First General Health Check?

[Roclibrarian]

I've had by babies for about 4 weeks now, and am wondering when I should take them to the vet for a general health check? They are 11 weeks old, and are VERY active and eating everything in sight. They are still quite skittish, and I'm not sure if taking them to the vet will be too traumatizing for them (and me!).
I think their nails will need clipping soon, and I'm not confident, with them being so small, so am planning on getting the vet to do it. Also I've never had long haired pigs before (they are swiss), and I'm unsure if I should clip the hair round their bum a bit? One of them is white, and has a yellow tinge on her bum, I'm guessing this can't be helped due to her coloring?
Anyway, I just wondered what everyone thinks? I feel cruel subjecting them to the stress of a vet visit when they are healthy.

 

[Wiebke]

I've had by babies for about 4 weeks now, and am wondering when I should take them to the vet for a general health check? They are 11 weeks old, and are VERY active and eating everything in sight. They are still quite skittish, and I'm not sure if taking them to the vet will be too traumatizing for them (and me!).
I think their nails will need clipping soon, and I'm not confident, with them being so small, so am planning on getting the vet to do it. Also I've never had long haired pigs before (they are swiss), and I'm unsure if I should clip the hair round their bum a bit? One of them is white, and has a yellow tinge on her bum, I'm guessing this can't be helped due to her coloring?
Anyway, I just wondered what everyone thinks? I feel cruel subjecting them to the stress of a vet visit when they are healthy.

What you can do is familiarise them with the carrier with little treats inside, so they have got good associations. You can also train them to take water (if necessary flavoured with a bit of veg juice, like from a cucumber) from a syringe during in order to make medicating easier later on. You can also get them used to nail clipping whenever that becomes necessary by handling their feet and touching their toes regularly.

Please keep any soiled bum hair cut short or give a gentle bum bath with hand warm water. Please do so in a basin either on the floor or in a shower/bath, so a wiggly piggy cannot injure itself if it takes a freak jump during the procedure.

You can wait with a health check until the nails are long enough for cutting if you wish to.
You may find the tips in our vet visit guide and its further links helpful: Tips For Vet Visits

 

[Roclibrarian]

What you can do is familiarise them with the carrier with little treats inside, so they have got good associations. You can also train them to take water (if necessary flavoured with a bit of veg juice, like from a cucumber) from a syringe during in order to make medicating easier later on. You can also get them used to nail clipping whenever that becomes necessary by handling their feet and touching their toes regularly.

Please keep any soiled bum hair cut short or give a gentle bum bath with hand warm water. Please do so in a basin either on the floor or in a shower/bath, so a wiggly piggy cannot injure itself if it takes a freak jump during the procedure.

You can wait with a health check until the nails are long enough for cutting if you wish to.
You may find the tips in our vet visit guide and its further links helpful: Tips For Vet Visits

Thanks, I never even dreamt of touching their little piggy toes, it seems so obvious now! They get put in their carrier when I clean the cage out, they seem to like it in there, so that's a good start.
I need to start brushing and weighing them as well, I think I'm being too soft, not wanting to scare them. They are already use to the handheld vacuum I use on their fleece, so I need remember how quickly they get use to new stuff!

 

[Wiebke]

Here are our tips on how to weigh piggies without freaking them out: How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig