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Is Your Guinea Pig Off His Food? Why This Could Relate to Dental Problems

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Continuous eating is vital for a guinea pig's health. Their gut must always be moving in order for them to survive, which is why when you check on your guinea pig they'll either be eating or sleeping. It's quite a shock to watch your guinea pig for a length of time and not see them eating, or to offer them a piece of vegetable and for them not to eat it. If your guinea pig isn't eating, they may have a problem with their teeth.

Signs of dental problems

As a guinea pig constantly eats, so their teeth continually grow. You should make sure you guinea pig always has access to hay and water, as well as a specifically designed wooden house or toy for them to gnaw on to keep their teeth worn down. But even with the correct diet and stimulation, teeth can still grow awkwardly.

Signs of dental problems to look out for include:

  • Interested in food and will take if from you, but won't eat it.
  • Eating slower than usual.
  • Exaggerated ear movements when eating.
  • Eating soft food only, such as eating the cucumber flesh but not the skin.
  • Drooling or always has a wet chin.
  • Starting to lose weight.

Not eating, whatever the reason, is very serious in guinea pigs and you should take it to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.

While you're waiting

If you cannot see your vet straight away, you will need to keep food going into your guinea pig. Try offering your guinea pig their favourite foods. Grass is often soft enough to be eating despite dental problems. Cut the grass so the guinea pig doesn't have to pull it, and offer them handfuls.

In an emergency you may need to hand feed them. Soak some pellets in warm water and then feed this mixture through a syringe gently, going in at the side of the mouth to prevent choking. Your vet can advise you on the amount of frequency with which to hand feed, and this will depend on the guinea pig's weight so weigh them first. For example, a guinea pig weighing 1kg will need approximately 60 grams of pellets mixed with 100ml of water.

Treatment

Your vet will take a good look inside your guinea pig's mouth, as well as give an overall check of their body, and may also do an x-ray to check for any problems with the teeth. Treatments will depend on the diagnosis and can range from a small procedure to get rid of any sharp points to surgery to remove affected teeth and abscesses.

During recovery, your guinea pig may be prescribed probiotics which help to keep their gut moving while they're still unable to eat. Try feeding your guinea pig their favourite foods to help them realise they can eat again.

It can be scary when your guinea pig stops eating, but if caught early and treated immediately, your guinea pig can make a full recovery.


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