Dental problems in rodents

In guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, mice and other rodents, teeth always grow and molt. When teeth and molars do not wear down properly, overgrowing teeth (elephant teeth) or hooks can occur on the molars. This can chafe and cause serious injury. It can also cause all kinds of other health problems such as the development of abscesses, eye problems and intestinal problems.

How do you recognize dental problems in your rodent?

  • Not eating/poorly eating or problems eating (e.g. food falling out of the mouth)
  • Emaciation
  • Teary eyes
  • Salivate
  • Nasal discharge
  • Protruding teeth or horizontal ridges on the teeth
  • Swelling around the jaws
  • Badly groomed coat
  • Abnormal droppings
  • Bulging eyeballs

 

If you recognize these symptoms in your rodent, it is important to visit the vet for a check-up. He can, if necessary, grind the teeth or molars. If teeth keep getting too long, it is sometimes decided to pull them.

How do you prevent dental problems?

Dental problems can have various causes. They can be hereditary or arise from trauma, but often they arise from an incorrect diet.


For good tooth wear, it is important that a rodent receives food with a good composition and a high crude fiber content. It is therefore also important that unlimited hay is made available. We recommend Timothy hay eand Care+ because they contain a high crude fiber content, the right calcium-phosphorus ratio and vitamin D. Care+ also has a "Dental function": because the chunks are extruded, we can give them the right hardness, so that the natural tooth wear is boosted per animal species.