Piggie can't swallow!?

[sigro]

My husband and I went away for 7 days, the day following our return, I noticed one of my 8 piggies had a wet chin but I was on my way to work so I made a mental note, when I got home and I was giving my pigs a "snack", I noticed the same pig who had the wet chin came out for the food but didn't actually eat, she just kinda rubbed her face in it. I picked her up and noticed she had lost a lot of weight! Immediately I soaked some pellets, and blended some spinach and water and gave her some pedilyte through a syringe. She ate all the food and everything seemed normal (energy, eyes, etc) she just wasn't eating on her own.

Knowing that not eating is extremely dangerous, I made a vet appointment the next morning and took her in. The “vet” told me it was gas but after 11 days and excessive drooling I knew it had to be her teeth…So, I spoke at 7am Tuesday morning (I had her paged), apparently I only saw a technician when I went to the vet the first time which is why I was misdiagnosed. If they weren't so nice I would be fighting to get a refund for all the "gas meds" but they were very nice so I am just happy that I knew well enough to be persistent. The actual vet called back and said it sounded like a issue with her teeth and she referred me to another vet with which I made an appointment with and went to see at 11am today. Audrey's back teeth had entrapped her tongue and she has molars that are both too wide and too long. The doc cut down all her teeth. Audrey's jaw is misaligned and she has an abscess or a tooth root that is causing some swelling under her jaw. We did not do xray's today. I have to go back and do a follow up at which point the doc will do an xray. The doc did a bunch of work on Audrey's teeth and didn't want to do "too much". I was prescribed Meta-cam and Chloramphenicol (not Baytril?). She was also given some Vit C and B12(I think) shot... When we got home Audrey was very hungry and wanted food so I gave her some critical care.. she ate/drink about 3 syringes worth.

up til' yesterday Audrey has been taking the syringe very eagerly. I was able to even give her the meds with no problem. She has been very interested in food and hungry this entire time. Yesterday I fed her in the morning but when I went to feed her again, she turned away. I didn't force feed at that time because I felt like maybe she was full (she went through 3 fat syringes of food around 9am). I tried again around 6pm and when she still didn't want to eat, I got worried. I made another attempt at 8pm and a final attempt around 11pm. I was sure that she would be hungry this morning but she wasn't. I bought some organic baby food (apples and sweet potatoes). I took her to work with me and tried to feed her at 9am. She went a lil crazy for the apples and I was happy. However she only ate a little and then turned her face. I guess I should mention that I am aware of fruit/sugar and GP's so the purpose of the apples were to stimulate an appetite as opposed to being a whole meal, she is being fed critical care.. I called the vet who said that the anti biotic may have suppressed her appetite which I am familiar with so I was advised to stop the antibiotic and keep with the metacam. I was also told I need to force feed.

I have a very difficult time with force feeding because I feel like I am hurting her especially since her jaw is out of place. (Do I need a chin strap and if so where do I get one?) I was able to get about half of a syringe full of critical care in her mouth give or take a lil spillage. But what concerns me is, in the past when force feeding I noticed that once you get the food in they will eat it or sometimes I have had pigs let it run back out however Audrey, she seemed to have trouble swallowing… she was lifting her chin in a slow motion once I put food in her mouth and her little mouth was opening and closing (like she had peanut butter on the roof of her mouth) and the was making a strange noise. Does anyone know what this means?? I called the vet but she is not back in until 4pm and I am afraid to try to force feed again. I have a box on a crate under my desk and a heating pad under the box (set on low). In the box I have a towel and a tee shirt. I put a lil banana and some mixed greens in the box and she seemed "interested" in it but was unable to eat.. any info is much needed and very much appreciated.. I am literally at my desk in tears..

[Ly&Pigs]

You may have to force feed her critical care mixed with pedialyte and a bit of apple baby food mixed in for flavoring.

Here is a page on malocclusion: Guinea Lynx :: Malocclusion of the Teeth
Here is a page on chin slings: Guinea Lynx :: Chin Sling

I'd not feed banana or spinach at all right now. Banana is known to cause bloat in guinea pigs. Spinach just isn't an overall good veggie as it's very high in A and through the roof in oxalic acid.

[sigro]

Hi,
The mixed greens don't have spinach and the banana she didn't really eat. The critical care is mixed with pedialyte and I am trying to force feed but she is not swallowing with ease.. I don't want to get the fluid in her lungs...
I read the post on guinea lynx about the chin sling but it doesn't say where to buy it...

[Ly&Pigs]

You can order one through Pinta on the Guinealynx forum. Just join that forum, contact Pinta via email through gl and she will give you the info you need to order one.

[sigro]

Thank You!!!!!!

[NicholsS10]

I just wanted to say good luck with your pig, and keep us updated!

[pigsmakemesmile]

I read up on all your posts...all I can say is good luck also.

[Henle15]

It sounds like you are having the same problems I just done going through with my piggy. He had a misaligned jaw and required monthly tooth trims and also had 2 teeth pulled. He eventually stopped eating himself and kept dropping weight no matter how much I fed him. He would still popcorn around the cage and act normally even when I weighed him and he lost 30-40 grams between feedings.

He then developed a huge abcess where his teeth were pulled and his jaw was even more misaligned than before and his teeth (molars) were overgrowing once again entrapping his tongue. We felt we had put him through enough (4 surgeries) and spent a huge amount of money (about $800) on him and decided it would be best to euthanize him and put him at peace.

I also have to mention that he was rescued from a place where he never had gotten hay (hence the overgrown molars), fed water when it was convenient, housed outdoors in the front in a small bird cage with wire flooring and we were told he was a she.

I hope your piggy has better luck and hope she gets well soon. You are doing everything you can so keep up the good work. It can be emotionally draining and very tiresome, but will be well worth it in the end. Your piggy needs you more than ever and you are doing great!!

[smithduke]

I hope Audrey is ok. Is it possible she has an abscess along the malocclusion? I believe the only way to truly determine that is through x-rays. My girl Ginny just went through surgery for an abscess and like you, I had to give her Critical Care. She loved it for the first few times but wouldn't take it after that. My vet said to use baby food carrots mixed in which worked like a charm. Ginny is also on Chloramphenicol along with Baytril. This is my original post that gives a bit more detail of what she went through and hopefully it can help Audrey. http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...emergency.html

I'll be thinking of Audrey and the best of luck to her!!! Please keep us updated!!