Post by Dawn - Admin on Jul 26, 2006 10:40:59 GMT
Finding A Vet
Finding a vet for your guinea should be easy - shouldn't it? After all, there are lots of vets listed in the Yellow Pages. Believe it or not, it's not that easy to find a guinea-competent vet. Vets receive comprehensive training on dogs and cats, but very little, if any on guineas. We always recommend that you find a good vet for your guinea before you need one in an emergency.
When looking for a guinea-competent vet, here are some of the questions you can ask when phoning around:
> How many guinea pigs have you seen this week / month?
> How many guinea pigs have you operated on this week?
> What types of operations do you carry out, and what is your success rate in getting them through the anaesthetic and back on their feet again?
Typical operations include castrations, bladder stone removal and removal of fatty lumps.
> What type of anaesthetic gas do you use and do you give guineas pain relief before the operation and for a few days afterwards?
Isoflurane is the safest and most commonly used piggy anaesthetic, and Rimadyl is the best pain relief / anti-inflammatory drug for post-op piggies.
> Do your nurses know what to do if a guinea doesn't start eating again within an hour of coming round from anaesthetic?
The answer you are looking for is that the nurse would step in and start syringe feeding your guinea to keep food going through their intestines. Guineas are designed to graze their way through the day and if they stop eating for more than a few hours, they need syringe feeding to keep them going. Guineas often stop eating when they are in pain, hence the importance of pain relief when they are being operated on.
> Can you do x-rays and guinea pig dental work without anaesthetic?
The answer you are looking for is YES! Very few vets actually do this as they have not been shown how to towel wrap a guinea in order to keep them still.
> Do you ever give Penicillin to a guinea pig?
The answer you are looking for is NO as this antibiotic can kill piggies.
You may feel that this is more of an interrogation, but at the end of the day, you want to ensure that your guineas get the best possible treatment. You can tell a lot from the willingess of the veterinary practice to answer these type of questions. If you have friends with guinea pigs, it is always worth checking where they have their piggies treated and what sort of service they have received.
Win A Bottle Of Shampoo!
Do you have a tip or some useful information that would help other guineas? If so, all you need to do is to send your tip to us: tips@gorgeousguineas.com. If we use your tip in a future mailing, you will win a 100ml bottle of Shampoo or Oil Soak of your choice, so get writing!
© Gorgeous Guineas 2006
Finding a vet for your guinea should be easy - shouldn't it? After all, there are lots of vets listed in the Yellow Pages. Believe it or not, it's not that easy to find a guinea-competent vet. Vets receive comprehensive training on dogs and cats, but very little, if any on guineas. We always recommend that you find a good vet for your guinea before you need one in an emergency.
When looking for a guinea-competent vet, here are some of the questions you can ask when phoning around:
> How many guinea pigs have you seen this week / month?
> How many guinea pigs have you operated on this week?
> What types of operations do you carry out, and what is your success rate in getting them through the anaesthetic and back on their feet again?
Typical operations include castrations, bladder stone removal and removal of fatty lumps.
> What type of anaesthetic gas do you use and do you give guineas pain relief before the operation and for a few days afterwards?
Isoflurane is the safest and most commonly used piggy anaesthetic, and Rimadyl is the best pain relief / anti-inflammatory drug for post-op piggies.
> Do your nurses know what to do if a guinea doesn't start eating again within an hour of coming round from anaesthetic?
The answer you are looking for is that the nurse would step in and start syringe feeding your guinea to keep food going through their intestines. Guineas are designed to graze their way through the day and if they stop eating for more than a few hours, they need syringe feeding to keep them going. Guineas often stop eating when they are in pain, hence the importance of pain relief when they are being operated on.
> Can you do x-rays and guinea pig dental work without anaesthetic?
The answer you are looking for is YES! Very few vets actually do this as they have not been shown how to towel wrap a guinea in order to keep them still.
> Do you ever give Penicillin to a guinea pig?
The answer you are looking for is NO as this antibiotic can kill piggies.
You may feel that this is more of an interrogation, but at the end of the day, you want to ensure that your guineas get the best possible treatment. You can tell a lot from the willingess of the veterinary practice to answer these type of questions. If you have friends with guinea pigs, it is always worth checking where they have their piggies treated and what sort of service they have received.
Win A Bottle Of Shampoo!
Do you have a tip or some useful information that would help other guineas? If so, all you need to do is to send your tip to us: tips@gorgeousguineas.com. If we use your tip in a future mailing, you will win a 100ml bottle of Shampoo or Oil Soak of your choice, so get writing!
© Gorgeous Guineas 2006
