Looking for LA vets for Bladder Stone surgery

[Piggiecassandchewie]

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping this reaches the right people. I’m based in LA and my boy Chewie is going to need surgery to remove his bladder stone. I’m attaching a photo of it. I got to do the x-rays with Dr. Nenn at the LA Guinea pig rescue (you may have seen him in Saskia’s recent video). Dr. Nenn told me she recommends to get surgery within a month. Thankfully Chewie eats and drinks water 24/7. He has blood in his urine but doesn’t cry when peeing, he only experiences discomfort when pooping. He is currently on Meloxicam for his discomfort. I was going to the vet in Studio City and they told me they can’t do the surgery since it’s in his bladder. Have any of you had bladder stone surgery removal in LA? What vet do you recommend? I’ve been told that the Exotic Animal veterinary center in Pasadena and Access in Culver City are good but no stories on bladder stones. I just want to make sure my boy is in the right hands and finding the right vet for him and been so stressful. Any help and advice is appreciated

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

Welcome to the forum!
I'm sorry that I can't recommend any vets in LA, but couldn't Dr. Nenn or someone at LA Guinea Pig Rescue recommend a vet in the area?

 

[Piggiecassandchewie]

Welcome to the forum!
I'm sorry that I can't recommend any vets in LA, but couldn't Dr. Nenn or someone at LA Guinea Pig Rescue recommend a vet in the area?

Yes I have a list of recommended vets but I was hoping to hear personal experiences from people if possible. It’s so tough choosing the right vet, I just want to make the right decision

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

Yes I have a list of recommended vets but I was hoping to hear personal experiences from people if possible. It’s so tough choosing the right vet, I just want to make the right decision

I can understand that. It's always difficult to find a vet you can trust.
I hope that someone will be along who can help you.
Since this is a UK based forum, there are not that many US members living in LA, but let's hope one of those can give you a recommendation.

 

[Piggiecassandchewie]

I can understand that. It's always difficult to find a vet you can trust.
I hope that someone will be along who can help you.
Since this is a UK based forum, there are not that many US members living in LA, but let's hope one of those can give you a recommendation.

Thank you I joined hoping for the best with any people from the US here, either way I love all the info I’ve gained from this forum so I appreciate it being here.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping this reaches the right people. I’m based in LA and my boy Chewie is going to need surgery to remove his bladder stone. I’m attaching a photo of it. I got to do the x-rays with Dr. Nenn at the LA Guinea pig rescue (you may have seen him in Saskia’s recent video). Dr. Nenn told me she recommends to get surgery within a month. Thankfully Chewie eats and drinks water 24/7. He has blood in his urine but doesn’t cry when peeing, he only experiences discomfort when pooping. He is currently on Meloxicam for his discomfort. I was going to the vet in Studio City and they told me they can’t do the surgery since it’s in his bladder. Have any of you had bladder stone surgery removal in LA? What vet do you recommend? I’ve been told that the Exotic Animal veterinary center in Pasadena and Access in Culver City are good but no stories on bladder stones. I just want to make sure my boy is in the right hands and finding the right vet for him and been so stressful. Any help and advice is appreciated

Hi

I am very sorry about the news.

DR Nenn is likely your best guinea pig specialist vet. She is an exotics vet in her own right who is volunteering part of her time for LAGPR and certainly operates on all the rescue piggies that need operations. Have you asked her or asked her for any recommendations if she is not able to the op herself?

 

[Piggiecassandchewie]

Hi

I am very sorry about the news.

DR Nenn is likely your best guinea pig specialist vet. She is an exotics vet in her own right who is volunteering part of her time for LAGPR and certainly operates on all the rescue piggies that need operations. Have you asked her or asked her for any recommendations if she is not able to the op herself?

Unfortunately she doesn’t operate on any of the Guinea pigs she sees on the urgent care clinic. She only does the urgent care clinic with LAGPR as a favor to Saskia and out of love for the animals, but she isn’t a Guinea pig specialist so she doesn’t operate. Both her and Saskia just gave me the list of recommended vets to try to find the best vet, but even Saskia herself can’t tell me where I should go among other vets.

 

[Wiebke]

Unfortunately she doesn’t operate on any of the Guinea pigs she sees on the urgent care clinic. She only does the urgent care clinic with LAGPR as a favor to Saskia and out of love for the animals, but she isn’t a Guinea pig specialist so she doesn’t operate. Both her and Saskia just gave me the list of recommended vets to try to find the best vet, but even Saskia herself can’t tell me where I should go among other vets.

These are the two vet lists I can give you but since the moderation team and the main part of the members are UK based, that is as far as I can help you but you will have likely come across all places listed already.
Guinea pigs unfortunately fall very much into the gap of not being part of a general vet's curriculum and often seen as being too pedestrian for the real exotics buffs even though they are actually a fascinating and medically challenging species in their own right. They are sadly still too much stuck in the 'cheap children's pet' box.
Veterinarians: California - Guinea Lynx Records
The Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians | AEMV