Sick My Guinea Pig making a cough / hiccup sound?! (tell me if petco is gonna scam me)

[I LOVE MY PIGS]

Re: petco vet care for my guinea pigs please answer this Q

I am very sorry for what happened with you. I definetly don't want to have any problems with them. I have no idea where my pigs are or who the vet is... I know nothing other then the fact that on wednesday i should get them back...

I am skeptical about the 15 day vet protection restarting again i know it does but if there IS another problem with them in that 15 days, I am wondering if i should get cash back and instead adopt two from a shelter. I am wondering if this will be better in the long run.

 

[Tinuviel44]

You know, that is a really tough call ,and a decision you would have to make, I totally see both sides and until thursday of this week,( we took Lucy back to the store for care on last Sunday) I asked myself the same question.

What I say now is this. If you get them back and are faced with the unfortunate situation where there is another problem, it is most likely that it is a new problem, not brought on because of having a faulty gpig, but because it is something they picked up during the time away from your care. When you take them to get care through the store, they may very well get better from what you sent them there for, but what about the new thing they picked up from just being in such a busy environment with so many other animals, many of whomever are also sick right? They are better off with minimal exposure to such environments.

If they do need additional care, head to your own vet, get detailed instructions and info from him, then bring your babies home, get on here, ask questions,get answers, and more likely than not, watch your boys get better with far less trauma or exposure to new illness. You are obviously very attentive to details and willing to get help when needed. Keep it up. Your doing headed in the right direction, and just want your boys to healthy and happy.

 

[kananaka]

Re: petco vet care for my guinea pigs please answer this Q

I am very sorry for what happened with you. I definetly don't want to have any problems with them. I have no idea where my pigs are or who the vet is... I know nothing other then the fact that on wednesday i should get them back...

I am skeptical about the 15 day vet protection restarting again i know it does but if there IS another problem with them in that 15 days, I am wondering if i should get cash back and instead adopt two from a shelter. I am wondering if this will be better in the long run.

So you would abandon them because they are sick? I am sorry it sucks you got them sick, but didn't you post you felt like you were rescuing them on another thread even though you bought them? So if you get them back (if you take them back) and there is another issue you would "give them up" and get you $ back and adopted, and then what if those pigs are sick? Do you realize how many animals are put down because they are returned to a pet store by people who do not want to deal with a less then perfect animal, and all it would take is some TLC and proper care (food, vet, etc..) to have gotten them back on their feet?
Wow, just wow.

 

[scruffytufty]

Re: petco vet care for my guinea pigs please answer this Q

Cant you arrange something with your local vet to pay it in installments if you have to take them?, im sure you already love these little boys and i dont want to guilt trip you but if you dont take your babies back home tey will prob be put out for sale and someone else less experiences would prob buy them, i know its tough i worry constantly about mine, they are very prone to illnesses, everything has to be just perfect for them, i say dont give up! you have bonded with eachother and im sure they cant wait to be back home in your caring hands! good luck i hope you make a decision soon!

 

[foggycreekcavy]

There was no need to post this question in two different areas. Also, please keep all further medical questions or updates about these pigs here on this thread.

I would not abandon these pigs at the pet store and go out and adopt another pair. It's likely the pet store will not put much effort into getting them well. I feel that since you went out and bought them, you have the responsibility to care for them as best you can. In my opinion that means taking them home from the pet store and taking them to a cavy knowledgeable vet. If you submit the bills to the pet store they may pay them.

 

[MrWhistles]

There was no need to post this question in two different areas. Also, please keep all further medical questions or updates about these pigs here on this thread.

I would not abandon these pigs at the pet store and go out and adopt another pair. It's likely the pet store will not put much effort into getting them well. I feel that since you went out and bought them, you have the responsibility to care for them as best you can. In my opinion that means taking them home from the pet store and taking them to a cavy knowledgeable vet. If you submit the bills to the pet store they may pay them.

I fully agree with you Foggy.
These piggys rely on us for everything and I believe it to be cruel to get them, find out their sick and then abandon them. Think of a mother abandoning her child because it is sick.

Mr. Whistles came with skin mites. Although it was expensive to treat him, I stuck it out because he is my baby. I am also allergic to either him, his bedding or his hay (not likely since I touch Timothy hay all the time at the barn) and I will not abandon him.

 

[PigPandemonium]

I didn't read the full of your posts, I just kinda stopped at "I wonder if I should just get cash back" And I have to say. WOW. You would just trade in your pets for some new ones just because they are sick? That's like saying "Hey mom and dad I don't like you, I think I'm going to sell you and get some new parents" If you are saying that because of the vet costs, then don't get another guinea pig. They will most likely get sick in there lifetime, even multiple times, and you will be responsible to get them good quality vet care, not some freebie 15 day thing from a vet who probably knows next to nothing about guinea pigs. I'm very sorry if I happened to misunderstand something in your post, and that wasn't what you were saying.

