• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Dental TEETH! Issue

Lisanjake

Lisanjake

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
300
Reaction score
143
Points
355
Location
Saffron walden
Hi all
I have a guinea pig with teeth issues.
Basically I started noticing Winnie would sometimes pull a face when chewing certain food, but was eating okay.
Only in the last week has she been eating a bit less / past few days struggling to even eat hay…
Been to the vets and given metacam / cisapride along with critical care to feed which she seems to dislike! And is very wriggly and refuses after a while 😩

So her front teeth are slanted for starters.
He said back teeth are angled more inwards / downwards than they should be, she’s really grinding sometimes.
She can’t eat hay or anything big but can eat grass? And soft things like the inside of cucumber.
She’s going in to have GA and have them trimmed tomorrow.
He basically said the jaw is now misaligned and she will unlikely improve but to try filing them and see how she goes :/ but prognoses isn’t good.
Any one have any similar experiences and what was the outcome?
She seems fine in herself, and really wants to eat more but struggles.
I am in Stansted FYI
Thank you
 
Can you get to Northampton?
The Cat and Rabbit clinic are the best vets for dental issues.
Fortunately I’ve never needed them but I know other forum members who travel long distances for dental treatment there.
Hope all goes well tomorrow
 
So sorry Winnie has dental problems, can you offer her plain porridge oats in a bowl, you could try some mashed banana in the Critical Care to make it more palatable. Sometimes they will eat grated veggies too or cut into sticks. You need to start weighing daily at the same time of day and record her weight so you have something to compare against to see if she is loosing weight. Try Emeraid it seems to be liked by more piggies. It’s time to hone in on your syringe feeding as after she has had her dental she may need syringe feeding for a while depending on how successful the dental has been done by your vet
The best and most experienced dental piggie vet in the Uk is Simon and Kim Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Clinic in Northampton who deal with around 30 odd dentals a week. they use the conscious dental method, which is done without nasty anaesthetics and usually the piggie is eating again within the hour, my Ted certainly was eating hay before we left the vets on his first visit and he had not eaten hay for months. Simin and Kim gave my Ted an extra 2.5 years and he died of an unrelated illness just before his 6 year.
I thoroughly recommend them, you will need a referral from your vet, good luck, you may be in for the long haul with regular dentals needed, it’s very hard on you, sending hugs x
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Thank you so much for your responses. She’s currently at the vets to have them trimmed under GA :(
I tired the Northampton vets but they aren’t taking on new clients and only referrals :(
 
Lisanjake said:
Thank you so much for your responses. She’s currently at the vets to have them trimmed under GA :(
I tired the Northampton vets but they aren’t taking on new clients and only referrals :(
Click to expand...
Yes sadly this is the case, see how she goes. If she still isn’t eating then ask your vet to refer you to them, they are taking referrals from vets
Hoping she makes a good recovery and starts chomping x
 
Croaking noise?!

I found this on the forum but not really an answer, she’s making this exact sound.
Is this due to the fact she was fed critical care before she came home? X
 
Sorry it didn’t let me paste the video I don’t think. She’s making a strange croaking sound is this normal after an op / anaesthetic? :/
 
They certainly can be croaky like that, it’s often the anaesthetic that causes it, it should clear but if you are at all concerned or she is struggling to breath then call the vets. My Ginger and Ted were croaky like that after ops but it didn’t last more than 4/6 hours. Have you got recovery food to syringe her with in case she is not eating/mushed pellets
Hope your little piggie makes a full recovery x
 
Lisanjake said:
Croaking noise?!

I found this on the forum but not really an answer, she’s making this exact sound.
Is this due to the fact she was fed critical care before she came home? X
Click to expand...
Hi

Croaking and wheezing can happen in the wake of a GA but should settle down within 24 hours.
 
Wiebke said:
Please contact your vets if it is not better by tomorrow.

Please keep weighing daily at the same time and step in with syringe feeding as needed.
Click to expand...
Thank you I will do. I’ve actually got to go back to pick up some more gut stimulant tomorrow so I’ll ask anyway.

Can I ask one quick thing! So I was feeding her fine (she likes the different formula thankfully!) and she suddenly got quite watery eyes and a bit later went into like a trance and stopped taking food / moving much. She’s alive as she ran back into her house when I put her home and she’s looking around but just laying there. It was all a bit scary 😦
 
Lisanjake said:
Thank you I will do. I’ve actually got to go back to pick up some more gut stimulant tomorrow so I’ll ask anyway.

Can I ask one quick thing! So I was feeding her fine (she likes the different formula thankfully!) and she suddenly got quite watery eyes and a bit later went into like a trance and stopped taking food / moving much. She’s alive as she ran back into her house when I put her home and she’s looking around but just laying there. It was all a bit scary 😦
Click to expand...

Sorry, no idea what that was about. I've never had this happening to my own piggies.

I hope that she is behaving normally again now?
 
