Emergency Rescue Guinea Unwell?

[ilovepets]

Hello. i adopted a rescue guinea 5 days ago from a lady who is running a rescue from home. she gave me the piggie, a 3 year old sow without asking me any questions. the lady also had dogs and told me they had attacked some of her piggies in the past. my new piggie i call marigold has been very quiet past few days which i assumed is normal at this stage. yesterday she was a little more active and eating well although not eating much hay compared to my other girl daisy. today however marigold has not eaten much and has been hiding away. i have a feeling that she is not in the best of health and want to pop her to the vet. my question is, if she is poorly and needs treatment is the lady i bought her from part responsible for the cost? thanks.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello. i adopted a rescue guinea 5 days ago from a lady who is running a rescue from home. she gave me the piggie, a 3 year old sow without asking me any questions. the lady also had dogs and told me they had attacked some of her piggies in the past. my new piggie i call marigold has been very quiet past few days which i assumed is normal at this stage. yesterday she was a little more active and eating well although not eating much hay compared to my other girl daisy. today however marigold has not eaten much and has been hiding away. i have a feeling that she is not in the best of health and want to pop her to the vet. my question is, if she is poorly and needs treatment is the lady i bought her from part responsible for the cost? thanks.

You have to sort out the expenses question with the "rescue" lady. No good rescue would rehome guinea pigs without a mandatory quarantine and a vet check. Sadly, anybody can call themselves a rescue or a breeder, and the results can very dire!

To be honest, it doesn't sound that the place is up to scratch. Please do not make the mistake of handing Marigold back, as you will not be guaranteed that she is going to get appropriate treatment in a place that asks no questions or conducts home checks with potential adopters. I am very sorr
We have listed the rescues we can guarantee for re. good practice in our rescue locator on the top bar.

Please have both girls vet checked as soon as you can and weigh her daily at the same time. If necessary, top her up with hand feed.

Here are more tips on how to settle in your new girls:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-do-i-settle-shy-new-guinea-pigs.36239/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...stincts-and-speak-piggy-body-language.117031/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/guinea-pig-body-quirks.58854/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/should-my-piggie-see-a-vet-a-quick-guide.97320/

Please keep us updated via this thread.

 

[ilovepets]

Hi there thanks for the reply and links. my poor little marigold definitely won't be going back there. i really thought these types of rescue people were inspected. i have a good mind to report her. i bought Mari to be a companion to my piggie daisy as we recently lost her friend lola. i paid £150 in vet fees trying to save her. i really can't see this so called rescue lady helping me pay, she couldn't wait to take my £20 fee.

 

[Piggly]

What an awful situation for you sadly as mentioned there are all sorts who masquerade as rescues when they clearly aee not. Shes likely to be a breeder... Whereabouts in wales was this?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi there thanks for the reply and links. my poor little marigold definitely won't be going back there. i really thought these types of rescue people were inspected. i have a good mind to report her. i bought Mari to be a companion to my piggie daisy as we recently lost her friend lola. i paid £150 in vet fees trying to save her. i really can't see this so called rescue lady helping me pay, she couldn't wait to take my £20 fee.

Sadly, there are no standards or licences until a rescue applies for a full charity status. You are by far not the first who has fallen for this. It is the reason why we have started our vet locator.

 

[ilovepets]

i.m Newport, south wales.. very surprised to learn anyone can call themselves a rescue. i had no idea. that;s awful.

 

[Piggly]

Ok, you are a little way from my local rescue, glynneath guinea pig rescue - I think its about an hour and a half from you. The other direction in glouscester is windwhistle warren, who are a rescue for rabbits and piggies. The best vets you could see with her have their surgeries listed here: www.originvets.org. Sophie does appointments tuesdays and thursdays in cardiff.

 

[Pebble]

Short answer is - unless there is a signed contract stating liability then no - she is not responsible for the cost.Presumably you have paid an "adoption fee|" rather than a "sale price" and therefore you have no redress under any of the relevant consumer laws such as Sales of Goods Act etc

As alrready stated - anyone can pass themselves off as a rescue and it sounds like you may not be able to recover the cost from this lady.

Moving on to things practical.........
Firstly - Given your location - can you get her to one of :Lance Jepson's surgeries for a proper checkover? (Neath/Cardiff/Swansea/Camarthen?)
http://www.originvets.org/surgeries
They have lots of experience with piggies (and they are vets to the extremely reputable Glynneath Guinea Pig Rescue )

Secondly - Thinking into the future - You might want to look at Glynneath's website and make contact with Suzy
http://guinearescue.blogspot.co.uk/
She's very busy concentrating on the re-homing and bonding side.....but has also been very supportive of piggie slaves in Wales generally.(as they are potential future rehomers to her pigs!)
x .

 

[ilovepets]

Thanks for the replies all. Marigold hasn't eaten much during the night (if any) and is not eating her fresh food i gave her this morning either. she seems responsive to me though. those vets are too far for me sadly, so i will have to do my best and pop her to my local vet. they dealt with my last guinea and the lady i saw seemed to know what she was doing.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for the replies all. Marigold hasn't eaten much during the night (if any) and is not eating her fresh food i gave her this morning either. she seems responsive to me though. those vets are too far for me sadly, so i will have to do my best and pop her to my local vet. they dealt with my last guinea and the lady i saw seemed to know what she was doing.

Please weigh her to judge her real food intake. If she is losing weight quickly, it means that she is also not eating much hay and pellets when nobody is around. Veg can be hit and miss, especially if she's never had any in her life before.

 

[ilovepets]

Hello. just a quick update. been to the vets and it seems marigold has an intestinal blockage. the vet has given her tramadol and antibiotics. we have to see how she goes overnight. i have to take her back tomorrow either way

 

[Wiebke]

Poor girl! Fingers very firmly crossed for her!

 

[ilovepets]

Morning. i am pleased to say that marigold has been eating really well and drinking today. this is the most active i have seen her since bringing her home i have to take her back to the vet later for check up and more med but i'm hoping that i'm right in thinking this is good progress? thanks all.

 

[Wiebke]

I am glad that she is feeling better in herself. A piggy with a blockage will not feel like eating or drinking as long as it cannot process any food. Please keep on weighing her daily at the same time in feeding cycle to check her real food intake.

 

[ilovepets]

Hi. All. Thankfully Mari is still doing well. The vet has given me Baytril to mix with her water for 6 days. Mari is eating pellets and hay but i am cautious about giving her fresh food. can anyone recommend some less gassy foods? also should i give Mari a probiotic supplement? thanks. x