Finding the Best Vet for your Skinny Pig
Skinny pigs and Hairless Guinea Pigs are classed as exotic Animals. This Means you need to find a veterinarian that specializes in treating guinea pigs. Most veterinarians who treat dogs and cats, do not have the expertise required to deal with diagnosing and treating cavys. Make sure you find a clinic that is known for looking after small exotic pets.
Why You Shouldn’t Go To A Vet That Isn’t Exotic
Some vet clinics who don’t specialize in exotic animals will agree to looking after your guinea pig. This is never a great idea because guinea pigs are very complex and knowledge for proper diagnosis and treatment is very important.
There have been cases of guinea pigs being prescribed unsafe medications that have lead to death, dosages of medications that are too high or too low, improper diagnosis or an all clear bill of health when the guinea pig is sick.
Challenges For Finding An Exotic Vet
Exotic vets can be hard to come by, depending on where you live. A lot of the time it requires being willing to travel a decent distance. It isn’t unheard of having to travel up to 2 hours or so, in order to get proper care for your guinea pig.
Picking a vet just around the corner because of convenience, is not the way to look at things. You want to find a vet who is capable, knowledgeable and caring towards small creatures. If driving or taking a bus for an hour gets you that special care, it is truly worth it.
Have A Back Up Plan
Sometimes emergencies happen during the night when your vets office is closed. It is always wise to have an after hours clinic on hand for those times. Ask your trusted vet where they would recommend you go in times of emergency, they always have a place to refer you to.
Find A Vet Before Adoption
Make sure to find a proper vet clinic before you adopt your guinea pigs. Nothing is worse than having a problem arise and not knowing where to turn. In a time of crisis, every minute counts, so you don’t want to be wasting time calling around to a dozen different clinics, trying to figure out if they can help you. Ease your mind by having a vet clinic already picked out!
