Digest Safety Net - what is it? The Digest Safety Net (DSN) was started when Carlo (the list-owner) needed to shut down the GPDD for a while due to computer problems; it was designed as a way of having help always available to piggy people even if the Digest was 'out' for some reason. It consists of a list of several piggy people (all GPDD subscribers), all of whom are highly knowledgeable in various guinea pig matters and are willing to answer questions on pig-related matters. The DSN members are a mixture of all sorts of people who have owned pigs long enough to gain expertise in one area or another - they include breeders, rescuers, breeder/rescuers, and so on. The DSN is _not_ intended to replace the advice of a qualified veterinary surgeon, but is there as an aid for worried owners; sometimes you aren't quite sure whether a pig needs to see a vet or not for example, and asking someone with experience may save a piggy's life. Perhaps the vet has said something that you don't quite understand, or you aren't too sure that your vet is good with pigs and want to ask someone who knows, so that you can change vet if necessary. You do not need to subscribe separately to the DSN; it is published in the GPDD around the first of every month. DSN maintainer" The actual list: **************** DSN master copy updated 09 Feburary 2004 changed since last issue? YES ****************** POSSIBLE EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: If your pig is bleeding from anywhere, is making any kind of noise when it breathes, seems to be in pain, cannot or will not eat, or cannot or will not drink you should contact a vet _immediately_. ****************** SPECIAL NOTE: when you write to a DSN member for help, please make sure that you put 'DSN HELP' in the subject line of your email. A lot of people have very busy email accounts, and it will make it easy to spot urgent messages. Thanks. ****************** ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you need emergency advice, please make sure that the person you ask has listed B in their specialities - some of us do not go into our email every day and time is of the essence in a guinea pig emergency. ******************* How To Read the DSN: To conserve space, use the following key to identify information about each individual. Print out a hard copy of this list each time it changes, and keep it handy - it may save your pig's life. This list will be published on or about the first of each month. ********Key******** 1. Name 2. E-mail 3. Location (USA unless otherwise noted) 4. How often e-mail is checked 5. Specialities, listed by letter A. births/breeding (including pregnancy) B. emergencies/sudden illness/accidents C. dietary problems/changes D. surgeries E. fighting/aggressive behaviour/introductions F. appropriate housing G. death H. other *************** Important Disclaimer ******************************* NO ONE ON THIS LIST CLAIMS TO BE A VET. THIS LIST IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR QUALITY VETERINARY CARE. **************************************************************** 1. Mary E. Barr 2. me@buddies.org 3. Southern California 4. 2-4 times daily 5. C, E, F, cavy companion since 1972, extensive guinea pig library, experience with treating a diabetic guinea pig *************** 1. Victoria Batsford 2. vicki_batsford@hotmail.com 3. UK - England 4. at least once or twice a day 5. B, C, D, E, F, G, H - experience with vet surgery and what it'll be like for your piggie, tips on getting the most out of your vet. *************** 1. Brion L. Davis 2. webmaster@cavycompendium.com, scibax@aol.com 3. Charleston, WV USA 4. At least once daily 5. B, C, E, F, G, H - long term illness, housing, bedding, diet, training, cavy cognitive, physical and sensory capability, cavy first aid and reaction in case of sudden illness or accident and cancer in cavies. 12 years of cavy experience *************** 1. Carrie Ferguson 2. daisy_cavies@excite.com 3. League City, Tx 4. 1+ times a day 5. A, B, C, H (wry neck) *************** 1. Susan Firestone 2. Nov26scf@pclink.com 3. St. Paul, Minnesota 4. every day to every 3rd day 5. B, C, D, F, G, paper training, working handicaps (deafness, mentally challenged), access to local rescuers and several guinea pig vets *************** 1. Tex Green 2. texg@cavyinfo.com cc/backup email - cavyinfo@aol.com IM ID: Cavyinfo 3. New Jersey 4. 2-3 times daily 5. B, C, D, E, G, Bladderstones and related problems (Stones list@ ). 