Baxter's med thread
Just wanted to report that while Baxter did fine with other veggies immediately, I had to tear up his lettuce into smaller chunks for three feedings. This morning I didn't do that to see how he'd do, and he did just fine and didn't need any help. His new and improved choppers must be working!
Baxter is having some trouble chewing. I think he could benefit from a chin sling and I thought I'd check in to see what you guys think.
On Thursday he was fine. I went out of town and today I returned to find him having some difficulty chewing. He has a very hard time taking a bite out of hard things like carrots, and some difficulty tearing softer things like lettuce. I have seen him spit out carrot twice, but he seems to chew lettuce fine once he tears it and gets it in his mouth. Same with pepper. I checked his front teeth to make sure he didn't lose one that would cause difficulty tearing, but they look like they always have. I let him gnaw on me and he has no trouble inflicting pain by biting me with his front teeth.
The reason I think it might be a situation where he could benefit from a chin sling is because while I had him on my lap to watch him eating, I put my finger under his chin and he seemed to enjoy me supporting the weight of his lower jaw. He also let me massage his jaw for a good length of time, which I can't imagine him allowing if it didn't feel good. I tried to offer food while supporting his lower jaw, but it freaked him out too much and I couldn't convince him to try chewing with my hand under his jaw.
What do you think? He wasn't maloccluded last time, and his jaw didn't and doesn't appear to hang slack. However, I'm wondering if he has a condition similar to Pinta's Willie (from GL's Chin Sling page). Should I hunt down the materials to make him a chin sling and see if it helps?
On Thursday he was fine. I went out of town and today I returned to find him having some difficulty chewing. He has a very hard time taking a bite out of hard things like carrots, and some difficulty tearing softer things like lettuce. I have seen him spit out carrot twice, but he seems to chew lettuce fine once he tears it and gets it in his mouth. Same with pepper. I checked his front teeth to make sure he didn't lose one that would cause difficulty tearing, but they look like they always have. I let him gnaw on me and he has no trouble inflicting pain by biting me with his front teeth.
The reason I think it might be a situation where he could benefit from a chin sling is because while I had him on my lap to watch him eating, I put my finger under his chin and he seemed to enjoy me supporting the weight of his lower jaw. He also let me massage his jaw for a good length of time, which I can't imagine him allowing if it didn't feel good. I tried to offer food while supporting his lower jaw, but it freaked him out too much and I couldn't convince him to try chewing with my hand under his jaw.
What do you think? He wasn't maloccluded last time, and his jaw didn't and doesn't appear to hang slack. However, I'm wondering if he has a condition similar to Pinta's Willie (from GL's Chin Sling page). Should I hunt down the materials to make him a chin sling and see if it helps?
Just wanted to update quickly. I went ahead and made a chin sling and tried it on him to see what he thought. It's bizarre, but I could swear he seems happier. I decided to give him some food while he had it on to see what happened, and he was hesitant to try at first but now he's enthusiastically chowing down and appears to be doing better than without it on. I think the sling still needs some adjusting, now that I've tried it on him, but I'm letting him wear it for about 20 minutes tonight just to let him get a feel for it. I'm so glad I tried it, though, because I can already see that it's useful for him. I'm not comfortable leaving it on him for any length of time without supervision yet, so I'm excited to get home tomorrow and have tomorrow night and the weekend to really test it out.
I purchased the chin sling pattern through Pinta and she was so helpful in answering my questions. I sent her an email last night and asked some questions and ended up sorting it out and buying/receiving the pattern all in one day. It was really great.
I purchased the chin sling pattern through Pinta and she was so helpful in answering my questions. I sent her an email last night and asked some questions and ended up sorting it out and buying/receiving the pattern all in one day. It was really great.
I have noticed that Baxter's front teeth are slanted and his chin is a bit wet today. However, once he tears food he doesn't have much trouble chewing anymore. I haven't had the chin sling on him long so I can't imagine it's the problem. Does this imply that he's favoring one side of his mouth when chewing? When I look at him straight on, I can't tell that he's obviously favoring one side over the other at all. Do you think if he has his teeth planed and then we go straight to intensive Chin Sling use it'll be manageable, or do the slanted teeth imply something about his jaw that the sling doesn't help? I'm doing a search but it seems as though many posts about slanted incisors just drop off when the original poster stops posting in the thread. I did notice that many pigs in the threads don't eat at all because of pain. Baxter eats slowly because he has trouble tearing, but he eats his veggies enthusiastically. He doesn't seem to be going for pellets, but I supplement with chunky Critical Care so that he has to chew it up.
Of course, Baxter being Baxter, he doesn't want anything to do with the veggies that I tear FOR him. He goes straight for the stuff I don't rip up that is intended for Jeeves. Right now I have him out of the cage on the bed feeding him his veggies separately so that I can watch him closely (and better make sure Jeeves isn't stealing) and he's trudging right along without any help from me.
Of course, Baxter being Baxter, he doesn't want anything to do with the veggies that I tear FOR him. He goes straight for the stuff I don't rip up that is intended for Jeeves. Right now I have him out of the cage on the bed feeding him his veggies separately so that I can watch him closely (and better make sure Jeeves isn't stealing) and he's trudging right along without any help from me.
-
- You can quote me
"Do you think if he has his teeth planed and then we go straight to intensive Chin Sling use it'll be manageable, or do the slanted teeth imply something about his jaw that the sling doesn't help?"
My gut instinct is that the answer to question #1 is yes, but Pinta is the one who will know for sure. I'd email her.
I will say we've had more than one pig with less-than-perfect incisors and the occasional random point on a molar or premolar and they've done just fine. Slanted incisors are not always indicative of a problem, only about 99.97 percent of the time.
My gut instinct is that the answer to question #1 is yes, but Pinta is the one who will know for sure. I'd email her.
I will say we've had more than one pig with less-than-perfect incisors and the occasional random point on a molar or premolar and they've done just fine. Slanted incisors are not always indicative of a problem, only about 99.97 percent of the time.