my guinea pig salivating excessively after course of Painkillers(Metacam)

[theo_benji]

My guinea pig Benji(4 years) is salivating so much that his whole chin is wet. He was given a course of painkillers for a non infected wound on his back which ended yesterday. He accidentally injured himself with his teeth while trying to scratch himself. He is eating normally and is active but I am concerned about his salivation. I dont have any guinea pig specialist vet in my area so I need your help. Is this because of the painkillers?

 

[Wiebke]

My guinea pig Benji(4 years) is salivating so much that his whole chin is wet. He was given a course of painkillers for a non infected wound on his back which ended yesterday. He accidentally injured himself with his teeth while trying to scratch himself. He is eating normally and is active but I am concerned about his salivation. I dont have any guinea pig specialist vet in my area so I need your help. Is this because of the painkillers?

Hi and welcome

It is not the painkillers that cause salivation but the symptom can signal a difficulty to swallow of some sort, broken or overgrown teeth or a blockage somewhere in the digestive system between the mouth and the anus. Have you checked his teeth? Are the incisors broken? Is his jawbone OK?
Excessive salivation can also be - combinated with apathy and hot weather - a symptom of a heat stroke.

Please switch from weighing once weekly on your normal kitchen scales to weighing daily first thing in the morning for best day to day comparison. Keep in mind that over three quarters of what a guinea pig eats in a day is hay/grass fibre and that you cannot control this by eye. Any veg, pellets and treats all together only replace the supplementary role that wild forage used to have.

If he is unable to pick up and eat hay well as a result of his accident and is losing weight, then please step in with feeding support promptly.
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support

I would also check him for mange mites if he keeps biting his back so badly (especially if there are bald patches or open sores there).
New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

 

[theo_benji]

Hi and welcome

It is not the painkillers that cause salivation but the symptom can signal a difficulty to swallow of some sort, broken or overgrown teeth or a blockage somewhere in the digestive system between the mouth and the anus. Have you checked his teeth? Are the incisors broken? Is his jawbone OK?
Excessive salivation can also be - combinated with apathy and hot weather - a symptom of a heat stroke.

Please switch from weighing once weekly on your normal kitchen scales to weighing daily first thing in the morning for best day to day comparison. Keep in mind that over three quarters of what a guinea pig eats in a day is hay/grass fibre and that you cannot control this by eye. Any veg, pellets and treats all together only replace the supplementary role that wild forage used to have.

If he is unable to pick up and eat hay well as a result of his accident and is losing weight, then please step in with feeding support promptly.
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support

I would also check him for mange mites if he keeps biting his back so badly (especially if there are bald patches or open sores there).
New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

Thank you for replying so soon.

I did check his teeth they seem ok to me. His jaw seems ok. He is not bloated either. There is no abdominal tenderness. He is eating fine. I still syringe fed him today just to be sure. He fed to his hearts content and only stopped feeding when he was full. Meanwhile, he is eating by himself as well. He always had a problem with not drinking enough water. So I have been syringe feeding him water as well. He doesn't seem dehydrated though.

I have kept him an air conditioned room that is set 22-24°C(he is the most comfortable between this temperature range anything above or below this makes him burrow under his blankets)

The wound he gave himself is healed now. I got him checked for mites and he doesn't have any. He is not on any medication now. He is active and sleeps normally.

I dont know maybe I'm being a little too paranoid. I lost a guinea pig before because of gut stasis before and I dont want to lose Benji like that.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for replying so soon.

I did check his teeth they seem ok to me. His jaw seems ok. He is not bloated either. There is no abdominal tenderness. He is eating fine. I still syringe fed him today just to be sure. He fed to his hearts content and only stopped feeding when he was full. Meanwhile, he is eating by himself as well. He always had a problem with not drinking enough water. So I have been syringe feeding him water as well. He doesn't seem dehydrated though.

I have kept him an air conditioned room that is set 22-24°C(he is the most comfortable between this temperature range anything above or below this makes him burrow under his blankets)

The wound he gave himself is healed now. I got him checked for mites and he doesn't have any. He is not on any medication now. He is active and sleeps normally.

I dont know maybe I'm being a little too paranoid. I lost a guinea pig before because of gut stasis before and I dont want to lose Benji like that.

HUGS

Just keep checking his weight with your kitchen scales once a day if you have concerns; that is the best feedback if you have anxiety issues. You can find some very easy and practical tips in the links below that also work if you do not suffer from anxiety but have worries. The other link explains what to look for with weight loss and how to put it into the correct perspective.

I have written those guides with the aim of helping to help manage fears and concerns a bit better.
Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

If the weight and food intake is stable, then you need not have major concerns. It is absolutely normal to have the jitters after losing a piggy not so long ago. We all experience it to some degree or other. It is part of caring and loving your pets.

PS: If you are worried about potential dental salivation issues, it can help you keeping a look at the incisor during the weekly weigh-in, body check and grooming session. If the edge is even and horizontal, then they meet and abrade against each other perfectly and there is no issue with molars and premolars at the back.
If the incisors are slanted (one-sided chewing, can include a problem in an incisor root), there is a V shaped dip (restricted jaw movement) or the edge is jagged (uneven chewing), then you are dealing with a dental issue of some sort; the more pronounced the more advanced. If the incisors do no longer meet, are inward pointing and often discoloured, the then teeth at the back are overgrown. Spurs can trap the tongue and make swallowing difficult; this comes with an increasing weight loss.
This system is not fail-safe but it is useful, especially in areas where there is no easy vet access. I hope that it helps you to allay any worries right now.

 

[theo_benji]

Thank you so much. I will be monitoring him closely and keep in mind all the things that you explained.