D for Dentition #A2ZChallenge

On By LocksleyIn a to z challenge

Greetings, especially to our new visitors. I’m Locksley, and I’m a guinea pig. We’re doing the A to Z Challenge answering questions about guinea pigs, and also guest posts from our friends. Today I’m talking teeth.

Dentition in rodents

Dentition is the fancy word for tooth business. Mummy was with Ludo at the vets, and waiting for him to have his teeth done, and she saw this poster on the wall. She didn’t realise that rodents and Lagomorpha (that’s the rabbit family) each have a different pattern to their teeth.

  • guinea pigs (one side); 1 incisor up and down, 1 premolar up and down, 3 molars up and down.
  • rats are much the same but no premolars
  • rabbits: 2 incisors up and 1 down, 3 premolars up and 2 down, 3 molars up and down
  • degus (come back for J to find out what they are): have the same teeth as us guinea pigs, but they are bright orange!

Our teeth grow all the time. That’s why we have to eat lots of hard grains like hay.

Photo from https://www.exoticvetclinic.com/dentition-poster

Dental problems

Ludo keeps breaking one of his incisors. Then it grows back level with the other one but doesn’t stop. He should do more gnawing of the box in his cage. Mummy keeps an eye on him, but says as his weight is stable, she’s not worried.

Sunday 5th
Feb 9
Feb 19

George the Marvellous, who started this blog, had bad teeth trouble. He wrote about it sometimes. Mummy did the cavy trust dental course so she could help him. But Uncle Barry and Auntie Shirley did it better than she could. We send love to Uncle Barry (although we never met him).

Midge with Uncle Barry and Kevin with Auntie Shirley (2016)

10 thoughts on “D for Dentition #A2ZChallenge”

  1. Bobbi's avatar Bobbi

    Love all your stories and adventures.

    loving this A-Z challenge..

    I have recently moved to Dorset and I am very concerned at lack of knowledgeable vets in my area that deal with guinea pigs.

    Look forward to more info and stories .

    bobbistjust@aol.com.

    Bobbi.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Mummy here. It depends which part of Dorset you are, but there was a very good vet, I believe called Kathryn, who did some online seminars for Cambridge Cavy Trust about 8 years ago. She was based in Dorset. There is a recommended vet in Bournemouth on the cavy website. I go to Andover, which is easily accessed off the A303.

      Would you like me to look further into these?

      Like

      1. Locksley's avatar Locksley

        Then Mummy got wondering.. she thinks it was Katharine Frayling, who runs the West Country Cavy Sanctuary. She might be good to recommend someone closer to you. She is listed as a health advisor on Guinea Pig Magazine.

        Like

      2. bobbistjust's avatar bobbistjust

        Hi,Mum,

        Yes please .I’m in North Dorset and I know that,Kathryn has retired now. I recently spoke to Vedra and she didn’t know of anyone now in my area. The vet I had for years was excellent and would always refer to Vedra’s book but a 100 miles+ is to far if you have an emergency. Love your reading your tales.

        Like

  3. This is a great post, Locksley! I knew that guinea pigs had teeth problems but not about the growing. I can see that could be a real problem. I know your Mum takes good care of all you guys teeth!

    Liked by 1 person

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