[Gpdd] HEALTH Cherry - calcium additives.

[Penny Charlesworth]

Debbie,

When I bought my calcium tablets, I took Peter's book with me to the chemists and they sold me a bottle with the same name as in the book. This was some years ago now and they have been thrown out as they were past their use by date.

If you can buy liquid Osteocare, this is excellent. We have only recently been able to buy it here in England and I thought that you would have trouble buying it so I didn't mention it before. Of course, I don't know what is wrong with Cherry but giving her Osteocare will do no harm even if it doesn't help.

There are no nasty additives or lactose in it and Chris at Cavies' Castle told me that the piggy will only take the amount of calcium it needs from the dose. Give 1ml. for a couple of days, reducing it to 0.5ml for a few more days. By then, you will know if it is doing any good and if not, another diagnosis might be available.

I'm so glad that she doesn't seem to have broken anything. I'm sure that she would give a good yelp if you were manipulating the leg and it hurt. Maybe she just knocked her leg and with time it will heal.

My Rolo's leg stiffened up with arthritis in old age. His leg was completely immobile and he had a square of VetBed to lie on as he could not get around. At first he would try to drag himself about and because of the stiff leg he occasionally rolled himself over so I had to pack VetBed around him to keep him upright. He soon stopped trying to move and would recline on his VetBed waiting for food to be put right in front of his nose. I started him on pain meds but he didn't seem to be in any pain as he happily munched away and chatted to the girls in the next door pen. Maybe Cherry could benefit from some pain relief. Only you can tell.

Good luck with Cherry,

Penny and the Piggyfriends.