[Gpdd] [HEALTH] <Eurologist versus Shilintong>

[Janneke Staaks]

Hi Janelle,
First of all, i hope pepper gets better soon! Give her an extra (careful) 
cuddle from us.
Since i didn't think eurologist would be available in the US i didn't write 
about it, but since you found it, it might be useful to write what i found 
so far.

First of all, we're still a bit undecided about which one is best. I already 
knew what you wrote about eurologist about it being able to dissolve 
crystals and has a strong antibacterial function and just causes the pig to 
pee more. (I don't know Lysium, but lotje has no stones, just crystals) I 
found also more information about shilintong on guinealynx (the stones page 
http://www.guinealynx.com/stones.html ). they refer to an experiment on rats 
and they found that their control group more often had stones than the group 
that was on shilintong (as a scientists, i like a good group comparison, in 
a single case you can never know what exactly caused the stone to go away, 
although i do not really approve of doing tests on animals) they also said 
that it increased the excretion of citrate. Since lotje has such alcalic 
urine (lower than normal guinea pigs, which is low to begin with) this might 
be a good idea.
So, healthwise, both seem to be a good idea.

Moneywise, shilintong is the best idea.

Then there is the practical side. I heard so far that guinea pigs do not 
really like shilintong, it has a strong smell. I heard about eurologist that 
it has no taste and is, in general, well liked by guinea pigs (we all know 
that pigs can differ terribly in their taste so no definite predictions 
about lotje's perferences here)
The administering is also different. You have to dissolve shilintong in 
water to ged rid of the hard coat, then crush it, dissolve it in 2 cc water 
an then feed the pig 1 cc twice a day.
Eurologist are tablets which you feed the pig directly (two pills twice a 
day). For me, feeding directly is just easier.
So practically speaking, eurologist seems to be the winner. Also because i 
already hate giving lotje her antibiotics daily, since she hates the taste, 
and giving her something, long term, that she hates, while there is a better 
alternative... but you never know with pigs.

But, we had a very sweet offer from sherry since she had a bottle of 
shilintong sitting on her shelf(thank you, sherry!!!Piggy people are the 
best!!) so we're trying that first (we'll let you know how that works out). 
If it doesn't work, it's easy enough to get the eurologist since that is 
more easily available here.

My vet never heard about any of them. I did email her with the information 
after our visit but i didn't receive an answer. (it did not really require 
an answer btw.).
Is pepper really that restless? maybe you can help holding her paws? Our 
lotje didn't get anesthetics for this, we weren't there so i don't know how 
they did it. If they really have to, try to let them give her gas, this is 
much less dangerous than an injection. Or consider an ultrasound, they don't 
need anesthetics for that (they do need to shave her belly, miss lotje is 
still insulted about that ;-) ). X ray is clearer but an ultrasound also had 
the advantage that you can see stones that are not made of calcium (phosphor 
doesn't show up on an x-ray)

Warm wheeks back to you!! Especially for poor Pepper.
Grtz&Wkz
Janneke