Dental Worried the vet hurt my piggie

[Gigi Boyer]

Recently came back from holiday to find my three year old boy had lost around 100g and was barely eating. His top incisors were chipped and grey and his bottom ones were significantly over grown. We immediately started him on syringe feed and arranged a vet appointment for a few days time. Once there, she checked him over thoroughly, felt his belly and looked in his ears, mouth and teeth. She was mainly concerned about his lower incisors which she said needed to be filed down (she didn't have anything to say about the damaged upper ones), so she took him away and came back a few minutes later saying it was done, but then asked me why he was unable to close his mouth. I was confused because as far as I knew, his mouth was closing fine, and after just performing an examination and procedure on him I felt like she should be the one to answer that question, not me. Sure enough, his lower jaw was stuck open and there was blood on his teeth where she had filed them. I didn't understand how I could have never noticed that before, especially after several days of syringe feeding, and she had just checked him over thoroughly only minutes earlier and it didn't appear to be stuck open, it was only once he came back from having his teeth filed. But since she was the expert I assumed I had just been inattentive so I took him home after being told to keep an eye on it. I was extremely confused and worried so I went back to some photos I'd taken of him the day we began syringe feeding and his jaw was clearly closing normally. Two weeks later and the poor guy still can't hold his mouth closed and is still on syringe feed. I'm worried she has injured him and tried to make it appear that it had already been that way, because I just can't understand how there is photographic evidence that his mouth was closing days earlier, and she'd just performed an exam on him but somehow only noticed it after she was done filing. Anyone ever encountered a similar issue? I'm at a loss as to how to help the poor guy now, and there are no piggy savvy vets in my area.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Something isn't right and it makes me wonder if the jaw is dislocated. Is he able to eat at all? It may well be that the problem isn't only incisor related and is a back teeth problem, as overgrown teeth can cause the jaw to be unable to close. Where about do you live?

 

[Wiebke]

Recently came back from holiday to find my three year old boy had lost around 100g and was barely eating. His top incisors were chipped and grey and his bottom ones were significantly over grown. We immediately started him on syringe feed and arranged a vet appointment for a few days time. Once there, she checked him over thoroughly, felt his belly and looked in his ears, mouth and teeth. She was mainly concerned about his lower incisors which she said needed to be filed down (she didn't have anything to say about the damaged upper ones), so she took him away and came back a few minutes later saying it was done, but then asked me why he was unable to close his mouth. I was confused because as far as I knew, his mouth was closing fine, and after just performing an examination and procedure on him I felt like she should be the one to answer that question, not me. Sure enough, his lower jaw was stuck open and there was blood on his teeth where she had filed them. I didn't understand how I could have never noticed that before, especially after several days of syringe feeding, and she had just checked him over thoroughly only minutes earlier and it didn't appear to be stuck open, it was only once he came back from having his teeth filed. But since she was the expert I assumed I had just been inattentive so I took him home after being told to keep an eye on it. I was extremely confused and worried so I went back to some photos I'd taken of him the day we began syringe feeding and his jaw was clearly closing normally. Two weeks later and the poor guy still can't hold his mouth closed and is still on syringe feed. I'm worried she has injured him and tried to make it appear that it had already been that way, because I just can't understand how there is photographic evidence that his mouth was closing days earlier, and she'd just performed an exam on him but somehow only noticed it after she was done filing. Anyone ever encountered a similar issue? I'm at a loss as to how to help the poor guy now, and there are no piggy savvy vets in my area.

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry. @furryfriends (TEAS) is our most dental savvy member as she is running a sanctuary for guinea pigs with chronic dental disease in the UK.

It is unfortunately that guinea pigs don't feature much in a general vet's training and that dental care for guinea pigs is not at all featured in vet training. Guinea pig teeth can overgrow very quickly again, but it is likely that there is either a major problem with the mouth or that your vet has filed wrongly.

 

[Gigi Boyer]

Something isn't right and it makes me wonder if the jaw is dislocated. Is he able to eat at all? It may well be that the problem isn't only incisor related and is a back teeth problem, as overgrown teeth can cause the jaw to be unable to close. Where about do you live?

Thank you for the reply! I live in New Zealand and we have so few resources here for piggies! We spoke to another vet who also suggested the molars may be over grown but said the procedure to file them down was extremely traumatic for the piggy and probably not worth it. However this vet also tried to tell me that daily green veggies provided enough vitamin c, so I'm taking what he says with a grain of salt. Would it be worth going ahead with the molars filing or perhaps an x-ray?

 

[Gigi Boyer]

Something isn't right and it makes me wonder if the jaw is dislocated. Is he able to eat at all? It may well be that the problem isn't only incisor related and is a back teeth problem, as overgrown teeth can cause the jaw to be unable to close. Where about do you live?

Oh and no he is unable to eat

 

[McGoo_E]

Sorry to go off-topic, but daily green veggies don't provide enough vitamin c? I thought if I chose veggies high in vitamin c, that my gals would be okay?

 

[Gigi Boyer]

Sorry to go off-topic, but daily green veggies don't provide enough vitamin c? I thought if I chose veggies high in vitamin c, that my gals would be okay?

As far as I am aware no, they'd have to eat a huge amount of veggies to get the recommended amount which is why it's always advisable to supplement, especially for sick piggies. But I am no expert, that's just my understanding and I could be wrong!

 

[Reenie]

You shouldn't need to give guinea pigs any vitamin supplements if they have the recommened 80% hay and the rest veggies and about a tablespoon of pellets.... Even the pellets aren't essential. If you think about it - where would they get supplements in the wild?
I'm so sorry your wee lad is struggling. It would be worth getting a second opinion from the vet who gave you that information. It seems like he does know a bit about piggies.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Daily green vegetable does provide enough Vitamin C as long as it’s nice and fresh. I’d have an X-ray done first and find out if it’s molar spurs or a damage to the jaw from your first vet visit. So sorry this has happened, poor little piggie x