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Post by Alix on Jan 18, 2005 22:10:32 GMT
I was just reading a story on another forum about this lady who had purchased a couple of long haired cavies and one was sick (but she hadn't picked it up when she was getting them). So she took her to the Vet and arrived at 8:45 (appointment was 9:00) and the receptionist just said ' oh you can just drop it off and go". After arguing with her she let the lady stay and wait for the vet. The receptionist was supposed to be getting her details, but only pretended to write them down. After this the receptionist turned to her and said 'It's just a Guinea Pig' !!! *insert angry, burning smilie here*
So the lady went in to see the Vet and he couldn't even find her head, but eventually found that she had been sick for a while before this lady got her due to a bacterial lung infection. (this is the only part he did right) And then he said they should keep her overnight.
Well, because the silly receptionist hadn't taken her details, they had to contact her via her mother's phone because she took her cats there. And he said to her that the pig 'didn't make it' and that 'these things just happen, they're just Guinea Pigs' And the most probable event is that the pig wasn't even that sick and that he just gave her the wrong treatment and killed her.
I'm just glad I have a vet that cares about your coonection with the animal. He's great. He would never say 'It's just a Guinea Pig' as he has pigs himself. I was just disgusted by this story - our pigs deserve to be loved and cared for, not treated like rubbish!
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Post by skipperdoo on Jan 19, 2005 3:48:49 GMT
Sorry to hear about the pig but I don't think I would've left the pig there if the staff was in that frame of mind.
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Post by Clover on Jan 19, 2005 10:04:05 GMT
Oh thats so very sad aL I think when our piggies are ill, you can feel too upset to voice your opinions too much, so it really depends on your mood at the time. You should be able to trust the staff, but theres always some bad apples. I've had a nurse say while giving me the vets bill, 'oh isn't it alot of money for such a tiny animal! She could tell from my expression that I wasn't happy and told her that small pets are just as important as larger pets and deserve the same care and repect .She just went 'oh I didn't mean anything by it', a likely story Its so sad that even 'so called animal care staff' can have so little respect for Guinea Pigs and other small pets.
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Post by Bean on Jan 19, 2005 12:48:21 GMT
That is awful. But it's a sad fact that many vets are good with cats and dogs and not so caring or knowledgeable with smaller animals.
I always make sure I'm happy that vets know their stuff (and care) before I take any of mine anywhere by asking lots of questions and having a general chat. It's not a guarantee, but it does help you feel confident that your pig is in good hands. It's hard when you're new to pigs and don't know what you should be asking though.
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Post by Clover on Jan 19, 2005 21:09:25 GMT
My vets is a shared practice with several vets so if its an emergency its can be difficult to get the vet that you really trust. I just feel all vets should be knowledgeable about smaller animals, but sadly thats not always the case.
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Post by Alix on Jan 19, 2005 21:32:00 GMT
Yeah, I was just mortified that someone who is supposed to care about animals could be so unkind. Even the receptionist at my vet comes over and looks at the piggies and cuddles them whilst we are waiting.
My guy is a smaller practice down in Wonga Park, and it's pretty much an extension of his house. He brings out his pigs - one is 'Gip' and the other is 'Squeek' I think...anyway, they are really really healthy. And so cute!
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Post by Clover on Jan 20, 2005 6:37:36 GMT
Aww your vet sounds really nice aL, I love the name Wonga Park, my relatives live in Dandernong (sorry if its spelt wronge) Some vets are very caring. I remember one time with my passed piggy, Molly, this nice vet used to carry her over to his computer while he was typing up details of Molly's meds and he used to talk to her. I suppose like every profession you get good and bad people. You'd think learning about smaller pets would be equally as important as learning about cats and dogs though.
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Post by skipperdoo on Jan 20, 2005 16:05:47 GMT
I have two different vets who are really caring and then the other clinic is just a huge clinic where one is treated like a number. I no longer go there since they can't even get the diagnosis and treatments right.
