Today, I helped a lady with a Guniea Pig who had GI stasis and over grown teeth.

A brief summary for those who don’t know, Rodents like guniea pigs and rabbits have to keep their gut moving, which requires eating around the clock. When they don’t eat, their gut stops moving, and this can be very deadly to them. As well as, over grown teeth. Rabbits and Guniea pigs teeth continually grow throughout their lives. They maintain them by eating the correct diet – Hay – which keeps their teeth at bay. When they aren’t eating a proper diet, they can grow points in their molars and their incisors (front teeth) can be missaligned/overgrown.

This guniea pig, had a wonderfully anxious owner. This woman had been caring for it for 7 years (the life span on them is 6-8 years). She cared so deeply for this guniea pig, that she did anything she could to help him live a longer life, including force feeding him even when it didn’t go well. (That bill was almost a grand and she dropped that on just a random Tuesday after crying in the office).

Anyone else would have been annoyed by her emotions, pushed her off, and made her wait until tomorrow when her intial appointment was. (Her previous practice did just this). I like to think that I made a different in her day because I sat next to her and told her, “Whatever you need, we are here for you.” and when she couldn’t decide, I offered the best alternative. “Why don’t you stay here, we will assess your pig together with a doctor, come up with a plan, and then go from there?”

By the end of the day, she was so grateful for our help and that – that is what made my day. I helped a guniea pig today and I comforted his owner in the process, and that feels so good to do. This is why I love the Veterinary Field so much.