Help will Malocclusion

[solillie]

My 13 month-old Stef has malocclusion. After taking her to the vet the first few times to trim her teeth we started doing it at home because we didn't want her to suffer the ill effects of constantly being anesthetized. Stef tolerates having her teeth clipped every 10 days and her quality of life goes up after. However, some days are difficult and she just doesn't want to be wrapped like a burrito and have a pair of clippers taken to her. Usually after trimming, she is right back on my shoulder and all is forgiven. Occasionally she goes into a funk for about 24 hrs before she is feeling better.

It has been suggested that we have her front incisors removed: quality of life will be much improved and the only adjustment will be a change of diet to soft foods.

Question:What is the prognosis when removing front teeth? How common is it and what can go wrong? What will be her quality of life after the operation?

If anybody has experience or insight, it would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Shirley beanen]

My 13 month-old Stef has malocclusion. After taking her to the vet the first few times to trim her teeth we started doing it at home because we didn't want her to suffer the ill effects of constantly being anesthetized. Stef tolerates having her teeth clipped every 10 days and her quality of life goes up after. However, some days are difficult and she just doesn't want to be wrapped like a burrito and have a pair of clippers taken to her. Usually after trimming, she is right back on my shoulder and all is forgiven. Occasionally she goes into a funk for about 24 hrs before she is feeling better.

It has been suggested that we have her front incisors removed: quality of life will be much improved and the only adjustment will be a change of diet to soft foods.

Question:What is the prognosis when removing front teeth? How common is it and what can go wrong? What will be her quality of life after the operation?

If anybody has experience or insight, it would be appreciated. Thanks!
How did you know that your squirrel had this condition?? I took my squirrel to the vet because his eye was watering white milky fluid...but the vet said his teeth were fine because enzo is a chewer the vet gave me some antibiotics drops doing better but still waters a little i should have got a xray of his head...his front top teeth were all ways short

[Jen413]

There are several squirrels who have had their incisors removed due to odontomas and they are fine. I personally would not remove them unless they had an odontoma. My guy's jaw was crushed when he fell and his has malocclusion. I too trim his teeth every 7-10 days.

Shirley, malocclusion is when the teeth don't like up correctly. If he had it he would not be able to wear down his teeth normally and you'd have to trim them. If his top teeth don't seem to grow and he has white tears I'd probably play it safe and get an x-ray of his teeth/head. Does he have any other symptoms other than watery eye and white tears? Hopefully the antibiotic clears up whatever issue he has and he doesn't have anymore issues though.

[Shirley beanen]

There are several squirrels who have had their incisors removed due to odontomas and they are fine. I personally would not remove them unless they had an odontoma. My guy's jaw was crushed when he fell and his has malocclusion. I too trim his teeth every 7-10 days.

Shirley, malocclusion is when the teeth don't like up correctly. If he had it he would not be able to wear down his teeth normally and you'd have to trim them. If his top teeth don't seem to grow and he has white tears I'd probably play it safe and get an x-ray of his teeth/head. Does he have any other symptoms other than watery eye and white tears? Hopefully the antibiotic clears up whatever issue he has and he doesn't have anymore issues though. he has appt with the vet on the 22nd and i.m going to get a xray of his head and his teeth trimed he has no other symptoms. He eats well still chews ..i know a xray has to be done but i.m afraid something will go wrong...

[farm mom]

I had an adult with malocclusion. We found the best time to do it was after she went to bed. We had a cotton sheet piece with a slit small enough for her head to go thru. I would slip it over her head and gather the rest of it to form a sack. Then my husband would hold her while i used a popsicle stick and the clippers and file. We would be done in 5 min. and put her right back in her dray. She accepted it as normal for her. No problems. Just a dream...lol

[Shirley beanen]

I had an adult with malocclusion. We found the best time to do it was after she went to bed. We had a cotton sheet piece with a slit small enough for her head to go thru. I would slip it over her head and gather the rest of it to form a sack. Then my husband would hold her while i used a popsicle stick and the clippers and file. We would be done in 5 min. and put her right back in her dray. She accepted it as normal for her. No problems. Just a dream...lol i don't think i could do it by myself so i.ll have the vet do it the first time maybe i can get him to show me...thank you for all your help and information so so appreciate it

[Jen413]

The vet often uses a dremel and has to put them under a little. If you get the vet to do it I'd see if you can request that they do it with clippers so you get a feel for it the way YOU will have to do it at home if you decide to. That way you know what to expect.

[Milo's Mom]

First, I feel that you need to get a darn good set of x-rays done and have them reviewed by at least one vet that has significant squirrel experience. I'm not saying your vet does not, I'm saying I feel you need to have a second set of eyes review the films.

Next, I have had the incredible opportunity to have a malloc that needed tooth trimmings every other Monday for nearly 7 years, AND I have a different squirrel that had all 4 of her incisors removed 1 day shy of 1 year ago. As far as I am concerned they both have/had splendid lives.

Princess Ellie - The constant trimmings were NOT easy for either of us and at times a lot of blood was shed (usually mine). We had a bad clipping one time and eventually she DID develop an elodontoma on that tooth and subsequently had it removed. She recovered from the surgery without issue and things were good, she was happy and back to her usual ruling of the kingdom. Ellie passed away on April 24th, due to kidney failure that is not believed to be related to her surgery at all. I'm telling you all of this so you have the whole story.

