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Filing A Complaint To My Vet?

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GuineaGirl007

GuineaGirl007

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So I'm 95% sure my guinea, Minni, has developed the rare case of paralysis in the hind area. My boyfriend noticed on Friday that she was basically paralized. We researched on Saturday and tried getting her in for a vet but only Sunday worked so I took her to the 24 hour vet and had her checked out. The first thing the vet says is itd probably a fracture and it's maybe time to let her go probably. I started crying and told her that's not why I came here, to have someone say they can't diagnose her and call it a day by putting her down. I told her minni has all the symptoms of possible reversible paralysis, And she needs a form of osteocare, and I need to get her vitamin c, and she needs a boost and my vet said ok and did so. She got 3 shots. The vet did that and said to come back if she's still not eating well. I don't know where not eating well came from and I told her I never said that, she's a little piggie she was eating hay eight in front of her! If she does improve, would it be okay to complain to that vet office? File one? I'm so mad, they should have more expirienced exotic vets instead of un nessasery death sentences.
 
Piggie as in, she is munching on all the things I give her and looks fairly happy. And my boyfriend had them without guinea food for a week, and then put them on a crap brand diet. So I'm praying'.
 
The vet hasn't done anything wrong so there's nothing to complain about?

In terms of an exotics vet, they are specialists, not every vet specialises in everything, so it's up to you to research and find one. Also, you're unlikely to find a specialist running an emergency service on a Sunday, at best they will be on a rota to cover the emergency service.
 
It sounds like it may be dietary related then, can you get Osteocare at the chemist or on Amazon? Vitamin C is essential too as it could even be scurvy. I would leave the complaint.

You could also look into water therapy.

The comment about her not eating is valid as if she was in pain she would be off her food.
 
Had she had a fall to make the vet think it was a fracture? Some vets jump to the conclusion that people think it is just a piggy and don't want to be bothered with treatment. It is not ok for the first response to be PTS. You should tell them how it made you feel and that you will not be going back or recommending them to anyone.
 
Yes, @helen105281 I think I should buy osteocare online if that's possible? I have yet to look it up to purchase.until then the vet prescribed Minnie some Neocalglucon. I really want her to do water therapy but I stressed her out on Sunday big time so I let her relax but today I think I'm going to try that.
 
I think you should try and see another vet, one that is more qualified.
 
I think I have seen Osteocare on the US Amazon.

If you can, see if you can find another vet that will see her just so you have an official diagnosis.
 
@piggyme234 she is a very calm rather abnormally smaller cavy. She's extremely calm and was when we first picked her that's why I think I'm so in love with her. But also could explain everything, she could have been sick before we even got her.
 
Some gentle massage can also help. Osteocare is also glucosamine based, so your out-of-hours vet has given you a product that is OK. Make sure that you keep up the vitamin C.

It is always very much potluck what kind of vet you get on out-of-hours services. Rodents and other small exotic furries don't feature much in a general vet curriculum. If you can, please see a more piggy avvy regular vet for a check up.
 
If she has a vitamin or mineral deficiency it has probably been going on a long time. I do hope that she gets better soon. Do have her looked at by a vet that knows about piggies.
 
I agree that the vet had no right to immediately suggest euthanasia when the condition hasn't been investigated. Unfortunately if you go to an unpiggy savvy vet, they either don't care, or don't know what they're doing.

It's a good job you know what you're talling about as if it was anyone else, they would of gone ahead with putting the poor piggie to sleep. I bet it's unneedingly happened a lot :(

I hope you find answers for your pig xx
 
It can be very frustrating to get 24-hour care with competent vets any animal except a cat or a dog. I'm not sure where you live, but where I am (Canada) for some vets who don't focus on smaller animals/exotics there can be a tendency to write them off as somehow disposable pets or to just do the best they can, which can turn out to not be very good at all if the vet isn't experienced with that species of animal. I've had issues getting competent vets for various kinds of smaller animal (guinea pigs and hedgehogs, mainly), and although I have a great vet now, I would still have a hard time accessing good care in the off-hours.

I think if you want to voice a complaint, go for it... I would phrase it as constructive criticism, as I think that ends up being more productive in terms of making actual changes going forward. Let them know that you appreciate their availability, and would love it if they would update their skills to include guinea pig knowledge as well. In the meantime, try to find an exotics vet who knows their stuff as a regular vet in the hopes of not having to rely on 24-hour emergency vets with unknown doctors whose expertise you don't know.
 
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