Hello,
I would like your opinion on Sol, my 5 and 1/2 year old guinea pig. For the last few months she is having a problem with her teeth. Every couple of months or a month and a half her teeth grow and she has to have them filed down.
Last time this happened was 2 days ago, on Wednesday the 22nd of July and it was the third time this happens! The time before last was 2 months ago in late May and the first time it happened was in early April.
The vet who filed her teeth is really experienced and competent and I am sure she did a great job all 3 times. Especially the last 2 times she even took a cotton swab after she was done and ran it along her teeth to make sure there where no sharp edges. Also she got the shape correct so it exactly matches the shape of a premolar and molar.
But for some reason that even the vet can't explain she keeps having problems with her teeth. It looks like the problem is caused by the chewing forces applied since her jaw x rays are good and it is the first time this happens to her! The vet told me that in some cases once this starts it's going to be a recurrent problem and I am afraid that Sol is going to have to have her teeth filed down every 2 months.
Otherwise she is in fairly good health. The rest of the health problems she has are a few bladder stones (she has always had bladder stones form a young age) but we managed to keep her stable with diet modifications and now she is in no pain or discomfort from them. Also, she has really large ovaries (unsure whether it's polycystic ovary syndrom or masses) and the vet will operate on her this Monday on the 27th.
Here I would like to state that according to the vet none of her other health problems could cause her teeth problems and also she is not anorexic. There has never been a period where she stops eating and is anorexic and her teeth have time to grow and missalign. It's actually her teeth that cause her to stop eating and when this happens she is ravenous and will even eat critical care willingly!
Also, her teeth don't always grow the same way, but in different directions every time. For example the second time it happened her lower teeth where growing outwards!! Last time it happened only her right lower premolar was really pointy and growing over her tongue and the rest of her teeth where good.
Have you had any experience with recurring malocclusion? Any thoughts on what would cause this?
Sol, malocclusion 3rd time in a row
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Talishan
- You can quote me
The odd growth of the teeth could be from some form of root damage, or simply genetics. Also, we have had more than one pig whose teeth have gotten a little wonky, sometimes weaker, as they have aged.
You have a fantastic vet. If your vet can do this quality of dental work, Sol recovers well, and if you can manage it, just keep doing what you're doing.
Best to Sol and please keep us posted on how she's doing.
You have a fantastic vet. If your vet can do this quality of dental work, Sol recovers well, and if you can manage it, just keep doing what you're doing.
Best to Sol and please keep us posted on how she's doing.
Hello and thank you for your replies!
According to the vet there's nothing wrong with her jaw or roots based on the X-ray, also genetics is unlikely since she never had any tooth problems until after she turned 5 years old.
I think I do have a super vet! I am really lucky to have found her. After all 3 occasions, Sol was able to eat as soon as the anaesthesia began to wear off. And also Sol's teeth remain in a good condition until she starts chewing funny again and they misalign.
Her diet has all kinds of greens and vegetables with a bit of fruit, oxbow timothy hay (but also other types of oxbow hay like orchard, oat, meadow, etc) and Beaphar Nature pellets (which are 49% timothy hay).
I live in Greece and until very recently we didn't import Oxbow products, so Sol's diet was based again on a plethora of greens, Homefriends hay and Cavia Nature Rebalance (from Versele Laga). As soon as Oxbow became available to me and the vet instructed me to try Beaphar pellets she hasn't had any more bladder problems besides the occasional pain from passing a stone. She has very few stones (2 or 3 I think) and her sludge cleared up.
According to the vet there's nothing wrong with her jaw or roots based on the X-ray, also genetics is unlikely since she never had any tooth problems until after she turned 5 years old.
I think I do have a super vet! I am really lucky to have found her. After all 3 occasions, Sol was able to eat as soon as the anaesthesia began to wear off. And also Sol's teeth remain in a good condition until she starts chewing funny again and they misalign.
Her diet has all kinds of greens and vegetables with a bit of fruit, oxbow timothy hay (but also other types of oxbow hay like orchard, oat, meadow, etc) and Beaphar Nature pellets (which are 49% timothy hay).
I live in Greece and until very recently we didn't import Oxbow products, so Sol's diet was based again on a plethora of greens, Homefriends hay and Cavia Nature Rebalance (from Versele Laga). As soon as Oxbow became available to me and the vet instructed me to try Beaphar pellets she hasn't had any more bladder problems besides the occasional pain from passing a stone. She has very few stones (2 or 3 I think) and her sludge cleared up.
Do you think root problems are still a possibility although the x-ray looks normal? Also, why would these problems manifest after she turned 5?
Talishan, could you pelase write what happened to the pigs that their teeth got a bit weak when they aged? What where their symptoms and did they need to have their teeth repeatedly filed down?
Talishan, could you pelase write what happened to the pigs that their teeth got a bit weak when they aged? What where their symptoms and did they need to have their teeth repeatedly filed down?
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Talishan
- You can quote me
She may just have an odd bite, or this may be simply from aging. If possible I'd just get her teeth done as necessary, at least until or unless you can gather more information about what (if anything in particular) is causing it.
You're caring for her beautifully, in a difficult economic situation on top of it. Kudos to you.
Edited to add : I'll be happy to, but it'll be easier on a full computer. I'll try to do so over the weekend.
You're caring for her beautifully, in a difficult economic situation on top of it. Kudos to you.
Edited to add : I'll be happy to, but it'll be easier on a full computer. I'll try to do so over the weekend.
