Tooth trimming

RubySimon

Post   » Sat Apr 29, 2023 7:53 am


Does anyone trim their pigs teeth? Luke's incisors are longer than I think they should be. And he is not eating great lately. He just had a check up and the vet did mention his teeth were long. His molars looked good, so I am not anticipating that is the problem. I just wonder if his teeth are too long. My old vet had us trim Simon's teeth, but when I said that to the new one, she was not pleased. My husband did it for Simon and he did ok with it. Luke is a pretty mellow pig, but I imagine he will fuss when he is restrained. I just don't want to take him and they tell me he needs to be put out to have it done. Too expensive and I worry myself sick when they are being put under anesthesia. Lost two older pigs that just didn't come out of it well. So I want to avoid that if at all possible.

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Lynx
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Post   » Sat Apr 29, 2023 12:22 pm


Read this first:
https://www.guinealynx.info/teeth_broken.html

Some vets trim teeth when they should not. Also this:
https://www.guinealynx.info/malocclusion.html

More frequently you will see molar issues first. You primarily do not want the incisors touching the roof of the mouth or keeping the mouth open (can't close). Monitor weight if malocclusion is suspected.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Mon May 01, 2023 10:54 pm


Give them something safe to chew on. It helps keep their teeth from over growing. There's tons of chew toys that are guinea pig safe out there.

bpatters
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Post   » Mon May 01, 2023 10:58 pm


Actually, chewing on items doesn't really keep their teeth from overgrowing. It's the grinding motion of the molars on the silica in the hay that keeps their teeth ground down.

I never had a guinea pig that would chew on anything hard enough to affect their teeth. Pellets, hay, and cardboard hideys were all they'd even taste, although I had wooden hideys and other chewable things in the cage. And I never had one with overgrown teeth.

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Lynx
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Post   » Tue May 02, 2023 9:52 am


I agree with bpatters. And hay is key!

But if your toys are made out of hay, that could help.

RubySimon

Post   » Tue May 02, 2023 2:22 pm


Sorry it took so long for me to respond. Just had a lousy couple of days, but ok now.

I agree with bpatters. None of my pigs seem to like the six million chew toys I give them. Chewing the hay is the best way to wear teeth. He was "off" for a few days and I attributed it to a tooth issue. He appears fine now. I think my hair trigger response was due to all the issues I had with Simon. I actually don't think his teeth are really too long. But I am keeping a close watch on the amount of hay he is eating and his weight. The weight issue is tricky. At his last exam, she said he was a little overweight. So, I cut down a bit on pellets. He went from 2.59 lbs to 2.50 lbs in a month. Which is where I am going to keep him. He was a tad chubby. He is active, eating well and pooping well.

Thanks for the info Lynx, on those links. I actually had read the info on the site about teeth.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Tue May 02, 2023 11:40 pm


I think chew toys help with the incisors, not molars. The chewing on hay helps keep those worn down. I've never had a guinea pig who didn't chew on just about anything they could reach. Everything from their hut, cage base, and the fleece forest or other things I've built for them. The only time any of them had tooth overgrowth is when they stopped eating and chewing on things. I'm a firm believer in giving them plenty of safe things to chew on.

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RavenShade
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Post   » Wed May 31, 2023 8:24 pm


Was there an update to this?

I currently have a pig who has messed up incisors and will be going to the vet to see what the problem is. Is it just that he broke a tooth and they'll even out or are his molars also overgrown? We'll see. My pigs get unlimited hay to help keep their teeth in check but doesn't necessarily help right off when he breaks one.

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Lynx
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Post   » Wed May 31, 2023 8:48 pm


I trust you've been weighing regularly? How is he looking? I hope the incisor issue resolves. All I know is in the guide :-(

RubySimon

Post   » Wed Jun 07, 2023 7:33 am


Oh, sorry, it has been crazy here with an issue with one of my horses.

His teeth seem fine now. No idea what was going on. I think he wasn't eating the first cut had I had, and grinding his teeth down well. I checked him yesterday and they look good, much more even. His weight is stable, though I am trying to get a little bit off him, he is older and a little pudgy.

Thanks for checking in!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Jun 07, 2023 8:11 am


For what it's worth, a little extra weight in an older guinea pig is normally a good thing as with age, they seem to lose weight some. You might want to do an "evaluation" of condition using the guidelines on this page to see where he falls (a veterinarian contributed guidelines for determining condition maybe 2/3 down the page):
https://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html

Read:
Determining The Correct Weight For Your Guinea Pig by Sandra Mitchell.

RubySimon

Post   » Thu Jun 08, 2023 9:46 am


He has a little too much blubber over the ribs ;) I have to press a lot to feel them, but I don't think he is grossly overweight. He has never been an active pig.

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