[Gpdd] HEALTH: Broken teeth

[Ginger Fitzsimmons]

Mr. Mike T. Pig broke one of his lower incisors sometime near  
Christmas. We noticed him having trouble eating carrots a couple of  
days before and took him to his vet on the 26th. It was cracked quite  
badly at the gum line. His vet thought the best thing to do would be  
to trim it and let it grow back in. He was given injectable sedation  
and then isofluorane. I think if there is ever a next time, I will  
ask that he not get the injectable because he was groggy for quite a  
while, hours even, and it was scary for us.

We saw the tooth and it was chisel shaped on the tip (normal) and  
where it had cracked almost off (not normal). I'd worry about him  
swallowing it, so clipping it seemed good. Because it was right at  
the gum line and the gum line now had an opening, he's on antibiotic  
to prevent infection. He had Metacam for five days for pain, and  
we've been giving him Benebac a few hours after the antibiotic to try  
to keep up the good gut flora.

The tooth is growing back, albeit slowly. The gum is kind of ugly. He  
eats a little hay on his own and romaine and parsley, though more of  
the greens if he is hand fed. He refuses carrot and pepper, pushing  
them out with his tongue. Pffft! He has just decided cucumber bits  
are tasty again. He has been on Critical Care since the trimming to  
try to keep his weight up. The last day or two, he has been trying to  
get out of that, too. Today, he dribbled out some of his antibiotic.  
That sneaky pig! I'm glad he's opinionated again, but I wish getting  
the meds to stay in was easier.

-ginger
co-slave, with Steve, to Mr. Mike T. Pig