I really want to try and get them to listen to specialist such as Vedra and my Rodentologist, I can but try anyway 
tattyruncy; said:
Vedra's advice to me was that Oxbow company's Hay is grown in America and it goes through a particular process to enable it to be imported. Basically the liklehood of the hay causing a lice problem is nil. Hence why I am choosing not to feed any other hay. That is obviously my personal choice which was made on the spot in my head when I was shown the parasites Poppy was riddled with under Vedra's microscope.
Just to clarify about the hay
I really did think that Herbage hay was ok because of the quality look, packaging etc, but if only you could see what I saw
My rodentologist feeds her piggies Readigrass which my girls eat too and she does not allow hay anywhere near her pigs, I believe Vedra is of the same way of thinking.
I was also bathing my girls every 4-6 weeks with Lice and Easy, so it was a bit of a shock, but as Vedra said after bathing, the piggies are just put straight back in the hay environment and thus the problem starts again.
I do have 5 piggies and Poppy is the only one who has been poorly, she is around 5 years old and maybe she is more vulnerable than my others? But I am not knowingly putting my Poppy or my other girls in that situation ever again
I decided to write to my vet. It's a bit long winded I'm afraid. I haven't identified my vet in my post. Just wanted to share this, I feel better for writing my feelings down
Dear Mr X,
I am writing to you regarding one of my guinea pigs Poppy.
Poppy has recently been unwell suffering with weight loss and Bumble foot that was proving very difficult to treat.
I take Poppy along with my other 4 guinea pigs to a local Rodentologist every 3-4 months for worming and general health check, Poppy also has dental work carried out.
Having seen my Rodentologist on the evening of Tuesday 10th November she also was concerned about Poppy’s ill health. After some discussion about how Poppy had been she felt the problem was a systemic infestation and that the Bumble foot and the weight loss was in actual fact a symptom of the underlying problem. She very kindly advised me what medication Poppy would need and that she should see a vet A.S.A.P.
I came the following day to see X and I was telling her how Poppy had been and about what my Rodentologist felt was wrong with Poppy and what medication she needed. However, X disagreed with this and after looking at Poppy under a UV light told me she had Ringworm and that she would prescribe some topical cream.
As you can imagine I was worried about the fact that Poppy now had two different diagnoses, each requiring different treatments. I therefore left my Rodentologist telephone number and asked X to ring her to discuss their findings and get back to me. She said it wouldn’t be for about 2 or 3 days.
That evening Poppy hardly ate anything and was very inactive and really not herself, I rang my Rodentologist to see if she had heard from X and she hadn’t. My Rodentologist had liased with Vedra Stanley Spatcher at the Cambridgeshire Cavy Trust about Poppy and Vedra had agreed with her diagnosis.
I decided that the only thing I felt I could do in the best interests of Poppy was to seek Vedra’s advice and take Poppy to Cambridgeshire.
I had an appointment yesterday morning and Poppy was diagnosed as having a systemic infestation of one particular type of parasite. Vedra explained that the parasites are not detectable under a UV lamp, in fact they are known in her profession as the silent killer. The parasites lay their eggs and burrow into the guinea pig internally; this usually presents a guinea pig with unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite and symptoms such as Bumble foot.
Vedra said Poppy [*]NEEDED[/*] treating with oral medication as well as shampooing and prescribed her with Itrafungal 0.3ml daily.
Whilst I was there I asked Vedra about a separate issue which I have discussed on two occasions with two of your vets and on both occasions was told there was nothing wrong.
Poppy walks very awkwardly and bunny hops most of the time, both I and my Rodentologist felt she had degenerative joint disease. Vedra confirmed this and has recommended a product I can give Poppy which I don’t need a prescription for which she can have for the rest of her life.
Obviously I am very upset about my guinea pig being unwell. I am also upset about the following:
The difficulty that some of the vets have at your practice in listening to me about my guinea pig and feeling awkward about questioning their decision, when all I want is the best for my guinea pig.
My requests for your vet to discuss my guinea pigs ill health with my Rodentologist, to share knowledge and to work in partnership to diagnose and treat my guinea pig.
Not getting back to me within what I feel is an acceptable time when guinea pigs are so vulnerable.
Wrongly diagnosing my guinea pig.
Wrongly advising me that “I have never given anything other than topical treatment “and advising me that a drug I had asked for was actually toxic for guinea pigs. (Nystan) This drug is not toxic; it is not absorbed by guinea pigs systemically when taken by mouth.
I have been with your practice for some time now with my guinea pigs and my rabbits and this is not the first time I have felt upset, however, this is the first time I have felt the need to put in writing to you why I am so upset.
I have on occasions had to have x-rays carried out on my guinea pigs which I have asked to be carried out without anaesthesia, which your vets have reluctantly done for me. May I say that is purely for a vet’s convenience to anaesthetise a guinea pig .There are wrapping techniques that can be used for a guinea pig which is detailed in a book written by Vedra Stanley- Spatcher which can be purchased from the British Association of Rodentologists website.
Likewise, it is totally unnecessary to perform dental work with anaesthesia, which is one of the reasons why I take Poppy to a Rodentologist as she carries out dental work without the need for anaesthesia. This too is detailed in Vedra’s book.
Another of my problems is that some of the more effective drugs for treating guinea pigs are not licensed. For example Septrin is a commonly known drug that is used in treating UTI’S in guinea pigs; however, not all vets will prescribe it. I am aware of the cascade system and your legal obligations.
Every time I have been prescribed Baytril for any of my guinea pigs I find it suppresses their appetite, also I am never given probiotics alongside without having to ask.
But I have a question – why is it I signed not too long ago for a drug for my rabbit that was unlicensed? I was happy to do so. Is it because you are aware of its use/benefit.
So I am left thinking, do you not choose to prescribe anything other than what is by the book for guinea pigs as there is a lack of knowledge about certain drugs and their benefits? Whereas Vedra has coming up to 40 years experience of working with guinea pigs. Does that not count for anything?
What I would like to come out of all this is for your vets to want to continue learning and not just think just because they are not aware of anything other than what they have learnt it must be wrong.
I would dearly love for the vets to want to liaise with Rodentologists and Vedra. Vedra has an enormous wealth of knowledge and experience to share. The BAR offer courses in Rodentology and also workshops on Dental treatment for example. There is no reason why any of the vets would not find these courses a valuable extension to their learning.
I do hope you take this letter seriously. I absolutely think the world of my guinea pigs, they are all from rescues and have had particularly not nice past lives and I only want the best for them.
I look forward to hearing from you; I would ask if you could let X have a copy of this letter.
I have also forwarded a copy to the RCVS.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs X.
I do however remeber she said "if your vet knew anything about guinea pigs she would have known a UV Lamp would be useless" rolleyes I though this might be a tad rude to put in my letter 
I wish I had your knowledge and straight to the pointness, I'm sure you would have produced a really professional letter |)
My local supplier who only orders in the western timothy hay are going to get what I want ordered in on a regular basis, so I'm going to order a bag of each of the hays and grasses and it works out cheaper than the herbage hay I am still giving them readigrass also which some of them do like
