Beyond Mad

[ArtemisApples]

Okay. For those of you who haven't read my last Thread (where I covered everything about Artemis), I suspected she had mites. I took her back to Petsmart (I really am in no mood to hear it... if you're going to chastise me, please, please, please do not reply) and the vets at Banfield said there was nothing wrong with her. (Banfield is a pet hospital inside Petsmart). They had her for less than an hour. She was supposed to go into quarantine and watched for the signs of it, but instead they didn't put her in it for whatever reason.

Today, I found a small round spot on her side/back area (close to her back leg) where she's apparently been pulling out her hair. It's really red and raw looking. Now, this is either mites or ringworm. The girl who was on duty that day to help with the small pets had ringworm on her forearms. I haven't gotten it, but I think I'm immune (I used to do FFA and raised at least two lambs with ringworm, and never got it myself).

Right now, I feel like charging up there and demanding that they take care of her, without me having to sell her back to them and risk not getting her back, because of their poor diagnosis before. And if they refuse, I feel like sitting out front with a picket sign and telling everyone how immoral they are. I'm NOT a happy camper, if you couldn't tell. I need some advice on how to handle them without getting myself into big trouble. (I know NOW that buying from them was a mistake in the first place... should have gone to a shelter or rescue. But I'm not going to put Artie into a shelter just because she was a petstore pig.)


Another reason I'm posting this here is because I needed to rant and give extra reinforcement as to why no one should buy pigs from them, but I seem unable to post blogs. Anyone with an answer to that is welcome to lend some advice as well.

Sorry if I seem impatient or anything, but I'm really in a mood and needing an ear to listen.

[Catayn]

Go there and make a bug fuss out of it. Demand them to treat your piggie and if they still don't, just go there with a lawyer. Oh yes, I've done it several times before we had good vets around here, they'll hear you.
I got so angry when my little Usagi got killed by some idiots from a petshop who bathed him (long, long story) I went there and demanded them to refund me with the money,they didn't. I went there with one of my lawyers and a publich health inspector. Got 5 years of free rabbit food, just not to go to justice about it.
It didn't bring Usagi back and it didn't make me feel better, but, at least, i could annoy them pretty well.

[akstrohm]

You should take her to an exotics vet--guinea pigs are not treated the same as cats and dogs.

Mites cannot be seen by eye, and skin scrapings are often unreliable. You can treat for mites without a prescription. See Guinea Lynx for details.

[ArtemisApples]

I've attached pictures of the spot. I'm sorry they aren't very clear, I couldn't find my camera and my cell phone had to suffice.

Akstrohm - Thank you for your response, but it was things I've already known/been told/researched on my own. I don't want to treat with Ivermectin unless i get a confirmed "It's not ringworm" because I have no idea if it would have any adverse effect. She's not in pain at the touch, as you can see on the pictures she's letting me pull the hair away from the spot. If it's ringworm, I can treat it no issues. I've dealt with it in the past, as I've said. It's a pesky problem, but fairly easily dealt with.

And thank you, Catayn, for understanding just how perversely irritated I am in this manner. I'm actually starting to highly suspect ringworm. (the only reason I won't say straight up that it is, is because ringworm looks different on the skin even between goats and lambs, and definitely different on humans. The way it affects it, and all.

So anyway... if anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

[blackarrow]

You can't post blogs because you're a newbie.

Ivermectin doesn't have adverse effects in guinea pigs. You had certainly better do something, that could get infected fast.

The store can't make you give the guinea pig back.

[krittercrazy]

Take her to a cavy savy vet and then take the vet bill to the pet store, demanding re-embersment. You have taken her to their vet and not been taken care of. They sold a sick animal, they are responsible but you have to make them live up to their responsibilities.

[ArtemisApples]

I know it doesn't have adverse effects in the guinea pig... but what about the ringworm? If it's ringworm, will it get infected? Will it cause it to multiply faster? Does it have no effect at all? That's what my questions are about.

I just found this spot last night... Of course I am worried about it getting infected. I wouldn't be here looking for help if I weren't worried about it.

[ArtemisApples]

Sounds like a good plan, Krittercrazy. Does anyone know any cavy savvy vets in Oklahoma?

[akstrohm]

Ivermectin has no effect on ringworm. It will not hurt your pig if it does not have mites.

[fieryone]

I agree 100% with krittercrazy. Guinea pigs need to be seen by an exotics vet and Banfield vets are cat and dog vets. They often don't know the best ways to treat guinea pigs.

There isn't a vet in Oklahoma listed on the guinealynx database but are you near enough to a border of another state? http://www.guinealynx.info/cabinet/i.../Veterinarians

If there isn't one close enough to you then if there is a rescue near you (you can check petfinder.org by doing a mock search if you're not sure) they should be able to recommend one. You may have to travel a ways to a good cavy vet but they are worth their weight in gold.

Other places to search: Guinea Pig Vet Finder

Rabbit vets are often good guinea pig vets
Veterinarian Listings
Rabbit Veterinarians

[rabbitsncavyluv]

You make a big stink to management and write and call their corporate office. They sold you a sick pig.

Their vets in store are typically not cavy savy.

[ArtemisApples]

IT IS RINGWORM! I have no doubt in my mind that it is ringworm. The spot looks just like the picture of the ringworm on the nose of the last piggie on GuineaLynx. I'm glad that i now know what it is. And I know just how i'm going to treat it.

http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html

[Heady]

I agree with what others have said about demanding they pay the vet bill. I would be furious.

It does look very much like the picture on GuineaLynx, but maybe you should still take her to a vet anyway? That way you can be positive that's what it is and you'll know exactly how long you need to treat it for (until culture comes back clear). Honestly, for myself, I never do this. I take an antibiotic until I'm feeling better, not the whole length I'm supposed to...but with my animals, I'm different. So with Artemis, she may no longer have that visual symptom, but the fungus could still be there...if that makes any sense.

[ArtemisApples]

Yeah, that makes sense. But as I said before, I've dealt with Ringworm and have done so many times. You can't take a lamb into the ring (FFA) with active ringworm... So I'd say I'm pretty experienced.

Oh, and as for demanding they pay the vet bill: I signed a contract for a "14-Day Satisfaction Guarantee" thing that says, very clearly on the back, that all vet bills are at the expense of the owner. So, no matter if it was their fault or not, I have to pay for the bill. :(