[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Chakalaka, Ranting and Vet Sect Repel Shampoo

[Ann Evans]

Dear ME, Penny and the GPDD Family,

I too am very happy to hear that Chakalaka is gaining weight. I truly 
believe his recovery is primarily due to the round the clock care that 
ME and her husband continue to give him. ME has even taken him to work 
to make sure he gets his meds and feedings every four hours.

I agree 100% with Penny's rant. I feel it is our responsibility to 
educate ourselves and then try to educate our vets on how to care for 
cavies.  I feel that the information one can learn from buying the care 
sheets and diagnostic flow charts from the British Association of 
Rodentologists (BAR) is invaluable.
http://www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk/Products.html
You do not have to be a member of the Cambridge Cavy Trust or a member 
of BAR to buy their products. I would also buy the buccal pad separatos. 
You will then need care sheet No 7 Dental Problems to know how to use 
them and what to look for in your cavies mouth. More importantly you can 
then show your vet how to use them and examine your cavys mouth and even 
trim molars without the use of anesthetic. Though I know many vets will 
feel more comfortable using isoflurane gas at 2.0% to examine the teeth.

Penny is absolutely correct that Vet Sect Repel Shampoo is the best both 
antifungal and antiparasitic shampoo on the market. However I do not 
know of anyplace where it is sold in the USA. I do not even know of an 
equivalent product in the USA. You can order Vet Sect Repel Shampoo 
online. I use Adams flea and tick shampoo with 0.15% pyrethrins. Also 
Povidone-iodine Solution 10%  with a dab of Adams mixed in to prevent 
and treat fungal infections.
Please remember that parasites are the number one cause of disease and 
death in cavies. Their metabolic waste products are toxic and effect 
every organ in a cavy. BAR care sheets 4 and 5 will tell you how to worm 
your cavies. I use a slightly different protocol then BARs for just the 
first worming. This is because the USA is much larger than the UK and 
our supply of fresh food, hay and pellets come from a differnt region 
than what is used in the UK. For example Oxbow hay is sterilized prior 
to shipment to the UK. It is not sterilized in the USA. Cavies in the 
USA are potentially exposed to far more parasites than cavies in the UK.


Cheers,

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