teeth need re trimming unfortunately. Good luck xx
 
Hi there, I am sorry that Buttercup is not her usual self. As others have said it is possible that she needs her teeth trimmed again. Depending on the complexity of the work can your vet do it without anaesthetic?
 
Hi love, i have to have my boys toofies done every 3 weeks, but that's cause he doesn't eat enough roughage......
I'd defenitely get her to the vets for a checkup it's soooo worth it.
Lots of healing wheeeeeeeeeeks and loves from us both xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
 
Hi all, I have an appointment with Buttercup at the vets this morning, I am convinced it is her teeth now, she has eaten some food, is eating hay and nuggets a little as well, she is fine in herself. Have given her lots of kisses and cuddles. I went through this with my first rabbit, he needed his teeth doing every couple of months, this is just more often. I will keep you updated.

Joy xx
 
Hope all goes well at the vets, wishing Buttercup better soon xoxoxoxo

Let us know how you get on xx
 
UPDATE

I took Buttercup to the vet this morning. The vet had a look in her mouth, said there was lots of food in there so gave her mouth a clean out and could see one tooth near the front with a sharp bit on it. She asked me to book Buttercup in for Monday and they would clean her mouth and have another look. I asked if they did dentals without an anaesthetic. She said that they never have but she has a friend who always does rabbit dentals without anaesthetic and would speak to her. As it is just one tooth she would be willing to try without an anaesthetic unless Buttercup wriggles and squeaks too much and gets stressed. She says there are pros and cons for both methods, obviously guinea pigs don't respond well to anaesthetic but you can have a good look around the mouth and on the other hand without an anaesthetic is better for the guinea pig but you can't necessarily get as good a view if you know what I mean. I understand what she is saying. She gave Buttercup an all over check and said there was nothing else to worry about and apart from this one sharp tooth she was fine. I asked for some syringes in case I need to syringe feed Buttercup as she is still eating a bit at the moment, not quite as much as normal. She also gave me some Fibreplex which I have seen mentioned on this site before so that is good as it comes in a syringe already. I already have a few sachets of recovery if need be and I also have some organic veggie baby food just in case. I am feeling a bit better about things now, still don't want to go on holiday until I know Buttercup is 100% but I think my mum and dad are about to get a crash course in syringe feeding. You never know it might not come to that, she might be fine after the dental.

Will let you know how things go.

Joy xx
 
awwwwwwwww more healing wheeeeeeeeks of love from us both xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
if you need a help with syringe feeding let me know, erm i might be able to give you some hints xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
I would definately be wary about putting your piggie under anesthetic just because one tooth needs clipping. There should be no reason why it can't be done without anesthetic especially as the tooth is near the front of the mouth.
 
Definitely second what is said above. it is probably because of the anesthetic that she took so long to recover last time. There might be another vet near you who will do the trim without it.
 
Another update

Buttercup went for her dental today, the vet managed to do it without an anaesthetic even though she has never done it this way before, she had another friend who is a vet who always does rabbits teeth without anesthetic. Anyway, she said she wriggled a bit but I can't believe it, no pain relief after because she said it upsets their stomach if they do not eat. Not sure I agree with that, she didn't eat last time but they still gave her pain relief. Anyway Buttercup went straight back in her house and started eating hay and greens. I sat her in her little pink bed on my lap on the settee this evening and she was munching away on greens, couldn't get them in fast enough. And guess what, because she only had her teeth done 4 weeks ago the vets didn't charge for this dental which is only right I suppose. I can now breath a sigh of relief. I am due to go on holiday next week and I really didn't want to go whilst Buttercup was under the weather. I would like to thank you all who gave advice and answered to this thread. Hopefully Buttercup will go on and continue for a while without needing her teeth done.

Joy xx
 
My piggie has had pain relief most times after a dental and it hasn't upset her tummy. I think they can be given a probiotic or something like that to protect their tummy. Good to hear that Buttercup didn't have to go under anesthetic and that she is happily munching away at home.
 
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