I worked Animal Emergency for 15 years and Daytime practice for 5 years before that. You were paying Emergency prices! Those are outrageous! I’m sorry you had to go through that experience. As for the “shave job” that is actually a proper shave for the surgical field. You need a large enough area to clean the surgical field plus enough room if the cyst/tumor ends up needing a larger excising area. So, in that instance your vet did an amazing job. I’m sending you all my love and positive energy 💙💙💙💙 and happy healing for Wanda!
The incision has to be large enough to get clean margins for the cyst and the hair has to be clipped wide enough around the cyst, so they can disinfect the area and so no hair will get in the incision.
I actually stumbled upon a pet store in a city I was visiting last week and was so incredibly happy to see that they had their rats in double critter nations and require proof of adequate housing before they will let someone buy one ❤️
That's incredible! I'm so glad places like that exist! Personally I'd always feel more comfortable rescuing or going to an ethical breeder than a pet shop, but for the ppl who are likely to impulse buy from a pet shop this is amazing and probably prevents so many situations where the rat parent genuinely cares about their animals but are just uneducated
@@pigeoncrow6157 absolutely! My last 8 ratties are all from my local shelter. I used to work there and now volunteer and help with their small animal care and education. There is so much people don’t realize about small animal care so the more we can get the info out there the better!
@@superfreakified. makes me proud of all the rattie UA-camrs putting so much info out there. These animals honestly deserve the world, I don't think I would be here today without my rattie babies, past and present, and I more people definitely need to realise that they're not vermin and that they need more care than most people think. I am glad that the vast majority of people now recognise that rats need other rats, even if the rest of the care is horrific, though. It's sad when the cage etc is awful but personally I find it even more distressing to see when the rat is also alone Glad more people are learning to love them tho, they deserve it
I actually worked at a pet store (Not a chain pet store) for a while in petcare when I was young, as my first job. I loved working there. Though we did have a few more animals per cage than we should have, they had nice big cages and enclosures, clean food and water, love from the employees, and plenty of treats (Freshly cut fruits, veggies, hay treats, yogurt drops, etc... They were the same fruits and vegetables I'd have for lunch when my work got pizza. They were great to me. I have Celiac Disease and they'd make sure I had food, but also give the animals the fresh food, so you know it was good.). Many would also be gone in the next day or two, so the amount of animals per cage would dwindle quickly. We made sure they had proper medication, vet visits, and as much attention as we could give them. When people bashed pet stores, I used to be so upset because I remember working so hard to make sure they got proper care and attention. We even bonded many of our animals to be sure they would get along well before putting them together permanently and attempting to sell them together. We checked for proof that our customers to be sure they had the proper materials necessary to adopt our animals or had them buy them prior to adopting the animal. We did have to reject a few people coming in to adopt at times because we did not have assurance that they were going to offer the animal proper care. They did get angry, but it was in best interest of the animal. We had a rat that stayed out basically all day, every day. He would be on our shoulder or in our laps or on the counter in a safe spot while we monitored him. One of our lizards that had been with us for a while would sit on one of our reptile employees' head or shoulder throughout the day. Now, I know that the quality of care heavily depends on ownership, regulations in the store, and the employees, but I was naive to the thought that a store could treat their animals so poorly. I knew it wasn't great, but I didn't know even close to the extent of how bad it could be until I recently went to a Pet Smart and my heart broke. This rat had fur that looked worse than Ariel's fur when she was first rescued. She looked greatly malnourished and her fur was thin, like a midlength, smashed peach fuzz, and her eyes were half shut. She was so young. I was shocked. If she was at our store, we would have isolated her from the other rats temporarily, taking her to our backroom until we knew she was healthy, given her a high calorie mix in a syringe (I can't remember the name, but it might've been Nutrical), and taken her to our vet that treated all of our animals.
Exactly how I felt, kept 16 rats over 4 years (I have 5 rn) and it broke my heart, especially as most ppl will impulse buy and they'll probably end up in tiny cages for their whole lives 💔 I'm endlessly glad I put the proper research in before getting these amazing animals so at least my babies have all had amazing lives. I just wish other ppl would also put in the research before getting any animal 😢
@@pigeoncrow6157 I know- I don’t get how people can abuse them and neglect them like that. If I saw my boys in those conditions I would take them and never let go 💔 it hits extra close to home since my rats are rescues from a hoarding and neglect situation 😢
Yeah, especially the glass!? It’ll be a miracle if they don’t have severe respiratory illness! It should be illegal to keep rats in aquariums like that.
@@Alexa-xl1gi Mice don’t get any better treatment, idk about mouse care but I’ve been looking into it (might start keeping mice), and mice in those conditions wouldn’t be good either, let alone a rodent 3x as big
That price is CRAZY! I rescued a Piggie that was attacked by a dog. She stayed at the vet for 2 nights. She had surgery and 13 stitches in a few places and 2 medications. All of that was under $400. It has been years ago, but still. It’s sad that prices like that can really keep people from taking good care of their babies 😞
@@guineapigtalks Omgosh They are making bank on these little guys. I started a small Guinea pig rescue just by happenstance about 15 years ago while I was a dog foster for a local rescue. One person ask if I could take there’s and once that word got out SO MANY people were surrendering their pigs.The first 3 months I had taken over 20 and not one had ever been to a vet. I really hate how expensive it is. 😞
I work at a pet store and tbh these videos are SO helpful. I know more about snakes/reptiles, but my store has guinea pigs/hamsters, and these really help when it comes to people wanting to get a pig, I can actually point them to proper supplies, food etc, especially because a lot of people think pigs are 100% okay in something less than a foot long
As many fellow/past vet med individuals have commented, that was a beautiful shave job to allow proper margins and sterile aseptic technique. They even squared it off fairly well. Fur grows back. Keeping in mind prices set vary from state to state and clinic to clinic, your quote was honestly fairly spot on. I recently heard around $1200 for similar mass removals. So the $500-$700 that was your final price was pretty good. Plus, depending on placement, masses are usually more involved than neuters, not less. Vet med prices have risen over the past few years. The field is also heavily depleted right now. There is such a need for techs, assistants, and vets that 24-hour and ER vets are being forced to close, or at least stop offering overnight hours. It is mentally and physically demanding work, and the turn around for techs getting into, and then leaving, the field is 5 years.
Also, this is coming from someone who fully understands the struggle of exotic pet surgery prices and rescuing animals who needed $700, $900+ surgeries for years before I even entered the vet med field
He said $900-$1100 range, not 500-700. Seems like 500-700 is pretty high even for a simple under skin cyst removal. I spent $1000 on my cat on Sunday night at a emergency 24 hr. Vet she stayed over night, had pain meds for a week or two and had a shunt in her debrided wound. Im in a very expensive area in general in CA. I think he is in the mid Atlantic, less expensive area than me. I mean, there isn't a hospital fee, anesthesiologist fee, ect. It's in clinic, seems excessive.
@@mollysequoia7127 that's because he opted out of multiple things that most people couldn't opt out of, as well as getting a refund of a hundred and fifty for something unrelated. The price they stated is still the usual price they charge, and is very expensive.
@girlwhat606 it’s unfair of you to be upset with veterinary prices when human doctors charge just as much if not more. Most people have insurance for themselves so they don’t pay the money out of pocket but people shouldn’t be upset with veterinary personnel just because they opted out of getting insurance for their pet like they do themselves. Is it expensive? Absolutely, but that’s a part of owning a pet it’s not a necessity to own an animal and if you cannot afford medical care then you really shouldn’t get the pet. Veterinary personnel also have bills and rent to pay.
After working in the veterinary industry for many years, the price of the surgery done is very standard, also the clip job is completely normal! Needs to be big unfortunately to ensure that the surgery field is sterile and the incision is probably large so that if it is a cyst they could remove the whole capsule or if a tumour, they need to get good margins to ensure that as much as possible is removed. You may find that sterilisation procedures are highly discounted to help keep accidental breeding down. Highly recommend speaking to your vet first regarding any issues about pricing before discussing on the internet, or even seek a second opinion before committing. #NOMV
Completly agree. For a small animal the risks are much much higher. Thus price is higher because they need more hands on. I would have never not done pre surgery bloodwork. That helps with anthesia.
As a LVT I completely agree. I took my rabbit to an exotics vet and paid $750 for exam/rads/bloodwork(some sent out tests) and considered this very reasonable. I even received a discount as a vet professional. The cost of care is high and staff are greatly underpaid, but do the job for the love of animals. Those who are not in the industry don’t always understand how expensive medicine is.
I went to a Petco recently, and a ball python had a thermometer stuck to its throat. It was shedding and somehow managed to knock the thermal reader off the tank and rub against the glue. I informed staff and they were freaked out, but they got it off with a little TLC and warm water - the staff at this location seemed to genuinely care about the animals... but I know it isn't that way at all pet-stores. It's always good to see people who care.
I can get my piggies seen at an urgent care appointment for a little over $100. Back when you quoted how much they charged you for a neuter, I kinda felt something was wrong. Glad your switching. Wow.
