Guinea Pig Teeth Grinding When Eating

The teeth being ground are the cheek teeth and they may become worn.

Guinea pig teeth grinding when eating. Making sure you recognize the symptoms of overgrown teeth will help you get. Dental problems especially overgrown incisors or molars are a frequent cause of gi problems in guinea pigs. Malocclusion is the technical term given when teeth are incorrectly aligned and cause bite problems. In some circumstances it may be a feature of boredom in stalled animals.

Without being able to eat a guinea pig can develop gi stasis. Sometimes guinea pigs can stop eating altogether due to dental issues. The teeth of a normal healthy guinea pig should grow back just fine. A guinea pig s teeth grow throughout its life.

They have incisors in the front which are the sharp teeth you can see. Where clipping or grinding is recommended a unit specific policy must be developed which identifies which individuals litters or batches. Watch to make sure the remaining teeth do not get so long that they touch the gums or skin of the mouth. Guinea pig teeth have to line up with one another so your pet can eat properly.

A guinea pig living on a poor diet can be vulnerable to broken teeth especially if the diet is deficient in vitamin c which is essential for bone and tooth growth. This means that if they are not being worn down at the same rate they are growing then they can become overgrown. If these teeth overgrow they can cause pain in the mouth and make it very hard for a guinea pig to eat. This poor guinea pig was hit with a double whammy extra front teeth that are also overgrown.

Tooth grinding is usually an indicator of pain in the pig and occurs in animals with serious internal injuries or disease. If your guinea pig s appetite changes it is most likely due to dental problems. They also have molars in the back of their mouths that you cannot see. A guinea pig s teeth will grow their whole lives which means you can end up with a piggy with pretty long teeth.

It may occur in animals with gastric ulceration torsions heart disease pleuropneumonia or broken limbs. If the incisors grow past their lips they re too long. Guinea pigs can get a condition known as anorexia. In a healthy guinea pig the biting chewing and grinding of food especially hays grasses and abrasive foods will normally keep the teeth at the proper length a length which varies somewhat from one guinea pig to another guinea lynx adds.

Malocclusion also known as poor bite is caused by misaligned teeth. Once you noticed any of these symptoms you need to contact your vet. My guinea pig isn t eating. Unlike humans this refers to a loss of appetite.

In guinea pigs this is a common occurrence as their teeth grow continuously. This can often spiral into other health problems and your guinea pig can get very ill.