• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Anyone Add Ribena To Drinking Water?

Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Pig007

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Sep 11, 2011
Messages
214
Reaction score
7
Points
220
Location
Newcastle
My pig has been bleeding a bit on/off so I took her in for some X-rays. She doesn't have any stones so it looks like cystitis and was told to try and get the her to drink more water. The Vet has suggested adding a few drops of some Sugar Free Ribena to the water. Has anyone ever done this? Concerned about the sugar - but I guess a few drops should be ok?

Thanks
 
Hi I wouldn't add to the water cause if piggie doesn't like taste they may not drink at all, but would try hand syringing extra water with a 1ml syringe popped into the side of piggies mouth and not too much at a time.
I'm sure you'll get some advice once everyone has woken up.
Good luck x
 
I think syringing it is better, but I would not go down the Ribena route. You could try syringing just water or mix in a bit of probiotic, mine seem to love that and climb all over me for the syringe.
 
Please syringe any additives and do not add them to the water; it will go off much more quickly! Piggies usually drink noticeably less, not more if water has been tampered with. :(

It is more effective to feed a little bit more mildly diuretic veg like grass, fresh dandelion, lettuce, cucumber or celery to help flush out the bladder. Do NOT go overboard so that your piggy ends up with soft poos, though!

Offer your piggy preferably filtered water via syringe, as much as she will take once or twice a day to create some volume of fluid to additionally help flushing the bladder. An adult piggy can cope with about 0.5 ml (half a small syringe full) in one go without being in danger that things go down the wrong way; younger or frailer piggies can manage less. Make sure that one lot has gone down OK before giving the next.

I would also recommend to just give vitamin C in order to support the immune system. I have personally never found that cranberry juice has made any difference in guinea pigs (apart from the vitamin C) and it can even be harmful.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/
How to syringe feed (including water): https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top