The young girl who
brought the guinea pig on 2nd day of Chinese New Year is
a medical undergraduate for not eating for some weeks.
She had consulted Vet 1 earlier and was given
antibiotics but the pet still had no appetite. I
anaesthesized it and clipped the overgrown lower
premolar and molar teeth which had arched over the
tongue.
She texted me today, February 14, 2011, at 7.30am for an
urgent appointment as her GP was not breathing well.
When I saw her at 9 am at the Surgery, the GP had just
died.
"Why?" she said the GP had been eating on his own since
she ordered the Critical Care from online petshop that
delivered on the 7th day of CNY. The GP was hand fed and
was eating well till yesterday, around 21 days after the
teeth were clipped.
"An autopsy will give some answers," I said. She wanted
one done and I asked Dr Daniel to do it with me.
Significant autopsy findings were:
1. Stomach was full of Critical care mashed food and so
the GP was really eating.
2. Gas in the large intestines could be normal and food
seen in the caecum.
3. Some greenish mashed food inside the mouth. Could be
after death.
4. Trachea was very clean, so no inhaled food from hand
feeding.
5. Lungs severely congested.
6. Massive hydrothorax (reddish fluid splashed out) and
this would cause respiratory distress and death.
7. Left lung had white fibrinous adhesions on the
posterior lobes. The GP was not a healthy one and had
pneumonia some months ago and had recovered, the owner
said.
8. Heart had fibrinous pericarditis as the pericardium
seemed to have small yellow nodules (abscesses?)
The young girl asked me what was the cause of sudden
difficulty in breathing and death. "Hydrothorax is the
cause and may be associated with cardio-respiratory
infections in the past," I said. "The GP could have
weakened immune system as he was not eating for many
weeks."
"Is his sickness infectious to the other GP?" the girl
asked me. The other GP was fat and ate well. She had
just disinfected the crate. But I asked her to do again
esp. water bottles and feed bowls.
CHEEK TEETH I
checked the cheek teeth as I had clipped the bottom
premolars and molars under general anaesthesia around 21
days ago. I present the image for the benefit of GP
owners and GP anatomy for vet students. The guinea pig
has 20 teeth. The dental formula is I1,PM1,M3.
VETS TO NOTE
Many cases of the rabbit and guinea pig not eating are
due to malocclusion. However, the teeth involved may be
the inside premolars and molars, usually the bottom ones
in the guinea pig. The overgrown teeth arch over the
tongue and cause ulceration on the other side.
Palpate the top of the premolars and molars with
your finger to feel the sharp edges of malocclusion if
possible or under anaesthesia. It is easier to do in the
racehorse, but the principle of palpation is the same.
Wrap the guinea pig or rabbit in a towel and use a
buccal separator to open the mouth for inspection. I
used isoflurane gas anaesthesia for a few seconds to
permit me to do the job of clipping the teeth. It is
difficult to clip the teeth without anaesthesia as the
tongue is in the way and may be accidentally cut.
Guinea pigs, hamsters and rabbits are not the favourite
patients of many vets and there are some any internet
postings from non-vet experts in the above-mentioned
pets cursing the veterinarian for being incompetent and
ignorant. Pass the case to other vets if you are
not keen on treating such creatures rather than just
give antibiotics for inappetance.
GUINEA PIG OWNERS
Check the mouth esp. the inner teeth weekly. Feel the
cheek for painful reaction indicating an oral ulcer or
abscess. Weigh your guinea pig weekly and if it is
losing weight, consult your vet and ask for the teeth to
be checked.
TOA
PAYOH VETS
