[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Advice and help (re: procedure used on Snowy Bear)

[Ann Evans]

Dear Corrine and Michael,

I feel that you are doing the right thing to educate yourself so that 
you can educate your vet so that hopefully other piggys and people will 
not have to go through the terrible loss you have suffered.

I have rescued hundreds of guinea pigs since 1984 and have never heard 
of penile amputation in the cavy.
The best person to talk to is Vedra Stanley-Spatcher of the Cambridge 
Cavy Trust (CCT) and Guinea Pig Hospital. She has treated over 20,000 
guinea pigs. She will speak to you and your vet. If you have Skype on 
your computer her mobile medical help line in the UK is 447721026401. I 
have been a member of the CCT for many years and Vedra is usually 
available 7 days a week and has spoken to several vets who had questions 
about surgical procedures. She will help non-members also. Her email is 
stanislinski at aol.com. The best time to call her is after 6 pm GMT.

Dr. Chris Griffin of Charlotte, North Carolina 
http://www.griffinexotics.com will also gladly speak to your vet and fax 
a copy of his paper published in Exotic DVM Vol. 3.2 page 13, 
“Non-surgical Removal of Urethral Stones in a Guinea Pig. You can 
download this issue of Exotic DVM for $5 at 
http://www.exoticdvm.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=magazines.showIcons&
In Exotic DVM Vol. 9.3 page 17 there is a paper by Mentré, V. “Penile 
Amputation and Urethrostomy in a Rat”. This is the first time I have 
heard of penile amputation in a rodent.

My unsolicited advice is that you should either obtain a copy of the 
book Anatomy of the Guinea Pig (Commonwealth Fund Publications) (Hardcover)
by Gale Cooper M.D (Author), Alan L. Schiller M.D (Author), 1975 or make 
sure your vet has a copy of it. You can buy it used from Amazon.com. I 
bought mine used in 1980 from a seller of used scientific books. Knowing 
the anatomy of the male cavy penis, I can see no way that it would ever 
be necessary to amputate the penis. Another good book to have that you 
can buy from the CCT is Diagnostic Guide to Guinea Pig Problems by Vedra 
Stanley-Spatcher. She states in her book to have your vet call her 
before any stone operation or if your vet has any questions. You can pay 
for the book through PayPal. Unfortunately I just checked and the CCT 
and British Association of Rodentologists (BAR) web page is down 
http://rodentology.co.uk/.  BAR also sells the book. You can order the 
book from Vedra, just email her or call Richard Barber of BAR at 
442078703561 or email him at info at rodentology.co.uk.

Best of Luck, Ann and the Rescued Piggys of Piggyville Tampa Florida USA