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my poor guinea has hurt her mouth. and i need help!!!

mspiers

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today my piggie fell from my arms, {meter off the ground} and bit her bottom lip, she has taken away some of the skin, but she has also cut the top of her upper lip/nose and was bleeding a little, I'm worried that she will not be able to drink water, and I am having to put banana into her mouth because she is refusing to eat off the ground, I'm not sure if her teeth are broken because she can only open her mouth a little and i don't want to hurt her, otherwise she's popcorning and moving. I'm just worried about her not being able to drink water because it relies on the guinea pig to open her mouth.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Is she able to eat on her own at all? You should be able to at least see her incisors if you get down to her level, or sit her at your eye level so you can look. You've said she is popcorning and walking, so no other signs of injury? A meter is a HUGE fall for a pig.

By the way, banana is not really suitable for a pig's diet. My one boar gets it rarely but he loves it. Limit the banana to maybe once a week, and a VERY small piece.


If her incisors ARE broken, she'll need to see an experienced cavy vet. You will also have to cut vegetables into small slices that you can push to her back molars to help her eat. In addition, you will need Critical Care to force feed with a syringe. Food is life to a guinea pig, and you MUST make sure she gets enough to eat if her teeth are, in fact, damaged.
 

mspiers

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she is able to eat long matchstick-like, pieces of carrot, her hay and chaff and she can easily eat grass on her own,

by the signs of her talking and moving around, I don't think there are any other injuries. I've looked at her teeth and none seem to be broken or wobbling.

I was only feeding a little amount of banana at the start to her because it was soft and easy to eat, but I have now limited it once again.​
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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she is able to eat long matchstick-like, pieces of carrot, her hay and chaff and she can easily eat grass on her own,

by the signs of her talking and moving around, I don't think there are any other injuries. I've looked at her teeth and none seem to be broken or wobbling.

I was only feeding a little amount of banana at the start to her because it was soft and easy to eat, but I have now limited it once again.​

I'm glad to hear that. It sounds as though you may have gotten away with as minimal injuries as possible. DO keep a close eye on her, and make sure she's eating and drinking enough. If you think she isn't drinking enough, try syringing her some water (obviously without the needle) and see if she'll take it that way.
 

mspiers

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ok, thank you so much for the help. I'm sure she is able to drink and I'll try that idea if she stops. I'll continue to cut up her food into smaller bites but she will be able to eat on her own.
 

bpatters

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Also, don't be surprised if the incisors break or come out. Sometimes they break under the gum line, and as the tooth grows, the broken part will be pushed out. There's nothing to be done unless the remaining part is very sharp and could possibly cut the top of the moutn. In that case, you'd have to take her to the vet to get the sharp edge filed off.

Also, if the incisors come out, you'll have to hand feed, as she won't be able to pick up her food. In that case, you can cut things in matchstick-sized slivers and push them into her mouth so that she can get them with her molars. Lettuce can be rolled like a cigarette and fed the same way.
 
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