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Dental Urgent advice

S

SarahxCavia

New Born Pup
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My guinea pigs checkers has dental surgury as she was not eating. When under anathesia vet found teeth weren't as bad as first thought and she had a hard bit if food stuck between her teeth and cheek. She kept looking like she was chocking when trying to eat I toke her back to vet and vet has found the hard bit of food removed from her mouth has made a pouch in the cheek. I have been syringe feeding her for 6 days. When she tries to eat she struggled and gets scared and runs off. Sometimes even happens when syringe feeding.
The vet said it may correct itself but if it doesn't it seems like she'll either have to adapt and get used to it or I'll have to put her to sleep.

Has anyone had their guinea pig develop a pouch. Thank you in advance for any replies.
 
My guinea pigs checkers has dental surgury as she was not eating. When under anathesia vet found teeth weren't as bad as first thought and she had a hard bit if food stuck between her teeth and cheek. She kept looking like she was chocking when trying to eat I toke her back to vet and vet has found the hard bit of food removed from her mouth has made a pouch in the cheek. I have been syringe feeding her for 6 days. When she tries to eat she struggled and gets scared and runs off. Sometimes even happens when syringe feeding.
The vet said it may correct itself but if it doesn't it seems like she'll either have to adapt and get used to it or I'll have to put her to sleep.

When she eats she doesn't seem to be able to bite into food. Is this normal a week lost dental. I'm giving her recovery food and she still losing weight.

Has anyone had their guinea pig develop a pouch. Thank you in advance for any replies.
 
Is she on pain relief?
If so, what dosage?

How much syringe feed are you getting into her each day?
If she is still losing weight then she needs to be given more - you are aiming for at least 60ml per day, but as much as 100ml could be needed.

I’m guessing it’s a large wound in her mouth which has caused a large indentation?
 
Piggies&buns said:
Is she on pain relief?
If so, what dosage?

How much syringe feed are you getting into her each day?
If she is still losing weight then she needs to be given more - you are aiming for at least 60ml per day, but as much as 100ml could be needed.

I’m guessing it’s a large wound in her mouth which has caused a large indentation?
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Yeah vet told me to give her paracetamol. She losing wieght I'm not getting enough into her some days 40ml some days closer to 60ml. I'm doing it every hour but now it takes her an hour to chew and swallow what I'm giving her it used to be 30 mins. Vet said there wasn't a wound its just changed shape of her mouth. She's been trying to eat since some came back from the op but food gets stuck in her mouth and she tries to get ir out with her foot or she keeps trying to take pieces of food for 2-5 mins ans makes no indentation. Only food she's been able to eat is blueberry. She'll try to eat once or twice a day for a few mins and then gives up. I'm contemplating euthanasia cus she doesn't seem to be improving after a week. I was hoping I could find someone with a similar experience to give me any hope but it seems futile she tries to eat but cant. She was also losing wieght a month before she stopped eating so I think maybe there's something else going on. I feel like I need to put her to sleep but I wanna make sure there's no hope first.
 
I’m so sorry I’ve no real advice. Did she have with Dunne in the front teeth or the back ones or both? I’d she’s having trouble picking up food then I’d try giving her pellet mash that she can lap up. If the incisors are cut too short she may have trouble getting food into her mouth so try offering strips of julienne style veggies or spiralised veggies ABs keep offering the syringe feed, too.
 
VickiA said:
I’m so sorry I’ve no real advice. Did she have with Dunne in the front teeth or the back ones or both? I’d she’s having trouble picking up food then I’d try giving her pellet mash that she can lap up. If the incisors are cut too short she may have trouble getting food into her mouth so try offering strips of julienne style veggies or spiralised veggies ABs keep offering the syringe feed, too.
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I dont know vet didn't tell me what she did. I'm hoping I can get her an appointment with another vet tomorrow for a 2nd opinion. Yeah that's a point with incisors I can ask vet about cus she spent 5 mins biting a piece of Melon and chewing but didn't actually get any in her mouth
 
I am so sorry for the position you’re in 😞 I have no advise other than to keep offering her syringe food. Can she eat veg if you cut it in to match sticks? I hope Checkers improves soon x
 
SarahxCavia said:
I dont know vet didn't tell me what she did. I'm hoping I can get her an appointment with another vet tomorrow for a 2nd opinion. Yeah that's a point with incisors I can ask vet about cus she spent 5 mins biting a piece of Melon and chewing but didn't actually get any in her mouth
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That sounds like an incisors problem. Try offering her match stick slithers of veg maybe by hand to help her out.
 
