buccal pad separator emergency
- Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
I'll take pics of the parts a little later.
Actually, when I think back, the vet thought they might have pierced the skin, but she couldn't really tell, since she had to remove them by cutting up outside the mouth. They were totally trapped in the buccal pads. She said it was just like removing a fish hook - except there were three, not one.
No, I haven't used them before. I read the instructions very carefully, but even so there's no way this should have happened. They literally got trapped the minute they went into the buccal pads. And when I inserted the other separator, just one side, to try and ease the trapped ones out, it was immediately sucked into the same spot. So the poor pig had a whole separator stuck in both sides of her mouth, and one side of one in another side (two in one side, one in the other).
From what I can see, they're not bent at all - just cut into pieces, which had to be done to get them out (there goes $115!).
Actually, when I think back, the vet thought they might have pierced the skin, but she couldn't really tell, since she had to remove them by cutting up outside the mouth. They were totally trapped in the buccal pads. She said it was just like removing a fish hook - except there were three, not one.
No, I haven't used them before. I read the instructions very carefully, but even so there's no way this should have happened. They literally got trapped the minute they went into the buccal pads. And when I inserted the other separator, just one side, to try and ease the trapped ones out, it was immediately sucked into the same spot. So the poor pig had a whole separator stuck in both sides of her mouth, and one side of one in another side (two in one side, one in the other).
From what I can see, they're not bent at all - just cut into pieces, which had to be done to get them out (there goes $115!).
Something similar happened to me. I put the first separators in okay but when I put the second set in , Midnight's front leg escaped from the towel wrapped round her. She swiped at her mouth , caught the separator and the curly bit went into the side of her mouth like a hook in a fish. She was squealing but I managed to twist it round and pull it out. The dental equipment was put away never to be used again. I felt really awful but thankfully she was okay.
"I didn't even order the separators directly from Vedra - Webs got them for me, so I'm pretty sure there's no recourse at all. "
Regardless of where or from whom you purchased a product, the manufacturer is ultimately the one responsible if it's determined to be unsafe or defective.
Having tried to deal with Vedra myself, though, you may have great difficulties communicating with her. I do think the incident needs to be reported at the least.
I hope like heck the pig recovers okay, what a stressful time that had to have been!
Regardless of where or from whom you purchased a product, the manufacturer is ultimately the one responsible if it's determined to be unsafe or defective.
Having tried to deal with Vedra myself, though, you may have great difficulties communicating with her. I do think the incident needs to be reported at the least.
I hope like heck the pig recovers okay, what a stressful time that had to have been!
- Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
She's hanging in there. Her poop is tiny and dried up, in spite of handfeeding and subcue. Obviously I'm not getting enough Critical Care into her. But I just put some corn silk in, and she's at least nibbling that.
The problem I'm having now is not knowing how much of her condition is due to the cut mouth, and how much is due to the pneumonia, or some other unknown disease.
Once I get the photos off my camera, at least I'll email Vedra. Given our past communication, I would think it's highly unlikely she'll respond at all, but all I can do is try.
Given rosemary smyth's experience, I'm thinking it's either a design flaw, or a quality control issue. Either way, I know I did nothing out of the ordinary; and if it happened to me then think of the other disasters that could happen to people who may not have emergency vets available to them.
The problem I'm having now is not knowing how much of her condition is due to the cut mouth, and how much is due to the pneumonia, or some other unknown disease.
Once I get the photos off my camera, at least I'll email Vedra. Given our past communication, I would think it's highly unlikely she'll respond at all, but all I can do is try.
Given rosemary smyth's experience, I'm thinking it's either a design flaw, or a quality control issue. Either way, I know I did nothing out of the ordinary; and if it happened to me then think of the other disasters that could happen to people who may not have emergency vets available to them.
- Barbara Osborn
- Supporter from '05 - '12
The buccal pad separators that Lynx so kindy lent me for Jackson were the same design, I believe.
I joined to the two parts to make them one before inserting them. They are designed to be incoporated into each other. My vet used them successfully.
The wire circle does have a gap where the metal end doesn't quite join the rest of the piece. It would act like a large fish hook. Is that the part that got stuck in her mouth?
Poor girl. I hope that she rallys.
I joined to the two parts to make them one before inserting them. They are designed to be incoporated into each other. My vet used them successfully.
The wire circle does have a gap where the metal end doesn't quite join the rest of the piece. It would act like a large fish hook. Is that the part that got stuck in her mouth?
Poor girl. I hope that she rallys.
- Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
Yes, both ends got sucked into, or impaled in, her mouth. I could feel both ends from the outside way down on either side of her mouth, but they were very firmly lodged.The wire circle does have a gap where the metal end doesn't quite join the rest of the piece. It would act like a large fish hook. Is that the part that got stuck in her mouth?
- Webs
- Cavies 'n Cobwebs
Wow, Mum that's not so good. I've had my pads for years but haven't needed them so far to be honest. I haven't heard through the CCT or BAR of any problems arising from use of the pads as yet. This is a link to the BAR gallery showing them in place. They run various guinea pig courses in conjunction with the CCT.
buccal pads in place
They've never added additional cushions to any of their pads but I can see how it may be softer. I can only suggest to try and get a hold of Vedra again as she knows the pads I ordered were for yourself.
buccal pads in place
They've never added additional cushions to any of their pads but I can see how it may be softer. I can only suggest to try and get a hold of Vedra again as she knows the pads I ordered were for yourself.
- Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
Here's a picture of them after they were removed. They had to be cut, and you can see that the small one, that was stuck in both sides of the mouth, is actually uncurled, indicating it was seriously caught on something:

Of course, she now has abscesses on both sides of her face (discussed in another thread).
The small one on the left is the one that was inserted horizontally and stuck on both sides. The slightly bigger one on the right is the one that was meant to be inserted vertically. Stupidly, I used one end of it to try and pry out one of the sides of the other one that was stuck, and it ended up sucked down into the same place.

Of course, she now has abscesses on both sides of her face (discussed in another thread).
The small one on the left is the one that was inserted horizontally and stuck on both sides. The slightly bigger one on the right is the one that was meant to be inserted vertically. Stupidly, I used one end of it to try and pry out one of the sides of the other one that was stuck, and it ended up sucked down into the same place.