[Gpdd] Health: Softwood bedding and liver disease

[Lisa Choiniere]

Please keep in mind that you should first of all never be using cedar because it reacts with chemicals in our piggies urine and causes toxic fumes. Secondly, if you use other softwood like pine, as I do, you have to make sure it says KILN-DRIED on the bag. Not all of them do because not all of them are. If you buy it in the pet store, the likelihood of it being kiln-dried is 50-50. Kiln drying the shavings does a couple of things: burns of the aromatic oils, kills the bigs like running lice and mites, and makes it more absorbent. If it does not say it on the bag it is NOT kiln-dried.

Now, also keep in mind there are a lot of other factors going into this study as in, the cage is dirty. Urine has chemicals in it like ammonia which I am sure is far more toxic than pine shavings unless of course you are mixing it with aromatics in cedar shavings or non-kiln-dried shavings. 

So don't get all panicked over one study. I use pine shavings. I will always use pine shavings, except for my sickly pigs because it is both cost and time effective for me right now. 

And look for KILN-DRIED on the bag. The best place to buy shavings is at the feed store or a place like Tractor Supply or something similar.

Be well,
Lisa and the gang at Wheeks and Squeaks

 		
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