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Post by deguconvert on Feb 1, 2010 17:53:49 GMT
Shaking my head . . . your vet does seem to have a bit of trouble dealing with teeth! Unless your degu has weak teeth . . . perhaps she needs a little more calcium in her diet. You might try giving her a chew thing that is often given to pet birds. It is the dried out body of some kind of sea animal . . . ummm . . . cuttel fish I believe. They are a good source of calcium. Some degus will really go after them, while others will only pee on it. They aren't expensive usually, so it might be worth a try.
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Post by aday3686 on Feb 2, 2010 0:07:35 GMT
what kind of fish food do you refer? little shrimps or artificial fish food? But Kokoro has 2 calcium stones in her cage. Talking about the vet, I have decided to cut her teeth with and nailcutter if it is necesary, because I tell the vet to cut her teeth with a nailcutter and he use an stitch scissors. The result was Kokoro without upper teeth. But don't panic she has recover both of them. Of course I won't bring Kokoro to the vet never again.
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Post by deguconvert on Feb 2, 2010 0:37:05 GMT
If she has two calcium stones in her cage, then she has access to it . . . you just can't force her to chew it. Our degus just pee all over theirs, so I gave up keeping one in their cage. However, our water that is pumped into the house is very high in mineral content, so they are definitely getting what they may need through their drinking water. We don't use bottled water for them because if it is water without natural mineral in it, it can actually cause the body to "leach" minerals out of the bones and teeth.
It sounds like you have a much better grasp on trimming teeth than your vet. I don't blame you one bit for choosing to do it yourself from this time forth.
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Post by aday3686 on Feb 2, 2010 14:58:27 GMT
Thanks, I hope to have no problems again with Kokoro's teeth because now she has all she needs to bite, gnaw and do degu things. But I think that the origin of this problem is that she only have one lower tooth which is wear out because gnawing. It's ok, Kokoro's teeth are growing well now, and if they grow too much I will cut her teeth with my own methods (nailcutter). The worst things had gone, and I'm afraid no more. There is only one thing remain, pray for Kokoro to start gnaw with madness
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Post by deguconvert on Feb 2, 2010 15:36:23 GMT
;D LOL!! You got it!
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Post by bovril on Mar 4, 2010 22:19:15 GMT
Hi, i feel sorry for you and your degu teeth, i had same problem with my gerbil last year- broken jaw and lost upper teeth, his teeth grew back fast but uneven so had to keep getting them cut for over 5 months it was stressfull for him but the teeth were never the same he lived on soft food he could not eat hard food very well so his back teeth became over grown aswell, after trying my best and spending £200.00p pounds on vet fees my poor guy slowly waisted away of starvation and unhappines i loved him but knew he was unhappy so i had him put to sleep. i dont think rodent teeth ever realy grow back to normal after bad damage. he was 4 years old and to old to be unhappy. ( finding a vet that is good with exotic pets is also very hard in england, i have rats, gerbils, birds, fish and hamsters and i still can not find a good vet, they only seem to be good if you have a cat or dog ) hope Kokoro is ok.
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Post by aday3686 on Apr 26, 2010 15:19:24 GMT
I feel very sorry about your gerbil. Kokoro is well nowadays. The worst thing is that her upper tooth have grown a lot, but she stand its longitude in a some mysterious way (since the last time I bring her to the vet). She can't eat everything she want, but she try with little things. Her health and weight are ok. Some days ago, I was thinking about to clip her upper tooth again, but I think that the more I clip the tooth, the more they will grow. I assume her tooth are deform. Here I leave some photos. If someone have something to say, please let me know. And I will thanks if somebody show this photo to an expert degu vet. Attachments:
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Post by aday3686 on Apr 26, 2010 15:21:23 GMT
Here is Kokoro eating a hazelnut without shell.
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Post by DegutasticJen on Apr 26, 2010 17:26:31 GMT
Im not too sure about cutting teeth on your own, dont get me wrong im sure you know what your doing, but maybe the vet would be able to provide another solution for you? maybe they will be able to cut the teeth a certain way so they dont grow bad again?
Im not entirely sure but I would say maybe a trip to the vets is a must, esp those top teeth do look rather long.
