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Exotic Pets

Grinny Pig

Grinny Pig

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Messages
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Location
Birmingham
I had to take Hazel to the vets tonight. I had to phone 4 different vets until I could find one that would see guinea pigs. I didn’t know guineas were classsed as exotic pets, and I had to see a specialist! Anyone else had trouble finding a vet to see their piggies?
 
It’s not always easy to find a vet who is good with guinea pigs.
Have you found the vet locator at the top of the forum?
These are vets recommended by members so you may find one on the list close to you.

How is Hazel?
 
Grinny Pig said:
I had to take Hazel to the vets tonight. I had to phone 4 different vets until I could find one that would see guinea pigs. I didn’t know guineas were classsed as exotic pets, and I had to see a specialist! Anyone else had trouble finding a vet to see their piggies?
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I take my dog to a lovely vet within walking distance of where I live, but I have to take my piggies to a different practice on the other side of town where they have an exotic animal specialist. It’s a bit of a nightmare having to put them in travel carriers and taxi them across town, but the vet is so good with them and I trust them to help my boys.
I didn’t realise when I got them that most vets haven’t got a clue what to do with guineas, I thought they’d be treated the same as rabbits or something. Learn something new everyday!

Hope your little one is ok?
 
Where I live most animals that are not dogs or cats are classed as exotics. I've had fairly uncommon animals, like African hedgehogs, in the past, but both our guinea pigs and our hamsters are also classed as exotics and see the same exotics vet. It can definitely be hard to find vets that have experience treating pigs... we had a couple of bad experiences before finding our really great exotic vet about half an hour's drive away (but totally worth it!) The problem where I live is finding emergency/off-hours vets that treat exotics... they are next to nonexistent and you either get your animal through to regular office hours or you pay a fortune to someone who means well but knows far less than you do on most occasions! My favorite story (perhaps an urban legend, but still funny) was of someone who had to take their hamster to an after-hour vet for an injury, only to be told that their hamster had a large facial tumor after the exam. Vet didn't know they had cheek pouches and kept palpating a 'mass' that was actually just a snack the hamster was saving for later. Not sure if it's true, but I wouldn't be shocked if it were!
 
Freela said:
Where I live most animals that are not dogs or cats are classed as exotics. I've had fairly uncommon animals, like African hedgehogs, in the past, but both our guinea pigs and our hamsters are also classed as exotics and see the same exotics vet. It can definitely be hard to find vets that have experience treating pigs... we had a couple of bad experiences before finding our really great exotic vet about half an hour's drive away (but totally worth it!) The problem where I live is finding emergency/off-hours vets that treat exotics... they are next to nonexistent and you either get your animal through to regular office hours or you pay a fortune to someone who means well but knows far less than you do on most occasions! My favorite story (perhaps an urban legend, but still funny) was of someone who had to take their hamster to an after-hour vet for an injury, only to be told that their hamster had a large facial tumor after the exam. Vet didn't know they had cheek pouches and kept palpating a 'mass' that was actually just a snack the hamster was saving for later. Not sure if it's true, but I wouldn't be shocked if it were!
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The vet I found seemed to know his stuff. I guess i’m lucky that I live in a big city!
 
Merab's Slave said:
It’s not always easy to find a vet who is good with guinea pigs.
Have you found the vet locator at the top of the forum?
These are vets recommended by members so you may find one on the list close to you.

How is Hazel?
Click to expand...
I’ll look at the vet locator next time, but the chap I saw was ok. He took a swab and gave me some antiseptic lotion to put on the scabby patch. Hazel is fine, Avril was completely freaked out by the whole process, but she’s eating and happier this morning.
 
the chap I saw was ok. He took a swab and gave me some antiseptic lotion to put on the scabby patch. Hazel is fine, Avril was completely freaked out by the whole process, but she’s eating and happier this morning.
Fozzy44 said:
I take my dog to a lovely vet within walking distance of where I live, but I have to take my piggies to a different practice on the other side of town where they have an exotic animal specialist. It’s a bit of a nightmare having to put them in travel carriers and taxi them across town, but the vet is so good with them and I trust them to help my boys.
I didn’t realise when I got them that most vets haven’t got a clue what to do with guineas, I thought they’d be treated the same as rabbits or something. Learn something new everyday!

Hope your little one is ok?
Click to expand...
Fozzy44 said:
I take my dog to a lovely vet within walking distance of where I live, but I have to take my piggies to a different practice on the other side of town where they have an exotic animal specialist. It’s a bit of a nightmare having to put them in travel carriers and taxi them across town, but the vet is so good with them and I trust them to help my boys.
I didn’t realise when I got them that most vets haven’t got a clue what to do with guineas, I thought they’d be treated the same as rabbits or something. Learn something new everyday!

Hope your little one is ok?
Click to expand...

