How to tell if a guinea pig has sludge?

[LittleEskimo]

Well, I was just sweeping up the fleece for the day and saw little clump of yellow dust where Sprout had peed in the corner. I got pretty worried and had a look at it. It was very dry and very smooth/soft kind of dust. Exactly like flour, that's the best way I can explain it.

Just getting worried...Should I be? After what happened with McMac I couldn't deal with another bladder pig

 

[sport_billy]

If it was smooth to touch not gritty then it's just excess calcium don't worry about it. We get it after run time.

Here's a link to guinea lynx regarding urine and it mentions the deposits http://www.guinealynx.info/normal.html#urine

 

[LittleEskimo]

Oh thank goodness...

I just googled how much calcium dill has and I never realised it had quite a lot. I have been giving him bits for the past couple of days. I guess i must have given him a little too much :red

 

[sport_billy]

Oh thank goodness...

I just googled how much calcium dill has and I never realised it had quite a lot. I have been giving him bits for the past couple of days. I guess i must have given him a little too much :red

Don't worry, our girls have a low calcium diet and still get it..

 

[Claire W]

My piggies are also in a low calcium diet and still get calcium deposits.

if you rub some urine between your thumb and finger, the urine should feel smooth. If it feels gritty, this could indicate sludge in the bladder but what you describe sounds like normal calcium deposits.

 

[Wiebke]

If the deposit is a smooth, powdery substance, then it is just excess calcium and nothing to worry about.

Sludge often leaves a gritty deposit and is usually detected when it causes a difficult to treat cystitis. It is usually confirmed through an x-ray. Many piggies have some crystals in their bladder without it causing problems.

 

[LittleEskimo]

Thanks guys