Dental Potential Dental Issue

[Little Ones]

I’m actually sat outside the vets. Have three booked in this afternoon xx

I hope your appointments don’t run late because of us! We’re just having a walk passed now so might see you

Aw no, poor Little, there is a M&S food hall and petrol station just round the corner from Simon’s that you can get coffee and sandwiches, sausage rolls etc. Can you google it on your phone. Hope he’s alright and you can get off home ASAP x

Thank you for letting us know, might go check if they have a toilet at the petrol station in a bit. We ended up walking quite a way into the town centre to try and get some food. We’re sitting in the big park near the clinic, there really isn’t anywhere else for us to go as everywhere is shut and the town centre was packed with people - you wouldn’t have even thought there was a pandemic going on!

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I hope your appointments don’t run late because of us! We’re just having a walk passed now so might see you

Thank you for letting us know, might go check if they have a toilet at the petrol station in a bit. We ended up walking quite a way into the town centre to try and get some food. We’re sitting in the big park near the clinic, there really isn’t anywhere else for us to go as everywhere is shut and the town centre was packed with people - you wouldn’t have even thought there was a pandemic going on!

I’m sitting in my car, just up road from vets, in a red Ford Fiesta x

 

[Bill & Ted]

I hope your appointments don’t run late because of us! We’re just having a walk passed now so might see you

Thank you for letting us know, might go check if they have a toilet at the petrol station in a bit. We ended up walking quite a way into the town centre to try and get some food. We’re sitting in the big park near the clinic, there really isn’t anywhere else for us to go as everywhere is shut and the town centre was packed with people - you wouldn’t have even thought there was a pandemic going on!

Oh, you poor loves! What a long day, it’s hard enough at the best of times, but with everywhere shut its a nightmare. Hope you can collect him soon and get off home x.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Any news on Little x

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I got to meet them, while they were waiting to pick Little up They came and found me, while I was waiting in my car, while Simon saw our piggies. They left in a taxi, around 5.45pm, so I think they will be home late! I hope they have a good journey!

 

[Bill & Ted]

I got to meet them, while they were waiting to pick Little up They came and found me, while I was waiting in my car, while Simon saw our piggies. They left in a taxi, around 5.45pm, so I think they will be home late! I hope they have a good journey!

Aw, that’s so good they managed to catch the train home, can’t imagine how they would have got on without hotels etc.
Hoping Little is on the mend, he’s had such a long day x

 

[Little Ones]

We got home just over half an hour ago, luckily Simon got done earlier than we expected so we managed to catch all the trains we needed to. We’ve divided their cage in half just for the night so that Little can recover in peace. He didn’t move at all the entire trip home, so I was worried about him. Once we got back, he sat on the bed and had his metacam and Zithromax as well as some water, he had a bit of cuddle to get him warmer and then he’s now sat in the cage tucking into his hay the best he can! He must be starving, but he just didn’t feel safe enough to eat or drink on the train. I’m really glad he’s gone straight for his hay, he didn’t even hesitate. I’m so glad we managed to get seen today and that Little is okay. We are exhausted now, but it was worth it to know he’s okay

 

[Little Ones]

Also I should write that no one checked our train tickets, the only time it was checked was when leaving Northampton train station (we went on 3 different trains, so 6 total) as if you’re travelling it’s assumed it’s essential. The only time we were questioned was on the way back in Sheffield when we sat around waiting for our train, the police officers asked what we were doing and we told them we’d got our guinea pig and we’d taken him for critical treatment and they were 100% fine with it

 

[Bill & Ted]

Aw, so glad you are home and Little is alright x
We are setting off in half an hour to Simon

 

[YvonneBlue]

Glad to hear that Little is feeling a little better. Everything crossed for him.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m so glad he is feeling a bit bitter

 

[Little Ones]

Aw, so glad you are home and Little is alright x
We are setting off in half an hour to Simon

Good luck, it’s a long way to travel but you’re doing the right thing by Ted xx

 

[Little Ones]

Thanks all for your support.
I syringed Little some water again at 4am as it didn’t seem like he’d drunk for himself, after that he began eating his hay again.
This morning he’s drinking for himself but also eaten nearly all the hay I put in for him. Simon really is the best. I just can’t believe that Little is okay now, after weeks and weeks of worrying and him struggling, it could be as if nothing has happened. I suppose it now makes sense why he rarely slept laying down, it must have hurt his abscess to. We feel horrible thinking about all the instances where he would have been in pain because of it, but when we went to the vet in Matlock for his dental we thought we were doing the right thing. Now if there’s anything mouth related, I won’t even hesitate to see Simon, it just isn’t worth it.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Lovely news! Simon really is the very best! People often asked where I would like to see TEAS in 5 years or 10 years and are amazed when I say, I’d love it to be closed, as not needed!

