Front incisor going to be removed. Anyone been through this? Soft diet after, recommendations?

[Kimber313]

Hi everyone!

I’m alittle upset so I’m sorry for the long post. My skittles has an infection in one of her top, front incisors. The vet wants to remove it. We tried metacam and antibiotics but it doesn’t seem to be helping. She got diarrhea from the abx so they had to use a non-preferred one. This will affect the rest of her life and I’m sitting here thinking about how her life will be after having the tooth removed. Will she be able to properly groom herself? I assume she can’t chatter any more or boggle. Will her teeth need to be cut down, and how often? Plus she will have to be on a soft diet the rest of her life. Does anyone have any suggestions on food I could give her? Someone recommended soaking her oxbow in broth and giving it to her but she didn’t care much for it.

Has anyone been through this process before? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[SQ]

What about Chlorpalm? It can be purchased as a liquid. Chloramphenicol – Rat Guide
or Metronidazole / Flagyl Metronidazole / Flagyl – Rat Guide

Gum/tooth and facial infections in rats are extremely dangerous and usually fatal.

If her tooth is successfully removed, she will continue to be able to groom herself, chatter, brux, and I assume boogle. The opposite incisor will not have a tooth to wear it down so that tooth will need to be trimmed - how often will depend on how fast it grows so perhaps monthly or every couple of weeks, or bimonthly. She will still have other teeth she can chew with so she should be able to continue to eat her blocks as well as vegs, etc You can soak her blocks in cold water to make mush or in soy infant formula to make mush, in addition to offering her solid blocks. You can also feed nonGMO soy infant formula thicked with baby cereal in addition to his blocks, vegs etc

I believe that Lilspaz68 has had a rat's incisor removed as have a couple of other people.
One of the dangers is that if the entire tooth is not removed and any of the tooth bud is left behind the tooth will regrow and not necessarily follow the same path.
One of the incisors of a girl I rescued (Toofer Jane) fell out .... then the tooth regrew and started growing up through her brain ... she had to be put to sleep
Here is a successful story Malocclusion Figure 7 – Rat Guide
It is important to use a vet with the knowledge and experience to preform this surgery safely on rats .... only gas is given, nothing by injection until after the surgery

Our reference thread has quite a bit of info including info on diet REFERENCE Thread - Read Only | The Rat Shack (ratshackforum.com)

 

[Kimber313]

Thank you so much for the reply and all the info!! I truly appreciate it!! You eased my mind. She is going to a more specialized vet for further treatment. Fingers crossed her tooth doesn’t have to be removed. I will try your suggestions in the meantime. Thanks again!!!