VickiA said:
That sounds like an incisors problem. Try offering her match stick slithers of veg maybe by hand to help her out.
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Other than match stick slithers of veg, which I had to offer 2 elderly guineas due to dental problems, possibly try oat flakes, smaller cut rather than giant porridge oats. May not be normal healthy guinea food, but my 2 oldies were able to eat them on their own during the time all veg had to be in mini slithers. They both survived too. imho and experience, try anything in reason that can keep them going. I can't remember what I did about hay, whether I fed them piece by piece (tho that wouldn't have been enough).

Good luck. Fingers and toes crossed for you both.
 
VickiA said:
That sounds like an incisors problem. Try offering her match stick slithers of veg maybe by hand to
Click to expand...
VickiA said:
That sounds like an incisors problem. Try offering her match stick slithers of veg maybe by hand to help her out.
Click to expand...

I can only get her to eat a few blueberries a day, but today she's even not able to do that. I've put some hay treats in water and mashed it up and she's been having a bit of that. How long do incisors take to grow out to sort this issue. I'm struggling to get enough syringe feed into her she is still loosing weight. She was losing weight a month before she stopped eating so may have another health condition i dont know about. I've had her 5 years and 3 months . She wasn't full size when I got her I estimate about 6 years old. I don't want to put her to sleep but I don't want it being dragged out for her. I'm seriously debating putting her to sleep tomorrow but I don't know if she just needs more time. I'm gonna try ring a another vet tomorrow for 2nd opinion but I don't know what I'll do if they don't have appointments I don't wanna keep her how she is for any more days if I don't have hope.
 
VickiA said:
That sounds like an incisors problem. Try offering her match stick slithers of veg maybe by hand to help her out.
Click to expand...
I've looked in her mouth and teeth are way worse than a week ago after her operation. When I got her back from operation I noticed her teeth were slightly diagonal and not straight at front. I asked about it and it was dismissed. Now there way more diagonal but facing opposite way from before and one side is a lot shorter. So I don't know if it cus they weren't filed straight flat at front or if they didn't do her molars right. I'm hoping to see another vet. I'm angry at the first vet it seems like they didn't do it right.
 
I've looked in checkys mouth and teeth are way worse than a week ago after her operation. She went in with slightly chipped front teeth and unable to eat.

When I got her back from operation I noticed her teeth were slightly diagonal and not straightly flat at front. I asked about it and it was dismissed. Now there way more diagonal but facing opposite way from before and one side is a lot shorter than before. So I don't know if it cus they weren't filled straight flat at front or if they didn't do her molars right. They didnt tell me what they did to her teeth only they found a hard bit of found between check and molar tooth.

I'm hoping to see another vet. I'm angry at the first vet it seems like they didn't do it right. She's not been able to eat for a week and her teeth are getting worse. She's 6 years old I don't know if it worth putting her through another operation when had 1 a week prior or if I should just put her to sleep.
 
SarahxCavia said:
I've looked in her mouth and teeth are way worse than a week ago after her operation. When I got her back from operation I noticed her teeth were slightly diagonal and not straight at front. I asked about it and it was dismissed. Now there way more diagonal but facing opposite way from before and one side is a lot shorter. So I don't know if it cus they weren't filed straight flat at front or if they didn't do her molars right. I'm hoping to see another vet. I'm angry at the first vet it seems like they didn't do it right.
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I don't know whether this is an option for you but is there any chance you can get her to the cat and rabbit clinic in Duston(Northampton)?
 
Gem789 said:
I don't know whether this is an option for you but is there any chance you can get her to the cat and rabbit clinic in Duston(Northampton)?
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No but thank you for trying x I'm gonna go to another vet that I've been to before that has an exotics person and hope I can get in asap to see if they think the other vet didn't do the op right or if they think it will keep repeating. I've figured out shell eat soaked treats so gonna give her them till she can be seen. I couldn't syringe feed her enough in terms of ml despite doing it constantly. I've toke a week off from work and now she will need another op not good. I'm hoping she'll be able to sustain herself on soaked dry food alone I'll have to weigh daily
 
It's an unfortunate fact that most vets see so few guinea pigs that they can't learn from experience especially regarding dental matters. If the incisors are wearing slanted still, there is probably (but not definitely) something still wrong with the molars.