As a veterinary surgeon (who is currently not practicing due to it destroying my mental health), I have to agree with what others have said in that the shave job was perfect! Masses usually need to be removed with an elliptical incision to ensure proper margins and giving a larger shave area is also best in case you need to extend margins during surgery if the affected tissue extends or there are any issues (you can't go back shaving after you've incised - or you shouldn't if possible!). As for the price I can't really comment as I don't live in the US but that price wouldn't be unusual for an exotic species here (which guinea pigs would be classed as). I would encourage you to be sure your new vet is very comfortable and experienced with piggies though (which I'm sure you have as you seem very attentive!). Sometimes the higher price coincides with the practice having better equipment (e.g. more anaesthetic monitoring equipment) or more experienced vets. There is a bit of a risk benefit analysis involved in that regard so I would always encourage owners to do a bit of research if they are thinking of moving vets if they have been happy with the care. I'd be lying if a said that being accused of 'being a rip off' wasn't part of what caused me to leave the profession for now - it's usually not the individual vets' choice what the prices are so something to bear in mind with regard to vet visits. Absolutely question pricing if you would like, but be kind to your vets about it also.
@@maisies515 It is in ways, I'm sure I'll go back to veterinary in some capacity but maybe something a little different - diagnostics or exotics perhaps. And not at all! I'm still working with animals but reptiles, inverts and aquatics in a specialist retail shop. Very different but very interesting! Veterinary is a wonderful profession but unfortunately not managed the best where I live - at least for general practice.
@@Akatsuki3519 that’s cool, I always wanted to be a vet and now I’m in clinical research. I wish animal medicine was managed better I see a lot of burnt out vets…
I remember when you said how much you were paying for URIs and neuters and silently wondering why it was so expensive compared to my vets prices for the same procedures. I assumed your vet was very high end or the location had a higher cost of living, but to know you could receive treatment elsewhere for less is frustrating. I’m so glad you’ve switched!
Overall prices in US for guinea pig care are outrageous. For example in Latvia we paid just around 200$ for spaying of 2 guinea pig girls - considering this was done by exotics vet who did the bilateral flank spay which is the safest procedure out there for sows. Also they had their backs shaved too, but the hair fully grew back in 1 months time :)
i am so thankful for the connections i have to a great vet. one of my oldest pigs had a tumor growing behind her eye and had to get the tumor and her eye removed. the surgery was simple and went perfect and only cost me about $90. the tumor was sent to a lab for pathology and those tests were about $50. i think it's crazy how much other vets charge for such cheap and simple operations.
i’m so sorry to hear about your vet! i recently had similar vet visits and i was pretty nervous after hearing the price you paid for things. luckily, my guinea pig neuter was $325 and a bag of saline with meds for a nebulizer treatment was $55. they are worth every penny!
My 2/3 boys are costing me around 600 (+) for their eyes, meds, & my 1 (Slash) for x rays & more x rays. They told me they can't tell if he's having internal problems or teeth problems. I hafta drop him off for a day bc I think they said they had to give Slash anesthesia to thoroughly check him. But they did leave me w/ some get fat quick food for him. So that's good. Bc he really was getting skinny 😭. Was calling him my little caterpillar for a bit. Anything for my messes tho. They're so extra w/ everything. Even tho they all have their own things. Sometimes I catch them sitting in their own food bowels bc I guess they're that greedy. Pooping in them sometimes too. Lol, my guys can't be the only 1s doing this? There health problems make me feel so bad & guilty as a pet owner tho. Bc its like do they fight? Me: not that I really notice. .. Bc they do enjoy bugging each other 😔 ... But it's not full blown fights tho. drom what I c anyways. Also my boys: hiding under 1 hidey sometimes bc y not. They're that smol. How big is their cage? Me: ? Idk but it's the size of a living room. A room that's only theirs. w/ a little fun maze 😁😍. At least I'd like to believe we're trying our best at being the "perfectest" owners
$325?!??? DUDE! guess I really know nothing abt guinea pigs (?) I guess bc they're so small or something? Idk man, a neuter is cheaper from what's I've seen for most animals so EEK!
Happy Pride Month! I am glad that Wanda came through surgery and is doing well. I took both of my girls to the vet because one of them was sneezing. They saw both pigs, one had a uri. The total bill with medication and exams was $156.00. I only had to pay the office visit for one. I live on the Kentucky/Tennessee border.
Prices also depends on your area! Vets are not money hungry! This is a grossly underpaid field. For years, prices were lower then where they should be for years (which lead to vets leaving the field because they couldn’t afford to stay in the business). Prices are increasing in general because materials, medication, schooling, etc. is increasing! Additionally, if the vet you go to is specialized in exotics, that is gonna cost a lot more because they had to go through additional school (residency + vet school). Definitely go somewhere else if you want! That’s the beauty of having different vet clinics, you can find the right one for you! But please don’t say vets are money hungry, because we aren’t. I’ve had countless people in my field and coworkers struggling to pay rent and commuting suicide because this field doesn’t pay where it should. Get pet insurance if you can! That’s what we do for human med to pay for prices and we aren’t calling every human doctor money hungry, so we shouldn’t call vets that too
Well said. I usually am all for these vlogs but this one didn't sit as well. Definitely make sure you get a vet that you trust but price shouldn't be the primary reason to pick.
Actually some vets are money hungry! I just had an experience Friday at one that I learned after from other vets and specialists in the area that they are known for over pricing!
Some vets just want money for sure! I had a horrible vet experience where I called and asked if they took in guinea pigs. They said "yea, we do"! But then when I got there, they took me and my piggy to the exam room, they took one look at her and said, "sorry we don't see guinea pigs". Ummm, what? When I went to leave the room, they made sure to tell me to pay at the checkout up front for even coming in at all... yea vets can be money hungry. They lied to me and stated they see piggies and when I arrived, they said they can't see her, but still made me pay for a consultation.
This is a good perspective, as the majority of vets aren’t money hungry & are sincerely doing their job in an underpaid under appreciated field. As someone working in human healthcare in a hospital, I can confirm human healthcare is also accused of being money hungry and can also be hugely underpaid and under appreciated. Those facing health struggles and steep medical prices will always try to find something to blame as one of their stages of grief. It’s human nature. That being said: Just because the majority is good intentioned doesn’t mean there aren’t any bad vets or bad doctors. It’s terrible to make a generalization about all of them based off of one bad one, but we still have to acknowledge it can happen and try to be understanding and patient with those it happens to. Because their trust is broken due to their experience and trust is earned. Just my thoughts. It seems Austin was very close with his vet and felt betrayed and trust had been broken. To state all vets can be money hungry was a terrible generalization, but to tell him his negative experience isn’t valid won’t help him heal and regain trust in the field.
I also think people forget about mortgage /rent, property taxes, utilities, and city-specific business fees and permits. Some cities are MUCH more expensive to operate a business in and the business isn't going to survive if they foot all those extra costs.
My guinea pig pancake is two years old. We took her to the vet and she had a $2000 surgery on her eye because she had a tumor that pushed out her I from the socket. And this was not including the medicine.
love the tiny microphone, that be cracking me up! I have four male guinea pigs. Your channel is inspiring, I love how you are advocating for small pets, and I am definitely picking up something from your shop on opening day! And wishing Wanda a speedy recovery!
As someone in the veterinary field, please know there can be a huge difference in care for included items when it comes to surgery and costs. For example, did they place an IV catheter, was pre-anesthetic blood work included, did she receive injectable pain meds, was a tech dedicated to her anesthesia monitoring, etc. While I don’t practice on exotics/pocket pets, this surgery would easily cost $1200-$1500 for a cat/dog in the Phoenix area.
The area where it is shaved, I personally wouldn’t say it’s excessive or too much. I’d say this is about right, in incision is big and the area has to be sterile and shaving that amount of fur looks about right. My piggy had a cyst removed and she had a large amount of fur off too. I wouldn’t worry.
I’m Canadian, so prices differ for me. I also only have one exotic vet in my city. But that price does seem odd to me. My piggy just had bladder stone removal. He had a stone that filled up almost his entire bladder, and it was 1295.00 for everything. That was including surgery, meds (6 meds), syringes, critical care, follow up visit, suture removal and anything that came up because of the surgery. I ended up having to bring him in 3 times because a couple of his stitches popped through his skin instead of dissolving, and I was not charged at all for those visits. They clipped his nails for free because they did need done, and they knew it would be difficult for us to do at home with a huge incision on his tummy. One of the meds is a lifetime one that will help him break down any stones that start to build up again as it’s now going to be easier for him to develop them....I won’t have to pay that again either because once you fill it, the refills are no charge. Lucky, my daughter managed to raise the money on go fund me for us, because we were going to have to put him down because we couldn’t afford the bill and future care. But I feel like we got a LOT more for our buck than you did with Wanda....
I live in Canada too, and that price still seems a bit high. I payed a similar price to have my rabbits eye removed. But i know vets located outside the city Cost a lot less.
