Hello all
This is my first post on the forum. Firstly, I wanted to say how helpful I have found the forum over the years, it's such a brilliant resource for information and advice about piggies! I am currently dealing with my first ever bladder stone in my neutered male piggie (Daryl) - he is nearly 4 yrs old and lives with my nearly 4 year old sow (Hazel). He was a rescue pig so I have only had him since he was 2 yrs old and I don't know much about his history. I'm absolutely gutted about the stone - he is booked in for surgery on Monday next week (18th March) and I'm very nervous as I have lost a piggy in the past during general anesthetic. My local vets is Goddard vets in Ewell (Anne O'Meara and the team) and i've always taken my piggies to this practice - they are brilliant with piggies. I guess the reason for my post is I would like some advice on low calcium diet as I am worried about stones making a re-occurrence. I have had a previous sow who suffered terribly with interstitial cystitis so my piggies are already on grain free pellets, filtered water (we have a water softener), lots of timothy hay and I feed mostly low calcium veggies (romaine lettuce, bell pepper, cucumber, celery, coriander plus I mix things up with other bits and bobs). In summer when they are outside - they mostly get grass (although I do forage for dandelions, groundsel and other edible wild plants). I'm now thinking I will take them off pellets completely. Is there anything else I can do? Any tips and advice greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Viv
This is my first post on the forum. Firstly, I wanted to say how helpful I have found the forum over the years, it's such a brilliant resource for information and advice about piggies! I am currently dealing with my first ever bladder stone in my neutered male piggie (Daryl) - he is nearly 4 yrs old and lives with my nearly 4 year old sow (Hazel). He was a rescue pig so I have only had him since he was 2 yrs old and I don't know much about his history. I'm absolutely gutted about the stone - he is booked in for surgery on Monday next week (18th March) and I'm very nervous as I have lost a piggy in the past during general anesthetic. My local vets is Goddard vets in Ewell (Anne O'Meara and the team) and i've always taken my piggies to this practice - they are brilliant with piggies. I guess the reason for my post is I would like some advice on low calcium diet as I am worried about stones making a re-occurrence. I have had a previous sow who suffered terribly with interstitial cystitis so my piggies are already on grain free pellets, filtered water (we have a water softener), lots of timothy hay and I feed mostly low calcium veggies (romaine lettuce, bell pepper, cucumber, celery, coriander plus I mix things up with other bits and bobs). In summer when they are outside - they mostly get grass (although I do forage for dandelions, groundsel and other edible wild plants). I'm now thinking I will take them off pellets completely. Is there anything else I can do? Any tips and advice greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Viv
. Other piggy seems to be doing OK, she's a bit stressed but is eating. I have contacted my local rescues and will adopt a friend for her. I will look into filtered water but I am obviously hoping that I wont come across a bladder stone again! Thanks again.
(((hugs))) x
