[Gpdd] [MISC] Ellen you need a new vet

[Ann Evans]

Dear Ellen,
Go with your gut instincts. You need a new vet. I would not step back 
into that's vet office after how they have treated you. If they treat 
you in that manner what type of treatment do you think they give your 
pets. The vet does not need to be an exotics vet just one who will work 
with you and who sees rabbits and guinea pigs on a weekly basis. I have 
had to train every vet that has ever examined my rescued guinea pigs. 
For right now I would go back to your old vet. If that vet will work 
with you then stay with them. If not start calling around and asking 
vets how many rabbits and guinea pigs do they see every week.
Moat vets do not know how to examine guinea pigs or even how to do a 
simple urinalysis using a reagent dip stick to see if the red color of 
the urine is due to blood or pigments in food. To educate yourself and 
your vet I would recommend that you go to the British Association of 
Rodentologist (BAR) web page and buy Vedra Stanley-Spatcher's book 
Diagnostic Guide to Guinea Pig Problems. On pages 10-11 of her book is a 
step by step examination Procedure which your vet should follow.
http://www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk/Products.html
The BAR web page is still under construction but they take paypal. Just 
contact them and tell them what you want to order. They also have care 
sheets and diagnostic flow charts. You can also do your own urninalysis 
on your guinea pigs by first buying
Multistix GP Reagent Strips for Urinalysis.
Multistix GP reagent Strips for Urinalysis may be used to test urine for 
Glucose, Ketone, Specific Gravity, Blood, pH, Protein, Nitrite and 
Leucocytes. You can probably find these online or get your pharmacy to 
order them for you. All you need to do is put your piggy in a clean 
plastic shoe box and wait until it urinates then dip the reagent strip 
into the urine and compare the color changes to the chart on the bottle.

Best of Luck,


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