Picture of front teeth?

[nicole]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had a picture of what a piggy's incisors should look like? One of my piggy's are longer than the other piggy's are. I've tried looking online but haven't had any luck. Do alot of piggies need to have their teeth trimmed?

I think my girl was suffering from Vit C deficiency, I was away and my husband was looking after them. The neighbour loves watching them eat and was giving them alot of leaf lettuce and they weren't eating their hay and pellets much. I noticed that she was having trouble walking on her back legs. I explained to my husband that to much lettuce wasn't good and have been giving them extra peppers and other veggies high in Vit C and she's walking normally now but I have noticed she's lost weight too. Oh I should mention that she doesn't seem to have any trouble eating veggies hay or pellets and is actually a little "piggy" when it comes to food.

Thanks

[Kayleigh]

Hi

How long were you away and your pig fed mainly lettuce. Its very unlikey she has scurvy as it takes a prolonged amount of time with no added vit c to become this. Scurvy can often be the first thing you think but it can be something underlying that is wrong with your pig.

Here is a great article/site about scurvy ect
www.guinealynx.info/scurvy.html

Also its rare for guinea pigs to need their teeth trimmed. I have had pigs over 12 years and not one has needed their teeth trimmed. The hay and pellets usually keep them nice and ground down.

Here are a couple of snaps of my Adult Sow Apatches teeth.
Top teeth:

Bottom teeth:


Hope they help a little (if quite difficult to get a shot of both with one hand)

Kayleigh

[abbypig]

I would say the strange walk is more due to having had an upset tummy due to too much lettuce. That sounds like it's cleared up now though. As said above I wouldn't worry about the teeth unless they overlap when the pig's mouth is wide open.

[Orlaith]

Good girl Apatche getting your teeth photographed!

From what I've read, problems with the back legs can be caused by vit c, vit d or calcium deficiencies and it can happen from time to time but a good diet should cure it and prevent it from happening again. The lettuce might have been causing your piggy to poop a bit too much, which could contribute to her weight loss. Continue with the extra veg for a while, but keep a close eye on her poops that they don't become too soft or runny. You could also give her extra pellets or some oats to bulk up her belly.

[bunchesofjoy]

When one of my girls had diarrhea, she would walk funny, like she was shaking her butt trying to get it off the ground. I would move her and find a present. She stopped lately that morning, but she also got some medicine from the vet.

[nicole]

thank you all for your help, the pics are great! Fiona's teeth aren't any longer than the ones in the picture but her's are uneven not nice and straight like the ones in the picture. She seems to be gaining now that she's off so much lettuce. I'll keep everyone updated

Thanks again!

[Kayleigh]

Orlaith - Apatche is a great handling pig, great at sitting still whilst i check teeth ect.

Nicole - im glad your sows getting better. keep a close eye on her and make sure she keeps eating her hay and pellets.

Kayleigh

[nicole]

Thanks, she is eating her hay and pellets like a lil "piggy" lol.