Low Calcium Diet

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LeahsPiggies

LeahsPiggies

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Hi, I made a post in 'The Guinea Pig Chat' thread about low calcium vegetables, but I thought it would be more sufficient to ask here instead.

My Porche piggie has began squeaking when weeing again (we have a vet appointment lined up) .. I am very worried that she has a stone.

I want to switch all of my pigs onto a low calcium diet, but I really need help on what to feed daily .. this includes vegetables and pellets - and what amounts.

I have looked at various threads and stickies, which have said to chose high calcium veggies aswell as low calcium to get an appropriate ratio - but I'm sure all of those bladder pig owners can relate, I get very paranoid about choosing the correct foods.

Advice would be greatly appreciated, as we are off shopping later and I can add stuff to the shopping list :) thanks in advance.
 
In Germany we would don´t give dry food and more fresh food and helpfully herbs. (it´s possible and not so hard than many think ^^)
Maybe you can try "Eurologist" or something that is like that, heard that it helps many piggies with the same problem :)
 
Fibrefirst guinea pig is low calcium - and vetcare multimodal food is very low calcium - it is basically fibrefirst with added cranberry and nettle and echinachia extract to help promote bladder health - it is available online from vetuk and was recommended by my exotics specialist vet -
 
There are currently two schools of thought out there. One is the ph : ca ratio theory and another one is a strictly low calcium diet. They are not to be confused.

Personally, the phosphorus/calcium diet hasn't worked for me; it is VERY difficult to get the ratios just straight in practice. Because you actually have to feed A LOT of high calcium veg and herbs to get the ratio right, anytime you miss the exact balance you promote the growth of stones/sludge.

I have had much more success with just keeping it low calcium, but that also includes the pellet and water intake. Other forum members with piggies with a history of bladder problems also have had better success with a low calcium diet. What everybody feeds in terms of veg varies slightly, but as long as you keep to low calcium veg, filtered water and about 10g of pellets per piggy per day (unfortunately, there are no low calcium pellets produced in this country), you should not go grossly wrong. I would recommend to use peppers and coriander/cilantro for vitamin C and to feed a small amount of spring greens for magnesium. Unfortunately, most veg and herbs high in vitamin C and magnesium are also high in calcium.

You can find stickies about either diet at the top of this section.
 
I'm at present switching over to a German food called Bunny, yes it is for guinea pigs & not for rabbits. It's low in calcium & I just give 5 pellets per day to my piggies. It's possible that not all are eating it as there's 5 piggies in each group but it is being eaten. I'm pretty certain that they do need some calcium in their diet for teeth & bones etc but most pellets have too much.
 
Unfortunately I have had quote a few bladder piggies. I use the Ratewatchers diet now which is (I believe) the phosphorous/calcium one Wiebke refers to. I am not sure how good it is but its worked for me so far and its become a kind of comfort blanket that I fear if I stop doing it I will have issues again! I have been using it for about 7 years now. Every day I weigh their food out with the right combinations...OCD I know but I am just terrified they will get problems.

The one thing I would say is that I used to feed a lot of veggies. When I cut them down with this diet and upped hay to ad lib I noticed they drank more (no water content in hay) this then helps them stay hydrated and also helps flush through the kidneys and bladder. Its just an observation but again it all helps.

I also moved them from Cavy Cuisine to a very small amount of Supreme (although they hardly eat it now).

If she is having issues then I would highly recommend syringing with water twice a day. My bladder girl lasted for over 7 years with two ops to remove stones. After the second op my vet recommended (if I was commited enough) to syringe water (15ml) twice a day. I did this until the day she passed on and she never had stones again for over 5 years.....if I have one with cystitis I do a weeks syringing and this helps too.

I also only give them filtered water, being a hardwater area they NEVER get tapwater any more.

I hope she is OK, bladder issues are a real nuisance but can be managed. Fingers crossed she's fine and its just a mild infection xx
 
Very interesting thread, all my animals have filtered water as we live in a hard water area. Is it worth switching to Bunny as a preventative measure?
I try to stick to mostly low calcium veg anyway.
 
Thank you all, very helpful! What kinds of veg can I feed daily then? And what quantities?
 
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