Hello, this is going to sound really bad and like a ‘please help the sweet baby cross the rainbow bridge right away’ scenario.
However, miraculously she has been doing ‘great’ and appears to be enjoying life - just wanted to start off on that note.
The main question I have ***** is it possible to trim a tooth’s root?***
Her name is Winnie, she is my absolute heart. I picked her up from a neglect case in February 2019 - so she has been in my care for just over 5 years. I am not entirely sure her age. I would guess 6.
Starting it summer 2022 I discovered she could not eat on her own. She wanted to- but she could not. She is my everything and I spent all day every day syringe feeding, chopping up hay real fine and mixed with shredded cucumber , and wow I think it was two months later her X-rays looked better and she was eating on her own. I was told she had level 1 dental disease and based on x-ray it was thought it was started by some sort of trauma to the teeth.
A few months later, November 2022, I discovered she had an abscess the size of a gold ball under her chin - this was drained and cared for.
It never completely healed - it took a long while to figure what was happening, but we realized her tooth root was growing out the bottom of her jaw.
I unfortunately was very broke in 2023 so she could not receive proper care for this until end of summer/beginning of fall. In November we started her antibiotics and meloxicam. She has been taking these medications everyday since - with a few breaks in between of the antibiotics (21 days of antibiotics at a time).
Last summer she was staying around 830-860grams, she dropped to 800g in the winter, then 750 grams in January. She is staying between 730-780grams currently.
She eats pellets, hay, veggies and treats on her own. I do soak the vitamin c tablets and treats just go make them easier. She gets syringe feeding as well.
Through all this her tooth root continues to grow and appears to be on path to curve up and to push back into her jaw - the root tip appears to be 1-2mm from her jaw now…..
Her jaw is infected bone, fragile… but do we think we could trim the tooth root? I am in a financial spot where I can thankfully afford surgurgy/x-rays now etc.. and I have sent a message to my vet regarding this - but this is obviously a unique situation and I don’t think many folks if all have every seen their Guinea pig experience the tooth root grow out through the jaw and their piggy continue to live , as far as I can tell - with still joy and quality… I don’t want watching that 1-2mm gap close be the final count down before I help her pass. Everything else about her is in great health.
Please - do we think there is any method/possibility of trimming the tooth root so it does not push back into her jaw? Are there nerves in the tooth root?
To add - for this scenario my Vet has said there is no cure, no surgery, or anything. All we can do is manage her comfort and then when I know it is time - I will help her cross. It sounds crazy that that time has not come, I know… she is of course in at least some discomfort and Guinea pigs are prey animals and skilled at hiding pain. Her name is Winnie because she was very vocal and whiney when I first got her
she has been pampered and loved and she is incredibly calm with me - any other piggy of mine to go through this and the decision would probably have been sooner because I know this would have been stressful for them but she she is so used to being handled and pampered and I trust the spark in her eye and the strength is her wheeks that she still wants to make more memories if given the choice 
However, miraculously she has been doing ‘great’ and appears to be enjoying life - just wanted to start off on that note.
The main question I have ***** is it possible to trim a tooth’s root?***
Her name is Winnie, she is my absolute heart. I picked her up from a neglect case in February 2019 - so she has been in my care for just over 5 years. I am not entirely sure her age. I would guess 6.
Starting it summer 2022 I discovered she could not eat on her own. She wanted to- but she could not. She is my everything and I spent all day every day syringe feeding, chopping up hay real fine and mixed with shredded cucumber , and wow I think it was two months later her X-rays looked better and she was eating on her own. I was told she had level 1 dental disease and based on x-ray it was thought it was started by some sort of trauma to the teeth.
A few months later, November 2022, I discovered she had an abscess the size of a gold ball under her chin - this was drained and cared for.
It never completely healed - it took a long while to figure what was happening, but we realized her tooth root was growing out the bottom of her jaw.
I unfortunately was very broke in 2023 so she could not receive proper care for this until end of summer/beginning of fall. In November we started her antibiotics and meloxicam. She has been taking these medications everyday since - with a few breaks in between of the antibiotics (21 days of antibiotics at a time).
Last summer she was staying around 830-860grams, she dropped to 800g in the winter, then 750 grams in January. She is staying between 730-780grams currently.
She eats pellets, hay, veggies and treats on her own. I do soak the vitamin c tablets and treats just go make them easier. She gets syringe feeding as well.
Through all this her tooth root continues to grow and appears to be on path to curve up and to push back into her jaw - the root tip appears to be 1-2mm from her jaw now…..
Her jaw is infected bone, fragile… but do we think we could trim the tooth root? I am in a financial spot where I can thankfully afford surgurgy/x-rays now etc.. and I have sent a message to my vet regarding this - but this is obviously a unique situation and I don’t think many folks if all have every seen their Guinea pig experience the tooth root grow out through the jaw and their piggy continue to live , as far as I can tell - with still joy and quality… I don’t want watching that 1-2mm gap close be the final count down before I help her pass. Everything else about her is in great health.
Please - do we think there is any method/possibility of trimming the tooth root so it does not push back into her jaw? Are there nerves in the tooth root?
To add - for this scenario my Vet has said there is no cure, no surgery, or anything. All we can do is manage her comfort and then when I know it is time - I will help her cross. It sounds crazy that that time has not come, I know… she is of course in at least some discomfort and Guinea pigs are prey animals and skilled at hiding pain. Her name is Winnie because she was very vocal and whiney when I first got her
she has been pampered and loved and she is incredibly calm with me - any other piggy of mine to go through this and the decision would probably have been sooner because I know this would have been stressful for them but she she is so used to being handled and pampered and I trust the spark in her eye and the strength is her wheeks that she still wants to make more memories if given the choice 
but I’m not sure if anyone has ever filed/trimmed exposed tooth root before and what may be possible… 
she’s keeping a sharp on me and begging for treats frequently ahah. gives me hope. But I know terminal illness is a roller coaster so I’m just going to enjoy the good times and try to make sure I’m listening when her eyes tell me she’s ready. 