The chap I saw was ok, I guess I’m lucky living in a city, that there are vets available. He took a swab and gave me some antiseptic lotion to put on the scabby patch. Hazel is fine, Avril was completely freaked out by the whole process, but she’s eating and happier this morning.
 
There are quite a few vets on the vet locator around the Birmingham area. I have a "normal" vet as my regular one which has an interest in small animals and they are very good with piggies. The plus side is they don't command the prices a specialist does. Also I know that once something is out of their expertise they will be quick to refer me on
 
Grinny Pig said:
I had to take Hazel to the vets tonight. I had to phone 4 different vets until I could find one that would see guinea pigs. I didn’t know guineas were classsed as exotic pets, and I had to see a specialist! Anyone else had trouble finding a vet to see their piggies?
Click to expand...
It took me years to find a guinea pig specialist vet. I had one that was not bad, little did i know, i was on the doorstep of one of the best in the uk.
 
Bill & Ted said:
We travel from Cornwall to Northampton to see Piggie Vet Simon for Dentals x It’s a long way but worth every penny and effort x
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I totally missed the cat and rabbit care clinic for years, because of the name, i thought nothing of it lol. Until i came on the forum as a visitor years back, and everyone was praising how good they are with guinea pigs
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
I totally missed the cat and rabbit care clinic for years, because of the name, i thought nothing of it lol. Until i came on the forum as a visitor years back, and everyone was praising how good they are with guinea pigs
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I only know of it because of helping at my local rescue for a while (no longer running after years) and she took all the pigs and rabbits over there. After my Sheepy was so poorly years ago and two local vets really weren't helping I started getting the train over. Then with Poppy the chin, and then current pigs and Pedro! Although with emergencies/last min appts I do pop to my local vets, I'd always prefer taking my bubs there as so great.
My local vets know the basics but when it comes to things like Ped's eye removal etc I'd never trust anyone else!
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
I totally missed the cat and rabbit care clinic for years, because of the name, i thought nothing of it lol. Until i came on the forum as a visitor years back, and everyone was praising how good they are with guinea pigs
Click to expand...

Same here! When I moved to Leicester I searched for miles looking for good vet and I just skipped C&R as it's 'cat and rabbit'.

Simon and Kim aren't actually exotics vet, they're small animal vets. But they're very much guinea pig specialists (more so than my local exotic vet). I just wanted to point out the difference.
 
Jaycey said:
Same here! When I moved to Leicester I searched for miles looking for good vet and I just skipped C&R as it's 'cat and rabbit'.

Simon and Kim aren't actually exotics vet, they're small animal vets. But they're very much guinea pig specialists (more so than my local exotic vet). I just wanted to point out the difference.
Click to expand...
Well they turn slightly 'exotic' when my chins (well chin now) come for visits, then are probably happy to see the back of them and have pigs, cats and rabbits back as they like causing so much trouble! :D
Forgot to say that I'd never go anywhere else for teeth either, chins or pigs!
 
Oh my word, I understand! It took me a month to find a vet for guinea pigs that charged a reasonable price, and its 30 minutes away! :no:
 
We're very lucky our local small animal vets are very good with piggies, also looking at the big wall of thank-you cards they have behind the desk they must be good with chinchillas and hamsters too! I've seen them rush in an emergency hamster and save his life, it was like watching casualty or ER but with a little hamster... it was just like when our Piggle had acute bloat and an emergency nurse rushed out as soon as we arrived to give her a buprenorphine injection to make her comfortable until the vet was free 10 minutes later!
 
I'm very lucky that my local Vets4Pets is very good and so is the one near where my MIL lives wherever will be moving to next year. My local one is so good I have recommended the on the Vet Locator.
 
PigglePuggle said:
We're very lucky our local small animal vets are very good with piggies, also looking at the big wall of thank-you cards they have behind the desk they must be good with chinchillas and hamsters too! I've seen them rush in an emergency hamster and save his life, it was like watching casualty or ER but with a little hamster... it was just like when our Piggle had acute bloat and an emergency nurse rushed out as soon as we arrived to give her a buprenorphine injection to make her comfortable until the vet was free 10 minutes later!
Click to expand...
They sound amazing! I'm in a smallish town and although they say they've dealt with them, it prob wasn't v well! 3 vet practices and all useless with anything that doesn't woof or purr!
With my old boy Reggie and his impaction I was told to stop giving him green veg (?) and with Jess and her one infection down below was told I should separate her from Rupert because it was him that caused it!

Rupert was left sitting in waiting room for half an hour with his bloat last month and Pedro put on Baytril for the eye and that's it! C&R were shocked they'd said to leave it in!
I'm glad I know a bit better and didn't do what they'd said.
Not my Reggie though, was before I started train trips many years ago. Still have the guilt from him that I didn't go sooner! :(
I rang around so many vets when Poppy the chin started having her teeth issues, had bloat and was barbering her paws, giving up bless her. Had another 4 years of her grumpy, bossy loveliness because of Cat and Rabbit :)
 
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