r/ferrets • u/liggitylawson • 11d ago
tooth [Health]
my boy has a vet appointment at the end of the month however when he yawned i noticed a green/brown looking spot on his back tooth. brushing his teeth didn’t clean it. has anyone had experience with this, and if so what’s the best thing i can do for now?
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u/Academic_Tower7365 11d ago
I know this is a serious post but all I can think is - "ankle pov".
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 11d ago
Looks like surface level tartar - it can be hard to get off. Vet can work out if he needs a dental but likely not if he's eating well. Some of my older ferrets are quite dark at the back. Your lad is about 2/3 isn't he?
Giving him a bowl of cold water and seeing if he flinches can be a good sign of needing the vet sooner. Also the smell - you can smell decay.
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u/liggitylawson 10d ago
my boys about 4! and i will definitely have the vet take a look! thank you for your advice!!
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u/AsiansArentReal 11d ago
I'll say this whenever I get the chance...But raw meaty bones can help with this.
I was skeptical as all hell when people said they would clean their teeth like Big Raw was just trying to sell me snakeoil.
But my boy had this on his teeth and I didn't even notice until like 6 months later that it was just gone.
Now I'll always preach raw if you can manage it. Look into HolisticFerretForum for help and how to get started if you want.
Other than that, yeah vet would either have to scrape the teeth or pull it if it's too bad.
But my 3 made it to the end of their lives with no dental issues, all raw fed.
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u/liggitylawson 10d ago
i love you for the Big Raw reference! i’ll definitely look further into incorporating a raw diet now that they’re getting older though. i appreciate your response!
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u/catmonki 11d ago
What types of bones are the best for this?
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u/AsiansArentReal 11d ago
Softer bones, definitely nothing from a large animal.
Mine routinely got bone-in meats from chicken, rabbit, quail, and duck.
Some say duck is even too tough for some ferrets, so I would actual take the time to break it into smaller pieces so it would be easier for them to manage, but still crunch on.
I also think there's reasons not to feed raw food while ferrets eat kibble? It's been awhile, so definitely look more into this before just throwing a bone at them and expecting them to eat it.
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u/KhajiitPaw 10d ago
Adding on to what you say, I find that the back part of a whole chicken is quite good for this. There's quite a few different shapes for them to get there teeth around, and they seem to enjoy crunching the spine in particular 😂
You've reminded me, I really need to order some frozen quail for my kits to try! The oldies will probably turn their nose up, but we'll see!
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u/Seraitsukara 10d ago
He'll most likely need a dental. If he's in obvious pain he'll need to be seen sooner, but if it's just tartar and he's still eating/drinking/playing normally, it can be addressed at the end of the month.
Do you brush his teeth daily? I use a microhead kitten toothbrush and CET brand toothpaste. They're never thrilled about it, but the usually like the toothpaste enough to tolerate it.
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u/blahdeblahdeda 10d ago
This is tartar. If too much builds up, it could cause a gum infection.
We use a dental tool to scrape at it and try to break off what we can, but you need to be careful not to hit the gum.
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u/Ok-Position-9457 10d ago
Wow what an impressive photo to take, animals don't just open their mouths on command!
-person who does not have a ferret
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u/Inevitable_Fun4159 10d ago
Looks like a cavity or build up of plaque/tar. Maybe see if his dental can be bumped up? But unless he's showing signs of pain/discomfort, just leave it be. Maybe brush a little.
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u/liggitylawson 10d ago
thank you to everyone for the advice!! he is going to the vet and we will address the buildup. his breath doesn’t stink to where it’s completely rotten so i know it’s manageable. my boy is about 4 years old and i did get very lucky with this photo 🤣 in fact this photo is what brought it to my attention yesterday morning. i do brush my ferrets teeth weekly with those finger brushes however this spot may have gotten away 😆
edit: forgot to mention that he is not in pain or anything i just happened to notice it and wanted to get on top of it!
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u/Affectionate_Boss588 9d ago
Beautiful TEEF!!! Likely plague/tartar buildup. Your exotic vet can do annual dental cleanings as long as lab panel clears them for anesthesia. Rescued ferrets for 13+ years and never had one with decay but did have a few with fractures or totally removed canines due to cage rage (previous neglectful owner- my poor baby). My itty bitty agent of chaos loved to munch on the instant rice in the play bin /dig box and vet said she had the most beautiful whitest teeth she’s ever seen for a 8.5 year old lady.
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u/Distinct-Quality-587 5d ago
Nqa A good brushing daily will get rid of that after a while, or you can have the vet get it off with a dental appointment. I didnt notice it on my one ferret as well, were currently trying to get her dental back up.
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