I have 2 skinny guinea pigs for about 2 years. Next week their brand new cage from Amazon will arrive! I bought the bath mats from IKEA. They are very excited. Also they had a wooden house and they were eating it and after one week the leg broke and the house is now broken. I love your videos and love your guinea pig's cages because they are very big. Have a nice day!♥ Hope for Wanda to heal.
I loved the soundtrack you used for the under cover section! Also I liked how you explained about the toys. So educational. Got to admit I was just laughing so hard when you compared Wanda's butt to a football field!!! Buddy you just don't say things like that about a girls butt!!!😂😂😂😂 You also laughed at her new hairdo!!! Time to get out the special treats for Wanda and beg for her forgiveness buddy!!!! 😂😂😂😂
rats CAN NOT be kept in glass cages they produce too much iron and being in a glass enclosure can actually cause them serious respitory problems. so irresponsible and cruel
The length of the clip is totally normal has to be big to get good margains and so the vet stays sterile while removing the cyst and hair doesn't get into surgical site. I can't chime in about the prices I know it differs a lot in different countries. But as always if your not comfortable with your medical care both animal and human, find where you are comfortable, good luck x
In Norway there is a pet store chain growing that actually has proper care for their animals. The rats are in critter nation cages, only the XL versions. The piggies run in large sections squared off on the ground, not in cages. I asked where they got their animals from (because most pet stores in Norway get them from a mass breeding called Imazo), and they told me they only get animals from breeders, and even gave me the name of the rat breeder. When I said I might be interested in buying rats from them in the future (because all the breeders live approximately a 10 hours+ drive away), they told me they needed to see my cage and accessories before I bought them to insure I had proper care. They also don't sell things like hamster watt, wheels with sprinkles, cages below minimum requirements ect.
That price is crazy! My bulldog had cherry eye surgery on both eyes and it was cheaper than that! And she needed extra meds exc. Not the same animal but still!
We run a piggy rescue and just had a boy pig have the same surgery. His cyst was much larger and his surgery was 350. We got a quote for another boy that might possibly be neutered and that was 550. Glad you're going to a new vet.
Happy pride month from a fellow gay ❤️ I work as a vet nurse in the UK. I don’t know about American practice pricing…. But all I can say is wow! The cost is crazy that you have paid It seems like everything they do is good, the protocol, the surgical clip, taking larger margins on the cyst etc But the price… not sure that’s justifiable
There is a lot that goes into veterinarian costs. Location matters too among other things. Over 2 months I incurred over $12,000 in veterinary costs for a dog and cat this year, I emphasize with how expensive it can be but I also don't believe veterinarians are taking advantage of people. Veterinarians have many of the same costs as human doctors, use many of the same supplies, but without the government support human hospitals have and with many people without insurance. They have one of the highest suicide rates among professionals in large part because people think they are taking advantage of people and just in it for the money. You seem to be a very kind person so I'm sure you didn't mean for it to come off that way. #NOMV
I think the suicide rate is so high because of all the animals they have to turn away/watch suffer and can’t help due to costs. Many of them have huge hearts and want to help but if they did they’d go broke. Not to mention the people who bring dogs to be put down that don’t ‘need’ to be put down. You save them all you drown yourself. As an animal lover I couldn’t go into that field without worrying for my mental health.
Idk, we had a 30 minute emergency checkup that charged $300 for our cat when he stopped eating. They gave us mouth numbing medication. Took him in 2 days later when he started peeing blood and they said it'd either cost us several thousand just to have them do tests and everything to figure out what is going wrong or put him down & we ended up having him put down because they said at that point that his chances of surviving were too low.
Ah the ever present “CritterFAIL” as I like to call them EXTRA LOUDLY in the middle of a busy pet store. Plastic, cheap and nasty cr@p that is so beyond dangerous. And hot glue on toys? You should see the hides by Trixie. They have some of the WORST hot glued items for pets. If you want to see something really bad tho? It’s that fiber bedding that they sell for small pets like hamsters and mice. It’s a literal killer! It can get round their bodies and literally choke them to death. Both outside and in. I was witness to a poor hamster literally choked from the inside on some at a friends home rescue a few years ago and since then I can’t stand seeing the stuff in the store 😭
Water bottles are better to use instead of bowls for a rabbit or guinea pig`s water, bowls for water will just be tipped over at all times by rabbit or guinea pig. I use bottles for my pet rabbits and guinea pigs, though I don`t have any rabbits or guinea pigs at the moment.
The pet stores by me are even worse (namely Petco and Pet Supplies Plus). They had their pigs in tiny terrariums, with 3 pigs in one at times, and their hay was just tiny, scrappy pieces within a pet food bowl. I'm in California and I really hope the LAGPR will be able to help make big changes that stop this abysmal state of guinea pig care in pet stores.
When my guinea pig had surgery I had to keep her seperate for several weeks. Then had to slowly reintroduce her to the others. Hope piggie is doing well.
Oh my goodness that price! I paid just over $400 CAD for an emergency surgery for my pet rat a couple years ago and I was taken aback then. I can’t imagine $900 USD!!
the pet store i go to is soooo good the haver massive cages for all the animals with heaps of toys and teach you all the NEEDS that the pet you want needs and the fish have rocks and plants. they also make sure all of their products are safe.
where I live we have “pets at home” this pet shop in this video I was actually slightly surprised how small the cages were at pets at home I think a lot are more suitable. You take amazing care of your animals 💗
My pig Muskrat had a similar procedure. (A growth developed where one of the gonads was removed during his neutering.) The exam, surgery, and take-home medication was about $350.
As a rat owner those cages they where in are far from even the minimum I did not see a toy which is vital for rats because they are basically smaller dogs because they need one to two hours of free roam time one of the enrichment methods I use is a forageding box where is has hay and I put snacks in there for them to find it will also work for your piggies If you want
I love animals and I like this video it’s my first time watching your channel I love your guinea pig set up it is so cute I love that you put most of your guinea pigs together. I can’t get over how cute your set up is I wish I had that for my rabbit❤️
18:14 No basking lamp for that baby beardie? Bearded dragons need UVB in order to metabolize calcium properly. If they go too long without it, they get metabolic bone disease, which causes irreversible deformities and is eventually fatal. A bearded dragon enclosure should always be brightly lit during the daytime, seeing a dark enclosure like that is sad.
Hi, love your videos. They are so informative and fun. About 4 months ago I adopted a (not very sweet at the time & so afraid of everything all the time) little piggy and called him 'Fred'. With lots and lots of attention and talking (both I and Fred to each other) and his fav. food, he has become probably my fave pig that I have ever had. So personable, popcorning all the time and running his 'Indy 500' around and around and every time I enter the room and say 'hello to the baby' - and 'he's mama's baby', he's so excited to see me and stands up on the side of the cage and wants to be scratched and petted and of course a treat. He loves 'pea flakes'. I haven't watched the rest of your 'undercover pet store' yet - but I will soon, reluctantly. (I am concerned I should have not bought hm at a pet store, but he was so appealing) I have spoiled Fred and love him dearly. I have had 4 Guinea Pigs, and they have all passed away after many years of great fun and love. I was reluctant to get another, but he seemed so lonely that I had to have him. Wanda is so pretty and reminds me of the' Teddy Bear' piggie that passed away about 12 years ago. So informative about the vets, thanks. I look so forward to more videos from you. Thanks again, Frank
The sponge looking “stone” is pumice stone, it’s fine if the animal just chews on it, but if they decide to ingest a lot of it then it’s not great for them
While not little piggies. I do have 3 dogs who are about 3 years apart for each. The oldest's spay/neuter coat about $200. The middle pup cost $700 for the same surgery. Expecting the youngest's surgery will be over $1000.
The amount of hair they took off is quite normal you need to take off 1-2 inches bigger on all sides to ensure a big enough sterile field during the procedure to reduce risks of post operative infection in the wound
I bought a wooden block of “cheese” thinking it would be safe as there was no visible hot glue or metal etc, but there were several nails and staples hidden inside the wood and as my piggies were playing with it the uncovered the nails and staples. All I can say is thank god my sister saw the metal.
The toys with stones is made for chinchillas. It's like a pumple stone. It helps with oder if you attach them to the top of cages not to chew but the one there is set up to chew so its chin toy and just lasts longer. I have never seen them used for any other small animal to chew but people will let macaws play with the stones for Beak care
They changed instructions re: keeping the pig separated because they were concerned you would put her back in with all of her cage mates regardless. Doctors (both human and veterinary) know that patient/pet parents will often create huge problems because they think they know better than the doctor in crucial matters. Letting you keep one cage mate with your patient piggy is more risk than keeping her alone, but less risk than putting her immediately with a whole herd.
I thought only us in the UK pay huge prices for vets, although my male Chihuahua didn’t cost that for the op, pain relief, after care and another care appointment, I live in wales with loads of cattle and lambs so we are very lucky living on a mountain! I loved the undercover pet store you were chatting away and I thought you were about to be confronted by a store manager, thankfully it was Andy, I loved the sword he was swinging my twenty four year old son collects the ones used in war! ❤️
Hi, I absolutely love your videos. They are so knowledgeable and have helped me with my pigs! Can you please make a video showing your guinea pig toys and what is acceptable for guinea pig toys?