Wouldn’t it be amazing, if we had knowledgeable guinea pig dental vets, throughout the country? When I set up TEAS, I was hopeful that other vets would be interested in what Simon, and I do, but sadly most are not interested, or interested enough, to want to find out more! TEAS was referred to, by one exotic vet, as a bit Alice in Wonderland-ish! I find that very offensive and rude! I really wish this mindset would change, but I’ve now lost hope! I’ll carry on doing, what I’m doing, for as long as I can, but it needs to remembered that this could all be lost, when Simon retires!

 

[anyar.dris]

Yaay! Glad Little has been sorted out by Simon. He and Kim are the best right? We always go straight to them whenever it's abscess and/or dental issues. We don't want any extra issues by going to other vets first. We don't really mind travelling from North Wales to Northampton if the piggies get sorted right away.

 

[rhymer]

So glad Little is feeling better.
I do think Simon needs to run a vet training program.
Such a shame that this type of guinea pig care is not promoted much more.xx

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

So glad Little is feeling better.
I do think Simon needs to run a vet training program.
Such a shame that this type of guinea pig care is not promoted much more.xx

There is no interest. Many other vets say what he does Is wrong!

 

[Little Ones]

Lovely news! Simon really is the very best! People often asked where I would like to see TEAS in 5 years or 10 years and are amazed when I say, I’d love it to be closed, as not needed!

Wouldn’t it be amazing, if we had knowledgeable guinea pig dental vets, throughout the country? When I set up TEAS, I was hopeful that other vets would be interested in what Simon, and I do, but sadly most are not interested, or interested enough, to want to find out more! TEAS was referred to, by one exotic vet, as a bit Alice in Wonderland-ish! I find that very offensive and rude! I really wish this mindset would change, but I’ve now lost hope! I’ll carry on doing, what I’m doing, for as long as I can, but it needs to remembered that this could all be lost, when Simon retires!

It’s a bit of a catch 22 as well, as any vets who are interested and have ‘learned’ how to do dentals can’t do them perfectly because they need more experience but then you don’t want to really give them the experience they need to get better in case they don’t do a good job. Like with my situation with Ellie, she needs more experience (she didn’t notice there was a jaw abscess or an infected tooth) but I would never want to send either of my pigs back for anything mouth related because it’s caused Little so much extended suffering because of it. If another vet spent a good few months shadowing Simon and performing dentals beside him then they’d hopefully learn what to do right and what to look out for, but no one has that much time to spare and income to lose unfortunately. God knows what will happen when Simon retires, I wonder if he’d retire everything except guinea pig dentals? I think he knows that so many piggies and owners rely on him to live that I don’t think he’d feel right in himself to abandon it completely, not without having properly trained someone up at least.

 

[Little Ones]

There is no interest. Many other vets say what he does Is wrong!

That’s absolutely ridiculous! If most people with dental piggies vouch for him, how can Simon be wrong? He’s saved countless lives where other vets would have probably pulled the plug!

 

[Little Ones]

Yaay! Glad Little has been sorted out by Simon. He and Kim are the best right? We always go straight to them whenever it's abscess and/or dental issues. We don't want any extra issues by going to other vets first. We don't really mind travelling from North Wales to Northampton if the piggies get sorted right away.

They are. We have another dental piggy that we’ve taken a few times to see Simon in the past, but Little’s dental problem came out of nowhere and he wouldn’t eat at all, Ellie had ‘been trained’ to do dentals by Simon and Kim but obviously hadn’t spent anywhere near enough time learning so it didn’t go to plan. I suppose we had to try though as she’s considerably closer, but it didn’t pay off unfortunately and Little’s the one who has suffered for it. I’m on the same page as you, if it’s mouth or abscess related I’m never chancing it ever again. It’s just not worth it

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

They are. We have another dental piggy that we’ve taken a few times to see Simon in the past, but Little’s dental problem came out of nowhere and he wouldn’t eat at all, Ellie had ‘been trained’ to do dentals by Simon and Kim but obviously hadn’t spent anywhere near enough time learning so it didn’t go to plan. I suppose we had to try though as she’s considerably closer, but it didn’t pay off unfortunately and Little’s the one who has suffered for it. I’m on the same page as you, if it’s mouth or abscess related I’m never chancing it ever again. It’s just not worth it

Ellie ‘watched’ a conscious dental done by Kim. There was no training, as such.

