Peeps has a problem with a top tooth

[Mel1959]

Peeps was hanging around for much of the morning taking nuts. This evening when my husband went out he discovered that Peeps could not grab a nut with his mouth. I brought him inside and examined his mouth. One top tooth looks totally out of whack and is loose. I have texted Dr. E but not heard from her yet. I am attaching a picture. If anyone knows what the problem is please let me know. I am keeping him inside till I am advised otherwise. Thank you.

[Nancy in New York]

Just tried to enlarge and turn the photos a little.

[Mel1959]

Thank you, Nancy. It appears to be somewhat painful as he made some noise when I touched it to get the picture. Can someone help me reconstitute and dose 15mg. meloxicam? Peeps is less than 500 gr. Probably around 375-400gr. Thanks.

[Nancy in New York]

They look misaligned. Does he only have one top tooth?
Am I looking at a bottom tooth and a top tooth?

[Mel1959]

Nope, you're looking at two top teeth. The one that has some dark color to it is loose and is totally out of whack with the other tooth. It is hanging down further than the other one and is very loose, almost like he got it caught on something and tried to rip it out.

[Nancy in New York]

Nope, you're looking at two top teeth. The one that has some dark color to it is loose and is totally out of whack with the other tooth. It is hanging down further than the other one and is very loose, almost like he got it caught on something and tried to rip it out.

Oh two TOP teeth.
How the heck did this happen?
Thank GOD you released these two in your yard.

[Mel1959]

Yep, my thoughts exactly! Peeps has definitely been my "problem child"!! I sent a text to Dr. E and also called the office and left a message with the receptionist to have her call me. She doesn't work tomorrow. Ugh! I will see what she says and post.

I did reconstitute and dose metacam. That Wild Mammal book has been a wonderful addition to my life.

[Nancy in New York]

Yep, my thoughts exactly! Peeps has definitely been my "problem child"!! I sent a text to Dr. E and also called the office and left a message with the receptionist to have her call me. She doesn't work tomorrow. Ugh! I will see what she says and post.

I did reconstitute and dose metacam. That Wild Mammal book has been a wonderful addition to my life.

I hope she gets back to you, if she can put Stuart down for a minute.
Don't you love the WMB book.
If you have the 3rd edition, did you notice that they dose metacam 10 times higher than the 2nd?

Edit: I posted about this in post #32 of this thread:
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...ight=Wild+Book

[Mel1959]

I do have the third edition, but never had the second edition to compare to.

I am always totally amazed at how well Peeps does every time we have to bring him inside! There is no craziness or hyperness, he just accepts whatever is handed to him! Tonite it's Joeys small outdoor sun cage that my husband built, with a cube secured in the top section. Of course, it's sleepy time and tomorrow when the sun comes up, I'm sure he's gonna want a lot more space. . The only other option will be the release cage which we just completed for the girls, but haven't transferred them to. They currently are occupying both sections of the Critter Nation cage.

[Nancy in New York]

I do have the third edition, but never had the second edition to compare to.

I am always totally amazed at how well Peeps does every time we have to bring him inside! There is no craziness or hyperness, he just accepts whatever is handed to him! Tonite it's Joeys small outdoor sun cage that my husband built, with a cube secured in the top section. Of course, it's sleepy time and tomorrow when the sun comes up, I'm sure he's gonna want a lot more space. . The only other option will be the release cage which we just completed for the girls, but haven't transferred them to. They currently are occupying both sections of the Critter Nation cage.

He reminds me of little Lenny when he needs to come inside. It seems like
second nature to them, that's just how comfortable they are with their Mom's.
They KNOW that you won't ever steer them wrong.

I hope you get some answers about that tooth. I wonder if it will "tighten up"
on it's own.

[Mel1959]

Sent the pics to Dr. E. I don't know what she is going to recommend yet. If there didn't seem to be such a difference in length between the two teeth I guess that would be an easy "fix". If it did, I guess the other tooth could be trimmed. The hubby said that he couldn't open his mouth to take a nut, which makes me wonder if he has a broken jaw.

