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Neutering/Spaying Things to ask a vet about neutering?

MuggleMaggie

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So, I'm going to visit a vet tomorrow for Morty's initial visit, to get him checked out before he can be neutered.

Any questions you suggest that I ask the vet? The cost includes the pain meds, and they have a tech stay with him after the surgery to make sure that he recovers well, etc.

I'm nervous and want to make sure that I ask the right questions. I think Morty will be much happier when is able to play with the girls.
 

pinky

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How many guinea pig neuters have they performed, success rate, will they prescribe an antibiotic and probiotic, after surgical care recommendations, do they use sutures or glue to close the incisions, are post op visits covered under the initial cost if an infection develops? My guinea pig developed an abscess about 3 weeks after the surgery and the vet didn't charge me anything for post op visits; only the meds. Make sure you get an antibiotic and probiotic in addition to the pain meds. My vet didn't prescribe one and, although I kept the incision really clean and changed the fleece twice a day, he still developed an infection.
 

CanadianComforts

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I didn't get antibiotics for Reko, I watched him like a hawk and applied a very small amount of polysporin, he didn't get an infection but I agree with Pinky, ask for them. I did and my vet said she didn't want to give him any unless there was an infection because he could build a resistance to them, which makes sense. They gave him one shot of pain meds that lasted 24 hours, which was all he needed. I did a neuter page if you care to check it out:

(broken link removed)

As for making the right decision, here is a little story about my Reko:

Reko lived with another male for the first year of his life. At about 1.5 years old the male and him fought, badly. It resulted in a vet visit and surgery for an abscess. For the next 10 months he lived alone because any male I put him with he would fight. After his neuter I worried about him not getting along with sows and that I spent 180 dollars for nothing. He is now happily living with two 5 week old sows. He eats with them, sleeps with them and plays with them. He's a real "mother hen" with them. So in my mind it was the perfect decision.
 

MuggleMaggie

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that's what I needed to hear, @CanadianComforts . And thanks for the link!
@pinky , thank you for the info. I'm gonna copy, paste, and print, and ask just like that. lol
 

CanadianComforts

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@MuggleMaggie No problem. I know I felt the same way. It took me over 6 months to get it done and I wish I hadn't waited so long :) .
 

MuggleMaggie

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Okay. Morty weighs 2.03 lbs. my big boy! Lol the incision will be glued shut, after care visits will be paid for, antibiotics and pain meds sent home with us, after care should be very simple, they will moo motor him for 2 hours afterwards and make sure he poops before sending him home. She's done a ton of them, because she's the only one who does it in our area.

appointment is made for the 25th!

she also told me that I should consider doing a vitamin c supplement in his water, because piggies can get scurvy. What are your thoughts on that?
 

ellisa

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There is no need to put vit c drops in his water. He should be getting all the vit c he needs from fresh foods. However, it is probably a good idea to give him a vitamin c supplement while recovering from surgery. Don't use drops in the water, though. It may turn him off of drinking. I usually use Oxbow vit c tablets. It's not mandatory when recovering, but it is an immune booster.
 

MuggleMaggie

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I told her that we do a LOT of fresh veggies.... but she still went on about the drops.
 

ellisa

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I told her that we do a LOT of fresh veggies.... but she still went on about the drops.

Then she doesn't know what she's talking about!
The vitamin c in drops dissipates quite quickly. Vitamin c in pellets and tablets is stabilized so it has a longer shelf life, but the vit c in water drops does not last long. As long as he is getting plenty of greens and other veg (such as green pepper) then he will be fine.
Like I said above, you may want to supplement him with tabs while recovering from surgery. Extra vitamin c in times of stress is beneficial.
 

MuggleMaggie

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Then she doesn't know what she's talking about!
The vitamin c in drops dissipates quite quickly. Vitamin c in pellets and tablets is stabilized so it has a longer shelf life, but the vit c in water drops does not last long. As long as he is getting plenty of greens and other veg (such as green pepper) then he will be fine.
Like I said above, you may want to supplement him with tabs while recovering from surgery. Extra vitamin c in times of stress is beneficial.

Where do I get tabs? and how do I get him to consume them?
 

ellisa

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Most pet supply stores sell them.
If his appetite is good after the surgery and he's eating plenty then he may not even need them.
I usually give the tabs to my pigs when they've gone through surgery or other stressful situations. My pigs usually take them without any problems. He may willingly take the tabs or you may have to get creative and crush them. I think some people also use children's vitamin c drops and just give it orally. There's more info on the bottom of this link: https://www.guinealynx.info/scurvy.html
 

foggycreekcavy

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Pigs very rarely get scurvy anymore, only those that aren't getting any greens/veggies in their diet.

Never put vitamins in the water. The fact that this vet said to do so makes me think she doesn't know all that much about guinea pigs.

If you decide to supplement, you can train your pigs to take tablets like a treat, or you can crush tablets and sprinkle on wet lettuce, or you can crush, add water, and syringe it to the pig. You can use the ones specifically for guinea pigs, but it's a bit cheaper to buy children's 100 mg C tablets and quarter them.
 

MuggleMaggie

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Pigs very rarely get scurvy anymore, only those that aren't getting any greens/veggies in their diet.

Never put vitamins in the water. The fact that this vet said to do so makes me think she doesn't know all that much about guinea pigs.

If you decide to supplement, you can train your pigs to take tablets like a treat, or you can crush tablets and sprinkle on wet lettuce, or you can crush, add water, and syringe it to the pig. You can use the ones specifically for guinea pigs, but it's a bit cheaper to buy children's 100 mg C tablets and quarter them.

I juuuust saw an old comment you made about the children's vitamin C. That's the route I'm going to use. She was knowledgeable in everything else. Asked how big his cage was, and how his diet was distributed. She wanted to make sure that hay was 80% of his diet, and that pellets were only 10-15%. And she honestly seemed to really CARE.
 
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