Guinea Pig Care: Loose Teeth

Guinea pig's most visible teeth are in the front, although healthy guinea pigs actually have 20 teeth. All guinea pigs require healthy teeth to feed and thrive properly. Inadequate dental care or poor nutrition can hurt the dental health of your pet, resulting in malnutrition as the animal is unable to feed. A guinea pig's teeth constantly grow and do not need to be filed down by the owners. However, concerns arise if your pet constantly breaks teeth or is having loose teeth, which can indicate a serious feeding problem.

  1. Concern

    • An adult guinea pig should not be losing teeth. Teeth, especially front upper and lower premolars, should be worn down naturally through food and chewing. As rodents, guinea pig teeth are "open rooted" and grow continuously. Adult guinea pigs that chip or break teeth can suffer health problems as they are unable to feed properly. Monitor your guinea pig for weight changes or in any changes in how the pet eats food.

    Care

    • Owners of guinea pigs should perform weekly examinations of their pets, including weight checks and teeth checks. During the teeth check, look for breaks and irregular wear, such as slanted teeth. This could indicate tooth injury, jaw injury, an infection or other dental problem. Teeth that break can grow back on their own. An experienced veterinarian or a veterinary dentist can provide care to your guinea pig.

    Prevention

    • The Chin Sling offers support for a weak jaw and can be placed on a guinea pig to encourage normal wear of the teeth. A nutritious diet and adequate vitamin C should provide enough nutrients for health teeth growth. Human vitamin C can be given to guinea pigs by quartering tablets and giving a guinea pig a quarter of tablet a day. Hays, grasses and abrasive foods help to naturally grind down teeth and should be given as part of a healthy diet.