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vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 2, 2005 19:25:54 GMT
[glow=hotpink,1,000] >: ( That is horrible!! I"m speechless
[/glow]
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Post by Susie on Apr 2, 2005 23:29:43 GMT
I'm working on an info sheet for vets & have sent a few testers out to see the response. it says stuff like how you can x-ray a guinea & chec its teeth without knocking it out & what antibiotics are safe (& must be accompanied with pro biotic). will let you know when i am allowed to distribute them more widely as maybe this will help the vet situation in the Uk at least. Not much help to you Al in australia... but it sounds like your vet is great anyway.
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Post by Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess) on Apr 9, 2005 8:09:26 GMT
[glow=lime,2,300]I started another thread about my vet problems because im looking for advice. You can go look for the whole story
The short story is I have 2 sows and one is spayed. Now the other is pregnant!!! the vet who was suposed to spay both only spayed one!!! My new vet and i both think the other man actually bred my piggy, thats the only way she could have gotten pregnant! the vet wouldnt even tell me why he didnt spay her, he said for "physical" reasons.[/glow]
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vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 9, 2005 14:49:36 GMT
[glow=orange,1,000] Omg Princess! That is so horrible! Lets hope he didn't breed your pig! Oh whoa wait a second..did you say two sows?? How on earth did she possibly become pregnant?! What kind of pig was she..
Well then again she could have been pregnant when you purchased her..but I'm sure he would have told her she was..how old was she?[/glow]
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Post by Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess) on Apr 9, 2005 22:43:54 GMT
[glow=lime,2,300] Okay i better explain from the begining...
I went to this ladies house to ask her why she always had dead piggies in her garbage and she said she was trying to breed them, she took me in the backyard and there was a dog kennel filled with piggies. Alot of them were sick and really skinny. So I asked her if i could have them and find them all homes, luckily she agreed. As I was clearing them out there was this little one in a seperate cage from everyone else. I ended up falling in love with her. I took all the piggies to the vet and found them all homes. But I did keep the little lonly one, this was my first piggy ever. Well she ended up being pregnant and thats how I got my one that is pregnant now. There were only 2 babies in the liter and both were girls. Now I take my piggies to this vet and he keeps them for 2 days and I bring home a spayed piggy and one that was suposed to be spayed but is now pregnant instead, so the vet is the one thing i can think of. [/glow]
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Post by Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess) on Apr 9, 2005 22:46:47 GMT
[glow=lime,2,300] Since I only had the mom and there was so many boars at the house I have no idea what breed she is, her mom looks like an abby or abby mix. My avatar thing is a picture of the mom and her babies, the one with the red eyes is the one i kept, the black and red didnt make it, sadly. But she is a lilac and we think a peruvian/abby mix because she has realllyyy long hair on her butt. [/glow]
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Post by Susie on Apr 9, 2005 23:38:33 GMT
Aw I'm really sorry I got my wires crossed. Sounds like you rescued her directly! A lovely story just a shame about the mysterious pregnancy. I guess they are definately sexed right if they are mother & daughter & the daughter is pregnant. As I say I would complain about the vet. Even if it was an accident they can't go around doing that & getting away with it.
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Post by Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess) on Apr 9, 2005 23:42:33 GMT
[glow=lime,2,300]If she does end up with babies I am going to complain, but i would rather wait to see if she ends up having babies for sure. Just so I have an actual case to prove to the vet.[/glow]
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Post by Susie on Apr 9, 2005 23:44:00 GMT
Good idea. PLease keep us posted on how you get on...
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vegan
Bronze Member
Posts: 243
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Post by vegan on Apr 10, 2005 2:38:12 GMT
i agree with susie. and if he did breed her her being long haired is a good reason because they are the more "rarer" ones.
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Post by Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess) on Apr 10, 2005 2:56:25 GMT
[glow=lime,2,300]She only has long hair on her butt area. Heres a picture, you cant really tell though. She has real soft shorter hair towards her head then at her butt its like a peacock! but its like a skirt because right after her long hairs its short again, ill try to get a better pic.[/glow]
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Post by Annessa (TimsCavyPrincess) on Apr 10, 2005 2:57:27 GMT
I measured her hair on her butt area and its almost 4 inches long and it stands straight up
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