 

[Little Ones]

Ellie ‘watched’ a conscious dental done by Kim. There was no training, as such.

Yeah I remember you saying, had I known that before I probably wouldn’t have gone to her and have gone straight to Simon.

Spoke to someone on the phone when we paid earlier, they said they think they got all the puss out, so flushing isn’t necessary but we can if we’d like. They also said they’d left it open so it can drain itself. We’re not really sure where we’d flush from. This is what his neck/chin looks like:

Sorry we weren’t able to get a clearer photo. Does this mean they removed the abscess from the outside? If we were to flush it, would we do it into where his bottom left incisor was removed? I haven’t had a good look in his mouth as his bottom lip seems kind of stiff if that makes sense and we don’t want to hurt him

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Just clean it and make sure it doesn’t heal up with pus still inside. I use flat cotton wool pads for cleaning.

 

[Little Ones]

Just clean it and make sure it doesn’t heal up with pus still inside. I use flat cotton wool pads for cleaning.

Would that be on the outside? We’re a bit confused as it seems like stuff has been done on the outside but everything is all closed up but then we were told on the phone they’d left it open so it could drain itself. So does that mean they did something both inside and outside, aside from removing his incisor? Should I try and look inside his mouth to see if I can see something going on in there?

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Would that be on the outside? We’re a bit confused as it seems like stuff has been done on the outside but everything is all closed up but then we were told on the phone they’d left it open so it could drain itself. So does that mean they did something both inside and outside, aside from removing his incisor? Should I try and look inside his mouth to see if I can see something going on in there?

So can you see an incision on the outside?

 

[Little Ones]

So can you see an incision on the outside?

I’m not really sure, I think so? His neck/chin has been shaved. I’ve tried not to mess too much but it feels a bit scabby in parts. I don’t know if the incision is in between the two lumps you can see on the picture I attached a couple of posts ago. But because he’s shaved I think it’s on the outside

 

[Little Ones]

Just had a feel and the incision definitely is on the outside in between the two lumps a little and then underneath them.

I’m not really sure what they meant then when they said they’d left it open to drain itself? As it’s shut entirely from the outside.

 

[anyar.dris]

Look around where the scabbing outside is. I don't think it's shut, but it's just dried blood. That should be an open wound. I think that indentation in the middle (in between the 2 lumps) should be where the open wound is. My past piggies, Prince (1st photo) and Cookie (2nd photo), had exactly the same thing. Inspect it closely. You should flush (clean) it 2x a day to make sure the abscess isn't returning. Use saline solution (or hibiscrub) when cleaning the wound.

 

[Little Ones]

Look around where the scabbing outside is. That should be an open wound. I think that indentation in the middle (in between the 2 lumps) should be where the open wound is. My past piggies, Prince (1st photo) and Cookie (2nd photo), had exactly the same thing. Inspect it closely.

View attachment 139723View attachment 139724

Right okay thank you so much! I’ll have a look in a bit, he’s just started eating some hay so don’t want to disturb him. There’s also dissolvable stitches in there too, so have they sewed most of the wound back up aside from a small area? Do you have any advice on what I should do with it? They said they think all the puss came out and flushing isn’t necessary but we can if we want to. I don’t want to make anything worse though. So will the wound close up on its own eventually?

 

[anyar.dris]

My past piggies had dissolvable stitches at the sides to keep it open. Have you asked Simon if he removed the whole pocket of abscess? What happened with my past piggies was he can't remove the whole pocket and they drained it when they opened it. So we have to flush it 2x a day to make sure the abscess isn't returning or the pocket isn't being filled up again. It'll be a different case if he managed to remove the whole pocket of abscess. @furryfriends (TEAS) would know the best way to do whether it still need to be flushed for cases like that. Yes the wound would close by itself in a couple of days.