Vets Show Their Support For The First Ever Guinea Pig Awareness Week (GPAW)
3 years ago 
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As hundreds of vets engage with GPAW, organisers urge more practices to show their support for the campaign, designed to raise awareness for the five welfare needs of the UK’s guinea pigs
With one week to go, the organisers and partners of the inaugural Guinea Pig Awareness Week (GPAW) are urging veterinary professionals to show their support for GPAW, which takes place as a week-long digital event from 22-28 March 2021.
Holly Ackroyd, Senior Brand Manager for Burgess Pet Care, which organises GPAW, said: -
“We are really delighted that hundreds of vets have already downloaded digital packs, but of course we would like to see even more practices join us as we throw the spotlight on these adorable pets with the first ever national campaign dedicated to improving their lives, since they have very specific welfare needs and dietary requirements.
“GPAW is a great opportunity for the vet community to showcase their guinea pig expertise, educate owners on guinea pigs’ five welfare needs, and raise the profile of their practices in an engaging and friendly way. We would encourage anyone who hasn’t already do so to visit the GPAW website, which is full of ideas and advice on how practices can host their own digital events and engage with guinea pig owners in their region.”
GPAW was created earlier this year when, due to a lack of robust research into guinea pigs, Burgess Pet Care ran online surveys with guinea pig owners and vets, with results showing that:-
90% of vets and vet nurses think guinea pig muesli should be removed from sale;
94% of vets and vet nurses think feeding muesli contributes to health issues in guinea pigs;
the most common health issues seen in guinea pigs are dental disease, abscesses and lumps, gut stasis and bladder and urinary issues; and,
94% of vets surveyed felt that the most common mistake owners of small animals make is feeding them the wrong diet.
The GPAW initiative has been created by Burgess Pet Care in partnership with the RSPCA, Wood Green The Animals Charity, Blue Cross and PDSA in the UK. It is endorsed by the British Veterinary Association and British Small Animal Veterinary Association.
This year’s GPAW campaign will take place digitally as a virtual festival and will include educational videos, live streams, and Q&As from experts and veterinary professionals, all of which can be accessed on the GPAW Facebook page and Instagram page.
Online guides have been created by the GPAW team to support vets, which, along with the digital vet packs, can be found at the dedicated GPAW website.
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