Vet checks

[A Guinea Pig]

Does everyone take their guinea pig to the vet once a year? I have currently just seen them when the piggies are sick, but if I should go more than that, I absolutely will. Do they find a lot of illnesses that people did not know about when they go regularly?

Thanks!

 

[Hannah_xx]

It’s always a really good idea to have a check up at the vets once a year. The vet can feel and notice things that is regular owners may just easily miss.
When I had 2-3 piggies I use to have yearly check ups.
I have 7 pigs now and unfortunately can’t afford $700 in one go. But I do often bring an extra pig along to an appointment for a health check especially my older pigs or the ones who have minor ongoing issues.

 

[Wheekallweek]

I think for what it costs a yearly check up is worth it! (although if you have 7 pigs like @Hannah_xx it's a lot in one go! )

 

[piggieminder]

When I had 2 piggies they went every year but since I've in recent years had 6 they go when I they need to. I do find they need to go at sometime most years anyway. My 2 oldies go every six months as they are on Metacam for arthritis and can only have 6 monthly repeat prescriptions.

 

[Bertie & Jelly]

My 2 oldies get a check up every 6 months too. They aren’t on any regular medication but one had a stubborn abscess and the other occasionally sneezy so it gives me some reassurance.

 

[Tigermoth]

I never took mine for routine check ups A few issues over the years and then onto six monthly for repeat prescriptions for Jenny although she only had the one six monthly check before dying another few weeks down the line.

 

[ScrufflesRules]

I never took mine for checkups either, as I unfortunately felt more qualified than the vet (before I found a wonderful exotics vet, but you couldn't do checkups there as it was by referral only).
To counter @Hannah_xx's perfectly valid point, I've previously found that when I went to a vet concerned about my guinea pig's health, they initially couldn't find anything wrong, and I had to prompt them to investigate further!
If it gives you peace of mind, then by all means send them for a yearly checkup, but definitely use a vet experienced in guinea pig health.

P.S. Apparently yearly health checks are a thing for humans too in America?!

 

[Betsy]

In the 7 plus years that I've had piggies I have never taken them for an annual check. I only take them when there is something wrong. When they do go to the vet, apart from the obvious thing that is wrong, I'm always told they are in good condition. Good heart beat, nice tummy sounds, good lungs etc

 

[Lorcan]

I had Comet and Blitzen checked out when I came home with them (from P@H), and then had Comet checked out a couple of times when I wasn't happy with how he was, but I never took them for regular vet checks, the goblins included. If I thought I needed to I'd take them daily, but without something prompting me to do it I don't want to stress them out by packing them into a carrier, with weather they might not be suited for at all, into a taxi journey there and back. It feels like it'd do more harm than good.

 

[poggle]

I haven't been doing this but have wondered if I should start following a recent unexplained death in my herd. I guess what I'm wondering is, beyond checking heart and lungs... what would they be doing that I can't? I can't imagine they're running any tests? I weigh them, watch them for any signs of illness, behavioural changes etc. - am I not better off monitoring them daily than getting a vet snapshot once a year?

These are all genuine questions - as I say, I've not done them before and I would love more info!

 

[Lorcan]

Honestly, when I took Comet in the second time (turned out to be tooth spurs) the vet did exactly what I'd do at first - full body check for lumps, listen to the lungs, take weight (all while Comet kept trying to run away from her, lol), syringed him a little water to try and check his mouth a bit better. But I'd gone in saying "I dunno what's wrong, I just know something is" and probably got lucky she didn't think I was an idiot because she could find nothing at all. She wasn't an exotics vet, and she couldn't see his mouth without anaesthetic which is what I had done - but that was it. Body check, listen to the heart and lungs, and check the mouth. I don't know there's much else to get out of a general appointment?

 

[ScrufflesRules]

It's interesting really, because I know that annual checkups are seen as vital in the bird community as avian vets can perform blood tests etc. to look for any underlying health issues, which is especially important considering the lifespan of many parrots and the potential for long-term health issues to slowly arise.
If guinea pig medicine ever develops to that extent then I'd be interested in a yearly check up I think.

 

[A Guinea Pig]

I never took mine for checkups either, as I unfortunately felt more qualified than the vet (before I found a wonderful exotics vet, but you couldn't do checkups there as it was by referral only).
To counter @Hannah_xx's perfectly valid point, I've previously found that when I went to a vet concerned about my guinea pig's health, they initially couldn't find anything wrong, and I had to prompt them to investigate further!
If it gives you peace of mind, then by all means send them for a yearly checkup, but definitely use a vet experienced in guinea pig health.

P.S. Apparently yearly health checks are a thing for humans too in America?!

So people in the UK do not get yearly wellness checks? Most people I know will get everything checked in just a yearly visit and get their blood tested also if they ask. I know that in most elementary schools they require that you child comes for weight, vision and hearing tests yearly. Babies and children will also go in more than that depending on their age just for general health. Is that not available in where y’all live or is it just not a norm?

