Steve's teeth?

Post Reply
User avatar
RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Tue Oct 11, 2005 9:55 am


How many days should it take before he's eating normally? I still have to cut up veg for him, but he's starting to eat lettuce leaves without help. He can manage hay, but doesn't want to eat his pellets (still slurping CC, although I'm trying to get him to eat more regular food).

User avatar
RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:32 pm


Partially for my own reference:

Vet said that I should stop the antibiotic for tonight and see if Steve's appetite is up tomorrow. He would have expected Steve to be 100% by now, because the amount of overgrowth was not that bad. Steve's white cell count had been a little elevated prior to this, so he's considering another blood test to see if that's still elevated. Will re-evaluate in the AM. Steve's weight is still low.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Oct 11, 2005 2:46 pm


I hope that stopping the antibiotics gives his appetite a boost. I think if he is eating hay and maintaining his weight, that is great.

User avatar
RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:17 pm


He was up to 2lbs earlier, after the trim, but he's back to 1lb 14 oz again. His average weight is more like 2lbs 2-3 oz.

User avatar
lisam

Post   » Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:48 pm


Sometimes the teeth get fixed, but whatever it was that caused the teeth problem in the first place is still there. Or maybe the muscles in the jaws get lazy? Would a chin sling help? Oh wait, you already talked to Pinta about that, didn't you?

User avatar
RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:20 pm


Am talking. Need more info.

That's what the vet said, that maybe something else is amiss. The teeth weren't as bad as he expected, although they did need a trim.

User avatar
lisam

Post   » Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:27 pm


Were xrays taken? Could he have elongated roots? Root infections?

User avatar
RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Wed Oct 12, 2005 9:54 am


Grr. No, although they should have been done. Steve is going back for x rays and bloodwork in a few days. The vet wants to recheck his white count and I want them to look at his roots.

On the plus side, he is eating more and is up to 2 lbs 1 oz as of this morning. I think maybe the antibiotic didn't sit well with him.

User avatar
Amy0204
We miss our sweet Oreo

Post   » Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:55 am


This is more out of curiousity than anything else, but the picture of Rosie is prompting this. Can one examine a pig's teeth without putting him under?

User avatar
snowflakey
E's Moriarity

Post   » Wed Oct 12, 2005 1:26 pm


I think big, obvious, way-far-gone tooth problems like entrapment are very clear with a mouth examination. Unfortunately, many tooth problems can't be seen, particularly if you catch them early. Some problems, like root elongation and other internal issues like abscesses can't be seen without x-rays. It also seems like there are problems that you just get hunches about and can't see them (like muscular problems), although you can see the effects.

User avatar
Paravati
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Wed Oct 12, 2005 1:57 pm


Rosie's teeth were seen under a direct examination with him squiggling and screaming while the vet checked him with an otoscope. Of course, his was such an advanced case it was probably hard to miss the fact that his tongue was entrapped and flapping around in the front of his mouth.

Echo, who had degenerative bone and jaw cancer, leading to all the teeth on one side of her mouth dying and turning black and disintegrating, was also seen at first with just an otoscope while she was awake. It was possible to tell there was "something wrong" but we needed to put her under to really SEE it.

(Here is a picture of Echo's degenerative teeth condition (under sedation).

Other pigs, my vet has seen mouth infections (so we knew there were teeth problems), points on the molars, or overgrown situations, all without sedation. Some times, I'd just ask her to go ahead and sedate them because I KNEW there were teeth problems and she trusted my judgement.

I guess in my opinion, diagnosing teeth with an awake pig is kind of hit-or-miss.

And, root elongation or TMJ or something like that, you can't see unless you put the pig under or do further diagnostics.

User avatar
RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:45 pm


My vet could see some points and a sore on his tongue with the otoscope, but couldn't get a clear view until Steve was out.

Come to think of it, Jules' teeth were also inspected under anesthesia, when he had his eye growth removed. In that case, we found nothing amiss.

Post Reply