Having a medical box filled with first-aid items for your guinea pigs can be a very handy thing to have. It can help you in case your guinea pigs get poorly with, for example, early signs of an URI (upper respiratory infection) or fungal issues like ringworm because you will be able to help them until you can see an exotic vet. However, we will always advise you to see an exotic vet or a professional trained in exotic pets who can make a diagnosis and give you a prescription for any necessary medication that’s needed. We have certain items in our medical box because they were prescribed by our vet for illnesses our guinea pigs had.
What the Masons have in their medical box:
Anti-bacterial gel if you need to disinfect your hands when handling piggies with fungal
Syringes
Gloves
Hairbrushes
Fibreplex – to help the gut keep going when the guinea pig is poorly
Ivermectin – prophylactic against mange mites
CBD cream – the Hemp extract transdermal gel pen
Pain relief – Metacam or Loxicom
Vetericyn Plus (ear rinse, skin care spray and eye wash)
Ear solution for infections
Baytril (for URIs)
Gripe Water
Metatone Tonic
Multivitamin liquid – Beaphar
Vitamin C supplement
Epsom salts
Recovery food – Oxbow critical care
Pestavert – prophylactic for parasites like lice, ticks and hay mites
Insecticidal shampoo
Anti-fungal cream – Canesten, Daktarin or Lavender, Manuka & Neem Cream
Eurax (cream against itching)
If you have a profile on Facebook, please feel free to visit the video Sophie Mason did about what is in her medical box.
What have you got in your guinea pig medical box?
I live in America and I would love to have a cavie-qualified exotic vet like the Masons have. I own a small dog, two cats as well as my three guinea pigs. Have to be careful lumping all animals together as far as products go in saying all animals can’t use a certain product as that’s just not the case.
With tea tree essential oils it’s actually harmful to all species. It’s a very well-known fact amongst a lot of people.
Buy yes, you’re correct in saying it’s not always the case with everything like chocolate for example. Toxic to dogs and birds, safe for mice/rats.
I am not aware of this for guinea pigs. Only heard about it for dogs. So I will do my research and ask my vet.
Yes, I agree.
It’s just in my line of work we don’t recommend anything tea tree to our dogs in our care whether that be oral or as a cream.
Even applying to the skin directly has the same effect as it would being oral.
Unfortunately, not everything sold and marketed appropriate for an animal is safe.
Even if it has on the label approved by vets.
My personal recommendation as this cream contains it in its pure form with no indication if it has been diluted or not and that it’s recommended for humans I would seriously be talking to a guinea pig experienced vet just to be cautious here.
Typically other products like the shampoo marketed for guinea pigs containing it will have been diluted by a very large amount meaning around less than 1 percent of its pure form would be in the product.
As this particular one has no specified it’s a risk. I’d recommend not taking until a a cavy savy vet has given the all clear.
It’s not just an opinion here. I’ve provided some form of evidence and as a dog groomer we don’t use anything tea tree because should adverse effects happen we would be at fault and sued.
I went to Moulton College and studied animal care so do have qualifications in the field.
Please do not take this the wrong way. I only want those sweet piggies to be safe.
Give them a boop from me ! Kisses too !
I absolutely agree we should always go towards caution. The last thing you would want to do is make any situation potentially worse. I’m sure we both understand that it’s concentration and quantity that makes the poison; after all, some fruits contain things like arsenic, but you wouldn’t use that either!
I totally agree that you shouldn’t use anything not vet recommended either, and must be extra cautious if it’s not even intended for animal use. You are absolutely right to say check with a cavy savvy vet first… which is precisely why it’s being used. Yes, the cavy savvy vet said it’s fine, otherwise it wouldn’t be in the box or suggested at all.
My personal opinion is that absolutely everything you include in any kind of medical kit for animals, should be checked by your vet, regardless of who suggested it, because as people without any in depth medical training, there’s a lot we might not be aware of which a qualified veterinarian would be.
Boop! 🙂
Hello
Looking good except the Manuka and Neem cream.
Essential oils are not safe for any animals and are even unhealthy for us humans lungs too!!
Also, tea tree oil is harmful to almost all animals including guinea pigs and considered toxic.
Usually if it’s not oil tea tree, it can be considered (okay) in things like shampoo for guinea pigs but that’s a touchy subject there.
There are many in depth articles on guinea pig forum about this cbd other online guinea pig Web pages and other pet Web pages as well as thousands of Google results about the toxicity of essential oils but especially tea tree as that’s considered the most toxic even when only applied to the skin.
I know taking advice like this can be hard, but I mean well.
Please though before making any decisions research into this even ask your exotic vet and then decide whether or not to continue to use and recommend it.
I would not recommend this at all and as you already have the safe fungal creams no need for it.
The Pestavert also does not kill lice or any parasites they may get its way repellent it says so on the small pet select website (you probably know this, however you haven’t put that on the description and can be misleading).
But well done
https://smallpetselect.com/essential-oils-and-pet-safety/
https://guineapig101.com/are-essential-oils-safe-for-guinea-pigs/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/using-tea-tree-and-manuka-honey.21825/
https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/ken-tudor/2014/january/tea-tree-oil-safe-pets-31282
https://m.facebook.com/cavysavyguineapigcommunity/photos/a.708787942487742/1866252833407908/?type=3
I think you may be getting confused between ingesting the oil, and the very small quantities used in topical creams and shampoos. “Johnson’s Veterinary” sell a Tea Tree cream specifically for guinea pigs and rabbits, and as far as I know that has a higher concentration than the product listed above.
Either way, as with any treatment, you should ask your exotic vet for advice. As stated above, these are all items recommended at various times by an exotic vet, so I would be extremely surprised if there were any issues, but they are simply suggestions based on experience, and intended as a stop-gap if you can’t get veterinary help straight away, or as in the case of products such as Pestavert, a preventative measure.
Unless you are a qualified veterinarian, you can’t give advice, regardless of how well intentioned it may be. I’m sure the suggestions you have made will be discussed with their exotic vet, if they deem it appropriate.