If you allready don't have it, you may want to try to find a pet insurance that covers small pet. It'll still initially cost out of pocket, but the insurance will repay you. It may be a good investment especially with the amount of piggies you have.
Most vets in my country charge $40 for neutering, I neuter and return stray cats for $25 at a local vet that has decent prices. $1000 is like the price of having a big animal almost die and spend one week with a couple of surgerys and hospitalization. Definetly good on you for getting another vet. That money can go to save more piggies instead of just saving one for overly inflated prices
Yea they are starter cages please only use them while you’re setting up a proper cage for them my dad custom made one for me where they could mow our yard and have plenty of space during the day
Love this video! Its really important to understand, that not everything you can buy in this shoops (toys) is safe for your pet!! When i first got my birds i bought some branches entwined with fabric fiber and then i learnd that you cant use those!! Your birds will eat it and it will stuck in their sthomacs that can be fatal. This is also related to rats and other small animals because those shopes will sale you what YOU think is looking nice but what wont be good for your pets health. Be careful out there, buy toys only from natural materials without any paint also because it can be poisonous!!
My vet told me to remove a cyst on my dog would be a cosmetic surgery (since it was not cancer) and would be $5,000. He is big but not huge about 70 pounds so the price was ridiculous and we aren’t going to that vet anymore . it ended up being around $800 from our new vet which was expensive but we also had the check up shots and a few other things we needed for him done.
When I had Guinea pigs I had two cages for them. One was a house for rabbits but since I had three, I got a huge one for almost $500 (This one was outdoors) and I also got one for indoors when it was too cold for them or when it was raining, and it had two floors (it was a bit smaller).
These prices seem completely absurdly high to me from Germany. I myself have rats as pets and have never paid more than 150€ for an operation. However, one night emergency visit with an emergency surgery was 300€. Also that guinea pigs (and rats) are considered "exotic" appears to me to be completely unrealistic, in Germany it feels like every 5th child has guinea pigs (whether this is a good thing or not is a separate question). Of course, there are also practices here that specialise in certain types of animals, but these are usually horses or actual exotics (reptiles, birds, etc.).
My guineapig also had a tumour on his hip and it was really big and the removal+ medication was 250$ and the operation was good now my guinea pig is healthy
A&E cage company is great. they make a lot of really big flight cages for birds and larger style cages , didnt know they made toys so thats cool to know. and yea just so you know, the dyes in pet toys are almost always nontoxic food-safe dyes.
It is interesting, if toy companies go to the efforts of using the non toxic dyes, that they don't indicate that in detail on the packaging....they should want pet owners to think about that stuff and know what they are getting.
Now a days, vets can remove cysts off Guinea pigs using a local anesthetics rather than putting the pig under, they can numb the area and remove the cyst, and it’s way less risky and way cheaper that way.
When i rescued my first piggies, the pet store conditions BLEW my mind. TINY TINY cages, one with a very old mother and two female babies. I bought the babies for a low, low price (not a good sign) but only realised when i got home that one of them (named Coco) was missing an eye and a big chunk of her ear. The pet store people were LAUGHING as i walked out of the store, and now i can see that it was because they got rid of Coco. Sadly, due to the terrible conditions after her birth, she passed in her sleep 2 months after. Her sister, Brownie, now has a new bestie named peaches, which i bought from a great pet store which i felt happy supporting. RIP Coco, im glad u were happy in your last days. ❤
A tip is to get like plastic or Glas instead of the other things you have to make different little rooms for the pets. So you can have bedding for the pets (No hate) They are still living really good
That bearded dragon is not in an adequate set up. There is not any uv light source for them which is crucial for proper development of their bones! Even more so when they're that small. (They need it their entire lives but it can cause issues easier when young)
Went to pet stores in the US for the first time ever last week while visiting family. Had a hard time seeing the poor poor conditions these animals live in, everything from soulless puppies to birds unable to fly. Hamsters, bunnies, geckos, etc. and guinea pigs depressed and in bad condition..that hurt. (petsmart etc.)
I had the same thing with my dog. he ate some drgs from the park bushes and we were concerned what happened because we didn't know so we took him to the vets and they charged £1500!! we could not afford that since we were already struggling. we could and just paid £150 for her to look at him. he ended up being fine after about just under a day. were so glad we didn't pay until we were really concerned.
Just to let you know, dyed rodent/rabbit toys are made with pet-safe vegetable dyes. And that "rock" is pumice stone; a natural, pet-safe material that most rats love in particular. Obviously plastic and jewelry shouldn't be on a small mammal toy meant for chewing. The rats' enclosures were horrible...way too small with poor bedding, poor ventilation, and not enough to do. When it comes to the guinea pig/rabbit care, what we have to realize is this is only temporary. However, you can't use this excuse for the rats. One of my least favorite things are those "complete kits" you can buy at most pet stores...the main reason being that they're far too expensive. I mean, who in their right mind would be willing to drop $120 on 2 guinea pigs then $250 on a "kit", plus tax!? There's a lot you can do with $400. The other reason being they're not "complete" - yes there's a cage, bedding (fleece is better), a water bottle, toy, but this isn't "complete care" for a guinea pig (as you know, of course.) If I were to put together a "complete kit" for guinea pigs I'd include a midwest guinea pig cage, a fleece pad/cover for this cage, a glass water bottle, a large/low food dish, 3 differing hides, a bag of appropriate food, a huge bag of hay, 3-5 toys. Even with it all my "complete kit" would probably be less than $150 (so you'd be saving $100.) In my opinion, something like this is more friendly for beginners who don't quite know what they're doing yet. The aquariums look clean, and sponge filters are, by far, the safest filtration for fry, fish with delicate fins and shrimp, but there were no hides for stressed fish to retreat to, which can lead to stress-caused illnesses. Temporary overstocking is generally okay, but the fantail/ryukin goldfish tanks were so full of fish that they hardly had room to swim...unacceptable. That's just my opinion of the situation. Obviously others may look at it differently, and this is okay. But I'm glad you shared this to help spread the word.
the dyes they use on animal toys are actually not bad and nontoxic btw. i mean dyes in general arent the best thing even for humans with food coloring isnt the HEALTHIEST but its also not anything toxic. the dye they use IS pretty much food coloring. ive washed my bird toys that are dyed like that and the dye always washes out super easily in water... its food coloring dye. even acrylic paint is nontoxic... still not the greatest thing to feed to them obv... like who wants to eat acrylic paint, lol, but it wouldnt hurt them or cause an issue either.
It’s interesting (and saddening), here in Scotland, the biggest pet shop chain, pets at home, actually do tend to have decent cage sizes for their piggies, and they have a couple cages which are ok size (although sell some ‘guinea pig cages’ that are definitely too small), but the cages for their gerbils, hamsters etc, and particularly fish tanks, are way way too small. Then customers think it’s acceptable to have same size enclosures 😔
I worked Animal Emergency for 15 years and Daytime practice for 5 years before that. You were paying Emergency prices! Those are outrageous! I’m sorry you had to go through that experience. As for the “shave job” that is actually a proper shave for the surgical field. You need a large enough area to clean the surgical field plus enough room if the cyst/tumor ends up needing a larger excising area. So, in that instance your vet did an amazing job. I’m sending you all my love and positive energy 💙💙💙💙 and happy healing for Wanda!
15 years dang!
Dang
Thank you so much for your input it might be helpful for someone else down the road especially coming from someone with experience 😊
Honestly in too lazy to read that.
@@patimalysek4409then why even comment-
The incision has to be large enough to get clean margins for the cyst and the hair has to be clipped wide enough around the cyst, so they can disinfect the area and so no hair will get in the incision.
I actually stumbled upon a pet store in a city I was visiting last week and was so incredibly happy to see that they had their rats in double critter nations and require proof of adequate housing before they will let someone buy one ❤️
That's incredible! I'm so glad places like that exist! Personally I'd always feel more comfortable rescuing or going to an ethical breeder than a pet shop, but for the ppl who are likely to impulse buy from a pet shop this is amazing and probably prevents so many situations where the rat parent genuinely cares about their animals but are just uneducated
@@pigeoncrow6157 absolutely! My last 8 ratties are all from my local shelter. I used to work there and now volunteer and help with their small animal care and education. There is so much people don’t realize about small animal care so the more we can get the info out there the better!
@@superfreakified. makes me proud of all the rattie UA-camrs putting so much info out there. These animals honestly deserve the world, I don't think I would be here today without my rattie babies, past and present, and I more people definitely need to realise that they're not vermin and that they need more care than most people think.
I am glad that the vast majority of people now recognise that rats need other rats, even if the rest of the care is horrific, though. It's sad when the cage etc is awful but personally I find it even more distressing to see when the rat is also alone
Glad more people are learning to love them tho, they deserve it
I actually worked at a pet store (Not a chain pet store) for a while in petcare when I was young, as my first job. I loved working there. Though we did have a few more animals per cage than we should have, they had nice big cages and enclosures, clean food and water, love from the employees, and plenty of treats (Freshly cut fruits, veggies, hay treats, yogurt drops, etc... They were the same fruits and vegetables I'd have for lunch when my work got pizza. They were great to me. I have Celiac Disease and they'd make sure I had food, but also give the animals the fresh food, so you know it was good.). Many would also be gone in the next day or two, so the amount of animals per cage would dwindle quickly. We made sure they had proper medication, vet visits, and as much attention as we could give them.
