Vets In Nottingham

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Kerrie74

Kerrie74

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hi all,

I'm looking for a vet in Nottingham that actually knows something about guinea pigs rather than taking guesses or saying there is nothing wrong. So far I've tried

Ambivet
The Vet
Forest Vets
Vets 4 Pets - Mapperly

I've had one suggested to me Dove Vets - Derby Rd, Nottingham.

I've been going to The Vet mainly, I do like the vet the piggies are seeing BUT she "seems" to guess at things, I've even asked if she would speak to a vet from Alfreton Vets in Derby about one of our guinea's which she's agreed to.

The problem I'm having is, Jericho who is about 2 and a half seems to have cystitis, it's been suggested by two people that it's not the bacterial type but the vet doesn't seem to know about it and has given yet more antibiotics, not sure if that will even work? Also we have Tyrion who is about 4 months old, he's had a sneeze and runny nose, he's also been to see her, she put him on baytril once a day, he's on his last day and is still sneezing. So I obviously want to try and get help for both guinea's, I cannot keep affording for guessed diagnoses and dosages that don't seem correct.

I have used the vet locator but sadly all vets are too far away for us to get to.

Thanks in advance
 
I can't help, but hope someone else can help you soon!

I certainly wouldn't go to vets4pets, (you know why) as you've already said you've been and had no luck!
 
Ah yeah, they are ok, but over priced to say they don't know what they are talking about in regards to guinea's. Might have to book Tyrion into "Dove".
 
My friend uses Ashfield House Vet Centre. Phone number is 0115 972 7050. Ashfield House Veterinary Hospital Vet in Nottingham They have quite long opening hours, and are open on a Sunday so I have the number just in case (I'm in Leicester).

I think the best piggy vet is Laura Pugh (I think) but my friend says there's a few there that have an interest in pigs. And they're happy for you to ask to see a certain one.
 
I've got the other names of the vets written down on a piece of paper at home as I had a bit of an emergency with one of my piggies at the weekend. I think one vet was possibly Claudine... Sorry, my brain is rubbish.

It's probably too far for you anyway but just in case someone recommends Chine House, I'd avoid there like the plague!
 
Ah yeah it is a little bit, just checked on google maps :( It would be brilliant if one of us could drive. I'm determined to help my son with lessons next year lol.
 
How about the Nottingham one, Ashfield House? I believe they have two different surgeries, one in Bramcote and one in Long Eaton. My friends pigs have had a urinary tract infection and bladder sludge problems, which the Ashfield vets were able to sort out for her.
 
Not able to offer any recommendation but it is worth remembering that piggies classify as 'exotics' as such there are not many medications that are licensed for use in Guinea Pigs and a non exotics vet cannot necessarily prescribe 'off license' without advice from an exotics practice.

Baytril is a good antibiotic despite it's reputation and a first-line treatment and one of the few licensed for use in piggies which is why it is often used by many vets. ( I know if it's not worked you need to do something else, don't get me wrong, but it may be that the vet isn't actually allowed to prescribe another 'off license' drug for you)

Hope you find somewhere that suits you. An ultrasound can be helpful to diagnose non-bacterial chronic cystitis as it often shows thickened/damaged bladder walls. An X-ray would rule out stones or sludge as a cause of irritation too.

Good luck!
 
I understand @MerryPip but she has been given the details of the exotic vet that Jericho saw in August as she said she would speak to her about Jericho but hasn't bothered, also I asked if she could give Septrin to Jericho for possible cystitis and was told yes but he came home with Sulfatrim? then not long after Big's went to see her and she said he had an "allergy" to something and gave him Septrin.. so I'm very very confused in regards to that vets and wonder if they know what to give in regards to guinea pigs, I'm not saying they are bad or anything, I'm saying I want a vet who can give me a proper answer in regards to Jericho instead of "I'm not sure" or "I don't know", same as Tyrion, she didn't know what was wrong with him or Big's if I'm honest.

Yeah I know baytril is good, used it lots of times, but it doesn't work on everything.

I think I'm just getting very frustrated as I don't like seeing any of my pets ill, if I'm ill, I can handle it, but not if it's the dog, mice or guinea's or even my son lol.

He's had xrays/scan.. nothing showed up on them :(
 
That's fine @Kerrie74, it sounds really frustrating.... I just wanted to clarify because people often panic when Baytril is given and think that nothing is happening when actually it can be the most appropriate thing to do... But if you've been and done all that and still no joy then you are right to be looking for another avenue.
 
I think I've muddle both me and you up @MerryPip XD

Tyrion is on Baytril, he's the one who seems to have a sniffle, he has one dose left we think but he still seems sniffly. Jericho is the one who has been firstly on baytril which did clear the possible cystitis (the blood in the urine stopped) but then it came back so then he was put on sulfatrim, he had his course but was still in pain so went back again and is on sulfatrim and metacam for 21 days, I've had two people suggest that it could be the other type of cystitis rather than the bacterial one, hence me trying to get the current vet to speak to the exotic vet. I hope I've made sense.
 
Kerrie74 said:
I think I've muddle both me and you up @MerryPip XD

Tyrion is on Baytril, he's the one who seems to have a sniffle, he has one dose left we think but he still seems sniffly. Jericho is the one who has been firstly on baytril which did clear the possible cystitis (the blood in the urine stopped) but then it came back so then he was put on sulfatrim, he had his course but was still in pain so went back again and is on sulfatrim and metacam for 21 days, I've had two people suggest that it could be the other type of cystitis rather than the bacterial one, hence me trying to get the current vet to speak to the exotic vet. I hope I've made sense.
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That makes perfect sense :) You are doing the right thing by the sounds of it, I only wanted to mention the bit about Baytril because it's got such a bad reputation and others reading the thread might feel that it is to be avoided when that's not necessarily true.....

