Scared of finding a dirty, unhealthy vet's office, I checked Yelp and noticed that there was a clinic close to our house that had a perfect 5-star rating, with 60 reviews! On the phone they weren't sure how much it would cost to get a guinea pig fixed, but the appointment just to see him was going to cost $69, which was more than twice what I paid for the little guy. I decided just to leave him home and ask about the cost once I got there.
Kamea was on her best behavior for the vet, cooperating with every poke and prod, and happily gobbling up every treat within her reach. The vet was really nice, too. I can see why the place gets such high ratings. But the location is obviously new, and the rooms were all empty, so hopefully they stick around for a while. If not, no worries, the old vet claimed they didn't have Kamea's file anyway and they refused to send it over. They tried to say that they destroyed the file since we haven't been there for two years, even though they sent me a postcard earlier this year, and according to this new vet, the general rule is to keep files for 3-5 years, even if the pet dies.
At any rate, when it came time for the vaccinations to be given, he asked K if she wanted to help him. I told him that she's been talking about wanting to become a vet, so he let her hold the tray of syringes for him while he gave Kamea the shots. When he was done, he asked K if she wanted to come in the back with him and help him do the heartworm test. For some reason, K loves to see blood being drawn, so she was totally up for the challenge. K came walking back in the room holding the heartworm test in her hand. It looked a little like a pregnancy test with the double pink line meaning the test was positive. She showed me that there was only one pink line and that Kamea was fine. She'd definitely make a good vet!
(People who get grossed out - skip this paragraph!) Once everything was all done, I suddenly remembered Kamea's persistent 'scooting' habit and mentioned it to the vet. Although sometimes scooting can mean worms, usually it's a sign that their anal glands are blocked and itching them. You can have them expressed to release the pressure which will stop the itch. He jokingly asked K if she'd like to come back again and help her with this. She said she didn't know what it was, but sure! I told him we watched Dr. Pol all the time, so it couldn't be any worse than what we'd already seen. I knew what was involved, so while she was gone I explained it to C, who looked completely horrified. I told her it's a good thing there's people in the world who are willing to do that so we don't have to. She agreed. (A had left the room before the vaccinations to wait in the lobby.)
K came back no worse for the wear and said she got to hold the tail up for him. Way to go, K! She learned that the first rule is always to wear gloves. I think she might just be on her way to a career in veterinary medicine after all!
And just before we walked out, I remembered to ask him about getting Jake fixed. He said he didn't operate on small animals, but that it would likely cost around $300, with the anesthesia and 'exotic pet' surcharges. And that settled it. We are definitely not having him fixed. If we get another guinea pig, it'll just have to be another boy. Problem settled!
Kamea got a clean bill of health. In fact, she hasn't been sick one day in her entire life! I don't think she's ever had fleas, she's never had worms, and her teeth aren't even that bad. Pretty good for a 10-year old dog! Love that adorable puppy face :)
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