Coco's tooth

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:25 pm


Will do!

Marjorie_61

Post   » Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:59 am


Well I'm off to the vet tomorrow, getting really nervous. I have two last questions before I go. My teachers at school (I am taking a Veterinarian Technician course) who are vets but don't really know anything about guinea pigs keep saying Coco's bottom incisors look too long. What do you guys think? I took Taz out, my other guinea pig and was looking in his mouth for comparison but they look just as long and he is perfectly healthy. Coco is eating fine and acting fine, all except I noticed the harder objects in his cage like his giant "cardboard" tube isn't being chewed at all, when it used to be devoured every couple months. So I am worried to get his teeth trimmed and then he stops eating, when he is eating fine now. I am thinking, x-rays, possible lancing of the abcess if thats what it is, and some antibiotics....although he reacted really badly to Baytril last time he was on it. Also I was wondering how exactly they do the dental radiographs? The pictures on this site basically just show a radiograph of the whole skull, so I am guessing they need to take one from each side? Also how can you tell if the molars are say entrapping the tongue from a side shot radiograph? Anyways these are just some of the questions I have lingering in my head as I head into tomorrow's appointment. Thanks in advance for any advice.

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PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:40 am


His lower incisors don't look to long to me, I wouldn't trim them unless they touched the roof of his mouth IMO. I've had dental x-rays done, in my case they did the whole skull two side views. Tongue entrapment can be usually be seen visually. Is this the same vet that wanted to give your pig a shot of penicillin? If so, you may want to take as much info with you as possible. Print out anything that you think will help, especially the dangerous medications list. My pigs have had trouble with Baytril also, so I always opt for Bactrim which has so far worked well on my pigs problems. Good luck.

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ShadowBlasko
Supporter in '05

Post   » Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:22 am


Wow. That looks EXACTLY like Skittles lowers.

He cracked one chewing on his cage (I think) and now it looks a lot like that.

Truth be told I have not worried all that much about it, since he still eats just fine, and his weight and activity levels are stable. He's a huge pig, over 3 pounds, and since we don't know his age I worry about anethesia (had some bad results before)

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:16 am


Take a look at this page to see some typical teeth (each pig is different though):

www.guinealynx.info/_broken.html

I think teeth should be longer than people think they should be. What you watch out for is touching the roof of the mouth and causing injury.

Marjorie_61

Post   » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:42 am


Thanks so much for all of your input. I have already printed out every page on medications, anesthetics, teeth, etc. hehe and got the names of all the dentistry vets in Ontario (I live in Canada), as well as all the "Guinea pig vets" (although the one who tried to give him penicillin was on there, so don't know how good the list is). This way the vet I am going to can call another vet for advice if she is not quite sure what to do. I am not going to the vet that tried to give him the penicillin, I am going to a vet with little experience with guinea pigs (but some wildlife experience) who is open to listening to my advice. I am worried about anesthesia as well because I had to sedate guinea pigs, gerbils, and rats at school this year and before each class our teacher would say its not your fault if your rodent dies, some of them can have adverse reactions to the anesthetic. So I am going to try to avoid it as much as I can. He is normally good at the vets because he gets scared and just lets them do anything. With me he squirms and tries to be tough. He has such an attitude and thats why I love him so much. Just a little cute note: when I went to the pet store to get a guinea pig, to keep me company after my 19 year old dog died. There was a female and a male in different cages the female would come right up to you and want attention, Coco just looked at me then turned around to put his back to me and lied down, saying go away and leave me alone...I was in love :) Thanks again, I feel better prepared with all your input, this site is great! I will let you know what happens today.

Marjorie_61

Post   » Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:53 pm


Well I am back from the vet, got x-rays done and not a big surprise but Coco has a big hole in his tooth below the gum line. So since its a continually growing tooth she said to just leave it and it should eventually grow out and break off. She didn't want to put him on antibiotics because of his last experience with them. Not sure if this is the best way to go, seeing that his gums are all red and if it is an abcess it could go into his jaw and eat away at his jaw. But at least I know what it is now. I will be back at home in 2 weeks, instead of up in the middle of now where at school. I found another vet in my hometown that is a dentistry vet and specialized in wildlife. So I will go to him with my problem and see what he says. Also I think I am going to buy some buccal pad separators so I can properly see, or let the vet see the his molars and make sure they are ok. She had one shot of his molars that were actually visible but I don't know what I would see in an abnormality on an x-ray. Anyways thats the update, if anybody knows of a topical antibiotic that could be used in a Guinea pigs mouth that would be great. Thanks for everybody's help!

Marjorie_61

Post   » Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:13 pm


Anybody know if Baby Anbesol is ok to use in my guinea pigs mouth?

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PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:11 am


Coco's gum does look really sore, but I have never heard of using Baby Anbesol for an animal though. Did you give Coco any probiotics during or after his Baytril treatment?

Marjorie_61

Post   » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:02 am


I did give Coco probiotics as soon as he wasn't eating and had diarrhea, I hadn't thought to do it as I was giving it, as I really knew nothing about guinea pigs until he got sick then researched like crazy. Also I wasn't a vet tech student yet, he was a spur of the moment purchase after my dog died. Now at school I am known as the guinea pig girl because I know more about guinea pigs then my vet teachers. Although compared to all of you I know nothing.

Marjorie_61

Post   » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:13 am


I have a veterinary drug handbook that tells me all the doses for guinea pigs, I was also wondering if anybody has every given Aspirin to their guinea pig, as it would help with pain and be a antiinflammatory. Its so hard for me to medicate my pets when I don't even medicate myself unless I am deadly ill or in great pain. I just like the natural way so much better. So if anybody has any natural remedies to inflammation and pain, or to an antibiotic that would be great.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:35 am


Aspirin is listed in some of the references I have. It's on the analgesics page but since there can be problems, we only recommend using it under veterinary supervision.

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