Guinea Pig advice please

[Captain Zep]

Thinking specifically of MikeJ, but any informed opinion is very welcome:

My children have some guinea pigs, one of which hasn't been well lately.  She has a swolen sore on the inside of her cheek.  We've had her to the vet:  x-rays and anti-biotics.  He's sure that its not a problem with her teeth or jaw, but he's not exactly sure what it is.  This has been going on for about three weeks now with antibiotics twice a day.  It's got worse in the last 10 days or so, with the sore sort of extending out of her mouth and blackening.  We have to clean the inside of her cheek with cotton-buds twice a day too to remove food that collects there.

Thing is she doesn't sem to be getting any better.  My wife has had bad experiences before with vets not putting enough effort in to anything smaller than a cat or dog.

Does MikeJ or anyone else have any experience of anything similar or any advice to offer?

RJMcB

[Notsototalnewbie]

It might be worth trying to get a vet who is more experienced in 'small furries' or 'exotics' if you are feeling that this one is not really interested, although the fact that he has done x-rays sounds good. Antibiotics twice a day is also good - the way these little animals metabolise drugs it is not good for them to have them less than this. If you were in London I could recommend a vet but I see you are not.

With the rats I have had experiences where they were not put on a high enough dose of antibiotics which of course is the worst thing you can do with regard to resistance etc. Once they were put on the wrong one altogether. When I went to a recommended vet they were put on a much higher dose which sorted them out. Which is why I think getting a vet with lots of small furry experience would be good (yes 'small furry' is the term they use!)

[Mike J]

It sounds like a teeth problem to me (guinea pigs have 4 incisors at the front, and the molars at the back), the molars at the back are very difficult to see in a guinea pig.  Its probably best seeing another vet who is able to check the back teeth to see if they are wearing down correctly.

What sort of things does she usually eat, as these can help wear the teeth down?

[Captain Zep]

It sounds like a teeth problem to me (guinea pigs have 4 incisors at the front, and the molars at the back), the molars at the back are very difficult to see in a guinea pig.  Its probably best seeing another vet who is able to check the back teeth to see if they are wearing down correctly.

What sort of things does she usually eat, as these can help wear the teeth down?

Thanks Mike, we've had x-rays and the vet has looked at her teeth on that.  Our pigs eat dry guinea pig food; fresh veggies including carrots; treat things for gnawing on and they also gnaw on fruit-tree branches. 

My wife reminds me that she's actually in her SEVENTH week of treatment now. 

It might be worth trying to get a vet who is more experienced in 'small furries' or 'exotics' if you are feeling that this one is not really interested, although the fact that he has done x-rays sounds good. Antibiotics twice a day is also good - the way these little animals metabolise drugs it is not good for them to have them less than this. If you were in London I could recommend a vet but I see you are not.

With the rats I have had experiences where they were not put on a high enough dose of antibiotics which of course is the worst thing you can do with regard to resistance etc. Once they were put on the wrong one altogether. When I went to a recommended vet they were put on a much higher dose which sorted them out. Which is why I think getting a vet with lots of small furry experience would be good (yes 'small furry' is the term they use!)

Good advice too, thanks.  I think that we'll get in touch with the Cavy Club to see if they can recommend a more specialised vet.

RJMcB

[Mike J]

Its possible that the problem doesn't show on an x-ray the best way is to look at the back teeth with bucal pad seperators.

This is quite a good line to show you some more information about them Peter Gurney's Guinea Pig Pages - it is pretty horrible though.