lose of permanent teeth

Question
I have a 7 1/2 year old pot belly pig who is loosing her teeth. Is this normal for age. Thank you in advance for your answers

Answer
It is not normal for an adult pig to loose teeth. Dental problems are fairly common in older pigs. An adult pig will not grow any new teeth, so this is certainly cause for concern.

Piggy needs to see a vet for a dental exam, to determine why the teeth are coming out. Dental infections can be fatal. If this is the problem, piggy will need some strong antibiotics. Piggy may also need additional teeth pulled. An untreated dental infection can eat away the jawbone, causing the jaw to fracture as piggy tries to chew food.

Another possible problem is oral cancer. An untreated tumor can push teeth out of the gums, slowly and painfully. Removing the tumor can control the disease and prevent further tooth loss.

Because your piggy is loosing teeth, she may start having trouble chewing, especially those hard pig pellets. Soaked pellets are much easier to eat, and helps prevent dehydration.

There's a list of vets that see pot-bellied pigs at www.farec.org. If you do not see one near you, contact the closest one and ask for a referral.