Teeth Molar issues

[FishinJoe]

My vet told mt pigs molars are growing across his mouth and I basically have 2 decisions. Either I put him down or get the molars removed and hand feed him the rest of his life. Looking for other opions..

 

[lissie]

How old is your pig? Can't they file his molars instead of removing them? Is this vet experienced with guinea pigs?

Do you feed unlimited hay?

 

[bpatters]

No, for pete's sake, don't remove his molars. Find a vet with experience in rodent dentistry and get his teeth filed. If he can't eat now, hand feed him. He's got to eat all the time, or he'll die.

 

[FishinJoe]

Whe have been feeding him CC for over a month now. His molars are growing across his mouth so they make it nearly imposible for him to grind them down. He has constant access to other food. He is around a year old and this didn't start until we had him for about 7 months.

No, for pete's sake, don't remove his molars. Find a vet with experience in rodent dentistry and get his teeth filed. If he can't eat now, hand feed him. He's got to eat all the time, or he'll die.

 

[bpatters]

He needs an exotic vet, with experience in rodent dentistry, to grind his teeth FOR him. There is nothing you can feed him that will grind down his teeth if they're growing across his mouth.

If the growth continues, it will trap his tongue, and he will be unable to swallow. When it gets to that point, he'll starve to death.

You need to get him to a good vet, or rehome him to someone who will, or euthanize him. Those are about the only choices you've got.

 

[lunarminx]

I had a 5 1/2 -6 year old pig that had malocclusion, we had the surgery and within 3 months his molars needed it again. He had access to a ton of hay 24/7. I chose to have him euthanized at his age. If you can afford it, i would have the molars filed down once and see if that helps but it would be up to you if it keeps happening to have the surgery done over and over. My old man lost a lot of weight and even with hand feeding, i couldn't get any weight back on him but you have a young guy that may be able to handle it better. Guinea Lynx have a bunch of info over there in the medical section about it. Pinta had a pig with it and she had success with a chin sling after surgery that I never had a chance to find out about. good luck with your piggy!

 

[FishinJoe]

He has access to fresh 24/7 hay and we do have a vet he has already had them fild down once and he goes again on Monday. Is there any hope that his teeth might straighten out or will it stay this way?

 

[lissie]

Is he a lethal guinea pig? (All white with small eyes). He's very young to be having molar issues.

 

[lunarminx]

He has access to fresh 24/7 hay and we do have a vet he has already had them fild down once and he goes again on Monday. Is there any hope that his teeth might straighten out or will it stay this way?

I wish I could answer that for you. The vet will be the one to guide you best.

 

[bpatters]

It depends. He might get by with one or two filings and never need another, or he may need them regularly.

Sometimes, molars can get too long because a pig doesn't eat because of illness, and one or two filings fixes things forever. Or an injury (hay or seed caught between the teeth and irritating the gum/cheeck) can cause the pig not to eat enough hay, and will only need one or two filings.

Other pigs have a "bad" structure to their jaw, because of genetics/malnutrition/injury/whatever, and they may need regular tooth planings the rest of their lives. Still others have tooth abscesses or elongated roots that cause them to be unwilling to grind the molars. The prognosis is those cases isn't usually very good.

Let's hope your little guy will be ok. But I can't encourage you strongly enough to make sure that this vet knows and understands the problems with rodent teeth, and has lots of experience in dealing with them. Otherwise, things may have a pretty grim outlook unless you find a competent vet.

 

[FishinJoe]

Our vet is good and he has been getting his molars ground every 2.5 weeks. She said he cannot grind his food and trim down his own molars due to the way his teeth grow across his mouth. does anyone have any tricks to get him to eat more hay.?

 

[FishinJoe]

just the front every 2.5 weeks. The molars aren't that often so $10 every 2.5 weeks isnt bad. I am pumping him full of CC too so that is getting a little expensive.

 

[pigmommy89]

$10 for a tooth trim? I paid well over $100 for anesthesia and the trim when my Dutchess had hers done.

 

[bpatters]

@FishinJoe, has your pig ever had a molar trim? Under anesthesia?

From what I've read here, your vet has no clue how to treat guinea pig dental problems. Trimming the front teeth while ignoring the molars is veterinary malpractice. You need to find an exotic vet who can fix the molars, and you may then be able to cut out the Critical Care and let the front teeth alone.

 

[FishinJoe]

The molars have not been being ignored. he was just too weak to put him under the last time he was there and she wanted him to wait a little bit. He got his molars trimmed today under anesthetist, it isn't the first time he has been pput under for it. I have pictures of his teeth I will post them when I find out how. The $10 trimming is just for the fronts. he doesn't need his molars ground down as often.