I imagine Northampton is too far, would the Guinea Pig Vet in Matlock be reachable for you? Or perhaps one of the vets on the forum recommended list? Recommended Guinea Pig Vets

PS it is best to keep all your posts on the same issue, in the same thread, to avoid confusion
 
I’m so sorry. Syringe feed as much and as often as you can. Leave piles of mushed soaked pellets on saucers for her & offer thin strips of veggies. If she’s having trouble picking up veggies due to incisors problem then hand feed or leave them upright (like in an egg cup so she can grab them from the cup). I’ve had to do this in the past
This is Melody, who had to have her incisors removed. In her egg cup would be strips of cucumber, carrot, pepper, and lettuce
1736757452814.webp
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
It's an unfortunate fact that most vets see so few guinea pigs that they can't learn from experience especially regarding dental matters. If the incisors are wearing slanted still, there is probably (but not definitely) something still wrong with the molars.

I imagine Northampton is too far, would the Guinea Pig Vet in Matlock be reachable for you? Or perhaps one of the vets on the forum recommended list? Recommended Guinea Pig Vets

PS it is best to keep all your posts on the same issue, in the same thread, to avoid confusion
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I've booked her booked in at the exotic vet I usually go to. I couldn't get in her in when I needed her to be seen that day at time. Her teeth have got worse from the operation but weren't right when I got her back I've got an appointment booked with another vet tomorrow to try find out what went wrong and if it can be fixed if not ill put her to sleep. The reason I made another thread is i wasn't getting responses and needed quick advice cus I was debating putting her down next day. I was panicking i don't typically most multiple threads haha. Thank you
 
SarahxCavia said:
I couldn't syringe feed her enough in terms of ml despite doing it constantly. I've toke a week off from work and now she will need another op not good. I'm hoping she'll be able to sustain herself on soaked dry food alone I'll have to weigh daily
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I don't know if the following is an issue for you, but when I was doing round-the-clock syringe feeding, I found it very strenuous emotionally (partly because I have difficulties with syringe feeding). It was helpful for me to have a friend in to help - sometimes 4 hands are better than 2 - even if just once or twice a day and the rest I struggled thru on my own. If not applicable, ignore.

Tiny little match sticks of veg are maybe not working for your Pig? I handfed these to my Dental problem guineas. Carrot is probably too hard but softer veg like chicory might work - my guineas took that, even smaller than match stick size. Another possibility - fine-grating and handfeeding that.

Thinking of you both.
 
SarahxCavia said:
No but thank you for trying x I'm gonna go to another vet that I've been to before that has an exotics person and hope I can get in asap to see if they think the other vet didn't do the op right or if they think it will keep repeating. I've figured out shell eat soaked treats so gonna give her them till she can be seen. I couldn't syringe feed her enough in terms of ml despite doing it constantly. I've toke a week off from work and now she will need another op not good. I'm hoping she'll be able to sustain herself on soaked dry food alone I'll have to weigh daily
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I am not sure if it is still running but there was a Guinea pig train where volunteers took my piggies to TEAS for the vet to do the Dental
Check with Debbie who runs this
The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary
20 Fleetwind Drive
East Hunsbury
Northampton
NN4 0ST
07725 489595
www.teasnorthampton.co.uk
 
Best of luck for tomorrow! Have you tried little pieces of grass, fed by hand? That might work 🤞
If you've for a decent exotics vet to work with tomorrow they should be able to identify any issues easily enough. Hopefully it will be an easy fix! ❤️
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
I don't know if the following is an issue for you, but when I was doing round-the-clock syringe feeding, I found it very strenuous emotionally (partly because I have difficulties with syringe feeding). It was helpful for me to have a friend in to help - sometimes 4 hands are better than 2 - even if just once or twice a day and the rest I struggled thru on my own. If not applicable, ignore.

Tiny little match sticks of veg are maybe not working for your Pig? I handfed these to my Dental problem guineas. Carrot is probably too hard but softer veg like chicory might work - my guineas took that, even smaller than match stick size. Another possibility - fine-grating and handfeeding that.

Thinking of you both.
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Thank you , yeah me and my dad were doing it we've worked out she likes her but to be held when having the syringe or she starts turning around funny girl haha. I've checked in her mouth and her teeth have gone worse than when she had an op. I've got an appointment booked tomorrow hoping I can get some answers.
 
Wheekallweek said:
Best of luck for tomorrow! Have you tried little pieces of grass, fed by hand? That might work 🤞
If you've for a decent exotics vet to work with tomorrow they should be able to identify any issues easily enough. Hopefully it will be an easy fix! ❤️
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Thank you xx infortnely I don't have grass but she used to be able to handle hay but now cant. And she could only eat blueberries and now cant here teeth have got worse than before the op. So I question if it was done correctly. Hoping to get answers from another vet x
 
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