Teeth My guinea pig, Clovers, top teeth are clear at the ends. (Picture attached)

[gurlyish]

We have been treating clover for a URI for about a week now. While at the vet they trimmed his teeth, as they were very overgrown. They're growing in now, but his top teeth are now clear at the ends. Anyone have any idea what this means? (The last vet visit was very expensive, we would prefer to avoid that)

 

[ItsaZoo]

I'm not sure about guinea pigs, but translucent front teeth in people occur when the enamel is worn. Front teeth are thin to begin with, so if there is any damage to the enamel, they can look kind of gray or blue.

 

[gurlyish]

Extra info I guess?

I'm unsure if I can edit a post. I wanted to make sure he's not sick or anything, but might it have something to do with that he hasn't been using his front teeth too much? After getting his bottom teeth trimmed, he didn't seem to like it too much, and I noticed he at first even struggled to eat, and used his paws to get his food in his mouth. (He is eating fine now, he's actually eating food right now.)

Mid writing this, I realize he has been eating with his front teeth some, like he ate a slice of apple today. He's definitely getting better on that, but I'm not too sure if it means anything on why they're clear.

 

[ItsaZoo]

When they have their teeth trimmed and can't pull the food into their mouths, it helps to cut veggies into long strips like matchsticks. Then they can get the food into their back teeth to eat.

 

[bpatters]

I don't know about the clear business, but in case you weren't aware, GP incisors almost NEVER need to be trimmed. And when they are, it's usually done by a vet who doesn't know that they don't need to be trimmed.

The grinding motion of the molars chewing hay is what keeps the front teeth worn down, so a problem with the front teeth is almost always caused by a problem with the molars, or possibly an injury. Additionally, when the problem is caused by the molars, the front teeth are usually slanted, so that's a dead giveaway that it's a molar problem.