My guinea pig has chews. Are his teeth too long? What are the signs?

Thanks for reaching out about Snowy. Indeed, rodent incisors continue to grow throughout life. Most likely, Snowy was cribbing, and fractured the incisors. You should see some re-growth within the next 2-3 weeks. Keep an eye on the lower teeth as they will grow also and are not being worn off by the upper incisors. They might need to be trimmed by a veterinarian prior to upper incisors becoming the normal length. You need to dissuade Snowy from continued cribbing. You can cut vegetables thin and long, like a piece of hay. They have back teeth (cheek teeth: premolars and molars) that they use to grind and chew food. Good luck.

Ideally, he should be physically examined by your veterinarian. The tooth should grow back unless the root was damaged. Your vet may trim the other tooth to keep it from becoming overgrown. He or she may also recommend a soft diet such as Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores and/or pain medication.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Weight loss can be caused by overgrown teeth, and thus difficulty eating/chewing. However, other, nonspecific signs such as pain, can also cause reluctance to eat. Bandit may have an eye infection or corneal ulcer, which is causing him some discomfort. I recommend having him seen by a vet, who can file his teeth if necessary, and determine exactly what is going on with his eye. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Ideally, he should be physically examined by your veterinarian. As long as there is no permanent damage to the tooth roots, the teeth will grow back. You can soak his pellets in some water to soften them enough to be eaten. You can also pick up some Oxbow Critical Car for Herbivores ( https://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/professional-line/critical-care/ ) to supplement his diet until the teeth grow back. The amount to feed can be found on the package. Cilantro is high in calcium, thus it should be fed only occasionally and in small amounts to prevent bladder or kidney stones. Iceberg lettuce has little nutritional value and should be avoided. Instead, choose dark, leafy greens (kale, chard, arugula, collard greens, etc.). Continue to offer hay in unlimited amounts. He may be eating it at night or when you are out.

They are very cute! From the pictures, yes they do look healthy, but please keep in mind I can't say this for certain without seeing them in person. If you have concerns about their health, I recommend having them checked out by a vet. I hope this helps :-)

Thanks for reaching out about Chloe and including a photo. Yes, you should see a veterinarian as soon as possible. This could be very serious. Gastric distention can be a clinical sign of many problems, but early veterinary intervention has a better prognosis. Good luck.

I am sorry to hear about Henry. These signs are concerning in a guinea pig. Even if he is eating and active, I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at him. This can be a sign of nausea/GI problems but also of dental disease, which is common in guinea pigs. A vet who deals with guinea pigs can examine your pig and check for dental problems. Bring a stool sample with you so that the vet can check it as well.