Low calcium diet

[Loralay93]

Hi everyone
My piggy has been on a low calcium diet for a long time. Our vet took an x-ray and they found crystals in her bladder last week. Because of that she has urinary track infection. She is having trouble with peeing, and now also pooping.
I want to give her vegetables which compatible with her low calcium diet and high in fiber.
Any suggestions?

 

[Piggies&buns]

The guide below details piggies who require special diets.
Avoid veg such as kale, parsley and spinach.
However, the best thing you can do to lower calcium intake is to use a low calcium pellet and keep it strictly limited to one tablespoon of pellets per day. Also if you live in a hard water area then filter your piggies drinking water. Less pellets and filtered water will lower the calcium intake dramatically. Even low calcium pellets contain more calcium than the highest calcium veg.
It will take a couple of weeks for any diet changes to have an effect
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

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[Loralay93]

Thank you for your answer.I'll check that link.

I buy her muesli mix because they don't sell just pellets for guinea pigs.
She drinks bottled water.
Also, we don't have timothy hay or something like that in Turkey. They sell mixed-grass called orchard grass.

She has been eating carrot slices (a few times a week), romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, cherry tomato, green or yellow (a few times a week) bell peppers, zucchini slices (a few times a week). This is what our vet suggested.

However, the other day I read an article about the calcium-phosphorus ratio. I want to balance her diet to add cilantro in her salad, but I'm really afraid to do it because of the crystals.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Orchard grass is absolutely fine to feed.

Really keep that muesli incredibly limited then. I understand your situation with it, but muesli really is not good for piggies at all, the seeds are a risk to them and the grains they contain aren’t healthy For them.

Carrot is too sugary and cherry tomatoes are too acidic and should be kept as a treat and should not feature in their regular diet - they can be fed but no more than once per week. Bell pepper can be given every day - it contains a good amount of vitamin c. You can add in the cilantro (it also contains vit c), just a couple of sprigs each day.

The calcium:phosphorous ratio and calcium absorption process is a very complex one.

Do read the guides as they contain a lot of very useful information for piggies with bladder issues.

Pellets Or Muesli / Dry Mix?

It would be useful if you could add your location to your profile as it will then show up on every post you make, and knowing your location can help us tailor our advice

 

[Loralay93]

Thank you so much. I'll do that.