Please keep us posted with how you get on whatever you decide
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 26, 2010 18:03:39 GMT
Her teeth are very long indeed! It is quite concerning to see the one upper tooth growing back into her mouth. That would make it nearly impossible to chew I would think. I definitely think her teeth need to be trimmed, but I know you were very displeased with the vet's performance the last two visits. If you do choose to trim the teeth yourself, I think you need to start with the one that is growing crooked. Korkoro's teeth look to be about twice the length of our degus teeth, so I think you could take a fair bit off.
However, you might want to see your vet again, this looks like a rather tricky job.
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Post by emz on Apr 26, 2010 18:14:22 GMT
Haven't there been cases where degu with persistent teeth problems have had to be put down? I think the vet should definitely deal with this to avoid it coming to that ... maybe find a new vet if any are within a reasonable distance?
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 26, 2010 18:19:51 GMT
Degus that have molar problems, the roots growing into the mouth cavity, out through the bottom of the jaw, or up into the eye sockets, have certainly had to be put down. The front teeth have not been a cause for euthanasia as far as I know. They are much 'easier' to care for than the molars are. I don't think that is the case for Korkoro a this point. But if her front tooth curved enough to grow up through her palate, that would certainly put her health and future at risk.
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Post by w8152 on Apr 26, 2010 20:18:03 GMT
it looks like it will be a constant trimming exercise cause of the lower tooth being "missing"
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Post by aday3686 on Apr 26, 2010 21:21:49 GMT
Yes, you have to notice that Kokoro lost one lower teeth because of an accident. For now I'm NOT going to clip her tooth by my own (because I fear to injure kokoro) or the vet either. Because she has eaten by her own from the last time I bring her to the vet. And I am sure that her tooth will grown the same way like the two other times before.
I keep an eye on her tooth everyday to check any injure or any problem. When I'll observe that the end of the tooth are out of view, I will have no choice but to clip her tooth again.
I will continue to post. Thanks a lot, I feel very support with all of you because here nobody have degus and sometimes I feel quite lost. ;D
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Post by aday3686 on Apr 27, 2010 16:40:35 GMT
Ey guys, I read somewhere in the forum about someone who bring his or her degu to the vet every month to trim his tooth. Anybody knows about that? maybe Kokoro needs to trim her tooth every month?
any sugestion?
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 27, 2010 22:58:13 GMT
I think you might be right. It can be stressful for her, but having teeth that are too long will be stressful as well. I think it would be better for her to have a comfortable mouth, with teeth she can use well.
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Post by aday3686 on May 10, 2010 11:01:13 GMT
Hi everybody, I have been in contact with some bristish vets and from my own country too, and here is what they tell me:
First: I should trim Kokoro's tooth in order to let her eat. Second: Since the first time the vet trim her tooth they began to become deformed. Third: The final solution is to remove her incisives.
So I will continue trimming her tooth until they became too bad for trimming and then I (I mean the vet) will remove her incisives.
Any suggestion?
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Post by smux on May 10, 2010 11:23:58 GMT
I have a suggestion...a different vet, one who knows what a degu is. I hope you didn't pay the vet who did the damage, because they don't deserve money if they don't even know what the pet is they're working with and they still accept the work :-)
I'm only a new degu owner, but I bought some "willow sticks" from pets at home and I have them through the bars in the corner of the cage, my babes love to gnaw through them and they've already gnawed right through a couple (I got them Friday...it's been a weekend :-)), they love their sticks and the bark on them, and the sticks aren't too expensive. Obviously you could get them for free if you know what you're looking for, and I intend to learn with help from someone more in the know :-)
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Post by deguconvert on May 10, 2010 14:47:17 GMT
We discourage the use of willow sticks, as they are considered toxic to degus. However birch, apple, and crabapple are all safe to use.
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Post by aday3686 on May 11, 2010 19:54:56 GMT
I have good news, yesterday I bring Kokoro to my vet and we have have a SUCCESSFUL tooth trimming (without break). You have to know that Kokoro wasn't eating since last saturday (2 days ago). I know that you are thinking that I'm mad for take Kokoro to my low quality vet, but you should know that these 2 last month I have been in contact with some british vets and I was able to teach my vet how to trim tooth. Here I leave some photos, I know she still has a long tooth, but now she can feed herself better. Probably I will repeat the trimming next month. Attachments:
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