[Gpdd] MISC The Uineas. Broken teeth

[Penny Charlesworth]

Poor Vuinea.

I have had the occasional piggy with a broken tooth here at Piggyfriends. They have always been attention seeking boars, chewing over enthusiastically on the wire of their pens in the hope of an extra carrot. I have trimmed any sharp edge from the tooth but none of them ever needed any more help other than having their fruit and veggies grated until the tooth had regrown. They were able to manage their hay, grass and dry food unaided and picked up the grated veg although they were unable to bite pieces from the veg for a while.

Piggy teeth regrow at an amazing rate and even when the tooth was broken right off at the gumline, within 2-3 weeks all was well again.

Is Vuinea a wire chewer or could she have had an accident to cause the broken teeth? Although she can eat the soft foods, having such a diet could cause her back teeth to overgrow, especially if she is unable to eat her hay.

A cause of weak teeth as opposed to broken ones can be Vitamin D deficiency. Our piggies acquire their Vit D through their normal diet and also through sunshine. Vuinea should be getting her Vit D from her hay and maybe from her pellets. I am wondering if she has a problem with her back teeth, which has caused her to be a slow eater, thereby not ingesting enough Vit D and this has caused the weakness in her front teeth.

It all depends on whether she has broken her teeth or they have fallen out. 

This is too complicated for an email so she should be seen by a vet with a good knowledge of cavy dentition. She may need the back teeth attended to in order to get her eating properly again.

You should not try to correct a Vit D deficiency with Vit supplements as it is easy to overdose, with dangerous results.

Hoping that Vuinea's problem is merely a few broken teeth and she will soon be eating normally again.

Paws crossed.

Penny and the Piggyfriends.