GUINEA PIG VET

Guinea Pig Veterinarian Serving Akron & Barberton OH

We are a full service gerbil vet clinic providing care, diagnosis, and treatment. Guinea Pigs are social, adorable pets that make wonderful companions. Guinea pigs cannot manufacture Vitamin C like other animals, so it’s up to you to make sure they get this nutrient in their daily diet. A certain balance of fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C like oranges, kale and dandelion greens are good options to supply your piggy with this vital nutrient.

Guinea pigs hide signs of illness, so it’s important to look for changes in behavior such as sneezing, runny nose, coughing, diarrhea, eating or drinking less, lethargy, and scratching. They are susceptible to respiratory diseases and parasites. In order to keep your guinea pig healthy, we provide the following services

Guinea Pig Wellness Exams

As part of your pets wellness examination, we’ll consult with you about your concerns and discuss specific needs of your guinea pig such as diet. We will visually examine teeth, ears, eyes, mouth, and skin for signs of illness. If we find anything abnormal, we may do testing to diagnose possible illness.

Examples of Tests Offered:

  • COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC): A CBC is great laboratory tool that allows a veterinarian to “peek” inside your bird. By assessing the variety of blood parameters we can detect infections, viral diseases, blood parasites, response to disease, and states of anemia to name a few. This test can be done in our office at the time of your bird’s exam to aid in our ability to assess your pet’s health.
  • BLOOD PROFILING: A blood profile or serum chemistry series is a group of blood tests used to assess various organ functions or disease states. Kidney function, liver abnormalities, pancreatic disease are but a few of the conditions a blood profile can help evaluate.
  • SEROLOGIC TESTING/SPECIFIC DISEASE TESTS:
    Serologic tests use a combination of technologies (including state-of-the-art DNA probe tests) to screen your pet for the presence of various contagious diseases. Some examples of common tests used are:
  • CHLAMYDIA TESTING: Chlamydia, or parrot fever, is a contagious bacterial disease of birds that is also potentially contagious to humans. A variety of symptoms can be displayed and some birds can be healthy acting carriers. Although a culture is the “gold standard” for testing, a number of different tests are available to use in different situations to screen for this important disease.
  • PBFD: Psittacine beak and feather disease is a viral disease capable of infecting a wide variety of bird species. This potentially fatal disease can progress slowly or rapidly and involve a range of feather and beak lesions. Although no cure is currently available, this test can be used to help screen for the presence or absence of this disease in your pet.
  • POLYOMA: Polyoma virus is another potentially devastating disease of pet birds that has a variety of presentations and outcomes. Lesions can involve feathers or cause widespread tissue destruction and acute illness. Testing as well as a vaccine is available for this disease.
  • PACHECO’S: Pacheco’s disease is a highly infective herpes virus of birds. Disease can be rapid, widespread, and fatal or sporadic with asymptomatic carriers. DNA testing is now available to help detect and prevent this catastrophic disease.

Guinea Pig Diet Consultations

Many of the common health problems we routinely see in guinea pigs, such as dental and gastrointestinal ailments, can be prevented by feeding an appropriate diet. Guinea pigs cannot produce Vitamin C themselves, and need a certain balanced diet to keep them energetic and healthy. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to scurvy, which can be fatal. We can assist you in finding the right diet for your pet’s situation.

Guinea Pig Dental Prophylaxis

Guinea Pig Parasite Control

Guinea pigs teeth continue to grow throughout their lives. Any small problems can therefore become major ones as they grow over time. Mal-alignments can lead to oral sores, anorexia, and abscess formation. We can determine if your guinea pig has a dental problem, correct it, and take steps to prevent a recurrence.

Guinea Pigs are prone to parasites such as mites that can cause discomfort or illness. Parasites can start as a minor nuisance and become a serious health threat if not treated. Fortunately, internal and external parasites can be easily controlled with routine medication we offer.

Guinea Pig Diagnostic, Therapeutic, and Surgical Procedures

Our goal is to keep your pet healthy and prevent illness. If your pet is injured or ill, rest assured that we have the tools necessary to diagnose the problem and offer state-of-the-art treatment. From blood testing and radiographs to ultrasound and endoscopy, we have the means to track down your pets’ problems. Once the problem is uncovered we have the expertise, equipment, and the years of experience needed to provide the therapy or surgical procedures required to help our patients.

Guinea Pig Emergency Care

Our office is open for your pet’s health care needs Monday through Friday 8:00-6:00 and Saturday 8:00-4:00. If emergency care is required after these hours, you can rely on our 24 hour emergency facility- the Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital. Metro is located at 1053 S. Cleveland-Massilon Rd. in Copley (330-666-2976) and is there to assist with any of our client’s problems. At Metro we have veterinarians and technicians on duty 24 hours daily to address your needs. Metro’s staff doctors rotate through our clinic on a regular basis to assure that they are comfortable addressing the problems of our bird and exotic owning clients.

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