Rodentology

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Anita

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I wonder if anyone doing the RHA and GBAR courses at the B.A.R could give me some insight into it. I have dithered about whether to do this course many times but am worried that it may be to in depth for me. When you are qualified are you able to obtain and administer medications such as Baytril or do you still need to see a vet for that? Do you witness and go on to perform minor operations? If somebody could give me some idea as to what exactly you do learn and what you can do afterwards I would be most grateful. I would love to be able to treat my own piggies and be more knowledgeable about them but am afraid if operations are involved I think that is pretty much me out as I tend to be quite squeamish these days.
 
Hi Anita, I've been thinking about doing this for a while too. See the links
http://www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk/Courses.html
It definately doesn't include performing minor operations as far as I know, but it does show you how to examine teeth without anasthetic and how to diagnose different problems in your pigs. There are also one off workshops to attend which may be of use to you xx
 
Laura-CCC4 is very near to Vedra and CCT and is doing the courses I believe.

I don't believe it would ever mean you could operate on a piggy as only a qualified vet could do that. Same with prescribing medicines if they are prescription only. It should however give you a very good education in the workings of the guinea pig and to recognise symptoms, treat skin conditions, dentistry etc.

Sophie
x
 
Hopefully Laura-CC4 will chime in and clarify things a little. I read on someones website who was a qualified rodentologist that they can perform "some minor surgery" however I have no idea what that meant, I suppose it could mean draining and abcess or something. It also says they can "give injections", "recognise and treat most medical conditions" and give "intensive care nursing". So I was curious as to how indepth the training goes. I realise a vet has years of training and a rodentology course can not replace that so was looking to get a better idea of what is involved and make a decisions as to whether it is right for me or not.

I would love to be more knowledgeable where my pigs are concerend though, maybe that way I won't have a meltdown everytime something goes wrong! :))
 
Well maybe you can do things similar to a vet nurse? They can perform surgery but not inside the body cavity.

Or maybe it is even more minor surgery than that, like you said, abcesses and stuff.
 
I would love to do the course too (for the same reasons as you) - if only it was a little closer to me.
 
In the RHA the course does include information on operations how anesthetics are given etc very similar to vet nurse type things as previously stated pre op and post op care. Injections of fluids beneath the skin abscess draining etc are included.

The RHA is quite indepth and reads very much like medical training to be honest I use it along side Vedras Diagnostic guide to guine pig problems which is far more user friendly to read, I combine the two into my own set of notes which then makes it easier for me. I am still doing part one of my RHA.

It is very interesting and gives you an indepth knowledge which is great but also frustrating as unless you have a friendly vet who is willing to listen and prescribe the meds advised by Vedra (which luckily I do) you would not be able to carry out the treatment.

The RHA and their courses are not recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary surgeons and passing them does not allow you to prescribe medications or operate in the body cavity etc all this must be done by a licensed vet.

It does however give a great information base with which to approach your vet even if you only do part one of the RHA in my opinion.

Will have to bring the books for you to look at on saturday Sophie :)
 
"I realise a vet has years of training and a rodentology course can not replace that so was looking to get a better idea of what is involved and make a decisions as to whether it is right for me or not. "

Vets actually get very little training on rodents my vet is a specialist in exotics and she said to me in basic training they do nothing at all with rodents really compared to the larger animals when it comes to prescribing medications after one case (fanny adams) where the piggy was so ill she was happy to chance larger doses of antibiotics compared to what her book said she recognised that I was acting on sound advice several other consults where I popped in with a piggy explained what was wrong with it and then what medication I would like (they all recovered nicely :~) ) she was lovely enough to realise I was paying a lot for consults I did not need and sent me home with 100ml bottles of baytril/septrin instead of little ones. RHA saved me so much in consult fees! She is very interested in the RHA as vets are jacks of all trades where as Vedra has been specific to rodents for a very long time therefore her knowledge had been specifically developed.
 