When people bashed pet stores, I used to be so upset because I remember working so hard to make sure they got proper care and attention. We even bonded many of our animals to be sure they would get along well before putting them together permanently and attempting to sell them together. We checked for proof that our customers to be sure they had the proper materials necessary to adopt our animals or had them buy them prior to adopting the animal. We did have to reject a few people coming in to adopt at times because we did not have assurance that they were going to offer the animal proper care. They did get angry, but it was in best interest of the animal. We had a rat that stayed out basically all day, every day. He would be on our shoulder or in our laps or on the counter in a safe spot while we monitored him. One of our lizards that had been with us for a while would sit on one of our reptile employees' head or shoulder throughout the day.
Now, I know that the quality of care heavily depends on ownership, regulations in the store, and the employees, but I was naive to the thought that a store could treat their animals so poorly. I knew it wasn't great, but I didn't know even close to the extent of how bad it could be until I recently went to a Pet Smart and my heart broke. This rat had fur that looked worse than Ariel's fur when she was first rescued. She looked greatly malnourished and her fur was thin, like a midlength, smashed peach fuzz, and her eyes were half shut. She was so young. I was shocked. If she was at our store, we would have isolated her from the other rats temporarily, taking her to our backroom until we knew she was healthy, given her a high calorie mix in a syringe (I can't remember the name, but it might've been Nutrical), and taken her to our vet that treated all of our animals.
I’m a rat dad and those rat cages broke my heart, hope those babies are doing ok now ❤️
Exactly how I felt, kept 16 rats over 4 years (I have 5 rn) and it broke my heart, especially as most ppl will impulse buy and they'll probably end up in tiny cages for their whole lives 💔
I'm endlessly glad I put the proper research in before getting these amazing animals so at least my babies have all had amazing lives. I just wish other ppl would also put in the research before getting any animal 😢
@@pigeoncrow6157 I know- I don’t get how people can abuse them and neglect them like that. If I saw my boys in those conditions I would take them and never let go 💔 it hits extra close to home since my rats are rescues from a hoarding and neglect situation 😢
Yeah, especially the glass!? It’ll be a miracle if they don’t have severe respiratory illness! It should be illegal to keep rats in aquariums like that.
Same! I don’t have rats but I do have mice so I am semi-familiar with rat care and those cages were heartbreaking.
@@Alexa-xl1gi Mice don’t get any better treatment, idk about mouse care but I’ve been looking into it (might start keeping mice), and mice in those conditions wouldn’t be good either, let alone a rodent 3x as big
That price is CRAZY! I rescued a Piggie that was attacked by a dog. She stayed at the vet for 2 nights. She had surgery and 13 stitches in a few places and 2 medications. All of that was under $400. It has been years ago, but still.
It’s sad that prices like that can really keep people from taking good care of their babies 😞
I spent 400 on an X-ray and meds 😭
@@guineapigtalks Omgosh They are making bank on these little guys. I started a small Guinea pig rescue just by happenstance about 15 years ago while I was a dog foster for a local rescue. One person ask if I could take there’s and once that word got out SO MANY people were surrendering their pigs.The first 3 months I had taken over 20 and not one had ever been to a vet. I really hate how expensive it is. 😞
@@carris2scents57 I’m in the u.s I’m glad you were able to save all those piggies
@@guineapigtalks It was 500 for one of mine!!! Absolutely crazy
Sorry but inflation is real
I work at a pet store and tbh these videos are SO helpful. I know more about snakes/reptiles, but my store has guinea pigs/hamsters, and these really help when it comes to people wanting to get a pig, I can actually point them to proper supplies, food etc, especially because a lot of people think pigs are 100% okay in something less than a foot long
As many fellow/past vet med individuals have commented, that was a beautiful shave job to allow proper margins and sterile aseptic technique. They even squared it off fairly well. Fur grows back.
Keeping in mind prices set vary from state to state and clinic to clinic, your quote was honestly fairly spot on. I recently heard around $1200 for similar mass removals. So the $500-$700 that was your final price was pretty good. Plus, depending on placement, masses are usually more involved than neuters, not less. Vet med prices have risen over the past few years. The field is also heavily depleted right now. There is such a need for techs, assistants, and vets that 24-hour and ER vets are being forced to close, or at least stop offering overnight hours. It is mentally and physically demanding work, and the turn around for techs getting into, and then leaving, the field is 5 years.
Also, this is coming from someone who fully understands the struggle of exotic pet surgery prices and rescuing animals who needed $700, $900+ surgeries for years before I even entered the vet med field
He said $900-$1100 range, not 500-700. Seems like 500-700 is pretty high even for a simple under skin cyst removal. I spent $1000 on my cat on Sunday night at a emergency 24 hr. Vet she stayed over night, had pain meds for a week or two and had a shunt in her debrided wound. Im in a very expensive area in general in CA. I think he is in the mid Atlantic, less expensive area than me. I mean, there isn't a hospital fee, anesthesiologist fee, ect. It's in clinic, seems excessive.
@@srhmcs1 at the end of the vid he states he payed around 500.
@@mollysequoia7127 that's because he opted out of multiple things that most people couldn't opt out of, as well as getting a refund of a hundred and fifty for something unrelated. The price they stated is still the usual price they charge, and is very expensive.
@girlwhat606 it’s unfair of you to be upset with veterinary prices when human doctors charge just as much if not more. Most people have insurance for themselves so they don’t pay the money out of pocket but people shouldn’t be upset with veterinary personnel just because they opted out of getting insurance for their pet like they do themselves. Is it expensive? Absolutely, but that’s a part of owning a pet it’s not a necessity to own an animal and if you cannot afford medical care then you really shouldn’t get the pet. Veterinary personnel also have bills and rent to pay.
After working in the veterinary industry for many years, the price of the surgery done is very standard, also the clip job is completely normal! Needs to be big unfortunately to ensure that the surgery field is sterile and the incision is probably large so that if it is a cyst they could remove the whole capsule or if a tumour, they need to get good margins to ensure that as much as possible is removed. You may find that sterilisation procedures are highly discounted to help keep accidental breeding down.
Highly recommend speaking to your vet first regarding any issues about pricing before discussing on the internet, or even seek a second opinion before committing.
#NOMV
Completly agree. For a small animal the risks are much much higher. Thus price is higher because they need more hands on. I would have never not done pre surgery bloodwork. That helps with anthesia.
Yes!
As a LVT I completely agree. I took my rabbit to an exotics vet and paid $750 for exam/rads/bloodwork(some sent out tests) and considered this very reasonable. I even received a discount as a vet professional. The cost of care is high and staff are greatly underpaid, but do the job for the love of animals. Those who are not in the industry don’t always understand how expensive medicine is.
It's called free speech...vets have really elevated their prices...greed has taken over
I went to a Petco recently, and a ball python had a thermometer stuck to its throat. It was shedding and somehow managed to knock the thermal reader off the tank and rub against the glue. I informed staff and they were freaked out, but they got it off with a little TLC and warm water - the staff at this location seemed to genuinely care about the animals... but I know it isn't that way at all pet-stores.
It's always good to see people who care.
I can get my piggies seen at an urgent care appointment for a little over $100. Back when you quoted how much they charged you for a neuter, I kinda felt something was wrong. Glad your switching. Wow.
I paid $230 for a neuter at my vet. I was thinking $900 was a lot when you showed the cost on Instagram! Also, great video btw
As a veterinary surgeon (who is currently not practicing due to it destroying my mental health), I have to agree with what others have said in that the shave job was perfect! Masses usually need to be removed with an elliptical incision to ensure proper margins and giving a larger shave area is also best in case you need to extend margins during surgery if the affected tissue extends or there are any issues (you can't go back shaving after you've incised - or you shouldn't if possible!).
As for the price I can't really comment as I don't live in the US but that price wouldn't be unusual for an exotic species here (which guinea pigs would be classed as). I would encourage you to be sure your new vet is very comfortable and experienced with piggies though (which I'm sure you have as you seem very attentive!). Sometimes the higher price coincides with the practice having better equipment (e.g. more anaesthetic monitoring equipment) or more experienced vets. There is a bit of a risk benefit analysis involved in that regard so I would always encourage owners to do a bit of research if they are thinking of moving vets if they have been happy with the care.
I'd be lying if a said that being accused of 'being a rip off' wasn't part of what caused me to leave the profession for now - it's usually not the individual vets' choice what the prices are so something to bear in mind with regard to vet visits. Absolutely question pricing if you would like, but be kind to your vets about it also.
That’s a real shame you’ve dedicated such a long time to animal medicine and you’ve been pushed out! Do you mind me asking what you’ve gone into now?
