Ic Flare Up - Must Be Grass - Opinions Wanted

[Veggies Galore]

Poor Reuben - he's got IC which I usually manage to keep relatively under control - but he's had a flare up recently - and it must be because he's started eating grass .

I really don't want to stop him having grass time as he loves it so much . His wifepig ( Darling ) enjoys grass too and I certainly don't want her to miss out on grass.

What do people think ?

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Why do you think it's grass? Surely grass is one of the most natural foods for a piggy.

 

[Beans&Toast]

I have this issue with Toast, grass is a big no no for her, which is a shame because she loves it. It sets off her IC and results in bad bloat. Sometimes she can tolerate very small amounts but it still doesn't agree with her so I end up having to sneak grass to Beans or taking Beans out for grass time on her own

 

[rome_italy]

I agree with furryfriends... not eating grass and eating too much fruit and pellets often cause troubles... (fruit changes the urine PH).
Maybe the relapse of the disease is not linked with the food, but with the bacteria and the previous damage (or the imbalance due to the treatments). I would not stop serving grass...
Have you heard about the property of cranberry juice? I copy-paste from a forum this old post (from 2009):

"100% cranberry juice is great for piggies! You need to heavily dilute it though, it's not meant to be consumed by anyone (or any pig) concentrated

I usually put about half an inch or so in the bottom of their bottles and fill up with water - essentially you want the water just pinkish, not red. Especially at first they will want it more diluted.

It's great for keeping UTI's at bay, and does wonders for my girl with interstitial cystitis."

I also give my piggies a spoon of cranberry diluited 1:1 with water, only because they don't drink any water and love the syringe with this mix inside and my vet agrees saying that it won't harm for sure.

 

[Veggies Galore]

Why do you think it's grass? Surely grass is one of the most natural foods for a piggy.

It seems to more than just coincidence that I've only seen pink stains on his bedding over winter - and now I'm seeing red stains now he's started eating grass again .

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

When piggies are eating a lot of grass and other vegetation the urine can take on a reddish/brown colouration. The piggies at TEAS eat a hay and grass diet all year round, with a small amount of vegetables once a day and nuggets are fed as a treat rather than a meal. I have never had a bladder issue (infection, stone etc) with any of them. Their bodies are designed to eat this sort of diet. This is the reason that their teeth grow continuously, as eating a very abrasive diet, such as grass, would wear the teeth away in no time.

 

[rome_italy]

When piggies are eating a lot of grass and other vegetation the urine can take on a reddish/brown colouration. The piggies at TEAS eat a hay and grass diet all year round, with a small amount of vegetables once a day and nuggets are fed as a treat rather than a meal. I have never had a bladder issue (infection, stone etc) with any of them. Their bodies are designed to eat this sort of diet. This is the reason that their teeth grow continuously, as eating a very abrasive diet, such as grass, would wear the teeth away in no time.

This post by @furryfriends (TEAS) seems to have been written by my vet... same words! He adds also that he is a owner of very old piggies who had never developed the "usual" deseases typical of piggies fed in the "usual" wrong way (pellets, no grass, too much vegs with a wrong ratio calcium: phosphorus and a poor nutritional value).
I adopted a piggie who came home with an alert from the vet because her bladder seemed to be delicate and her urine was not that perfect. Then I educated her to eat a huge amount of fresh grass, I add some drops of cranberry which she loves mixed in water and her wee looks now better than mine... clear, no residual calcium, no pain when I touch her belly...
The fact is that when a bladder is ruined because of months/years of wrong habits, it is difficult to go back and fix the things... I had a piggie died for the consequences of his wrong diet based on old-fashionable and outdated beliefs, such as "no grass because it blows up the belly" and "good quality pellets are a good and safe food". Never more.

 

[pig in the city]

Sorry to hear this Lisa, do you think it might not be the grass but something to do with perhaps going outside? Could he be stressed by it? I too find it unlikely that grass would trigger a flare up. As you know l have several piggies with treated IC and they all have grass regularly, most of the year.

 

[Tiamolly123]

But you can't get grass all the time, I grow mine in a couple of old cages, because I worry that my lawn grass may be contaminated. Also what about wet grass?

 

[rome_italy]

I always spray grass with water before serving it to the piggies... they prefer eating wet grass.
I am lucky because in my district there are a lot of lawns and little areas and they are not contaminated:


then there are some parks (but grass there is too dry now)...
But having visited England I remember so many green lawns there... Maybe a short walk and a search. I find the best grass also at the garden around a supermarket here; I always go around with bag and knife...

 

[Veggies Galore]

Sorry to hear this Lisa, do you think it might not be the grass but something to do with perhaps going outside? Could he be stressed by it? I too find it unlikely that grass would trigger a flare up. As you know l have several piggies with treated IC and they all have grass regularly, most of the year.

Good point Perhaps he'd be better off staying in when the others have grass time - and getting his as a home delivery

 

[pig in the city]

But you can't get grass all the time, I grow mine in a couple of old cages, because I worry that my lawn grass may be contaminated. Also what about wet grass?

I manage to pick grass from a local churchyard most of the year, also l dry grass to make my own hay when there is a glut (like now) which l feed in the winter. Plus l use readigrass when no grass available and of course lots of nice hay!

 

[rome_italy]

I manage to pick grass from a local churchyard most of the year, also l dry grass to make my own hay when there is a glut (like now) which l feed in the winter. Plus l use readigrass when no grass available and of course lots of nice hay!

I did the same when a large park here had plenty of good grass. I produced a very good hay which is still green and smells nice. My neighbours here in my building were astonished at looking at my balcony filled with hay lied down to dry .
My piggies loved it and I cut new grass again, but the second cut was bad... too hard strings... I had to throw it away...
Now I would like to drive to the mountains near Rome and give it a try again... I could plan a "piggie-nic" with my family... my piggies have never seen a lawn... born and grown up into flats only... (they have fear also of the wind...)