20 years experience with guinea pigs, general health questions, alternatives/herbs *************** 1. Dawn Hromanik 2. dawnhr@navix.net 3. Murdock, Nebraska 4. 2 to 3 times weekly 5. C *************** 1. Cheryl Hustwith 2. cherylhustwith@aol.com 3. Norwich, England 4. daily 5. A,B,C,D,E,F,G, runs guinea pig rescue *************** 1. Erin James 2. odyssey@bluemarble.net 3. Indiana 4. once a day 5. F, general care, housing *************** 1. Kirstin Key 2. kirstinkey@yahoo.com 3. Seattle, WA USA 4. daily 5. A, B, C, D, E, F, H - have raised cavies for over 8 years, can help with most things. *************** 1. Lutricia Kroh 2. krohl@usd204.k12.ks.us 3. Kansas 4. hourly/daily 5. E, F, guinea pig rescue *************** 1. Judi Lainer 2. BUNSNPIGS@AOL.COM ( for extreme emergencies only) 3. Washington, D.C. 4. several times daily, at least once on weekends 5. A, B, C, D, E, F,G, H guinea pig rescue *************** 1. Robert Laurance 2. lrlaurance@aol.com 3. USA 4. 4 or more times a day 5. C, E, F *************** 1. Sian Marlow 2. hj33@dial.pipex.com 3. Iver, Buckinghamshire (UK) 4. twice per day, more on weekends 5. B, C, D, E, F, G, H - grooming long-haired guinea pigs, library of books on guinea pigs in a variety of languages, contact with the Cambridge Cavy Trust *************** 1. Barbara & Paul Munro 2. barbpaulmunro@webtv.net 3. Maryland 4. daily 5. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, ten years experience showing and breeding American guinea pigs *************** 1. Barbara Paterson - South Tyneside Guinea Pig Rescue 2. barbara@paterson21.freeserve.co.uk 3. Tyne and Wear, England, UK 4. frequently 5. G, H - Adoption/Guinea Pig Rescue *************** 1. Nancy Peyton 2. iluv_cavies@worldnet.att.net 3. North Florida - 28 years experience 4. daily pm 5. A,B,C,E,F,G, general care, show tips & advice (licensed Cavy Judge), psychological help with cavies. *************** 1. Phoebe's Mom 2. gsbees@earthlink.net 3. San Francisco Bay Area, California 4. at least once per day, usually around 5:00pm PST/PDT 5. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, library of guinea pig publications, attends guinea pig shows *************** 1. Bob & Rose Pooler (The Critter Corral) 2. Zoo357@aol.com 3. South Suburbs of Chicago,Illinois 4. 2 times a day 5. H. Had Guinea Pigs 16 years. I work as a veterinary assistant(for 12 years) with a Guinea Pig Friendly Doctor, My husband and I have a Guinea Pig Rescue (no needing piggies is ever turned away) and we also do Guinea Pig Sitting *************** 1. Robyn 2. My3LilPigs@aol.com 3. NJ 4. Once daily 5. A, B, C, E, F, H - genetics ************** 1. Francine Rossi 2. FKRossi@aol.com 3. Rochester Hills, Michigan 4. daily 5. D, E, F, G *************** 1. Mike & Becky St. Germain (MNR Furry Friends) 2. mnrfurryfriends@earthlink.net 3. Chenoa, Illinois (Near Bloomington) 4. throughout day (Becky is handicapped & home all day) 5. A,B,C,E,F,G,H Handling hard births. We raise & rescue Guineas and can help with questions. Becky has many years of experience raising Guineas & all their special needs. Website (under construction) http://home.earthlink.net/~mnrfurryfriends/index.html *************** 1. Shelley Thomson 2. gpiglady@shaw.ca 3. Calgary, Alberta, Canada 4. several times daily 5. A, B, C, D, E, F, G *************** 1. R. Kelly Wagner 2. BunRab@aol.com 3. Austin, Texas 4. daily 5. B, C, D, F, G, research on bedding problems, guinea pig rescue, guinea pigs in the classroom, Guinea Pig Chat on AOL *************** 1. Hermann Wenzel 2. wenzels@wugnet.de, herman@fraumeier.org 3. Pappenheim, near Munich, Germany 4. 3-4 times per day 5. B, C, D, medications and dosages Website: www.fraumeier.org *************** 1. Amber Wood 2. Xtreme4gsus@cs.com 3. Knoxville, Tennessee 4. several times daily 5. A, E, F, H care and needs of guinea pigs *************** 1. Trina Pelham 2. piggiementor@msn.com 3. Littleton, Colorado 4. Several times a day also on MSN, AIM and ICQ 5. A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H piggiementor on AIM and I am on MSN Messenger for immediate needs too. 7+yrs experience, many births and deaths, meds and dosages skin problems from fungus to mites and ringworm. I have been a volunteer with Cavy Care Inc. for 5 yrs and a board member for 2yrs. ************** 1. Marion R. 2. Bellarobi@aol.com 3.Minnesota 4.daily 5.b,d,e,f,g Want to join the DSN? Need to be removed? Want to update your info? Any comments? Please contact: dsn@gpdd.org