Just heard back from Dr. E. Since tomorrow is her day off she will see him on Thursday. I will keep him in and offer some soft food.

[Jen413]

Sammy broke his top tooth off at the gum line once. It was dark where it had broken. Wonder if maybe it's broken inside the gum but just didn't come out! Maybe as it moves it's poking and/or rubbing and causing pain? Hope he does well until Dr. E can see him. You are so fortunate to be so close to her.

[Mel1959]

Sammy broke his top tooth off at the gum line once. It was dark where it had broken. Wonder if maybe it's broken inside the gum but just didn't come out! Maybe as it moves it's poking and/or rubbing and causing pain? Hope he does well until Dr. E can see him. You are so fortunate to be so close to her.

Yes, I consider myself very lucky to be located so closely to her.

I didn't mess too much with his mouth to see what exactly is going on. His one tooth was longer, loose and hanging at an odd angle. Because of this I thought it might have been partially pulled out. After my husband said he had difficulty opening his mouth to take a hazelnut I'm worried that there could be something wrong with his jaw, too.

[lennysmom]

Praying for some good news from Dr E about little Peeps.
So glad that he has you looking out for him and that trusts you enough to handle and help him like that after being outside - what a sweetie.

[Mel1959]

Peeps update: This morning the loose tooth was still hanging. It actually was sticking out of his mouth when he had his mouth closed. I gave him some banana and avocado, which he ate, but now the tooth is completely gone. I examined his mouth and he has one top tooth and then just gum line where the other tooth was. There's no nub or anything. I let Dr. E know to see if she still wanted me to bring him up. Does anyone know what the prognosis is for a squirrel with only one top tooth? I guess an X-ray might help determine if it broke below the gum line, like jlee suggested, or if it completely fell out. Can they survive in the wild with only one top?

[SammysMom]

The problem with one top tooth is the overgrowing of the bottom that it should line up with. I don't believe it is going to work out in the wild... His top tooth would overgrow and hurt his mouth and/or face and cause infection. Think "Sabrina"...

[Mel1959]

Thank you, Gayle. Dr. E says it usually will regrow, but she didn't answer whether he should be released. My gut says that I would like to see it regrowing before I release him. Does anyone know how quickly a tooth will regrow, if its going to? I haven't tried him on an unshelled nut yet, so I don't know if he can eat anything hard.

[Jen413]

After Sammy broke the top tooth the bottom tooth right below it disappeared. Like gone without a trace. There was just smooth gum there. No hole, no redness, it looked like a baby's gums that had never had a tooth. Now that tooth before falling out looked like a "baby" tooth (thin, white) when all the others looked more adult (thicker and orange). The first vet I took him to believed the tooth was gone and wouldn't return. About two months or so later, there it was! These teeth were on the right side of his face where all the damage was and I believe that had an impact on that bottom one falling out but not necessarily the top one breaking. It took much longer for the bottom to come back and be normal than it did the top. I was shocked when I saw the bottom one was coming back. Sammy never had any trouble eating with just those two front teeth but of course he's not out in the wild either. He ate unshelled nuts, chayote, and hard squashes just fine. Hopefully nothing is wrong with his jaw and that little toofer comes back normally!

[Mel1959]

Thank you jlee for this info, it's very helpful. I find myself in a predicament. I don't know if I should keep Peeps inside as it sounds like it will be awhile before the tooth regrows, if it's going to, or let him return to the trees and check on his tooth periodically since he comes around almost daily. If his bottom tooth doesn't fall out, like Sammys did, then I will be concerned about it growing out of check, like Gayle mentioned. Any thoughts anyone?

[Jen413]

Sammys bottom tooth fell out unrelated to the top breaking in my opinion. I wouldn't think that Peeps's tooth will do the same. I'd be worried that the bottom tooth wouldn't wear down without the top. If I were you I'd keep him in. His may grow back in faster than Sammy's as his was likely more a break in the gum line. I'm thinking trauma to Sammy's from his initial fall may have stopped his from growing for a while causing it to fall out. I'll see if I can find where in his thread the pictures are of that tooth right before it fell out and how it looked after.