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Calcium : phosphate ratio - Finally got there!

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flintstones

flintstones

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I have started weighing the piggies veg now it is hardwork. You have to make sure you have the right veg to get the right ratio.

I was weighing the pigs food and ran out of Watercress, then I thought if I increase the kale, that will even it out. I have downloaded GLynx's Calculator and have it saved. Punched in my figures and yes it works.

Ok, so Fred doesn't like Watercress so he can have kale, and so on.

Clean dishes from all piggies and I can honestly say my piggies got as accurately as possible a Ratio of 1.33.

I can tell you in grams exactly what each pig has ate and what there Vitamin C content is for the day - pellets, its that sad!

I have Patrick on my lap, Wilma at the top of my room and Milo just outside his door. The other 3 eat there veg in the cage once there food is finished everyone is united :)).

I have also introduced Water filtering and after finding out JR Guinea Pig has the lowest calcium: phosphate ratio (I compared alot of foods) I am switching. I am almost at the perfect diet, which means I shouldn't have anymore bladder problems ever! rolleyes

This is the Calculator I use, yes some foods are American just don't use them!

www.guinealynx.info/calculator.xls

The weighing is by far the worst bit! I'll update with my results in about 3 years time! :))
 
Abi_nurse said:
What is your reason for trying to work out CA:PHOS ratio? Sorry to ask.

x.
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One of my pigs has a bladderstone and the other has crystal formation in the bladder. For me it's to much of a coincidence both my pigs are suffering from Bladder related problems, at the same time. I have had both for over a year now.

I want to reduce the risks of future problems and protect my current pigs from getting bladder problems in the future.

The only reason I am continuing to feed pellets, is due to Vitamin D content for them in the Winter and also the Vitamin C content as with my ratio my vitamin C is quite low, so the pellets are my safety net for the time being! In the summer I could look into ruling them out completely by giving a Vitamin C substitute but it's not something I wish to do at present but I may look into it in the future.

My Average pigs Vit C contents per day day is between 30 - 40/per day. Of course that is not completely accurate as we have to take into account that not very leaf contains the same content. You can only get to a figure as accurate as possible it's impossible to be exact on the ratio and Vitamin C contents.
 
Well Done!

Jo Hun

I understand why you need to control the CaPO4 ratio and applaud your tencacity..and observance.

Don't get too wound up please.....you're really unlucky in having so many piggiei stones. All these piggies are so very lucky to have you as their slave.

You "spot" probs way front of everyone else. Well done piggie mamma!

As to your post....it'a good one. Wish I had more info to help you on the way forwards

HUGS! (and wheeks)

x
 
carrot_and_parsnip said:
Hey, that's really interesting. Would this be something to consider in preventing the formation of stones? Would it be something to follow from 1 year onwards?xox
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Stones are caused by either to much calcium or not enough phosphate, so [*]technically[/*] it should prevent stones and crystal formation (I'm hoping it does anyway). Not drinking enough Water can also attribute to stones, from what I have read but of course still little is understood about crystals and stones, you can only try there's[*] no guarantee's[/*].

Two of my pigs are under one, the rest over 3 yrs old.
 
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I do know people, who just feed an assortment of veggies and there pigs are healthy, I think it's also lot to do with Luck and genetics. I wish more was understood about stones and crystal formation. :(
 
Have you considered cranberries or cranberry supplements for the crystal pig?
 
Hi this may be a stupid question but am going to ask it anyway lol.
We live in a very hard water area would bottled water be a safer for my piggies? I lost a very young pig earlier this year and would hate to go anything like that again. Also how much unsweetend cranberry is recommended? I give a selection of fresh veg daily, also couch grass dandelion and Timothy hay. Thank you for your post x
 
Hi flintstones......boy, you and me are sooooo alike! Good for you for putting so much work and thought into your piggies diet. Thanks to this fabby forum, I'm aware of the whole calciuim:phosphate ratio, but I can't really admit to understanding it, so I took the cheat's route and I try to follow the Ratewatcher's Diet as closely as possible for my two boys.

I do occasionally vary from the diet, especially when it's near to shopping day! But when the fridge is a bit empty, I tend to stick to feeding the low calcium veggies, like peppers, baby sweetcorn, beans, carrot, etc.

I'm sure your piggies would thank you (if they could) for being so caring and thoughtful!

Tracey
 
cglith said:
Hi this may be a stupid question but am going to ask it anyway lol.
We live in a very hard water area would bottled water be a safer for my piggies? I lost a very young pig earlier this year and would hate to go anything like that again. Also how much unsweetend cranberry is recommended? I give a selection of fresh veg daily, also couch grass dandelion and Timothy hay. Thank you for your post x
Click to expand...

Hard Water is believed to attribute to stones. You do also have to watch the Calcium content on bottled water. I bought a water filter jug (Brita) got 6 cartridges free for £24.99 from Argos, the cartridge needs changed every 30 days so I imagine it'd be better Value for money to go down that route.

I only feed cranberry juice with no additives at all, to my current problem pigs to help the bladders. Offering additional water helps to, there was a study in Rabbits showed if they had a water bowl they where less likely to get Uti's or stone as it encouraged natural drinking so I have also added a water bowl.

The Calcium : phosphate ratio looks complicated but when you get going, its not that hard. I found the ratewatchers is a bit expensive and complicated :)). Iif didn't have ingredients I would sway away from it like yourself Teejay. That's why the Calculators good, as I can look what I have and throw something together.

We all have to find what works for us with the information we have, many people will say it doesn't make a difference well other's will swear by it. If you don't try you will never know, that's my theory! X
 
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The new diet is going very well but the weighing is a real pain. I have noticed that my pigs are no longer producing calcium deposits when they urinate (white chalk substance).
Which I think is a positive sign.
 
Well done for working it all out!

I too have changed my boys diet after one had bladder issues and i agree with you Joanne about the white/chalky deposits my boys also dont have these now since i changed their diet, maybe a few times a month they have the odd one but other than that nothing.

I hope it all works for you and would be interesting to see what the result of feeding the same diet for a year, what differences it has made to the pigs who have bladder issues.

x x x
 
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