How do we make it through the day? (teeth)

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Marvenpimp

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 5:29 am


Hi everyone!

Svinto is a 3 y o male who came to me in October. He had severe teeth issues when I took him in. His front teeth are discolored, weak and sometimes fall out. The vet says they are permanently damaged and he has some kind of guinea pig gingivitis I guess? In the back he has malocclusion but it has over all looked good since his first operation this fall. It was not even a month ago that I was at the vet and she said it was fine and he still didn’t need another operation.

Yesterday I noticed he wasn’t eating right and had the slobbers. Today is worse. His mouth smells like a fish market and he eats very little on his own. Almost nothing, I’ve been hand feeding since yesterday and I’m giving him meloxicam twice a day, same dose I gave one of my terminal cancer pigs. After feeding I flush his mouth with lukewarm water to get excess food out and try to keep it a bit clean. He really seems to enjoy that, which is VERY unusual, it seems soothing to him.

What I am asking is - is there anything more I can do? I have other pain killers if that might help, Novalgin and bupaq. I also have sulfa, baytril, doxy... he is my first pig with teeth problems so I don’t know what I’m dealing with here. And why does he smell like fish??

I’m rushing him to the vet first thing in the morning, but I need to get through the day and I definitively don’t want to make it worse.

rjespicer

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 6:43 am


I am afraid I cant offer anything on the medical side but if you suspect that he isn't eating enough because of his problems I would start syringe feeding him Critical Care or if you don't have that then Pellets mixed with water. Just to make sure he is getting enough food into his system.

FYI you may have to wait a few hours to get more responses from the US GuineaLynxers as it is 3:30am here at the moment. I am only posting as I have been busy and haven't gone to bed yet.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:17 am


DItto on handfeeding, which you are already doing. I'd be a little careful with the Metacam. What's his weight and how much are you giving him? Obviously, he needs to feel better so that he can eat on his own, but on the other hand...too much of any NSAID can irritate the stomach lining (and is rough on the kidneys).

Fishy smell could be infection.

rjespicer

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:33 am


I think maybe I should go to bed. I missed the bit where you said you were already hand feeding him. Sorry its been a long day.

User avatar
Marvenpimp

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 8:18 am


Thank you for your answers. He is exactly 2.2 lbs and I give him 0,3 ml of meloxicam twice a day. Vet said it was fine but to watch the stomach. I never give it to him on an empty stomach, always in the middle of feeding time. Weight has been pretty stable, probably thanks to the hand feeding.

He physically can’t eat hay, I saw him try today so I know there is a problem witch chewing. He does fine with cc though and does not try to spit it out. He does not touch pellets or oats and picks at his grated vegetables. He did eat some kale. He mostly just sits in one spot in the cage, but was active and excited during floor time today so I have hope that he is not too miserable.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 8:25 am


Are you weighing daily? Have you been monitoring his weight closely because of his teeth issues?

The fishy smell may be a fungal infection. Oral fungal/yeast infections may give off this odor. Check out this topic which discusses some treatments:
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=76322

Google also turned this up:
https://www.vetstream.com/treat/exotis/ ... andidiasis

Candidiasis
Cause: Candida albicans is part of the normal enteric flora of guinea pigs; overgrowth may occur due to antibiotic therapy.
Signs: diarrhea; may have oral lesions similar to thrush in other species or white spots.
Diagnosis: gram stain of stool will show large numbers of yeast organisms: culture, cytology of sample of oral lesions.
Treatment: fluid therapy, assisted feeding, NSAIDs initially; itraconazole, ketoconazole, nystatin.
Prognosis: good.
General info on topical fungal infections here, the same drugs may be used to treat oral infections as topical infections. One would administer them orally:
www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html

User avatar
Marvenpimp

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 9:07 am


Thank you! Will definitely read up on that.

I have been weighing him regularly since he came in October (although I must admit not always daily. There are so many pigs in the rescue right now.) When he came he was very overweight and dropped about 200 g over the next couple of months. Eventually he settled around 1080 g. Whenever I start hand feeding a pig I weigh them before and after each feeding to keep track on food intake and output. He has been alternating between 990 g and 1000 g since I started Saturday morning (It’s 3 pm, Sunday here now). Before that I hadn’t noticed any difference in his behaviour.

So all in all he’s 50 - 100 g below where he usually is but currently not losing weight, at least not at a rapid pace. I am counting down the hours until the vet opens...

User avatar
Marvenpimp

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 9:58 am


I should probably point out that the fishy smell is not something that has appeared suddenly. Maybe I made it seem that way. He’s always had a fishy odor to him, the reason I ask about it now is because the drool under his chin is so pungent it made me gag this morning.

I actually have an otoscope, albeit a cheap one, and have been checking his molars. I am not a trained veterinarian so I can only look for very apparent problems and have not really found any. His molars are not pointy and actually look pretty ok, I can’t see any signs of the tongue being pinned or areas that are irritated or bleeding. No signs of fungal infection either! And the smell is definitely fish, all the way. Not really yeasty.

There is however always food stuck in the lower right side of his mouth, no matter how much you flush his mouth. It makes it hard to see the teeth properly and probably doesn’t improve his oral hygiene. If I can’t flush it with a big syringe, I suspect he can’t do much about it either.

Maybe it’s simply a wait and see-type situation. But those of you who are experienced with teeth complications are welcome to share any advice you might have.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Feb 10, 2019 4:43 pm


Ah, drool! This definitely is likely a yeast infection, perhaps not of the mouth but at least of the skin/hair. There are also oral yeast infections.

Interestingly, I have a "bearded" chicken and one wet summer her beard was frequently wet after drinking, didn't dry well, and definitely smelled fishy.

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Marvenpimp

Post   » Mon Feb 11, 2019 7:43 am


Hello again.

X-rays and examination showed a pus filled swelling along the jawline from right bottom incisor all the way back to the molars. He was a violently fluffy boy so it would have been impossible for me to notice by touch. Vet said he would need to have both the incisor and at least one molar removed, as well as the abscess drained. She said prognosis was worse than poor.

After reading up on stories of tooth abscesses in guinea pigs I decided against it, and I let him pass away peacefully in my arms about an hour ago. I lost four pigs after different invasive surgeries last year, and I didn’t want to have another one slowly waste away in front of me.

Rest In Peace my beautiful boy. I wish I could have known you longer. Such a gentleman with the girls, and so sweet and gentle with other boys. I am glad I saw your last journey from incredibly timid and unhappy to a powerful mischievous ladies man. So happy to be alive. I remember your first popcorn-session and I remember I slept so well that night, knowing you were finally feeling at home.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:06 am


I am so sorry. That's such a hard decision, but in this case, undoubtedly the right one. RIP, Svinto.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:04 am


Agree, it sounds like it was absolutely the right decision. My heartfelt sympathy to you for your loss.

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