 

[A Guinea Pig]

I think I might take them yearly, I just have to find and office that does not drain my entire bank account after one health check. I was looking around this morning I emailed a few offices asking for pricing and one replied back saying that they were no longer taking any clients. So you know what she gave me? I received a pdf of all the exotic vet offices they will refer to in my area! I am so pleased!

 

[Betsy]

is that not available in where y’all live or is it just not a norm?

It's not the norm. Babies have their routine checks and jabs, children have their booster jabs and routine checks but that's all. Unless you have a known illness then you only visit the Doctor when you need to.

 

[Lorcan]

I get asked to come in on a yearly basis to do a meds check, which I then put off for 6 months because why do I want to sit in the waiting room just to have the "yup, meds work, let's keep them as they are" conversation that apparently absolutely has to be done in person and not over the phone. I don't treat the goblins' health quite so laxly, I should point out, I've just never seen yearly checkups as anything other than a headache.

 

[A Guinea Pig]

It's not the norm. Babies have their routine checks and jabs, children have their booster jabs and routine checks but that's all. Unless you have a known illness then you only visit the Doctor when you need to.

I see, that is kind of crazy to think about not seeing a doctor yearly. Do you not get shots yearly then?

 

[Betsy]

I get a flu jab yearly as I am now of an age where the NHS think I need one but I don't see a Dr for this the nurse does it. Also as I am now in the "vulnerable" category for Covid jabs (because of my chronic medical condition) I now get priority and don't have to wait for those (funny how I wasn't a "priorty" during the pandemic but I am now).

 

[Lorcan]

I get a flu jab yearly as I am now of an age where the NHS think I need one but I don't see a Dr for this the nurse does it. Also as I am now in the "vulnerable" category for Covid jabs (because of my chronic medical condition) I now get priority and don't have to wait for those (funny how I wasn't a "priorty" during the pandemic but I am now).

Hah, I wasn't a priority until Feb '21, like 12 months late at that stage lol.

 

[Betsy]

Hah, I wasn't a priority until Feb '21, like 12 months late at that stage lol.

I found out I was a priority earlier this year!

 

[Lorcan]

I'd actually had my first jab before I got the letter lol, I don't know if it was because I'd swapped GP surgeries in the December, or if it was because I was in the hospital the January/February for a few weeks. If it had been up to my GP to tell me I probably still wouldn't know. Still I won't be saying no to the boosters, I'm not daft. I'm thinking now if I was as proactive on my health as I was with the goblins I might be a bit healthier, lol.

 

[poggle]

So people in the UK do not get yearly wellness checks? Most people I know will get everything checked in just a yearly visit and get their blood tested also if they ask. I know that in most elementary schools they require that you child comes for weight, vision and hearing tests yearly. Babies and children will also go in more than that depending on their age just for general health. Is that not available in where y’all live or is it just not a norm?

No, if you're otherwise fit and healthy you just go when you need. Easier to do that if things are free at point of access though. Infants are different though, they have yearly checks. Vision and hearing checks are handled elsewhere as well, same as dental - you are encouraged to have dentist and optician checks every year though... although most of those here are private.

 

[Tigermoth]

I see, that is kind of crazy to think about not seeing a doctor yearly. Do you not get shots yearly then?

My son didn’t see a doctor from aged 6 weeks (routine post birth examination) until he was 12. They apologised for losing his medical records until I pointed out he didn’t have any He had his routine vaccinations with the nurse, his development checks with a health visitor and was otherwise well.

I think it is more common for regular checks to be recommended when you are actually billing someone for each visit. Whilst we pay for our healthcare here in our taxes the actual care is free at the point of delivery and so the cost comes from a central pot that covers everything from a five minute appointment about nothing to hours and hours of specialist life saving surgery with multiple staff, tests and doctors or years of treatment for cancer, Parkinson’s, ALS etc. We skimp on the “routine” as it’s not necessary for most people.

We have a process of identifying vulnerable categories for annual vaccines. Covid, we were all vulnerable so our health conditions prioritised the delivery. Babies get theirs, teens get some. Flu is targeted and so i get one because I work in healthcare. This year I believe I will get it in the canteen we don’t have to go to the doctor for it, it’s employer led.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I see, that is kind of crazy to think about not seeing a doctor yearly. Do you not get shots yearly then?

The difference is that we have a free healthcare system as the first port of call. They will offer screenings for people when they hit 40 years of age and those who have certain health conditions. Children/babies get more checks but also have a health visitor who can be consulted on general health and development. I'm pretty sure we could go yearly but perhaps only through private healthcare, definitely only private if we want tests like blood tests to be included.

I had my whooping cough and flu jabs last winter because I was pregnant but won't be offered anything this year so will need to go privately to a pharmacy if I want the flu jab (considering the nursery bugs have already started for the season I think it would be wise to have). Eye tests are recommended every 3 years but again it's private through an optician unless you are on an extremely low income when you can get it free with a voucher towards any prescription.