Jan's Toothy Smile medical thread

daisymay · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 2:37 am

This is a picture of Jan's mouth. Jan is just over 2 years old, ever since we got her she has been a dribbly eater. but slowly over time her incisors have gotten worse to where they now look like this. Should I be worried?

Sorry for the largeness of this picture. Hope you can see the problem, where you have up the top a left and a right incisor they are seperating at the middle and the left incisor is slowly turning inward going behind the right one.

Hope I have not confused you all. Thanks for any suggestions.

GPIG · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 2:51 am

I do see what you mean about her left turning. If it's just dribbling eating and she’s able to eat all foods without discomfort or frustration, if she were mine, I think i would just keep an eye on it for now.

Teeth seem to be so tricky I wouldn't let anyone do anything to them unless it was causing a serious problem. I’ve heard too many stories of harm coming to them in regards to teeth when it wasn’t a serious problem to begin with.

Talishan · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 4:32 am

Ditto GPIG. If her weight is stable and no tooth is so long or sideways that it injures her mouth or lips, I'd keep an eye on it but otherwise leave it alone.

daisymay · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 9:41 am

Thanks for the replies, our vet wanted to remove incisors and make her have regular teeth filings and have us cutting her food up small for the rest of her life.

She does get a green chin, and her skin gets red from the moisture so we use a hair drier to dry it.

Here's a picture of her wet chin, she's always had wet chin from day one when we got her over 2 years ago.

GPIG · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:00 am

I think I would try cutting up the food but I would absolutely not have incisors removed or the regular teeth filing, at least not at this point.

I'm in no position of experience to advise against the advice of a vet, but perhaps another opinion?

bpatters · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:40 am

If you have to cut the food, cut it in slivers, not in chunks. It seems to be easier for them to eat.

Talishan · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:56 pm

Ditto bpatters. Long, thin slivers of things seem to be easiest for them to eat.

"Here's a picture of her wet chin, she's always had wet chin from day one when we got her over 2 years ago. "

If her weight has held and she's been otherwise normal for those two years, I'd just leave her alone.

"I'm in no position of experience to advise against the advice of a vet,"

Oh, hey, I will!! :-) In a flat heartbeat! ;-)

Lots of guinea pigs' dentition is not perfect. If it works for them IMO it doesn't need to be. I am against tweaking things for perfection that don't need to be, because the animal has successfully accommodated whatever that "it" may be.

TL;DR: if it ain't broke don't fix it.

bpatters · Post » Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:58 pm

Ditto Talishan! I've seen some totally incompetent vet recommendations and have no problem advising against them. We had one recent pig at GPC with an x-ray with an obvious stone in the bladder, but the vet said it couldn't be a stone because he couldn't see it on ultrasound. WTF?

Talishan · Post » Wed Feb 04, 2015 12:49 am

I don't know how some of these people either obtain or retain veterinary licenses. :-(

Of course, there's a lot of folks with no business with a driver's license, either, so there you go. :-/

daisymay · Post » Wed Feb 04, 2015 9:01 am

Thanks for the replies. Jan has slowly gained weight, I think she was the runt of the litter and in the six months has put on 40grams.

I am just concerned about her chin and the skin at times the skin does look angry and red. And her teeth have gotten worse over last 2-4 weeks. As far as we can see she has NO prblems eating just dribbles at the side of her mouth. She picks up food just fine.

Post » Wed Feb 04, 2015 12:11 pm

Have you carefully watched how she eats? Does her mouth hang open at rest? I would try to watch a healthy guinea pig and see if you can observe how she is eating (movement of ears, swallowing, not eating in the same manner) to try to figure out what it is that is different. I take it the molars have been examined? Has a skull xray been done to check for abnormalities? Breaks in the jaw?

daisymay · Post » Thu Feb 05, 2015 7:47 am

No X-rays taken, no broken jaw. It's all I can do to stop vet removing incisors.

Have watched her eat compared to Jasmine and Joy and she chews the same as them. BUT the corners of her mouth seem to droop like she's sad.

It is through these corners she dribbles juice and tiny amounts of food. Hoping picture shows what I mean.

Mouth closes further than what Jasmine's does and about the same as Joy's. Molars have been looked at whilst Jan was awake not sedated. She is currently 850grams.

Post » Thu Feb 05, 2015 8:51 am

Read this over closely and see if anything matches:

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With no xray, you do not know if there is a jaw injury.

I do not know if you can see any tongue action at all but I think the tongue would also be involved in moving the food to the back. If there were anything going on with the molars (entrapment), this action would be affected. Should you have occasion to bring her in to a vet to be checked, I would bring along a healthy guinea pig and some treats to show how your pig is eating.

Talishan · Post » Sat Feb 07, 2015 5:29 am

Ditto Lynx.

I'm wondering if she has some slack jaw muscles. Do you have a Chin-Sling?

Otherwise, that corners-of-the-mouth thing is pretty common in humans as they age. It may just be a situation where if her weight stays stable, just treat the skin. There is absolutely no earthly reason to remove her incisors, but you know that.

daisymay · Post » Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:09 am

Well guess who turned 3 on Christmas Eve and got to wear these silly hats yet again. Mum amd Dad were so busy we'd hope they'd forgotten but no such luck.

We did get a few gifts and loads of treats weather was real hot but we had a good day.

We wish to apologise for largeness of our pictures. We did crop them. Piggy swear! Would we lie to you? I is Jan on the left and on my right is my Sister Joy. I am the pretty one though.

SoCalCavies · Post » Sun Jan 03, 2016 5:31 pm

I love your pictures, Daisymay!! The birthday girls look great!

As for Jan's teeth, all 7 of my guinea pigs had mouths that turned down like that & dribbled... all had skin that got wet & dirty and even seemed "angry" & "red" and there was nothing wrong with them. They also had all sorts of different-looking teeth, shapes & even varying lengths. In fact, Bandit only had 1 incisor on the top his last few years & even he did fine. Nature has a way of taking care of itself. I have to say it: If it ain't broke, don't fix it!! As for your vets, we already know the damage they can do. YOU are the best advocate for your piggies. So, if it doesn't sound right to you, my bet is on YOU!

Hugs to you all!! Happy Birthday & Happy New Year!!

daisymay · Post » Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:16 am

Thanks for the reply SoCalCavies. Girls had a lovely day. Days days in a row of special treats and presents. Birthday-Christmas Eve and Christmas.

I'm still watching the way they chew but less worried than I was. Jan still thinks she's the prettiest. Not too sure on that one.

daisymay · Post » Mon Jan 18, 2016 2:17 am

Hello all, before Christmas Jan had a bath and attack with the scissors. Now fur is fluffy and coarse to the touch. She does not appear to be in any sort of pain.

She's eating and pooping and peeing and is bright and alert. In November she was 900grams and is now 840grams but vet thinks this is due to lack of grass as we're in our Summer. Even though we grow catgrass for them. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Post » Mon Jan 18, 2016 8:47 am

Supplement with hand feeding?

Talishan · Post » Tue Jan 19, 2016 8:05 am

Ditto. Supplementing with Critical Care and/or pellet stew is the only reliable way I've found to help increase weight, or maintain it in an older piggie.