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Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Here is your guinea pig:
[Moved to different thread - Lynx]
Does your vet by any chance have the ability to take good before and after pictures of her teeth trimming? Or share any tips or techniques she uses? It is possible they might help other vets. As I mentioned we have had other guinea pigs who had dental work done and it was a struggle to get them to eat again. Pain medication sometimes helps.
[Moved to different thread - Lynx]
Does your vet by any chance have the ability to take good before and after pictures of her teeth trimming? Or share any tips or techniques she uses? It is possible they might help other vets. As I mentioned we have had other guinea pigs who had dental work done and it was a struggle to get them to eat again. Pain medication sometimes helps.
Last edited by Lynx on Sat Jul 25, 2015 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
To my knowledge, my vet has only taken one picture of Sol, the last time she fixed her teeth. Also, the vet is extremely busy. Usually she works really long hours, at times having one surgery after the other, so I would feel uncomfortable if I asked her to write.
I think that guinea pigs are really special about their mouth, so maybe although, to us, it looks like their teeth are in the correct size and shape, to them they still feel funny. Maybe this is why they have problems eating even after vets file them down.
Pain medication always provides comfort. I have good experience with meloxicam. Maybe it's also the meloxicam that helps Sol to keep her appetite, since it takes some of the pain and inflammation away.
(Lynx, thanks for taking the time to upload the pic but this is Hel, her thread has the title "Lymphoma??". I sent you the link through email, I can send it again if there are any problems. Also, I will ask my vet for Sol's picture of her pointy tooth and if she still has the pic and she can send it to me, I will email you)
I think that guinea pigs are really special about their mouth, so maybe although, to us, it looks like their teeth are in the correct size and shape, to them they still feel funny. Maybe this is why they have problems eating even after vets file them down.
Pain medication always provides comfort. I have good experience with meloxicam. Maybe it's also the meloxicam that helps Sol to keep her appetite, since it takes some of the pain and inflammation away.
(Lynx, thanks for taking the time to upload the pic but this is Hel, her thread has the title "Lymphoma??". I sent you the link through email, I can send it again if there are any problems. Also, I will ask my vet for Sol's picture of her pointy tooth and if she still has the pic and she can send it to me, I will email you)
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Talishan
- You can quote me
A little bit about aging and teeth, in my experience at our house.
We've had any number of seniors (usually boars) who develop wonky teeth as they age. They're usually incisors (which is why I can notice them), but we've had one or two to develop small points on the molars that according to the vet, weren't causing any problems and didn't need filing. One pig had the premolars out of line with the molars -- slightly offset, both sides, on the lower jaw. This didn't seem to affect eating. I think we had his molars trimmed once, and after that he was fine.
We've had several to develop permanent incisor oddities as seniors. Most of these were also heart pigs. At least two had permanently missing incisors; the teeth broke off or fell off, and just didn't regrow after a period of time. All we did for them was to file the opposing incisor (usually the top, but not always) IF or when it overgrew. I emphasize "if", because it not always did. Sometimes it maintained correct, or close to correct, length on its own, even with little or nothing to work against in opposition. We got to where we could clip incisors at home with a couple of these pigs.
Two developed a third "peg tooth" incisor, in back of or to the side of the normal two (I think both of these were on the bottom). If or when these became a problem, the vet clipped them. They weren't always a problem and didn't have to be clipped regularly, only when (or if) they became problematical.
Several of the most senior boars developed incisors with a large gap between them (these usually on the top). I'd keep an eye on it but they didn't ever seem to get hay bits or vegetable bits stuck in them. Nearly all of our senior pigs developed discolored incisors; greenish or brownish (think coffee stains on human teeth). None of these were ever a problem.
There's lots of wonky dental stuff that can develop as they age. In my experience only, the majority of it isn't a problem and if it requires care or vet attention, it's not chronic or repeating, just incidental. These kind of incidental developments, or nonstandard dentition, seem to bother the pigs not at all.
We've had any number of seniors (usually boars) who develop wonky teeth as they age. They're usually incisors (which is why I can notice them), but we've had one or two to develop small points on the molars that according to the vet, weren't causing any problems and didn't need filing. One pig had the premolars out of line with the molars -- slightly offset, both sides, on the lower jaw. This didn't seem to affect eating. I think we had his molars trimmed once, and after that he was fine.
We've had several to develop permanent incisor oddities as seniors. Most of these were also heart pigs. At least two had permanently missing incisors; the teeth broke off or fell off, and just didn't regrow after a period of time. All we did for them was to file the opposing incisor (usually the top, but not always) IF or when it overgrew. I emphasize "if", because it not always did. Sometimes it maintained correct, or close to correct, length on its own, even with little or nothing to work against in opposition. We got to where we could clip incisors at home with a couple of these pigs.
Two developed a third "peg tooth" incisor, in back of or to the side of the normal two (I think both of these were on the bottom). If or when these became a problem, the vet clipped them. They weren't always a problem and didn't have to be clipped regularly, only when (or if) they became problematical.
Several of the most senior boars developed incisors with a large gap between them (these usually on the top). I'd keep an eye on it but they didn't ever seem to get hay bits or vegetable bits stuck in them. Nearly all of our senior pigs developed discolored incisors; greenish or brownish (think coffee stains on human teeth). None of these were ever a problem.
There's lots of wonky dental stuff that can develop as they age. In my experience only, the majority of it isn't a problem and if it requires care or vet attention, it's not chronic or repeating, just incidental. These kind of incidental developments, or nonstandard dentition, seem to bother the pigs not at all.
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