Last weekend I noticed that my Henry guinea was finding it difficult to eat. So, I hand fed him over the weekend and got him to the vets yesterday. They booked him in this morning to be sedated, so they could look at his back teeth.

Well, he's fine and has had his back teeth filed down, as they had grown so long over his tongue (you can't see a guinea's back teeth unless you have a buccal pad separator, as their cheeks cover over them). I'm calmer now, as he is to be picked up at 2.30 this afternoon, but goodness I've been fretting.

Anyway...what I wanted to ask is, have any of your guinea pigs had malocclusion of the back molars? And, if so, was it a monthly visit to the vets to keep getting them filed down, or just a one off? Thanks.

I have never had a pig that needed it's teeth filed so don't know if you will have to do it regularly. Poor piggy give him loads of love when he gets home.

Make sure he has loads of fresh green hay and ready grass to eat every day, He should have quite a lot of it in addition to his normal food. Will help his teeth. Get him some willow to chew on as well.
Good luck to the little guy x

Thank you. I'm so surprised that he had to have this done, as he's such a chewer and doesn't stop eating normally. Timothy hay is his favourite.
Anyway, he's back but still not eating (but he is trying to). Hopefully it's just because he's a bit sore. If not...he'll be back at the vets tomorrow.

Ahhh bless him. as long as he is drinking he should be ok for a day or so whilst he is getting better. Try cutting up his pellets in to smaller pieces if you can that might help get some in to him. Poor boy it must have been so painfull for him. Give him loads of love and im sure he will be back to himself in a day or 2

Hope so .

Just rang the vets again (I'm neurotic when it comes to my animals). They suggested syringing baby food...so I'm going to try that in a while.

you can actually buy something called critical care to syringe feed guinea pigs

you could also soak his regular food in warm water and mash it up/blend it for tonight to save you buying anything

or maybe blend some vegetables up into a mash for him

Well, I've sat here for an hour with porridge (made with water), warmed baby food and mashed sweet potato and he won't have any of them. He's fighting the syringe, so I'm giving him a break now before he gets too stressed.

If he hasn't eaten by morning, I'll be phoning the vets again and getting him up there.

I've never experienced malocclusion in a piggy before, but I have recently been through it with one of my chins, and it is an awful thing to have to deal with. We did have to have regular dental appointments with him, as malocclusion is pretty much irreversible

My vet used to provide sachets of Supreme Science Recovery food for support feeding after each dental treatment, and it's available to buy online. I liked it because you can mix it to various consistencies as your pet starts to feed himself again. I used to mix it with Cow & Gate powdered baby food because my chin liked it that way!

Good luck with your piggy, I hope he starts to eat by himself again soon

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I've tried everything now...baby food, porridge (with water), mashed veggies. All with either syringe, spoon, or licking off my fingers. He's a stubborn pig and won't have anything.

So, he's back up the vets this morning at 10.30, as he hasn't eaten now for over a day and a half. I'm hoping it's just because his mouth is still sore, but maybe they can get something in him. He's such a worry, the poor darling.

Just a quick update...

vets have kept him in, so they can give him pain killing injections and feed him every 2 hours. He may be allowed home tomorrow...but if not, then Friday. Poor little mite, he's so clingy usually, so it must be so strange for him to be there. I shall be pacing the floor till he gets home.

I really didn't want to alarm you with this, but I had one who had exactly the same problem. He wouldn't eat from the syringe despite my best efforts, and this also means if they aren't eating food to wear down the teeth, they just grow again. I'm afraid he didn't make it, and I was heartbroken.

Fingers crossed, hope your little man will be ok.

did your vet manage to get him eating?

That's what I was so scared of. The vets have had him in since yesterday morning now and I keep checking on him., He's still not eating on his own but is letting them syringe baby food in his mouth. They're keeping him overnight again but they say that he's bright and wanting to eat but is probably scared to.

Hopefully I'll get him back tomorrow, we all miss him so much. It's so awful when they are in so much pain, it must be really bewildering for them. So sorry to hear of your little one. It's dreadful when we lose them.

Hmmm sounds like his teeth are slightly misaligned so they don't wear down properly. Sounds like you'll be paying a visit to the vets quite often.

Luckly mine don't suffer from this.

Also as you've got a boy watch out for compaction as he gets older.

Rang the vets this morning and he's looking brighter and trying to eat soft foods. He's still not interested in hard foods yet, so they're keeping him till tomorrow morning (I secretly think they've just fallen in love with him ).

I was wondering about the teeth being misaligned, as I've heard that this is a recurring problem for some pigs. Problem is I just don't know anything is wrong until he stops eating. Maybe I'll take him to the vet for a check up every 4-6 weeks or so.

Lost my other little boy guinea earlier this year and still take his ashes to bed with me every night. I know...sounds pathetic. I couldn't bear to lose another.

Can the vet show you how to check?

I did ask but, because a guinea pigs back teeth are tucked right at the back behind his fat pouches, you need a special instrument to be able to look.

I did say I'd buy one but was told it would cause him too much distress and therefore they have to use anaesthetic to be able to see. Poor little mite.

I had this happen to one of mine and he died too.

He wouldn't eat at all and I hand fed him for a week but he was just literally dying in front of my eyes and I had him put to sleep in the end.

Been hand feeding him with a syringe for days, every 2-3 hours. Yesterday he wouldn't take any and it looked like he'd just given up.

Last night me and my daughter stayed up with him and gave him lots of cuddles but he passed away, with her stroking his head, at 5.30 this morning. I'm devastated, as I tried so hard for that little boy, but he just didn't want to fight any more.

Only 2 weeks ago he was running around being cheeky and squeaking for his food. Now I'm taking him this afternoon to be cremated, so I can keep his ashes like I have my other guinea.

Love you Henry, a very special, sweet little boy.

I'm so,so sorry. Just made me fill up. I know exactly how you are feeling, the very same thing happened to my poor little man. They just can't take the stress in the end, despite our best efforts.

You did all you can, nobody could've tried harder or done any more. Bless you and him.

Hiya,

You really need to find a vet who can look at the teeth without putting him under.

I run a guinea pig forum popcornpastures.com we have a list of vets there and members who may be in your area who can help you find a good enough vet.

Good luck, hope he makes it!

Louise

Hi
He made it through the anaesthetic fine but he still wasn't eating. So I took him straight back and they kept him in and he came out Saturday.

I was syringe feeding him every 2-3 hours and thought he was getting stronger. But yesterday he just wasn't responsive and seemed to have given up. I made another vet appointment for today but he died in the early hours of this morning. Me and my daughter stayed with him all night cuddling him, and he took his last breath whilst having his head stroked and being told how loved he was.

He got cremated this afternoon and I now have his ashes alongside my other guinea who died this year. I'm so devastated, as I thought he was going to make it. He's always been such a little rascal. But something switched off in him and he stopped fighting.

I've vowed never any more animals. I still have 2 dogs and a bird but after them...no more. They break your heart when they go.