Snags - Her teeth were a hot mess, one was growing in a tight circle in the middle of her head and coming out under her molars and poking her tongue, the other bottom one was growing on a 45 degree angle across her mouth and the top ones were not even and grew oddly. We removed all 4 of them. Snags eats a normal healthy diet for squirrels that I prepare by mincing it. Soft foods she is able to "gum" and treats (such as a teddy graham) she licks and them shoves in her mouth and uses her molars to bite.

There are many people on this board that have met Snags and can confirm that she's full of life and goodnesses.

So, to remove or not...after going through the process with Snags and seeing how genuinely happy she is I wish I would have had Princess Ellie's teeth removed years ago as I do believe our lives together would have been a lot different. It was hard for her to love her Mom but hate Dentist (same person as Mom) and I feel our relationship could have been better if I didn't have to be the dentist. Her life was very good, but I feel it could have been better.

If I am ever in the situation of having an NR malloc again, I do believe I would opt for removal before the development of elodontoma(s). The removal surgery is much easier (less invasive) and can be done with some planning and preparation. Elodontoma surgery can be extremely invasive, it's very hard to recover from for some, and at times must be done on an emergency basis, which is usually outrageously expensive too.

Not all vets have the ability remove elodontoma(s) so you might have to do some traveling...again not good in an emergency situation.

I hope this gives you some additional perspective and if I can answer any questions please do not hesitate to ask. I will try to keep an eye on this thread or please feel free to send me a Private Message (PM).

[Shirley beanen]

First, I feel that you need to get a darn good set of x-rays done and have them reviewed by at least one vet that has significant squirrel experience. I'm not saying your vet does not, I'm saying I feel you need to have a second set of eyes review the films.

Next, I have had the incredible opportunity to have a malloc that needed tooth trimmings every other Monday for nearly 7 years, AND I have a different squirrel that had all 4 of her incisors removed 1 day shy of 1 year ago. As far as I am concerned they both have/had splendid lives.

Princess Ellie - The constant trimmings were NOT easy for either of us and at times a lot of blood was shed (usually mine). We had a bad clipping one time and eventually she DID develop an elodontoma on that tooth and subsequently had it removed. She recovered from the surgery without issue and things were good, she was happy and back to her usual ruling of the kingdom. Ellie passed away on April 24th, due to kidney failure that is not believed to be related to her surgery at all. I'm telling you all of this so you have the whole story.

Snags - Her teeth were a hot mess, one was growing in a tight circle in the middle of her head and coming out under her molars and poking her tongue, the other bottom one was growing on a 45 degree angle across her mouth and the top ones were not even and grew oddly. We removed all 4 of them. Snags eats a normal healthy diet for squirrels that I prepare by mincing it. Soft foods she is able to "gum" and treats (such as a teddy graham) she licks and them shoves in her mouth and uses her molars to bite.

There are many people on this board that have met Snags and can confirm that she's full of life and goodnesses.

So, to remove or not...after going through the process with Snags and seeing how genuinely happy she is I wish I would have had Princess Ellie's teeth removed years ago as I do believe our lives together would have been a lot different. It was hard for her to love her Mom but hate Dentist (same person as Mom) and I feel our relationship could have been better if I didn't have to be the dentist. Her life was very good, but I feel it could have been better.

If I am ever in the situation of having an NR malloc again, I do believe I would opt for removal before the development of elodontoma(s). The removal surgery is much easier (less invasive) and can be done with some planning and preparation. Elodontoma surgery can be extremely invasive, it's very hard to recover from for some, and at times must be done on an emergency basis, which is usually outrageously expensive too.

Not all vets have the ability remove elodontoma(s) so you might have to do some traveling...again not good in an emergency situation.

I hope this gives you some additional perspective and if I can answer any questions please do not hesitate to ask. I will try to keep an eye on this thread or please feel free to send me a Private Message (PM). took ENZO FERRARI to the vet this morning...he took x-rays of his head ,eyes,and ears..no sign of odontoma he all took x-rays of his whole body and went over everything with me he also while under sedation check this teeth and did not nred to be trimed...but he did mention something about thiamine..he told me he was going to do some research on that for me....could you please tell me the affects of to much thiamine or to little ....l would greatly appreciate it...thank you

[Milo's Mom]

took ENZO FERRARI to the vet this morning...he took x-rays of his head ,eyes,and ears..no sign of odontoma he all took x-rays of his whole body and went over everything with me he also while under sedation check this teeth and did not nred to be trimed...but he did mention something about thiamine..he told me he was going to do some research on that for me....could you please tell me the affects of to much thiamine or to little ....l would greatly appreciate it...thank you

Again, I encourage you to send the xrays to another vet that has squirrel experience. My Princess Ellie I told you about earlier...I had xrays done on her several years ago and was told NO elodontoma, but she kept having symptoms so a few years later I went to a different vet (this one had squirrel experience) and she clearly had an elodontoma. Knowing that they do grow over time I went back to the first vet and got the old xrays so I could look at them myself...she DID have an elodontoma all those years ago...the first vet either didn't see it or didn't know what it was.

We also just recently had a little squirrel come on the board that had been suffering from massive elodontomas that were mis-diagnosed by at least 2 vets for over a year. (they were the largest I've ever seen...they were beyond huge) If you don't have access to another vet or one with significant squirrel experience several of us here do and I'm sure one of us could lead you in the right direction. The very best in the country is Dr. Alicia Emerson.

Other than Thiamine being Vitamin B1 I don't know much about too much or too little. I encourage you to contact Leigh at Henry's Healthy Pets as I feel she would be the most qualified to discuss this with you. https://www.henryspets.com/ The phone numbers are on the website.