Rodentologists?

Re: Rodentologists?

Nicola Smith — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:50:54 GMT

We rasp guineas teeth conscious and have to say they do not object anymore than having a thorough dental exam. Many of the guineas we have seen have been very weak so would prob not have survivied a GA, however our vet is very experienced at it and makes an excellent job, I don't think it should be done by anyone. If we need extrctions or have things like teeth root abscesses they do get GA or sed.

I don't think we should rule out conscious dentals where done properly and monitored properly - we always monitor them and if they did become distressed we would stop, but e need to be careful of others just messing!

Re: Rodentologists?

F1chick — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:36:47 GMT

Thats exactly why I left...... 'They've had a years in house training and are very good'

Re: Rodentologists?

Caro Laithwaite VN — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:33:46 GMT

For the same reason that someone can leave tescos and go and do everything we can do without the training. And call themselves veterinary nurses to boot.

Re: Rodentologists?

F1chick — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:14:26 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

hmmm - grey area. The definition of vet surgery is a procedure entering a body cavity or affecting hard structures. Extractions are definitely included, rasping/trimming is iffy. They are on shaky ground if they have a serious complication!

[/quote]

But we are only allowed to undertake things lie this if we a schedule 3? How can MOP do it?!

Re: Rodentologists?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:04:46 GMT

[quote user="Bouncyfi"]behold there's no vet at the rescue just the woman who's ran it for 20 million years!!!!! ARGH!!![/quote]

She is ancient Fi how does she manage it? lol sorry could not resist

Re: Rodentologists?

Fiona Leathers — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 17:42:21 GMT

we currently have a client who takes in rescue pigs from the Cavy Rescue.. she comes in to see vet.. get treatment required... goes home... phones rescue....phones us to tell us that we're not dosing correctly and the pigs should be getting Xmls of baytril or double doses of metacam - all of which are incorrect according to formulary. We have advised her that we have this great book & we should stick to the doses in it and if she doesn't like it, she should go to the vet at the rescue.........lo & behold there's no vet at the rescue just the woman who's ran it for 20 million years!!!!! ARGH!!!

Re: Rodentologists?

Emma Purnell — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:45:32 GMT

We are definately NOT having anything to do with them and never were, but we were all really concerned about this and I wondered what was going on. The practice advertises as a Veterinary Practice and seems to take on part time locums, either way it seems these 'rodentologists' are happily carrying out procedures...

Re: Rodentologists?

Saskia Quinn — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:53:36 GMT

This is quite worrying I agree.

I certainly wouldnt avail of their services and I ask all other sensible nurses to do same

Re: Rodentologists?

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:50:19 GMT

scary!!

this reminds me of a client that came in a few weeks ago worried something was wrong with her Rusty!(guinea pig). he had this long thing coming out of his bum and she thought he had a prolaps...

it was a long compacted poo. inch and a half long covered in mucus. ew. lol John just pulled it out and threw it away.

Re: Rodentologists?

Maisy — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:43:06 GMT

The dental work is something that's been happening for a good 10 years or so at least. From the sounds of it there is a lot of self-medicating for their own pets and recommendations to other owners on how their pet should be treated (i.e tell the vet and demand that particular treatment is given is usual course).

It's quite a worrying trend really.

Re: Rodentologists?

ginny — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:04:26 GMT

This is a topic that came up 10 years or so ago with lots of debate and letters to vet times between vets and the late Peter Gurney who worked in London but (i think) was working with CCT. I visited Mr Gurney at his home once and you couldnt doubt that he was extremely knowledgeable in the care and handling of guinea pigs. But they were overstepping the mark a bit because they felt vets didnt know enough. Things have moved on since then and i'm surprised to hear that this rodentologist course involves dental work. I thought it was mostly husbandry and anatomy.

Re: Rodentologists?

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:55:23 GMT

Re: Rodentologists?

Caro Laithwaite VN — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:52:10 GMT

Is it legal? it seems that they are doing diagnosing and decisions on treatment. And is that not only for a vet to decide yes they could maybe do it on their own pet but it is not the owners at the start if that makes sense.

Re: Rodentologists?

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:50:23 GMT

Wow, this is scary

Re: Rodentologists?

Maisy — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:23:06 GMT

Oooh I could go on about this all day!

The Rodentology course was set up by the Cambridge Cavy Trust who I think are now based in Huntingdon. The woman who runs it isn't a vet but does have a vet work p/t I think, however most of the lectures for the course are run by non vet staff.

I used to work in the Cambs/Lincs area and quite a few guinea/bunny owning clients soon got wind of this place and realised that vets know squat about rabbits and rodents and they are far better going to the CCT. Apparently....! At the CCT they (as in volunteers/rodentologists) carry out conscious dentals and scorn vets/nurses who recommend GAs for such procedures. Some of the clients we had would ask us for info on their pet, go to the CCT to see what they suggested-of course both bits of advice were different and the clients would phone back having a go down the phone because we 'knew nothing'.

I'm sure somewhere there is a place for such course, mainly as a way of pet owners furthering their own knowledge. However I personally would take info from a rodentologist with a pinch of salt as some of there info is quite limiting. I've met many people trained in this way and have seen the butchered result of one conscious dental on an elderly guinea pig. Whilst I'm not against conscious dentals at all done by vets or trained VNs, I cannot recommend them done by someone who has attended a couple of training afternoons.

Re: Rodentologists?

Charlotte says smile — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:03:42 GMT

never heard of them but wouldnt trust them as its a bit worrying that they are doing these procedures

Re: Rodentologists?

Emma Purnell — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:04:32 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

wouldn't personally want to have anything to do with a society that sells 'dental tools' to the public!

[/quote]

Along with that the course to make you a 'rodentologist' involving a correspondance course with 1 week practical training, no previous qualifications at all needed...

Not to mention they want to come and teach us how to do dentals concious... seems to involve, well, wrapping in a towel and not much else...

Re: Rodentologists?

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:42:02 GMT

wouldn't personally want to have anything to do with a society that sells 'dental tools' to the public!