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Teeth Sly's Medical Thread

Guinea Pig Papa

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@spy9doc, love and best wishes from you and the boys are greatly appreciated, more than you could possibly know.

I actually went back to the vets first thing Thursday morning, and got a Monoject 412 curved tip syringe. I cut some of the end off, with plenty of tip left that I could get it back to his molars. It did the trick beautifully.

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly he bounces back, so this time was a bit of a surprise but due to our conversations and other threads that I've read, I knew what was going on. 24 hours after the surgery he was till pretty unsteady, but that abated as well the more food and water we got into him.
 

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We are now almost two weeks post surgery.

Sly had another weigh in yesterday morning, and although I knew he had been eating much, much better, I was surprised at the result.

He went from 1168 grams last Sunday, to 1215 grams yesterday morning. He'd gained 47 grams, and I think that's the biggest (or definitely one of) weight gains he's had in a long, long time. His incisors still have quite an angle to them, but I know he's eating far better, and seems to be more active and happier. Indeed, as I was tidying up his pen tonight, he decided to come and play with me. Licking my toes, climbing up onto my leg to see if I had a treat, walking around behind me and head butting me, things like that.

He's now 6 years and 3 months old. Every day with him is such a gift.
 

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Oh yay! So happy he's doing well!

Thank you, Artista! We're pretty happy with how he's doing, too. Some days you'd never know how old he is.
 

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Update:

Sly had his 4 week checkup post surgery today.

After the scary drop in weight following surgery, Sly has done nothing but gain. In fact, he has gone from 1168 grams post surgery, to today's weigh in at the vets where he tipped the scale at 1285! He hasn't been at this weight since April of last year.

The weight gain was so noticeable that when Dr Ker took him out of the carrier, he said "Oooof! Somebody's gained some weight!" The change was noticeable to him as soon as he picked him up and he hasn't seen him for a month.

Also good news, his teeth are in good shape and do not yet need another planing. He's also doing very well on the metacam. He certainly seems like a younger pig these days!
 

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Sly had his checkup yesterday, and he goes for another planing tomorrow morning.

His weight has been good, other than that plummet Monday after trying him on the Sherwood pellets. His vet is very happy with his weight, and also said that whatever we're doing is helping his teeth tremendously.

They really aren't overgrown much yet, very little. But his vet wants to do them now, for two reasons:

He will be under the anesthetic a much shorter time than normal, because it's going to be an easier procedure.

By the time they DO need to be done again, his vet will be away at a veterinarians conference for two weeks and will be unavailable to do it. He's not comfortable leaving Sly til he gets back, in case it becomes an emergency and he isn't available to help.

So, the little man goes in again, this time for surgery number 8. Bless his little piggie soul, he's such a tough little nut.
 

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Sly is home now after surgery.

His vet said that his teeth were more badly overgrown than initially thought. His lower front molars are also loose again, and his opinion is that it's almost certainly due to old age.

Other than that, the little trooper is doing well. His weight was up 15 grams from his checkup two days ago, which surprised him to see. His weight IS good, he was at 1277 grams today at the office.

He's resting comfortably at home now, eating a little of whatever treats he's given, and lying in his house staring out at the world, if not a little bleary eyed.
 

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I very much hope they make it that far, and beyond [MENTION=19714]spy9doc[/MENTION]. They're in the best of care at your house!

Sly was a little bull in his carrier when we were trying to leave the vets....throwing around a cucumber slice, then using it as a pillow. You could see the carrier shake in my hands as he was throwing himself around. His vet and the vet techs were just howling.
 

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Here is Sly, being the crazy little bugger he was yesterday. Excuse the mess, he'd soiled his regular fleece in the carrier and the vet put a clean towel in, and he promptly soiled that too.

I've never seen him do something like this before. He just flopped on the cucumber like a pillow.
 

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Poor cute little guy is pooped but what a trooper! Here's Bella's pooped pose...

Hahaha oh she is just precious! That's adorable!
 

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Update for Sly:

He is doing extremely well. Just about four weeks after his last planing, and his incisors have evened themselves out and stayed perfectly even. That's a first. He dropped 40 grams a few days following the surgery, and after yesterdays weigh in he has put 50 back on. He's now at 1270 grams, roughly 100 grams heavier than his lightest point ever.

The metacam seems to have made all the difference in the world. He was even running and doing some popcorning the other day! Sly is no longer much of a wheeker, but recently wheeked so loud he scared my wife!

Last night, however, I had Sly out for some cuddle time and a carrot. As I was petting him, I found a lump. It's about the size of a pea on his left shoulder. It didn't seem to cause him any pain or discomfort when I touched it. It was hard. Anyone have any ideas about what this may be?

My index finger is touching it in this photo. It's to the left of my finger. It's really not even noticeable, but you can feel it.
 

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I'll have to see if I can get him out to check. He's notoriously fidgety :)
 

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If you part the hair above the lump is there any changes in the appearance of the skin? Or is there a hole/peak at the centre of the lump?

If the answer is no to both of those questions my first thought would be an abscess.

There doesn't appear to be a hole or a peak. He's dark skinned and it's difficult to see if there's any real change, but there doesn't appear to be any that I can find.

It's just a small, hard lump that moves around with his skin.
 

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It isn't soft and Squishy. It's hard but it isn't fixed. It moves around with his skin, so it's a hard lump that's on his skin. It's on top.
 

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He has an appointment already scheduled for this Thursday afternoon, for a checkup of his teeth. I'll ask his vet about it then, if there don't appear to be any changes to it.
 

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Update for little bear:

Had his teeth checkup today. So far, so good, they are still in good shape so another surgery is not required yet. Weight is also holding steady at around 1270 grams, up from where he's usually been for most of the past year.

The vet feels that the lump is a sebaceous cyst. It is not large, a little smaller than a frozen pea, and he said it is common for older pigs to get them. His recommendation is to monitor it in case it gets larger. If needed it can be lanced and drained. He also said not to poke or prod it too much, as it can irritate him and can actually cause it to get larger.

Other than that, Sly is doing remarkably well. Another teeth checkup in two weeks :)
 

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Sly has gone in this morning for molar planing number 9.

The older he gets, the more worried sick I get about him having to go in. Interestingly, this time his incisors never angled. His front teeth are as straight as they ever were before all the teeth issues began. And also, this time around his weight stayed very, very stable in the upper 1200 gram range.

The vet is also going to check the cyst for signs of growth.
 

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Thank you so much for the support, ladies. We truly appreciate it.

Sly is home now, groggy as usual but seemingly in good spirits. He only ate about half of his "cookie" (critical care mixed with joint support tablet) but he has eaten an entire baby carrot and half a cucumber slice today.

His vet says it's important that he eat, so obviously for the first couple days feed him whatever he will eat, as usual.

He didn't want to go today. I think he knew. My finger will fit through one section of bars in his carrier, and he stood at the bars staring at me the entire trip up there. I would scratch his nose, and when I stopped he would nuzzle and push my finger to make me scratch again.

He's flaked out in his house now, just kind of staring out at the world and chilling out.
 

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Chip & Sparky (and their Mom) send their best. Let the boy enjoy his high while it lasts! ;-)

Thank you, all three of you for your well wishes. I DO actually relay them to Sly, believe it or not!

He's had some of his cookie, a mandarin segment and a small apple slice since he's been home. I'm sure his poop won't be appreciative of that tomorrow, but for a day or two its important just to get calories into him.

He's definitely stoned out, and it's quite comical. He acknowledges being spoken to, and then he just resumes staring off into space..
 
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