[Gpdd] MISC Fennel visits the dentist

[Penny Charlesworth]

My Rex piggy, Fennel, was having trouble eating last week. She could manage matchstick sized strips of veggies and blades of grass if I inserted them into the back of her mouth and seemed to be eating from her dry food bowl but was unable to bite pieces out of her favourite cucumber.

I swabbed her mouth around with Daktarin Oral Gel and made an appointment for her with our Rodentologists.

When we arrived, there was a family of five visiting their piggy, Nibbles, who is a patient in the little hospital. They thought that piggies only have four teeth, the ones that we can easily see, and were intrigued to learn how many more are hiding out of sight at the back of their mouths. When it was Fennel's turn to be seen, they were invited to watch the procedure.

Fennel is a very calm, laid back piggy and our Rodentologist said that she makes a very good "guinea pig" for demonstration purposes.

She laid back quietly on the pillow whilst the buccal separators were inserted and all of the family in turn were able to see all those little teeth tucked inside. Fennel had a tiny sharp spike clipped from a molar and was able to munch on some parsley as soon as the device had been removed from her mouth.

She is back to enjoying her cucumber again, having forgotten all the excitement of her few minutes of fame.

I wish all piggies needing dental treatment could be treated in this way.

Penny and the Piggyfriends.