@@maisies515 It is in ways, I'm sure I'll go back to veterinary in some capacity but maybe something a little different - diagnostics or exotics perhaps. And not at all! I'm still working with animals but reptiles, inverts and aquatics in a specialist retail shop. Very different but very interesting! Veterinary is a wonderful profession but unfortunately not managed the best where I live - at least for general practice.
@@Akatsuki3519 that’s cool, I always wanted to be a vet and now I’m in clinical research. I wish animal medicine was managed better I see a lot of burnt out vets…
@@maisies515 Sounds interesting! I also considered research at one point. Yes, unfortunately burn out is far too common.
@@Akatsuki3519 I wish you luck!
I remember when you said how much you were paying for URIs and neuters and silently wondering why it was so expensive compared to my vets prices for the same procedures. I assumed your vet was very high end or the location had a higher cost of living, but to know you could receive treatment elsewhere for less is frustrating. I’m so glad you’ve switched!
Oh poor Wanda I hope she heals fast &her beautiful hair grows back in full force 💕
I had a guinea pig with beutiful hair that had to have a cyst removed. It'll grow back just as cute as ever.
So glad you liked the keychain I chose 🥳❤️🌈
what is it ?
Overall prices in US for guinea pig care are outrageous. For example in Latvia we paid just around 200$ for spaying of 2 guinea pig girls - considering this was done by exotics vet who did the bilateral flank spay which is the safest procedure out there for sows. Also they had their backs shaved too, but the hair fully grew back in 1 months time :)
Same in Lithuania! Every time I learn how much they pay to their vets I feel so lucky I don't live there lol :D
i am so thankful for the connections i have to a great vet. one of my oldest pigs had a tumor growing behind her eye and had to get the tumor and her eye removed. the surgery was simple and went perfect and only cost me about $90. the tumor was sent to a lab for pathology and those tests were about $50. i think it's crazy how much other vets charge for such cheap and simple operations.
So lucky! My bunny has E.C and my exotic vet is in NYC. I live in NJ with no car. I'm still paying off $4,000 in vet fees for him :(
It’s so cute to see that he cares about his animals so much! Hope Wanda gets better soon!
i’m so sorry to hear about your vet! i recently had similar vet visits and i was pretty nervous after hearing the price you paid for things. luckily, my guinea pig neuter was $325 and a bag of saline with meds for a nebulizer treatment was $55.
they are worth every penny!
My 2/3 boys are costing me around 600 (+) for their eyes, meds, & my 1 (Slash) for x rays & more x rays. They told me they can't tell if he's having internal problems or teeth problems. I hafta drop him off for a day bc I think they said they had to give Slash anesthesia to thoroughly check him. But they did leave me w/ some get fat quick food for him. So that's good. Bc he really was getting skinny 😭. Was calling him my little caterpillar for a bit. Anything for my messes tho. They're so extra w/ everything. Even tho they all have their own things. Sometimes I catch them sitting in their own food bowels bc I guess they're that greedy. Pooping in them sometimes too. Lol, my guys can't be the only 1s doing this? There health problems make me feel so bad & guilty as a pet owner tho. Bc its like do they fight? Me: not that I really notice. .. Bc they do enjoy bugging each other 😔 ... But it's not full blown fights tho. drom what I c anyways. Also my boys: hiding under 1 hidey sometimes bc y not. They're that smol. How big is their cage? Me: ? Idk but it's the size of a living room. A room that's only theirs. w/ a little fun maze 😁😍. At least I'd like to believe we're trying our best at being the "perfectest" owners
$325?!??? DUDE! guess I really know nothing abt guinea pigs (?)
I guess bc they're so small or something? Idk man, a neuter is cheaper from what's I've seen for most animals so EEK!
Happy Pride Month! I am glad that Wanda came through surgery and is doing well. I took both of my girls to the vet because one of them was sneezing. They saw both pigs, one had a uri. The total bill with medication and exams was $156.00. I only had to pay the office visit for one. I live on the Kentucky/Tennessee border.
Prices also depends on your area! Vets are not money hungry! This is a grossly underpaid field. For years, prices were lower then where they should be for years (which lead to vets leaving the field because they couldn’t afford to stay in the business). Prices are increasing in general because materials, medication, schooling, etc. is increasing! Additionally, if the vet you go to is specialized in exotics, that is gonna cost a lot more because they had to go through additional school (residency + vet school). Definitely go somewhere else if you want! That’s the beauty of having different vet clinics, you can find the right one for you! But please don’t say vets are money hungry, because we aren’t. I’ve had countless people in my field and coworkers struggling to pay rent and commuting suicide because this field doesn’t pay where it should. Get pet insurance if you can! That’s what we do for human med to pay for prices and we aren’t calling every human doctor money hungry, so we shouldn’t call vets that too
Well said. I usually am all for these vlogs but this one didn't sit as well. Definitely make sure you get a vet that you trust but price shouldn't be the primary reason to pick.
Actually some vets are money hungry! I just had an experience Friday at one that I learned after from other vets and specialists in the area that they are known for over pricing!
Some vets just want money for sure! I had a horrible vet experience where I called and asked if they took in guinea pigs. They said "yea, we do"! But then when I got there, they took me and my piggy to the exam room, they took one look at her and said, "sorry we don't see guinea pigs". Ummm, what? When I went to leave the room, they made sure to tell me to pay at the checkout up front for even coming in at all... yea vets can be money hungry. They lied to me and stated they see piggies and when I arrived, they said they can't see her, but still made me pay for a consultation.
This is a good perspective, as the majority of vets aren’t money hungry & are sincerely doing their job in an underpaid under appreciated field.
As someone working in human healthcare in a hospital, I can confirm human healthcare is also accused of being money hungry and can also be hugely underpaid and under appreciated.
Those facing health struggles and steep medical prices will always try to find something to blame as one of their stages of grief. It’s human nature.
That being said:
Just because the majority is good intentioned doesn’t mean there aren’t any bad vets or bad doctors.
It’s terrible to make a generalization about all of them based off of one bad one, but we still have to acknowledge it can happen and try to be understanding and patient with those it happens to. Because their trust is broken due to their experience and trust is earned.
Just my thoughts.
It seems Austin was very close with his vet and felt betrayed and trust had been broken. To state all vets can be money hungry was a terrible generalization, but to tell him his negative experience isn’t valid won’t help him heal and regain trust in the field.
I also think people forget about mortgage /rent, property taxes, utilities, and city-specific business fees and permits. Some cities are MUCH more expensive to operate a business in and the business isn't going to survive if they foot all those extra costs.
That's wild, I just spent $700 on life saving surgery for my cat but was quoted $4000 by the first vet I took him too
My guinea pig pancake is two years old. We took her to the vet and she had a $2000 surgery on her eye because she had a tumor that pushed out her I from the socket. And this was not including the medicine.
Poor Wanda wishing her a speedy recovery
love the tiny microphone, that be cracking me up! I have four male guinea pigs. Your channel is inspiring, I love how you are advocating for small pets, and I am definitely picking up something from your shop on opening day! And wishing Wanda a speedy recovery!
I'm so glad she's outta recovery & doin good!! Hope for speedy, full recovery!!
Sadly those prices are the same here and in fact way higher. this is completely unnecessary. This is why we teach what to do and how to treat. 💙
As someone in the veterinary field, please know there can be a huge difference in care for included items when it comes to surgery and costs. For example, did they place an IV catheter, was pre-anesthetic blood work included, did she receive injectable pain meds, was a tech dedicated to her anesthesia monitoring, etc. While I don’t practice on exotics/pocket pets, this surgery would easily cost $1200-$1500 for a cat/dog in the Phoenix area.
We spent about $2500 on our dog's Valley Fever treatment and testing. No surgery. Also in Phoenix.
The area where it is shaved, I personally wouldn’t say it’s excessive or too much. I’d say this is about right, in incision is big and the area has to be sterile and shaving that amount of fur looks about right. My piggy had a cyst removed and she had a large amount of fur off too. I wouldn’t worry.
I’m Canadian, so prices differ for me. I also only have one exotic vet in my city. But that price does seem odd to me. My piggy just had bladder stone removal. He had a stone that filled up almost his entire bladder, and it was 1295.00 for everything. That was including surgery, meds (6 meds), syringes, critical care, follow up visit, suture removal and anything that came up because of the surgery. I ended up having to bring him in 3 times because a couple of his stitches popped through his skin instead of dissolving, and I was not charged at all for those visits. They clipped his nails for free because they did need done, and they knew it would be difficult for us to do at home with a huge incision on his tummy. One of the meds is a lifetime one that will help him break down any stones that start to build up again as it’s now going to be easier for him to develop them....I won’t have to pay that again either because once you fill it, the refills are no charge. Lucky, my daughter managed to raise the money on go fund me for us, because we were going to have to put him down because we couldn’t afford the bill and future care. But I feel like we got a LOT more for our buck than you did with Wanda....
I live in Canada too, and that price still seems a bit high. I payed a similar price to have my rabbits eye removed. But i know vets located outside the city Cost a lot less.
