[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Guinea Pig Diet

[Dr Kay Dudman]

There have been several posts about diet, especially in the context of
loose droppings.  My little Pearl was a bit like that the other day, and I
was advised by my Vet to restrict her diet to hay, water and dry mix for 2
to 3 days and also give her Bio-Lapis (rehydration salts with vitamins,
enzymes, and some other good things).  She is fine now.  I wouldn't advise
going on to a dry diet for any longer than that (unless recommended by a
vet for a specific reason) as piggies need fresh veggies in their diet.
The "complete" dry feeds are not really complete without supporting salad,
water and hay.

I give my piggies the following selection for their breakfast.  I always
wash their food, and pop it in to a saucepan of warm water before serving
to take any chill off food from the fridge.

chicory
celery
spring greens
carrot
fine or green beans
baby sweet corn
flat or curly parsley, or carrot tops

I tend not to give them broccoli as I have found it gives them wind in
their tummies.  I stopped giving kale when one of my piggies developed a
bladder stone, but there is conflicting advice here: one vet told me that
in his opinion the metabolism of kale works to prevent bladder stones.
Sometimes they get green cabbage leaf instead of spring greens.

I think variety and balance is the key, while maintaining consistency in
the variety (i.e. not changing the diet on a daily basis, but giving a
variety of choice each day, but not too much of any one thing).

They then have dry mix later in the day, and hay and water all the time.
In the summer they go out on the grass, starting for a short time, and
then building up so they don't eat too much of the new grass (and only
under supervision, as we have foxes and cats around), and have treats of
dandelion and the occasional piece of apple.  Brave Bess likes a little
bit of banana from time to time, but this is a taste Adrian and Pearl
don't share.

If the phosphorus-calcium ratio is too high in favour of calcium, it could
trigger the formation of bladder stones, but if it is too high the other
way, it could cause calcium to be taken out of the bones and then piggies
could end up with osteoporosis or brittle bones.  My vet told me that the
formation of bladder stones in guinea pigs is not well understood.  On a
related front he also told me that cats can get cytitis from stress (i.e.
not infection, but inflammation), and this is referred to as idiopathic,
but it is not known if guinea pigs react in the same way.

Bess would like to thank everyone who has written about her bravery!

Kay