[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Does anyone know any vets that worm cavies???

[Ann Evans]

Dear Sandy,

Thank you for your kind comments about my post of the GPDD. I am not 
very good at expressing myself and writing is very difficult for me. As 
you know my cavies are all rescues. They are allowed to free range 
everyday in a covered corral in my garden. I live in Florida where the 
temperature can get to 90 degrees with 98% humidity of course it is 
never that warm when they are out grazing. I never have any problems 
with bloat or diarrhea or parasites with my piggys. I don't think that 
most people realize that parasites have a very complex life cycle. They 
do not all end up in the gut. They may spend part of their life cycle in 
the lungs, liver, pancreas or kidneys just to name a few places that 
they burrow into and cause damage. They also produce toxins that kill 
tissues and the good gut bacteria. So that respiratory infection a piggy 
may get or a kidney stone may have started because just one parasite did 
damage to that organ. You do not have to have a huge infestation to have 
damage occur. Granted when a cavy becomes stressed that is when 
parasites begin to multiply.

I volunteer at a vet's office as a cavy health advisor. We always tell 
clients how important it is to have their cavies wormed. So far all of 
our cavy clients have opted for worming and come back every 3 months. 
The Doc and I are going to write a scientific paper on the importance of 
worming and try to get it published in as many veterinary magazines and 
even newspapers as we can.  To me worming is as important as making sure 
your cavy gets the right food, love and exercise. There are over 15 
different medications listed in the veterinary formulary for the 
treatment of parasites in guinea pigs. But how many vets 
prophylactically treat cavies for parasites? If anyone knows of a vet 
that is routinely worming cavies in the USA or anywhere in the world 
other than the UK, I would like to know their name.


Cheers,

Ann and the Rescued Piggys of Piggyville, Tampa Florida USA.