Guinea pigs are fascinating creatures with distinctive personalities. Some people are loud and brash, while others are reserved and timid. If raised in the proper circumstances, they can all become beautiful pets. The emergence of a potentially fatal oral condition is among the most frequent issues in guinea pigs. We see this terrible state far too frequently.
What is Dental Illness?
The phrase “dental disease” refers to issues with teeth. The term has diverse meanings for various species depending on the species. For instance, ferrets frequently develop tartar accumulation on their teeth, but jagged spurs, which may pierce the tongue or cheek, most often appear in rabbits. Nevertheless, dental disease is the term used to describe both issues.
In addition to having four “cheek” teeth on every occlusal surface at the rear of their mouths, guinea pigs also have two long, thin incisors at the front of their mouths on both their lower and upper jaws. A small space known as a diastema exists among these regions. A guinea pig’s teeth are growing exponentially, and if they are not ground down by frequent grass or hay munching, they begin to lengthen.
The lengthening of the cheek teeth represents the most typical sign of dental illness in guinea pigs. The mandibular cheek teeth are frequently the most severely damaged, and they have the potential to become so poor that they ultimately “entrap” the tongues.
Due to this, the guinea pig’s tongue is unable to move correctly, thus making eating difficult. Guinea pigs may also develop dental abscesses, uneven tooth wear, elongated tooth bases, incisor issues, and the appearance of sharp spurs, which can ulcerate the cheek or tongue.
What Signs Must You Be On The Lookout For?
Every animal’s signs are unique and might be pretty mild; for example, some guinea pigs solely exhibit losing weight as a sign. Excessive salivation and alterations in eating habits are more frequently observed. Strength, facial inflammations, vocalization, not releasing feces, moving around much, subsequent respiratory illnesses, and even death are other signs.
How Are Dental Conditions Diagnosed?
A competent guinea pig veterinarian can frequently identify dental illness through an intraoral checkup. Your guinea pig’s mouth is commonly examined by your veterinarian using an otoscope or specialized speculum. When the dental condition is not readily apparent in an intraoral examination, veterinarians may advise computed tomography (CT), radiographs (x-rays), or a procedure requiring general anesthesia.
The optimum course of treatment for your guinea pig’s dental condition can be determined by your veterinarian using radiographs or a computed tomography (CT) scan, even though the dental disease is frequently detectable thorough medical assessment.
What Medical Treatments Are Available?
The degree of the oral condition determines the possible options for treatment. Adding more grass or hay to your guinea pig’s food could cure mild symptoms. Dental treatment while under general anesthesia may be required in more severe circumstances. It entails meticulously adjusting your guinea pig’s teeth to their proper length and inclination with a specialized diamond-coated dental burr. In certain complex situations, tooth removal is required.
If you require hay or grass or anything that will help your guinea pigs from having any tooth illness, gordotheguinea got you covered.
