First Aid Box for piggies..

[mstori]

Just been reading through some posts and think I should get a first Aid box in for the piggies "just in case".. fingers crossed it wont be needed, but better to be safe..

What should I include?

And would it be possible to make it into a sticky for others like me who have been searching on the internet and finding it too confusing :red There are so many things out there, that I dont know what really are the best things and what are just a waste of money.. and where is best to buy

Thanks, tori x

p.s i mean things like critical care etc, ive heard people mention they couldnt be without!

 

[MrsM]

i think there's a sticky on that in the Health and Illness section

 

[mstori]

sorry, i cant find it, and when i did a search it was bringing Loads of things up :red

 

[teadragon]

I have one, in it I have:

Sachet of Critical Care (however, it's stored in the freezer to prolong the life of the CC in powder form)
3x syringes (Insulin syringe for medication, 2m small syringe for vitC or awkward piggies and a 5 (or 10)ml for force feeding)
- from Thistle Cavies Fundraising shop

Nail clippers
- from The Hay Experts

pro-biotics (capsules, unopened)
Vitamin C tablets (boots plain old, bog standard, nothing but vitamin C tablets)
bandage (wrap around one, just the one for humans)
- from Boots

I need to add...
* antiseptic stick or piggy-safe anti-septic solution. - Boots
* pads to put over wounds. - Boots/pharmacy/pound land
* gripe water (for bloated piggies, baby solution) - Boots
* metacam or temporary pain killer until a vet can be sought -vet or Boots
* ivermectin (just in case) - vet


when trying to judge what you may or may not need in a medical kit, it helps to read other medical threads and look at what good advice they are being given.

For example, the most common illness for sick piggies is that they are losing weight... so in your emergency kit you'll need CC and syringes to force feed a pig who isn't eating. The next (of mine) is a preparation for the fact that at some point in my life I'm going to cut a pigs nail too short and have to stem the flow of blood (nail clippers and antiseptic. I have antiseptic now, but would prefer one for my pigs alone). I've found that pigs who aren't eating often become bloated because food is moving through their GI tract so slowly, so gripe water is often something I look for... ivermectin because it's handy to have (ONLY if you're experienced in treating mites!) and with metacam, that's something I would consider if I had a group of piggies who may become sick, until I get more than two I'll probably stick to remporary pain killers since it's safer to seek a vet as metacam, if dosed in correctly, can cause damage to a pigs internal organs.

 

[mstori]

thankyou so much!

I will add those to my shopping list! I'm surprised that you can just use human vits etc, that will save me £s on what i was looking at on the net!

 

[teadragon]

You can use human vitamins, and many people do. Mine were the cheapest from Boots pharmacy. Just make sure that the tablets contain ONLY Vitamin C and NOTHING else: no sugar, no fancy other vitamins, no flavourings. You can add the tablets to your own flavourings if you want, but the original suspension should be plain and boring.

 

[mstori]

thats been really helpful, thanks, and just goes to show how much money some of these sites are charging for their "guinea pig vitamin cs"
I'm really pleased i asked.. and that you answered! :rose