 

[I LOVE MY PIGS]

I didn't read the full of your posts, I just kinda stopped at "I wonder if I should just get cash back" And I have to say. WOW. You would just trade in your pets for some new ones just because they are sick? That's like saying "Hey mom and dad I don't like you, I think I'm going to sell you and get some new parents" If you are saying that because of the vet costs, then don't get another guinea pig. They will most likely get sick in there lifetime, even multiple times, and you will be responsible to get them good quality vet care, not some freebie 15 day thing from a vet who probably knows next to nothing about guinea pigs. I'm very sorry if I happened to misunderstand something in your post, and that wasn't what you were saying.

I am not worried about vet fees and I care about ALL animals. ALL that I am saying is, these being the first two guinea pigs I've ever owned. I would like to get two guinea pigs that are not in any condition too have the need to go to the vet. I would want to get two somewhat healthy pigs (that dont need vet care right of the bat) and in the long run if they do have any conditions to need to see a vet yeah I have no problem with that. I

 

[MrWhistles]

mr whistles was the 1st guinea pig ive ever owned
i would of liked him to be a perfectly healthy cavvy as well. but i wasnt going to go trade him in for one
my 1st dog was a parvo puppy. now you think your pigs vet bills will be expensive. try treating a puppy with ADVANCED parvo. best $4k ive ever spent.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

But since you have already invested in these pigs, it seems that it would be mean to let them go. It's a possible death sentence for them. Like I said, if you don't want them, the pet store isn't going to go through any lengths to get them better.

They are live animals, not a pair of shoes.

 

[I LOVE MY PIGS]

Can someone please give me an idea of the cost of vet bills for a guinea pig?

 

[schavarry]

Can someone please give me an idea of the cost of vet bills for a guinea pig?

Depends on what is wrong with them... For my vet it's $45 for the initial visit, then you add meds and tests on top of that. The most I've spent at a vet visit is about $180 but if you have to get xrays or put them under for a procedure it could get pretty pricy!! The sooner you get them to a GOOD vet, the less it should cost because the sooner you catch the illness the easier it should be to treat!!

 

[kananaka]

I am not worried about vet fees and I care about ALL animals. ALL that I am saying is, these being the first two guinea pigs I've ever owned. I would like to get two guinea pigs that are not in any condition too have the need to go to the vet. I would want to get two somewhat healthy pigs (that dont need vet care right of the bat) and in the long run if they do have any conditions to need to see a vet yeah I have no problem with that. I

And here is where we will disagree; once you take in an animal it should not be about what YOU want, but what the animal needs. I bet a huge majority of peoples first pigs had/have issues, myself included. Like we said, you bought them took them in (said that you saved them right?) and if you demand your money back they will probably not be treated, more then likely they WILL be KILLED, all because they do not fit into your little world of perfect. Adopting or even buying a pet should be for life.

 

[PigPandemonium]

As said above once you get an animal it is yours to take care of, no matter what happens to it. If it gets sick 100,000 times, it is your responsibility to take it to a good vet each time and take care of it. Vets cost a lot a few weeks ago I had to take my Phoenix to the vet, and it cost about $300 including the vet appointment, meds, lab tests, etc. Plus she should have done x-rays for her and a few other things, so it should have come out to something to the toon of$500, but I got a bad cavy vet, now I have made sure I have a great one lined up for the next time a pig gets sick. Even if you adopt a pig, this doesn't mean they will be healthy for life, it just means that they are more likely not to have something they picked up from the store. They still have the same chances of getting sick at any point in their lives, and I strongly encourage you never to get another pig if you are just going to sell them away without a second thought like a toy once you actually have to pay for them.

 

[kananaka]

As said above once you get an animal it is yours to take care of, no matter what happens to it. If it gets sick 100,000 times, it is your responsibility to take it to a good vet each time and take care of it. Vets cost a lot a few weeks ago I had to take my Phoenix to the vet, and it cost about $300 including the vet appointment, meds, lab tests, etc. Plus she should have done x-rays for her and a few other things, so it should have come out to something to the toon of$500, but I got a bad cavy vet, now I have made sure I have a great one lined up for the next time a pig gets sick. Even if you adopt a pig, this doesn't mean they will be healthy for life, it just means that they are more likely not to have something they picked up from the store. They still have the same chances of getting sick at any point in their lives, and I strongly encourage you never to get another pig if you are just going to sell them away without a second thought like a toy once you actually have to pay for them.

I could not agree more. I hope the OP has thought about this and has decided to do the right thing.