Teeth Issues Eating, won't bite down with any force.

[LitaRutherford]

I noticed this morning that Bear (approx. 3yrs old) had not eaten his bell pepper he had been given the night before. When I gave him his veggies tonight he seemed to gobble up his parsley but did not touch his lettuce or bell pepper. When I sat with him I noticed he didn't try to bite me like he normally does (he is a very skiddish rescue) and barely mouthed the lettuce. He has not lost any weight, but seems very subdued, not lethargic but not as wild as he normally is. He won't chatter his teeth, and me and my mom both put our fingers around his mouth to check it and he barely put any pressure on our fingers. When given a carrot same thing, he seemed like he was trying so hard to bite it but couldn't get it. I noticed a wet sorta click/pop noise when he tries to chew or chatter like he does sometimes. He also jerks his head when he does this. There is no blood.

We suspect his top teeth are loose. He and one of my other boars whom he lives beside (but separated due to fights) have been shaking the bars of the barrier during floor time. This is a new thing and the other boar has been doing it more, I didn't think he was doing much more then chewing the bars to be honest. Last night is when I noticed it get serious, a constant shaking non-stop, so I put a barrier between their floor time spaces, and it seemed to help. They do not shake the bars when they are in the cages, just during floor time. The other guinea pigs (3 others in total) all seem fine.

He seemed to eat his pellets ok. Should I just continue to monitor his eating and drinking? Or is this a situation where he needs to get to the vet asap? Obviously I don't want him to be in pain but by the same strain I don't want to stress him out with a visit to the vet if I can help him recover with home remedies. He is a very skiddish rescue, as I said, so I try to keep him in a constant environment as much as possible to limit stress and promote a more social nature. Vet visits tend to make him go backwards in his progress.

Thank you in advanced.

 

[bpatters]

As far as I know, loose top teeth don't generally keep a pig from eating, as all they do is use their incisors to get the food back to their molars where they can chew. You can test whether or not he'll chew food and eat it if you'll cut it in matchstick-sized slivers and put it in his mouth. Stick them in slightly from the side and push back a little so they'll get to his teeth.

If he'll chew and eat those, then the problem may really be his front teeth. But if not, he may have molar problems, which will require a rodent dentist to handle. Regardless, if he's not eating his normal amount, you may have to handfeed him, whether it's slivered veggies or a pellet slurry. He can't be without food going through his system.

 

[LitaRutherford]

I noticed this morning and last night he is trying to eat. He was eating hay with no issue. He seems to be eating his pellets, will check after work to be sure he still is but he was when I saw him this morning. He also ate a sprig of parsley without issue. I'll hand feed his veggies tonight, if his front teeth are the issue like we think will it need a vet, or just extra feeding at home?

 

[bpatters]

if his front teeth are the issue like we think will it need a vet, or just extra feeding at home?

That's a good question. Sometimes loose teeth will fall out, and the pig will need help picking up food until they grow in again. Other times, they seem to tighten up on their own, and the pig will start eating. If the teeth are completely broken under the gum, the growing roots will push the broken pieces out.

I haven't had a pig with this problem, but what I think I'd do is try to look carefully at the gums around the teeth and see if they're tight. If the gums are normally close to the teeth, there's less likelihood of food getting up into the tooth socket and causing an abscess. If they're loose, I'd go ahead and see a rodent dentist. Otherwise, I'd watch carefully, weigh daily, handfeed if necessary, and wait 'til it gets better or worse.

 

[LitaRutherford]

He is eating pellets and it looks as if the teeth are now gone! Really not sure what caused all this but he seems in less pain now. He even managed some carrot! Will keep an eye to make sure they grow back ok.

 

[bpatters]

Keep an eye on his weight. He may not gain any, but he should at least hold what he's got.

Also, keep an eye on his bottom teeth. Guinea pig teeth grow really fast, and the incisors should grow quickly enough that his bottom incisors don't get too long. But if you notice him having problems picking things up after his front ones have grown, he might need the bottom ones trimmed a bit. That's not likely, but it's something to watch out for.

 

[LitaRutherford]

He's super tiny as is (barely 2lbs) so I am always watching his weight. And thanks! I'll do that!

 

[Intellect]

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...-red-piggy-lip
Hi guys, I just registered today because my guinea pig is having the same problem as Kim's. He was normal yesterday and today in the morning. I fed him a small piece of apple today and when I looked I noticed that he had a red spot on his upper lip, it was not there before and now Im a bit worried. He can eat his pellets just fine, but nibbles slowly on food like carrots and eats them slowly ( He used to eat them quick before). His upper teeth do look loose but they have not fallen out yet. I do not have access to a car and cannot take him to the vet unless it is serious. Should I be worried? or will this resolve itself. His upper teeth do look loose but they have not fallen out yet. LitaRutherford does your guinea pig have the red spot on his lip too?

 

[LitaRutherford]

Mine didn't have any red spots. His mouth looks totally normal, aside from his missing teeth.

 

[Intellect]

The redness has gone away, and he seems normal now. He does have trouble with hard foods but he can eat his oxbow pellets and hay just fine, so Im just gonna observe him and hope the teeth will get stronger/ grow back soon ( I can see one of his upper teeth, but cant see the other one so Im guessing it broke off)