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Guinea Pig Medicine Chest..

  • Thread starter Thread starter BladeRider
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BladeRider

I've owned Guinea Pigs for 18 months now and (touching every piece of wood I can find) not had any problems apart from poor Dredd dying very suddenly recently. After reading some of the threads about piggy ailements and some of the medication (eg Calpol) being used, which is readily available from pet stores and other shops..

I was wondering if some of the experienced owners could write up a list of things which it might be an idea to have in the house for those 'just in case times' like we have with our own medicine cupboards..

The last thing I would want is for something to crop up suddenly and me not being able to do anything about it..

Thank you in advance for any help..
 
The extensive first aid kits are rather excessive in their contents!
Pain relief, ie Calpol and an antispasmodic, such as Buscopan are sufficient.
It is first aid you are looking for, not treatments for every medical/surgical condition.
I am sure many people like to think they have the "biggest chest on the forum"!!
 
Like AP said, the point of the piggie "medicine chest" is to be used as first aid until you can get a vet, or rodentologist, involved. They're useful for small things (such as scratches) and to treat an aliment as it begins (for example, if your pig stops eating, you should start hand feeding as soon as you notice).

For my pigs, medically, I have:

  • Cotton wool balls (for applying creams and solutions, not really an expense for them because I give them cotton balls from my make-up-removing stash.)
  • Nail clippers
  • TCP (antiseptic solution, generally it's diluted when being used. I share this with the pigs because, really, you shouldn't double dip or allow cross-contamination of swabs with the solution itself)
  • Pro-biotic (I ALWAYS have probiotic; it's useful when the pigs need antibiotics, during force-feeding and if one of them gets an upset stomach)
  • Critical Care (I cannot stress how frustrating it is that people don't get this when they get pigs. It's a force-feeding formula packed full of fiber and things pigs need to get better. It's powder form so can be squashed into a syringe too, just add water.)
  • Syringes (so, so, so, so many syringes)
  • Vitamin C tablets (not first aid, but I sometimes use them in first aid with sick pigs.)
  • Metacam (I only have this on hand because I have two pigs who are actively either using it or have permission to be given it as required. Because I have this, I don't have calpol)
  • Gripe water (it's inexpensive and I tend to keep it for cases of bloat to help treat it while I wait on a vet opening.)
  • Gorgeous Guineas products: Neem oil (sample, used as first-aid, I'm not confident in the product yet to use it as a treatment) bumblefoot ointment (for my elderly pigs who don't move around much to keep the feet in tip top condition) and a melt (for dry skin)

Really, in a first aid box, I'd be delighted if owners just had critical care, syringes, a pain killer and were OK with sharing antiseptic solutions. Everything else is stuff I've collected either for a specific pig or because I've had a problem with a condition in the past and want to be prepared - for a relapse in that pig and secondary in the others - in the future.

I don't keep antibiotics on hand because I'm not 100% sure how to tell the difference between an infection or, for example, a bladder stone, and I prefer to not load my pigs with antibiotics unless they need them. And most other things I get them when I need them.

When making your own, read medical threads and see what people generally recommend most: force feeding (critical care, vitamin c, syrings) if the pig is annorexic, vet if the pig is unwell and the reason can't be pin pointed or antibiotics for an infection (probiotic call) and prepare for that.

Most things, such as critical care, gripe water (for bloat) and probiotics DO have on-hand alternatives in an emergency, though.
 
I'd add charcoal powder and infant neurofen to the list
 
I am sure many people like to think they have the "biggest chest on the forum"!!

I'm sorry I know this is a serious thread about a serious matter but that line just had me spitting my tea all over my keyboard!
 
what does the charcoal powder do?

Charcoal powder is fed if a piggie is believed to have swallowed toxins. It will abosrb the toxins but then needs to be pushed through by feeding mineral oil/paraffin or equivalent.(1ml max twice ever otherwise it could destroy the stomach lining) ..until vet help can be got.

xx
 
"(1ml max twice ever otherwise it could destroy the stomach lining)"

As you might expect from me, can you please supply appropriate reference(s) to substantiate that statement?


You are up late.
 
TD and MOD.
Agreed, serious forum/thread, but none of us should become too pompous showing off our knowledge to the world. Let's hope a little light relief goes down well with everyone!!
 
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