Your boys both sound like they need a bit more investigation to get to the bottom of things and if you are getting no joy anywhere else then a new vet is the best option! Even if it means travelling a bit further afield to get what you need.
 
That's the problem @MerryPip I am not able to travel as far as I'd like due to different things :( hence I'm sort of stuck here. However of my local rescues uses one called "Dove" so I may have to try and get them in there, they sound like a busy surgery. Tyrion will go back and see Jessica tomorrow at The Vet as someone thought he may need to be on the baytril a bit longer.

Oh no it's ok, I know that baytril works, we had a guinea pig last year who kept getting URI's and ear infections, he was on baytril a few times :) sadly he's no longer with us, bladder stones that weren't sorted out fast enough, won't go into that one though because I'll end up ranting lol. I am determined to get Tyrion and Jericho sorted out. I'm also planning on getting one of the other boys checked over, we noticed he makes a funny noise sometimes but we don't know if it's just an him thing or if it's a problem, he tends to do it when he gets excited.

We should be ok next year, my son should be driving so we can take them to the vet in Derby.
 
Jaycey said:
I've got the other names of the vets written down on a piece of paper at home as I had a bit of an emergency with one of my piggies at the weekend. I think one vet was possibly Claudine... Sorry, my brain is rubbish.

It's probably too far for you anyway but just in case someone recommends Chine House, I'd avoid there like the plague!
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Could I ask why you avoid Chine House like the plague? Its certainly very expensive compared to my usual vets (vets4pets Oadby that seem fairly knowledgeable) but Craig certainly knows his stuff and my piggies that have had to go there have received fantastic treatment.
 
Chine House is a bit far for us but I reckon I'd take my piggies there if I could get there, most of the reviews seem really good.
 
Craig is a superb vet, and surgeon. He's very much qualified in exotics and know's a lot about guinea pigs. He's done bladder stone surgery twice on one of my pigs before. And I'm extremely grateful for that. But I have another vet which I prefer to use on first instances and Craig would be my last resort.

My problem is their dreadful aftercare. Unfortunately their nursing staff really don't know how to look after pigs. When they wouldn't release one of my pigs (the one in my picture to the left) I had to go in over the weekend to feed him myself as they couldn't do it. I have complained to them about it before, and it's a big thing to say, but I do honestly believe their nursing led to the death of one of my pigs. They won't listen though. Craig's belief is only people with a vet qualification knows animals. So, although I have 15 + years experience with pigs, and can syringe feed pretty well, an inexperienced vet nurse can do a better job. And he won't listen to your opinion. I could go on, but I won't.

My decision to go there really depends on the pig. My profile pig is a tough old boot and doesn't worry about being at the vet. So, I would possibly use Craig again for him. But I have 2 other piggies and they hate the vet. I know if they were kept in after a surgery they wouldn't eat on their own accord and so they wouldn't release them back to me. And the nursing staff don't know how to syringe feed a pig. All 3 of mine that stayed there were covered in crusted on Critical Care when I collected them. Two were saturated in urine, one even had sores because of it.

I'm not alone in the experience. I mentioned it afterwards to a friend, who lives in Nottingham. And she had had the exact same thing happen to her pig.

So, it's a very tough choice. Personally they're a last resort for me, but I completely understand why people do use them. Craig is the most qualified in this area, and he does know his stuff.

Having a piggy receive wonderful, lifesaving treatment from them and he survived a stroke. Great. But for him to come home covered in urine, sores and the start of bumblefoot from not being moved or cleaned? Not good. He later died of a bone infection from the bumblefoot.

I now travel the extra distance to Northampton, or would go to Laura @Ashfield first.

If you know your appointment isn't going to involve an xray, or them staying in at all then I definitely recommend.
 
I'm not sure on the forums policy about discussing vets so please delete if not appropriate :) . I'll chat to Lady Kelly by PM if that's better
 
I think in all honesty people have their own opinions based on their own experiences, I've had a couple of bad experiences with three different surgeries that I believe led to the death of two of my guinea pigs, I made a complaint to one and all the woman kept saying was the vet is good, I never said she wasn't good, I said she misdiagnosed one of my guinea's, he had bladder stones and she said it was his head, then she was rude towards my son and tried to tell him our guinea didn't have mites, she spent 15 minutes checking him over, that's 10 minutes longer than the seriously ill one and then decided to do a tape test and found that yes he did have mites.. so yeah she might be ok with other animals, but she certainly wasn't with my guinea's which their clerical director didn't seem to get into her head.

So one person might go and have a really good experience with the vet and another might go and have a poor experience. People are entitled to their opinions, it's how you express them that matters.

Thanks for explaining @Jaycey :)
 
Nightmare for you @Kerrie74 .... We need an expert piggy vet - and soon lol ! Hope you get the boys sorted out, sorry i can't be of any more help :( xx
 
if there was a good exotic vet in Notts, they would be RICH lol :) x
 
Jaycey said:
I'm not sure on the forums policy about discussing vets so please delete if not appropriate :) . I'll chat to Lady Kelly by PM if that's better
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I'm sure you'll be fine on that point. I asked mostly because there might have been something I was not aware of. Fortunately for me I have never had a pig needing to stay there overnight so I can't comment on any aftercare, simply that diagnosis was reached and treatment decided pretty promptly. I'm so sorry to hear of yours and your friends experiences though, how terrible. I can't stand people who won't listen to reason, I have faced many GPs like that and they treat me like I don't know my own body (a bit like thinking they know your pigs better than you) which is part of the reason I waited 12 years for my own diagnosis. Qualifications galore cannot make up for a lack of empathy
 
There is a good vet in Hucknall, the twice I have been he has been really good and he actually listens . The vet is Jonathon at Buckley House Vets.
 
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