Wiebke said:
Sorry, no idea what that was about. I've never had this happening to my own piggies.

I hope that she is behaving normally again now?
Click to expand...
She is just in her cage sleeping so I’ve left her be to rest. I’m getting her out in about an hour for another feed. (The last one I finished at about 8) but she’s moved toward the grass I put in there.
I did give metacam (0.5ml dog dosage) and cisapride (0.5ml) before her feed would that of effected her possibly?
 
Lisanjake said:
She is just in her cage sleeping so I’ve left her be to rest. I’m getting her out in about an hour for another feed. (The last one I finished at about 8) but she’s moved toward the grass I put in there.
I did give metacam (0.5ml dog dosage) and cisapride (0.5ml) before her feed would that of effected her possibly?
Click to expand...

Did your vets tell you show soon to start with the metacam after her procedure?
 
Wiebke said:
Did your vets tell you show soon to start with the metacam after her procedure?
Click to expand...
No actually he didn’t mention the time it was first given. She has been there 9am -3pm .do you think I’ve given too soon?
Hope this won’t affect her too much!?! :(
 
Lisanjake said:
No actually he didn’t mention the time it was first given. She has been there 9am -3pm .do you think I’ve given too soon?
Hope this won’t affect her too much!?! :(
Click to expand...

It shouldn't affect her too much. It is a question I have learned to always ask when I pick up my piggies who soon I can step in with the medication after a procedure.

Is the 0.5 ml once or twice daily?
 
Wiebke said:
It shouldn't affect her too much. It is a question I have learned to always ask when I pick up my piggies who soon I can step in with the medication after a procedure.

Is the 0.5 ml once or twice daily?
Click to expand...
Thinking back there are a few things more I should of asked. Just never had a piggy put under before, didn’t really know what to expect or ask. Yes twice daily is what he has told me.
She still clicky in her breathing but hoping it will clear in the morning.
She took almost 9ml tonight but isn’t over Keen on the water breaks.
She hasn’t pooped much just very little amount and wipes her bum on the floor to her them off :/
bUT she went back home and ate a strand of hay and a piece of veg!
So proud of her I could watch her all night but I’m exhausted, so getting some rest before it all starts again tomorrow ❤️
 
9F20DCB6-B35B-4ABE-9F91-EBDD0440A048.webp
Lisanjake said:
Thinking back there are a few things more I should of asked. Just never had a piggy put under before, didn’t really know what to expect or ask. Yes twice daily is what he has told me.
She still clicky in her breathing but hoping it will clear in the morning.
She took almost 9ml tonight but isn’t over Keen on the water breaks.
She hasn’t pooped much just very little amount and wipes her bum on the floor to her them off :/
bUT she went back home and ate a strand of hay and a piece of veg!
So proud of her I could watch her all night but I’m exhausted, so getting some rest before it all starts again tomorrow ❤️
Click to expand...
 
She’s been x rayed and lungs etc look fine and she’s stopped making the crackling noise.
I’m just having trouble feeding her. She ate a small amount of coriander but that’s it. Downright refuses syringe feed. She’s not eaten since about 12pm and the nurse said she took it like a dream!
But I tried at 8:30 this morning and she refused 🙈 don’t know what I’m doing wrong. She was fine only a few times when I fed her.
Vet said she’s prob stressed or not hungry.
Ate a small amount of coriander then suddenly stopped so think her jaw just might be sore?
She’s pooping a little more and I’ve just seen her eat her own poop.
Gosh this is stressful! Lol watching her like a hawk lol
Maybe it’s too thick and I should water it down a little more I’m not really sure.
She’s not moving around a lot either.
 
Lisanjake said:
A lot of people seem to shove the whole ml in at once! Is that safe?
I’ll be trying to mush up some of my healthy pigs poo and some soft veg to maybe make it taste a little better and try again now. Thank you for the video x
Click to expand...
I’m always guided by the guinea pig. Most can take 1 ml at a time quite safely but some need to take it slower.
 
Lisanjake said:
Thank you.
Is wheat grass a good substitute for hay?
Click to expand...
For the minute I mean until she can eat it for herself again.
I struggle sometimes to give 10ml per feed as she just struggles and cries etc :( obviously I’ll give as much as she will take at the time
 
I always give my piggies a small handful of grass every day. This came about when my Ted could not eat regular hay/vegetables after his first local GA dental, it was just lawn grass and I used to hand feed him it.
I then managed to take him to Simon Maddock which change Ted’s outlook completely. Simon and Kim Maddock recommend grass as a substitute for hay as it has silicone on its leaves just like hay (it’s the same thing only hay is left to get long, cut and dried) Just be very careful if your piggie does not eat grass regularly as it can upset tummies and occasioNelly cause bloating with a small number of piggies, so a little bit at first, see how it goes and gently increase over time if pighie likes it and is ok

I’m actually unsure what wheat grass is, I assume it’s the stalks from wheat after harvesting? You could try a bit and she how she manages, it may be quite tough?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top