[Gpdd] RAINBOW BRIDGE Callie

[Penny Charlesworth]

Dear Lynn and Earl,

I know that you won't be reading this for some time but I just wanted to
say how sorry I am that, after all your exceptional care, Callie had to
give up her fight for a real piggy life. She and you did not deserve this.
Where are the good vets when you need them?

I hope that your broken arm will soon mend and that we will hear from you
again. In the meantime, take care and love and hugs to you and Eve and Earl
too.

I am constantly appalled at how little most vets know about guinea pigs.
This may be true of other small animals too but I writing from experience.

It was just this lack of knowledge in the veterinary profession that led to
the opening of the CCT ( Cambridge Cavy Trust ) in England, where people
could take their piggies in the expectation of receiving the very best of
care and we could learn how piggies need not have to suffer at the hands of
an inexperienced vet. Peter Gurney worked tirelessly to promote alternative
meds for piggies and, through his books and public speaking at events tried
to reach as many slaves as possible.

Dental work without anaesthetic was pioneered there and without this my
late lamented Garnet would not have had an extra 2 years of life. My
Rodentologists started as visitors with their own piggies and then branched
out on their own.

Even here, there are plenty of vets who know nothing about piggies and the
Piggyfriends are blessed to have one who has made it his life's work to
learn all he can about small furries. He makes notes of treatments that I
tell him about. We also have our wonderful Rodentologists, who often worked
at the CCT, running it when Vedra was away and they live not far away from
us. If a piggy is taken to my vets' office, no-one will treat them except
for my Etienne as they are his speciality.

He once told me that when he was training, in Belgium, the only instruction
about guineas was a 10 minute talk, which one was not obliged to attend.

I don't think that things have changed much since then but there are good
vets around even if one needs to travel to find one. I know of another
excellent one in Kent, who is used by my Rodentologists but even she has
learned much from them.

It is a different matter in the US and other large countries. where
travelling vast distances to see a good vet is not an option and everyone
needs an Ann Evans or a C & T ( our wonder workers ) in their town.

Hardly a week goes by without a little patient being brought to them who
has been mistreated by or given up by a vet and they do their very best to
put things right often with spectacular results.

I could not run Piggyfriends without the help of these great teachers, from
whom I have learned so much and I am so sad when I read in these pages of
the incompetent vets that abound. Like Sandy, I would not have guineas if
help was not available. I do a lot myself but need the experts too.

Perhaps the GPDD could compile a list of good vets like the one on
GuineaLynx and everyone reading this could send in details of their own
heroes or heroines. We cover quite a large area between us all and we might
save a life. What do you all think? I'll start off with my own Etienne who
works here......

http://foremanandhanna.co.uk/stone-cross-surgery/2440685   This is in East
Sussex, England if anyone who lives near me needs help with a guinea.

Penny and the Piggyfriends.