I'm a trainee veterinary nurse and I have a poorly piggy at the mo, it frustrates me so much how little the vets now. I know more than them just through keeping them! I also discovered the other day that in the hole 5 years training a vet gets they spend around 4 hours learning about guinea pigs! I am goin start the rodentologist course soon I can't wait :D x
 
Most vets really seem to know almost nothing about guinea pigs. I don't really trust them :)) I also learnt not to trust large animal vets with small animals! Seriously though, unless a vet is a specialist in rodents/smallies, or has done their own research, then they often don't know much about them.
 
I have toyed with the idea of doing this course too but am so far away from Cambridge :(

Have to do a bit more investigating methinks!
 
I've just started doing the RHA course but unfortunately I wont be able to do the bits at Cambridge as I'm in Glasgow and have 2 dogs, 8 pigs and an aquarium (apart from that I live alone) so I couldn't leave them to go to Cambridge. Shame they dont have workshops now and again in other areas.

I've enjoyed what Ive read so far on the course and realistically (without being able to travel) am really just doing this for my own benefit.

x
 
Little Piggles said:
I have toyed with the idea of doing this course too but am so far away from Cambridge :(

Have to do a bit more investigating methinks!
Click to expand...

You dont have to be in Cambridge to do it, only the 3 day bit (where you take your piggie to learn restraint/feeding). Most of its is studying at home. I'm doing the RHA at the moment. Vikki explains it well. You have to do the RHA before the BAR. Its quite expensive, but interesting if you dont have any veterinary knowledge.

x
 
i'm considering doing this course too. What does it allow you to do in terms of teeth?
 
I started the RHA course at the start of the year.

Their website says it " Consists of a Diagnostic guide to Rodent Disease and a home study pack which includes monthly interactive tutoring sessions".

What I got was a booklet with a pile of questions at the end. The booklet was quite good but a bit disjointed IMO and was a little inconsistent and kept going on about food additives. I never got any information about 'interactive tutoring sessions' as specified when I joined. I read the book, answered the questions and sent them for 'marking' in February but never heard anything back or got any 'marks'.

I was going to buy their book and other charts but because they never delivered on their course and that it wasn't that great I didnt waste any more money on it. Maybe theyve been busy (maybe it was lost on post ?) but theyve never contacted me at all.

x
 
Tallulah said:
i'm considering doing this course too. What does it allow you to do in terms of teeth?
Click to expand...

It doesn't "allow" you to do anything, they will show you how to do teeth properly but it is not a legally/academically recognised qualification in any way, shape or form. "Rodentologist" and "Rodentology" are terms coined by Vedra.

I was toying with the idea until I read more into it (and read some of the paperwork which was full of spelling mistakes and typos which made it look totally unprofessional IMO). I think it's a great thing that it is furthering knowledge but I feel very strongly that "rodentologists" should only work under supervision of and in partnership with a qualified veterinary surgeon or qualified veterinary nurse and legally it's a grey area. I think it's great that it's furthering knowledge but I know for a fact there are people who have done this course who now think they are qualified to treat other people's pets.

Bear in mind that legally the only people who are allowed to treat your pet are 1) You (with the exception of any form of surgery as Vikki says) 2) Your vet and 3) The likes of a physio, but only after vet referral. So, bear this in mind if anyone else ever wants you to look at their sick pig if you complete the course.
 
I am considering doing the course as well, just as a way of furthering my current knowledge - I'm a veterinary receptionist and veterinary nursing assistant, and am also studying veterinary anatomy with the intention of going on to study veterinary medicine.... so a bit of rodent knowledge might come in handy!
 
I am thinking of doing the course too, everything that is going on with Nigel has inspired me to look into it. I see a rodentologist who works with a cavy savy vet and they really help each other. My local vet is also very receptive to what the rodentologist has told me. Nigel had been midiagnosed by at least 2 vets previously and it was the rodentologist who helped us investigate further.
 
Thanks, I was just wondering if it would mean I could treat my own pigs' teeth myself, I've had so many problems over the years, last time lots of people on the forum said that it could easily be done with out GA but however hard I tried I couldn't find a vet who would do it. I wondered if it would mean I would be able to treat their teeth myself in the future.

I read the site but didn't find it that clear in that respect. Could be me though!
 
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