@@Specogecko there is only one exotics vet in my city, so unfortunately they do charge above average. Even though I’m in a big city in Alberta.
I have 2 skinny guinea pigs for about 2 years. Next week their brand new cage from Amazon will arrive! I bought the bath mats from IKEA. They are very excited. Also they had a wooden house and they were eating it and after one week the leg broke and the house is now broken. I love your videos and love your guinea pig's cages because they are very big. Have a nice day!♥ Hope for Wanda to heal.
Love that you know who the LA Guinea Pig Rescue is. I learned a lot watching Scotty and Saskia
I loved the soundtrack you used for the under cover section! Also I liked how you explained about the toys. So educational. Got to admit I was just laughing so hard when you compared Wanda's butt to a football field!!! Buddy you just don't say things like that about a girls butt!!!😂😂😂😂 You also laughed at her new hairdo!!! Time to get out the special treats for Wanda and beg for her forgiveness buddy!!!! 😂😂😂😂
As a fellow crocher, I cam appreciate a well made piece when I see one. That keychain is the most adorable thing I have ever seen.
rats CAN NOT be kept in glass cages they produce too much iron and being in a glass enclosure can actually cause them serious respitory problems. so irresponsible and cruel
The length of the clip is totally normal has to be big to get good margains and so the vet stays sterile while removing the cyst and hair doesn't get into surgical site. I can't chime in about the prices I know it differs a lot in different countries. But as always if your not comfortable with your medical care both animal and human, find where you are comfortable, good luck x
In Norway there is a pet store chain growing that actually has proper care for their animals. The rats are in critter nation cages, only the XL versions. The piggies run in large sections squared off on the ground, not in cages. I asked where they got their animals from (because most pet stores in Norway get them from a mass breeding called Imazo), and they told me they only get animals from breeders, and even gave me the name of the rat breeder. When I said I might be interested in buying rats from them in the future (because all the breeders live approximately a 10 hours+ drive away), they told me they needed to see my cage and accessories before I bought them to insure I had proper care. They also don't sell things like hamster watt, wheels with sprinkles, cages below minimum requirements ect.
That price is crazy! My bulldog had cherry eye surgery on both eyes and it was cheaper than that! And she needed extra meds exc. Not the same animal but still!
We run a piggy rescue and just had a boy pig have the same surgery. His cyst was much larger and his surgery was 350. We got a quote for another boy that might possibly be neutered and that was 550. Glad you're going to a new vet.
"trash" is a good way to describe the products haha
Happy pride month from a fellow gay ❤️ I work as a vet nurse in the UK. I don’t know about American practice pricing…. But all I can say is wow! The cost is crazy that you have paid
It seems like everything they do is good, the protocol, the surgical clip, taking larger margins on the cyst etc
But the price… not sure that’s justifiable
I am READY for your shop to drop, your cages always look so cohesive and stylish !!!
There is a lot that goes into veterinarian costs. Location matters too among other things. Over 2 months I incurred over $12,000 in veterinary costs for a dog and cat this year, I emphasize with how expensive it can be but I also don't believe veterinarians are taking advantage of people. Veterinarians have many of the same costs as human doctors, use many of the same supplies, but without the government support human hospitals have and with many people without insurance. They have one of the highest suicide rates among professionals in large part because people think they are taking advantage of people and just in it for the money. You seem to be a very kind person so I'm sure you didn't mean for it to come off that way. #NOMV
I think the suicide rate is so high because of all the animals they have to turn away/watch suffer and can’t help due to costs. Many of them have huge hearts and want to help but if they did they’d go broke. Not to mention the people who bring dogs to be put down that don’t ‘need’ to be put down. You save them all you drown yourself. As an animal lover I couldn’t go into that field without worrying for my mental health.
Idk, we had a 30 minute emergency checkup that charged $300 for our cat when he stopped eating. They gave us mouth numbing medication. Took him in 2 days later when he started peeing blood and they said it'd either cost us several thousand just to have them do tests and everything to figure out what is going wrong or put him down & we ended up having him put down because they said at that point that his chances of surviving were too low.
wanda is such a strong girl! praying she heals fast!
Ah the ever present “CritterFAIL” as I like to call them EXTRA LOUDLY in the middle of a busy pet store. Plastic, cheap and nasty cr@p that is so beyond dangerous. And hot glue on toys? You should see the hides by Trixie. They have some of the WORST hot glued items for pets. If you want to see something really bad tho? It’s that fiber bedding that they sell for small pets like hamsters and mice. It’s a literal killer! It can get round their bodies and literally choke them to death. Both outside and in. I was witness to a poor hamster literally choked from the inside on some at a friends home rescue a few years ago and since then I can’t stand seeing the stuff in the store 😭
Not even five seconds into the video and I already subscribed because I heard "The Pig Room".
Water bottles are better to use instead of bowls for a rabbit or guinea pig`s water, bowls for water will just be tipped over at all times by rabbit or guinea pig.
I use bottles for my pet rabbits and guinea pigs, though I don`t have any rabbits or guinea pigs at the moment.
The pet stores by me are even worse (namely Petco and Pet Supplies Plus). They had their pigs in tiny terrariums, with 3 pigs in one at times, and their hay was just tiny, scrappy pieces within a pet food bowl.
I'm in California and I really hope the LAGPR will be able to help make big changes that stop this abysmal state of guinea pig care in pet stores.
Even the fish didn't have any plants or rocks to hide in!
When my guinea pig had surgery I had to keep her seperate for several weeks. Then had to slowly reintroduce her to the others. Hope piggie is doing well.
Oh my goodness that price! I paid just over $400 CAD for an emergency surgery for my pet rat a couple years ago and I was taken aback then. I can’t imagine $900 USD!!
He said he paid 500 in the end not 900
the pet store i go to is soooo good the haver massive cages for all the animals with heaps of toys and teach you all the NEEDS that the pet you want needs and the fish have rocks and plants. they also make sure all of their products are safe.
The rats in fish tanks made me so sad omg
where I live we have “pets at home” this pet shop in this video I was actually slightly surprised how small the cages were at pets at home I think a lot are more suitable. You take amazing care of your animals 💗
“As a fellow gay” me, a new viewer- “I KNEW IT”
My pig Muskrat had a similar procedure. (A growth developed where one of the gonads was removed during his neutering.) The exam, surgery, and take-home medication was about $350.
This is a weird qustion but like what kinda hay do you use because it looks really nice i think my piggies would like it :)
As a rat owner those cages they where in are far from even the minimum I did not see a toy which is vital for rats because they are basically smaller dogs because they need one to two hours of free roam time one of the enrichment methods I use is a forageding box where is has hay and I put snacks in there for them to find it will also work for your piggies If you want
I love animals and I like this video it’s my first time watching your channel I love your guinea pig set up it is so cute I love that you put most of your guinea pigs together. I can’t get over how cute your set up is I wish I had that for my rabbit❤️
18:14 No basking lamp for that baby beardie? Bearded dragons need UVB in order to metabolize calcium properly. If they go too long without it, they get metabolic bone disease, which causes irreversible deformities and is eventually fatal. A bearded dragon enclosure should always be brightly lit during the daytime, seeing a dark enclosure like that is sad.
In my town there’s a really good family owned pet store, where the animals are treated. Very good
Omg. Wanda looks like a toddler shaved her. The vet be like: "Yup this looks great!" Wanda: YeAh~ ThIs LoOkS LiKe CRAP💀
Hi, love your videos. They are so informative and fun. About 4 months ago I adopted a (not very sweet at the time & so afraid of everything all the time) little piggy and called him 'Fred'. With lots and lots of attention and talking (both I and Fred to each other) and his fav. food, he has become probably my fave pig that I have ever had. So personable, popcorning all the time and running his 'Indy 500' around and around and every time I enter the room and say 'hello to the baby' - and 'he's mama's baby', he's so excited to see me and stands up on the side of the cage and wants to be scratched and petted and of course a treat. He loves 'pea flakes'. I haven't watched the rest of your 'undercover pet store' yet - but I will soon, reluctantly. (I am concerned I should have not bought hm at a pet store, but he was so appealing) I have spoiled Fred and love him dearly. I have had 4 Guinea Pigs, and they have all passed away after many years of great fun and love. I was reluctant to get another, but he seemed so lonely that I had to have him. Wanda is so pretty and reminds me of the' Teddy Bear' piggie that passed away about 12 years ago. So informative about the vets, thanks. I look so forward to more videos from you. Thanks again, Frank
The sponge looking “stone” is pumice stone, it’s fine if the animal just chews on it, but if they decide to ingest a lot of it then it’s not great for them
While not little piggies. I do have 3 dogs who are about 3 years apart for each. The oldest's spay/neuter coat about $200. The middle pup cost $700 for the same surgery. Expecting the youngest's surgery will be over $1000.
The amount of hair they took off is quite normal you need to take off 1-2 inches bigger on all sides to ensure a big enough sterile field during the procedure to reduce risks of post operative infection in the wound
my guinea pig had the same hair cut after a cyst removal also
I bought a wooden block of “cheese” thinking it would be safe as there was no visible hot glue or metal etc, but there were several nails and staples hidden inside the wood and as my piggies were playing with it the uncovered the nails and staples. All I can say is thank god my sister saw the metal.
