Pypy
New Born Pup
Since April 2021, we've been proud pigparents to two brothers from a local pet sanctuary. We think they were about a year old when they popcorned into our lives, although maybe a bit younger (since they grew from ~1000g to 1200g each).
Stein took on the job of being the boss, rumble strutting his way around the house and taking charge of wheeking duty when it was time for food. His brother seemed quite content to let Stein think he's in charge, while sneakily doing whatever he wanted when no one was looking.
They both seemed really happy until January 2022, when Stein's poops didn't look right and he started to have trouble eating. We took him to the local vet, who suspected his teeth were the problem and trimmed them. We didn't get much information (although we asked...), so we don't know exactly what was done - but it involved shortening the incisors, because he couldn't pick up any food for about 10 days and needed to be syringe fed during that time.
Eventually he started eating independently again, and the poops returned to normal. About 6 weeks later, we saw he was dropping his food again, so we went back for another dental. This time he could eat the next day - although the vet advised us that we might want to look for a specialist exotic vet if the problems came back.
The problems did come back within three weeks, and poor Stein hasn't been able to eat on his own ever since (early April 2022)- despite multiple further dentals with the new exotic vet (both incisors and molars). He now drools constantly, and doesn't seem able to close his mouth fully - we can see that his top incisors are situated behind his bottom ones, and he can't pick anything up. They also curl inwards due to non usage. He has occasionally shown an interest in veggies or pellets, but then seems so frustrated when he can't get anything that he gives up and stops trying.
We've had X-rays and a CT scan done, and there is no evidence of an abscess or other problems. The new vet gave us two possible explanations: 1. that one of his right (pre-)molars was causing him pain, and 2. that the angle of the bottom molars is too shallow (almost horizontal) with the top molars vertical, so that he can't chew anyway. The sore right molar fits with the fact he only accepts syringe feeding on one side - but he's now on both longterm high-dose dog metacam (1.2ml per day) and gabapentin (50mg/day), and doesn't seem to be in any obvious pain any more. Although the drooling did not stop.
We've managed to keep Stein's weight around 1000g by syringe feeding Oxbow Critical Care (fine grind) and Emeraid Intensive Care. It takes 6 feeds per day to keep him at that, each one lasting 1-2 hours... any less and his weight drops quickly. He hated syringe feeding at the start, but now accepts it quite calmly most of the time - so we don't feel like we're torturing him. Once it's over, he seems quite normal - exploring for a while before settling down for a snooze.
We've read everything we can find online about guinea pig dental problems. We were always cautious about diet (lots of hay, especially timothy hay), although to see if he can eat anything we've tried veggies in various shapes, herbs, grass, mushed pellets, all the hays we can find, and different kinds of treats, pellets and forage...without success. His brother, who is eating the same diet as Stein before his dental issues, is absolutely fine.
The only thing Stein can sometimes eat on his own are his poops (cecotropes) - at least, he'll always have a go and sometimes he gets one.
We want to put Stein's needs first and don't want him to suffer - and we understand that repeated anaesthesia for the dentals isn't good for him. But apart from the teeth issue he seems so normal and healthy that we really don't know what to do.
We'd really appreciate any advice on things we could try, or any other insights or experiences that can help us figure out what to do.
We're prepared to take him for regular dentals, but really wish he could at least get some good weeks in between when he could eat his favourite foods. Is it possible that the angle of his molars (bottom almost horizontal, top ones vertical) is so bad that not even a dental can enable him to eat again ever? Could the molars be filed back into a more normal angle? Or should we try another vet...?
We do have confidence in the exotic vet (who was recommended by others) and appreciate the time they take to explain things to us, but we do want to give Stein the best chance we can to get back to his old self. We're in Northern Ireland, so unfortunately we can't make it over to the Cat and Rabbit Clinic in Northampton.
Stein took on the job of being the boss, rumble strutting his way around the house and taking charge of wheeking duty when it was time for food. His brother seemed quite content to let Stein think he's in charge, while sneakily doing whatever he wanted when no one was looking.
They both seemed really happy until January 2022, when Stein's poops didn't look right and he started to have trouble eating. We took him to the local vet, who suspected his teeth were the problem and trimmed them. We didn't get much information (although we asked...), so we don't know exactly what was done - but it involved shortening the incisors, because he couldn't pick up any food for about 10 days and needed to be syringe fed during that time.
Eventually he started eating independently again, and the poops returned to normal. About 6 weeks later, we saw he was dropping his food again, so we went back for another dental. This time he could eat the next day - although the vet advised us that we might want to look for a specialist exotic vet if the problems came back.
The problems did come back within three weeks, and poor Stein hasn't been able to eat on his own ever since (early April 2022)- despite multiple further dentals with the new exotic vet (both incisors and molars). He now drools constantly, and doesn't seem able to close his mouth fully - we can see that his top incisors are situated behind his bottom ones, and he can't pick anything up. They also curl inwards due to non usage. He has occasionally shown an interest in veggies or pellets, but then seems so frustrated when he can't get anything that he gives up and stops trying.
We've had X-rays and a CT scan done, and there is no evidence of an abscess or other problems. The new vet gave us two possible explanations: 1. that one of his right (pre-)molars was causing him pain, and 2. that the angle of the bottom molars is too shallow (almost horizontal) with the top molars vertical, so that he can't chew anyway. The sore right molar fits with the fact he only accepts syringe feeding on one side - but he's now on both longterm high-dose dog metacam (1.2ml per day) and gabapentin (50mg/day), and doesn't seem to be in any obvious pain any more. Although the drooling did not stop.
We've managed to keep Stein's weight around 1000g by syringe feeding Oxbow Critical Care (fine grind) and Emeraid Intensive Care. It takes 6 feeds per day to keep him at that, each one lasting 1-2 hours... any less and his weight drops quickly. He hated syringe feeding at the start, but now accepts it quite calmly most of the time - so we don't feel like we're torturing him. Once it's over, he seems quite normal - exploring for a while before settling down for a snooze.
We've read everything we can find online about guinea pig dental problems. We were always cautious about diet (lots of hay, especially timothy hay), although to see if he can eat anything we've tried veggies in various shapes, herbs, grass, mushed pellets, all the hays we can find, and different kinds of treats, pellets and forage...without success. His brother, who is eating the same diet as Stein before his dental issues, is absolutely fine.
The only thing Stein can sometimes eat on his own are his poops (cecotropes) - at least, he'll always have a go and sometimes he gets one.
We want to put Stein's needs first and don't want him to suffer - and we understand that repeated anaesthesia for the dentals isn't good for him. But apart from the teeth issue he seems so normal and healthy that we really don't know what to do.
We'd really appreciate any advice on things we could try, or any other insights or experiences that can help us figure out what to do.
We're prepared to take him for regular dentals, but really wish he could at least get some good weeks in between when he could eat his favourite foods. Is it possible that the angle of his molars (bottom almost horizontal, top ones vertical) is so bad that not even a dental can enable him to eat again ever? Could the molars be filed back into a more normal angle? Or should we try another vet...?
We do have confidence in the exotic vet (who was recommended by others) and appreciate the time they take to explain things to us, but we do want to give Stein the best chance we can to get back to his old self. We're in Northern Ireland, so unfortunately we can't make it over to the Cat and Rabbit Clinic in Northampton.
