I just got my guinea pigs

[spooky]

These are my first Guinea Pigs (I got 2 females just last week).

Years and years ago I got a 6 month old dog, Kaysee, from the Humane Society. He lived a sweet 14 year long life.

A few years later I took in a kitten, Tori, that was born to a wild beach cat in San Diego. She was amazing, and just passed away last month after a long, healthy life.

I now have Cookie and Spooky, my 2 girl piggers.

The thing is, I was unaware of Guinea Pig rescue efforts and purchased the pigs at a PetSmart store. It was only after I got the pigs that I learned I could have adopted. I should have done my research first, but now that I have my girls, I need to move forward and care for them well.

My question relates to pet store illnesses, etc. How can I be sure they are healthy? I read that it takes 3 weeks for some illnesses to show effects. But what I want to know is what do I look for? When is it necessary to get professional assistance from a vet, and when it is alright to ride out an illness with TLC?

Thanks

[Piggersrule]

Riding out any ill, be it cat, dog, GP or any animal spells trouble. GP have sensitive respiratory systems, the first sign of a URI should be acted upon ASAP. If you should notice that your pig is breathing heavy/raspy/clicking sounds, runny nose,sneezing/coughing, crusty/watery eyes, lethargic, loss of appitite, loosing weight or diarrhia needs to be taken to a qualified vet. It could be just one symptom or all, see a vet immediately. Piggies can/will go down hill real fast.

Dawn

[envisionary333]

Don't feel bad for getting your piggies at the pet store, many of us did that when we didn't know any better. I have a rescued dog and three rescued cats, but my first piggies were from Petsmart. Now that I know about adoption, I have gotten many from the Humane Society as well.
As far as the health of your piggies, I strongly recommend taking them in for a vet checkup with a qualified exotics vet, even if they seem perfectly healthy. Also, you should purchase a scale and weigh them daily- often before any dramatic symptoms show up, a little weight loss can be a warning sign that will allow you to schedule a vet appointment immediately for treatment. Other than those tips, I think the most important thing is correct preventative care by giving them the right shelter/diet/exercise, and there is tons of information on all of those subjects on this website!
Congratulations on your new piggies!

[Tulia&Susie]

Also adding to what the other said because they bascially said it all you may want to bring them for a vet checkup just to make sure you get a perfect health bill.

[Djakarta]

Another advantage of a baseline visit is that if you do have an emergency, it is far easier to make an appointment if your piggie is already an established patient.

Keep in mind, also, that it is sometimes difficult to find a vet that is truly knowledgable about guinea pigs. A baseline visit is a good way of meeting the vet in a non-emergency situation.

The Guinea Lynx website has helpful suggestions of questions to ask your vet.

Guinea Lynx :: Finding a Veterinarian

[Ly&Pigs]

I also suggest reading Guinea Lynx :: Emergency Medical Guide. This will help you familiarize yourself with signs of illness.

There are no illnesses in guinea pigs that you can let ride out. When they get sick, they can go downhill rather quickly.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Pet store pigs often have mites too. Are you absolutely sure they are both females? They missex them frequently. Do not be surprised if either sow pops out with babies. Pregnancy is common too.

[spooky]

Hi!! Just wanted to update you all. We found a vet (Dr. Taylor) in Mountain View, CA. He was on the list that we got a link to. We went to see him today with both Spooky and Cookie. Cookie is in GREAT shape! Spooky, however, has some sort of infection. The vet saw discharge/mucus in her nose. He put her on antibiotics and will get back to us by Saturday (after the culture is run) to tell us what exactly she is suffering from and if the meds need changing.

He also confirmed for us that both piggers are female. We got a baseline weight for them too.

[spooky]

Sad news... Spooky got worse, not better. After a month and a half of medications, her lung capacity was getting smaller. She had a terrible time breathing and was exahusted all the time. She would sit in one spot, not eating or drinking, for up to 7 hours. After taking her back to the vet (third time) we decided to have her put down. It was very hard on us!!

Her sister, Cookie, is healthy, thank God.

[~Roland~]

I got my pig from petsmart, but thak god i found this website. His cage was pathetic! So I'm making him his new C&C cage!

[~Roland~]

Oh... I'm really sorry about your piggy, I hope Cookie lives a happy life.

[rabbitsncavyluv]

I'm sorry about your pig. That's common with pet store pigs I know it isn't much consolation but you should submit your vet bills to Petstupid. Make it unprofitable for them to sell sick animals from pet mills. You can donate the money to charity if you don't want to keep it.