The toys with stones is made for chinchillas. It's like a pumple stone. It helps with oder if you attach them to the top of cages not to chew but the one there is set up to chew so its chin toy and just lasts longer. I have never seen them used for any other small animal to chew but people will let macaws play with the stones for Beak care
They changed instructions re: keeping the pig separated because they were concerned you would put her back in with all of her cage mates regardless. Doctors (both human and veterinary) know that patient/pet parents will often create huge problems because they think they know better than the doctor in crucial matters. Letting you keep one cage mate with your patient piggy is more risk than keeping her alone, but less risk than putting her immediately with a whole herd.
i genuinely started crying when i saw the rats and their cages, oh my gosh
I thought only us in the UK pay huge prices for vets, although my male Chihuahua didn’t cost that for the op, pain relief, after care and another care appointment, I live in wales with loads of cattle and lambs so we are very lucky living on a mountain! I loved the undercover pet store you were chatting away and I thought you were about to be confronted by a store manager, thankfully it was Andy, I loved the sword he was swinging my twenty four year old son collects the ones used in war! ❤️
Hi, I absolutely love your videos. They are so knowledgeable and have helped me with my pigs! Can you please make a video showing your guinea pig toys and what is acceptable for guinea pig toys?
OMG AT 23:38 THAT LADY GOT ME ROLLING OFF MY BED 😂😂😂😂
Seeing those cages broke me heart. No animal should be living likr that. I really hope they found good homes!!!
If you allready don't have it, you may want to try to find a pet insurance that covers small pet. It'll still initially cost out of pocket, but the insurance will repay you. It may be a good investment especially with the amount of piggies you have.
Most vets in my country charge $40 for neutering, I neuter and return stray cats for $25 at a local vet that has decent prices. $1000 is like the price of having a big animal almost die and spend one week with a couple of surgerys and hospitalization. Definetly good on you for getting another vet. That money can go to save more piggies instead of just saving one for overly inflated prices
Yea they are starter cages please only use them while you’re setting up a proper cage for them my dad custom made one for me where they could mow our yard and have plenty of space during the day
Love this video! Its really important to understand, that not everything you can buy in this shoops (toys) is safe for your pet!! When i first got my birds i bought some branches entwined with fabric fiber and then i learnd that you cant use those!! Your birds will eat it and it will stuck in their sthomacs that can be fatal. This is also related to rats and other small animals because those shopes will sale you what YOU think is looking nice but what wont be good for your pets health. Be careful out there, buy toys only from natural materials without any paint also because it can be poisonous!!
My vet told me to remove a cyst on my dog would be a cosmetic surgery (since it was not cancer) and would be $5,000. He is big but not huge about 70 pounds so the price was ridiculous and we aren’t going to that vet anymore . it ended up being around $800 from our new vet which was expensive but we also had the check up shots and a few other things we needed for him done.
When I had Guinea pigs I had two cages for them. One was a house for rabbits but since I had three, I got a huge one for almost $500 (This one was outdoors) and I also got one for indoors when it was too cold for them or when it was raining, and it had two floors (it was a bit smaller).
These prices seem completely absurdly high to me from Germany. I myself have rats as pets and have never paid more than 150€ for an operation. However, one night emergency visit with an emergency surgery was 300€.
Also that guinea pigs (and rats) are considered "exotic" appears to me to be completely unrealistic, in Germany it feels like every 5th child has guinea pigs (whether this is a good thing or not is a separate question). Of course, there are also practices here that specialise in certain types of animals, but these are usually horses or actual exotics (reptiles, birds, etc.).
My guineapig also had a tumour on his hip and it was really big and the removal+ medication was 250$ and the operation was good now my guinea pig is healthy
A&E cage company is great. they make a lot of really big flight cages for birds and larger style cages , didnt know they made toys so thats cool to know. and yea just so you know, the dyes in pet toys are almost always nontoxic food-safe dyes.
It is interesting, if toy companies go to the efforts of using the non toxic dyes, that they don't indicate that in detail on the packaging....they should want pet owners to think about that stuff and know what they are getting.
Most of the fish tanks that I saw in there were way to overstocked
Now a days, vets can remove cysts off Guinea pigs using a local anesthetics rather than putting the pig under, they can numb the area and remove the cyst, and it’s way less risky and way cheaper that way.
When i rescued my first piggies, the pet store conditions BLEW my mind. TINY TINY cages, one with a very old mother and two female babies. I bought the babies for a low, low price (not a good sign) but only realised when i got home that one of them (named Coco) was missing an eye and a big chunk of her ear. The pet store people were LAUGHING as i walked out of the store, and now i can see that it was because they got rid of Coco. Sadly, due to the terrible conditions after her birth, she passed in her sleep 2 months after. Her sister, Brownie, now has a new bestie named peaches, which i bought from a great pet store which i felt happy supporting. RIP Coco, im glad u were happy in your last days. ❤
A tip is to get like plastic or Glas instead of the other things you have to make different little rooms for the pets. So you can have bedding for the pets (No hate) They are still living really good
NAH THAT RAT CAGE IS WAY TO SMALL 😢
I KNOWW ☹️☹️
Real 😢
They shouldn’t even be in tanks
Hope Wanda is recovering ❤️🐹and l love your purse ..$8 bucks for that brown purse is a bargain 😍
“Ew I can’t go that way it looks like a ratfish”😂😂😂
Nobody:
Me who keeps staring at the spider on the wall: 👁👄👁
That bearded dragon is not in an adequate set up. There is not any uv light source for them which is crucial for proper development of their bones! Even more so when they're that small. (They need it their entire lives but it can cause issues easier when young)
In my local pet shop, cats are in big cages , birds are in medium cages , and the Guinea pigs are in HUGE cages and the cages are really cheap.
Went to pet stores in the US for the first time ever last week while visiting family. Had a hard time seeing the poor poor conditions these animals live in, everything from soulless puppies to birds unable to fly. Hamsters, bunnies, geckos, etc. and guinea pigs depressed and in bad condition..that hurt. (petsmart etc.)
I like the flea market segment cause I love flea markets. Cool you added that.
I had the same thing with my dog. he ate some drgs from the park bushes and we were concerned what happened because we didn't know so we took him to the vets and they charged £1500!! we could not afford that since we were already struggling. we could and just paid £150 for her to look at him. he ended up being fine after about just under a day. were so glad we didn't pay until we were really concerned.
Just to let you know, dyed rodent/rabbit toys are made with pet-safe vegetable dyes. And that "rock" is pumice stone; a natural, pet-safe material that most rats love in particular. Obviously plastic and jewelry shouldn't be on a small mammal toy meant for chewing.
The rats' enclosures were horrible...way too small with poor bedding, poor ventilation, and not enough to do. When it comes to the guinea pig/rabbit care, what we have to realize is this is only temporary. However, you can't use this excuse for the rats.
One of my least favorite things are those "complete kits" you can buy at most pet stores...the main reason being that they're far too expensive. I mean, who in their right mind would be willing to drop $120 on 2 guinea pigs then $250 on a "kit", plus tax!? There's a lot you can do with $400. The other reason being they're not "complete" - yes there's a cage, bedding (fleece is better), a water bottle, toy, but this isn't "complete care" for a guinea pig (as you know, of course.) If I were to put together a "complete kit" for guinea pigs I'd include a midwest guinea pig cage, a fleece pad/cover for this cage, a glass water bottle, a large/low food dish, 3 differing hides, a bag of appropriate food, a huge bag of hay, 3-5 toys. Even with it all my "complete kit" would probably be less than $150 (so you'd be saving $100.) In my opinion, something like this is more friendly for beginners who don't quite know what they're doing yet.
The aquariums look clean, and sponge filters are, by far, the safest filtration for fry, fish with delicate fins and shrimp, but there were no hides for stressed fish to retreat to, which can lead to stress-caused illnesses. Temporary overstocking is generally okay, but the fantail/ryukin goldfish tanks were so full of fish that they hardly had room to swim...unacceptable.
That's just my opinion of the situation. Obviously others may look at it differently, and this is okay. But I'm glad you shared this to help spread the word.
the dyes they use on animal toys are actually not bad and nontoxic btw. i mean dyes in general arent the best thing even for humans with food coloring isnt the HEALTHIEST but its also not anything toxic. the dye they use IS pretty much food coloring. ive washed my bird toys that are dyed like that and the dye always washes out super easily in water... its food coloring dye. even acrylic paint is nontoxic... still not the greatest thing to feed to them obv... like who wants to eat acrylic paint, lol, but it wouldnt hurt them or cause an issue either.
It’s interesting (and saddening), here in Scotland, the biggest pet shop chain, pets at home, actually do tend to have decent cage sizes for their piggies, and they have a couple cages which are ok size (although sell some ‘guinea pig cages’ that are definitely too small), but the cages for their gerbils, hamsters etc, and particularly fish tanks, are way way too small. Then customers think it’s acceptable to have same size enclosures 😔