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Concious dentals

bluebunny

Wise Old Thumper
My thoughts...
Something id never had to think about untill Teddy needed his teeth done,If he had had a GA he would be dead if he didnt have a concious dental he would be dead,He had them done on tue he was eating as soon as he got home he hadnt eaten for 5 days he is re gaining weight nicely now he wasnt stressed when he got home,I still cant understand why some vets are dead against it,ive never had a guniea pig who has had a dental under ga survive,I wouldnt put another one through it, Teddy is much happier now he can eat but if vets wont do a concious dental the only other option would him being PTS:(:(
 
My thoughts...
Something id never had to think about untill Teddy needed his teeth done,If he had had a GA he would be dead if he didnt have a concious dental he would be dead,He had them done on tue he was eating as soon as he got home he hadnt eaten for 5 days he is re gaining weight nicely now he wasnt stressed when he got home,I still cant understand why some vets are dead against it,ive never had a guniea pig who has had a dental under ga survive,I wouldnt put another one through it, Teddy is much happier now he can eat but if vets wont do a concious dental the only other option would him being PTS:(:(

We regularly do guinea pig dentals under anaesthesia and they generally recover well, especially if brought in before they get to the stage where they have been anorexic for a while and are very weak, dehydrated and collapsed.
I really feel that a good anaesthetic, adequate exposure and complete evaluation and reshaping of all teeth is not possible with a conscious dental and you are just fire-fighting rather than addressing the real problem.
 
Yep..an issue I'm going to need to face soon with my Dominic, who has head tilt. He needs regular dentals (which he usually has under GA because this seems to work well for his problem).

However about 3 weeks ago he developed pretty severe balance problems and head tilt, and has been left with his head at a 90 degree angle. Added to this he isn't a young rabbit (at least 6 years old).

Many vets wouldn't even attempt to treat Dominic, but fortunately my vet is very sympathetic to the situation and will give him a light gas anaesthetic to enable the bare minimum of work to be done to keep him happy and eating
 
We regularly do guinea pig dentals under anaesthesia and they generally recover well, especially if brought in before they get to the stage where they have been anorexic for a while and are very weak, dehydrated and collapsed.
I really feel that a good anaesthetic, adequate exposure and complete evaluation and reshaping of all teeth is not possible with a conscious dental and you are just fire-fighting rather than addressing the real problem.

Well all 5 guniea pigs ive had that have had GA have died so im not prepared to put another one through it
 
This topic usually gets strong responses
We have rabbits done consciously and have never had a problem.

BUT I would recommend it is done by an experienced vet..our vets do advise a GA if the teeth are in a really bad way and/or a more thorough assessment is needed

However, some owners will not pay for a ga..and more importantly some animals would not stand regular ones.
In these cases I feel conscious is a right choice..we are able to not euthanase dental buns that come in as the costs for keeping them healthy are low..if we had to pay for GAs each time we couldn't do it

All the rabbits are fine and eating straight away..no long lasting ill affects, no syringe feeding needed..no post ga care..just straight back to normal
....and the only bun we have lost due to having a dental was one that was booked in to have a conscious one...but the vets did a ga and the bun died .
 
Marie has done my bun's dentals under GA for tiny molar spurs every month since Dec. 08.
He's assessed at 12.00 -12.30, & after adjusting medication to his "Little quirks", he's now home at 5.00pm alert, eating, & hopping around. Obviously I don't let him try the stairs until the next day.
I dread to think how often he'd need a dental if he didn't have a GA for the correct shaping of his teeth.

Temperamentally there is no way he could have a concious dental. I'd challenge anyone to even syringe feed him, without getting it everywhere!!

The same practice did a very successful dental under GA for my neighbour's guineapig although he had a degreeof malnutrition. He's been well with no recurrent dental issues since.

Having said that, I'm so pleased that the alternative worked for Teddy, & he's come through it so well.
 
We regularly do guinea pig dentals under anaesthesia and they generally recover well, especially if brought in before they get to the stage where they have been anorexic for a while and are very weak, dehydrated and collapsed.
I really feel that a good anaesthetic, adequate exposure and complete evaluation and reshaping of all teeth is not possible with a conscious dental and you are just fire-fighting rather than addressing the real problem.

That's what my Vet says too :)
 
Well none of my guniea pigs have been weak, dehydrated and collapsed when ive took them in but all have been very poorly when ive got them home and died the following day:(
 
We tend to catch Starbuck's teeth early enough for them to be done as a conscious dental, and as I said above our vet is very experienced and confident at it.

Starbuck has had sedation/GA when a more thorough assessment has been needed, this was when his tear ducts were very bad and she wanted to x-ray and flush those too, so that was entirely appropriate.

Although I am sure it is not pleasant for Starbuck he seems to cope with it very well and as soon as he is back home is happily eating and bounding around.

I do understand that there are risks with doing any dental and I can understand why vets would prefer the rabbit to be under GA - no flinching or moving being one reason, as well as minimising stress to the rabbit. I havent watched it so I cant say if Starbuck gets stressed, but as soon as she brings him back in to us, he seems fine. It is also a fraction of the price which is important to us, but not fundamentally so (ie if he needed GA of course we would pay).
 
Well none of my guniea pigs have been weak, dehydrated and collapsed when ive took them in but all have been very poorly when ive got them home and died the following day:(

I'm so sorry that this is your experience Bluebunny.

There are several possible reasons. I wonder whether your practice has the equipment & staff to monitor oxygenation through the recovery phase?
I think that in general, standards are improving across the country, but it's bound to be patchy.
 
I'm so sorry that this is your experience Bluebunny.

There are several possible reasons. I wonder whether your practice has the equipment & staff to monitor oxygenation through the recovery phase?
I think that in general, standards are improving across the country, but it's bound to be patchy.

Ive used 2 different vets though:?
 
I don't like the idea of it... it would vibrate their head and just makes me think they'd be stressed. I've seen someone rasp a horses teeth. :?

But then Grim stopped breathing under the last GA he had and he's got to go under again soon for his teeth. But I think conscious it would be too stressful for him and cause more damage... Just my opinion though.
 
I don't like the idea of it... it would vibrate their head and just makes me think they'd be stressed. I've seen someone rasp a horses teeth. :?

But then Grim stopped breathing under the last GA he had and he's got to go under again soon for his teeth. But I think conscious it would be too stressful for him and cause more damage... Just my opinion though.

Honestly i was there Teddy wasnt stressed,Hes a piggie though not a bunny
 
Yep. :)
I dunno, Grim wouldn't sit still for them to look in his mouth never mind them put things in it! :lol:
It's good that they give you the option, small furries are not good under GA.
 
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