bbddf
New Born Pup
* Disclaimer: This is only a theory that I have come up with. It is not a diagnosis. I am not a medical professional or veterinarian. I made an effort to use reputable resources. I have provided references in relation to my ideas. This is my own research. Please know, I am not forcing the idea that you must have grain-free food for all guinea pigs, this is aimed at guinea pigs with recurring bladder symptoms affecting their quality of life as a suggestion that it could be worth trying. I am not saying that guinea pigs with bladder problems must be on grain-free food. Please know, I am not saying that grain-free food is a cure, only that it is something to consider. *
A common health issue for guinea pigs is recurring urinary tract infections, crystals in urine, bladder sludge and development of bladder stones. Despite some pigs being put on a different hay, going pellet-less (or changing pellet brands), having a low calcium diet, surgeries, and taking medication, the issue persists. How is it that other guinea pigs on the same diet and so forth do not suffer in the same way?
It is always said that these problems to do with the bladder are from excess calcium, even though other guinea pigs around them consume the same amount... So, one must ask, why them? Is it genetics? Or is there an external factor affecting the way that these guinea pigs are processing calcium in their bodies? Right now, no one has an answer for how some guinea pigs are susceptible.
Guinea pigs have been used consistently in laboratories since the 18th century to research health issues, create medicine or vaccines (and cosmetics), study mechanisms of the body, and they are to greatly to thank for the medical knowledge that society has today. Guinea pigs were “…used by medical researchers as laboratory animals because they have many biological similarities to humans”. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200616100818.htm#:~:text=In%20the%2018th%20century%20guinea,a%20guinea%20pig'%20in%20research.)
“In science, the guinea pig is best known as one of the gold standards for modelling human disease. It is used as a model for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, leukemia, melanoma, and arthritis, among other disorders. The guinea pig is especially important as a model for the human immune system, as its immunological genes are more similar to human than are the mouse’s genes. It is currently our best model for testing biodefense agents and is critical for vaccine testing. The guinea pig is also useful for toxicological studies, since it is exquisitely sensitive to toxic effects and has similar reactivity to humans.” (Guinea Pig Genome Project)
“The few studies involving genetics of the guinea pig have revealed striking immunologic similarities between guinea pigs and humans.” (Europe PMC) Considering the strong resemblance that a guinea pig has to human bodily functions, it cannot be dismissed that a human ailment could be applied as the cause behind the unfortunate symptoms some guinea pigs face with their bladder. We look to calcium in guinea pigs’ food as the reason this may happen, however gluten is now something that should be considered as a reason for their symptoms.
Celiac disease is an allergy to gluten and an inability to digest gluten properly. This negatively impairs bodily functions by treating gluten as an attack on the immune system. There is also gluten insensitivity and intolerance, however these are not as severe, but still do present unfavorable symptoms. There are a range of symptoms in Celiac disease, but the focus here is to look at how Celiac disease may contribute to urinary tract infections and further bladder or kidney issues.
This is all written with the idea that a guinea pig could have Celiac disease or sensitivities and intolerances to gluten. It is exploring an idea that may not have been considered for treatment. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and most grains, which most of the time makes up the bulk of guinea pig pellets. There is evidence that Celiac disease is linked to negative bladder function. Allergies cause the body to release a chemical called histamine. As Celiac disease is an allergy to gluten, when it is consumed histamine will be released as a form of protection for the immune system and because of this “…patients with chronic bladder pain and urgency often have elevated levels of histamine and other inflammatory markers in their urine. These findings indicate that a heightened immune response in reaction to environmental or food sensitivities or allergies may be responsible for bladder symptoms.” (https://www.ic-network.com/gluten-food-sensitivities-and-ic/)
While the body is working hard on protecting itself from the invasion of gluten, other nutrients may not be absorbed into the blood stream properly. Malabsorption of food disrupts the body’s working order and “in active celiac disease, the normal mechanism to get rid of oxalate (calcium binding with oxalate) is prevented by fat malabsorption.”
“If too many fatty acids are present in the intestine, the calcium binds with them instead and is excreted as waste. The oxalate remains to be absorbed into the bloodstream by the colon where it is then excreted into the urine. This process is called enteric hyperoxaluria. “Enteric” means intestinal. “Hyper” means high. “Oxaluria” means oxalate in the urine. Calcium present in the urine binds with the oxalate to form crystals.”
“Oxalate that should have combined with calcium in the gut to be properly excreted in stool now shows up in the kidneys where it combines with calcium to be excreted in the urine. Stones form when the amounts of oxalate and calcium are high, the urine is concentrated and the pH (acidity) is low, all of which allow the calcium and oxalate to precipitate out of the urine to remain in the kidney. To illustrate this problem of concentration, think of stirring sugar into a pitcher of lemonade…add too much sugar and it begins to fall to the bottom of the pitcher.
If nothing changes, stones remain in the kidneys to grow and block the passageways of urine excretion.” (https://glutenfreeworks.com/blog/20...-calculus-causes-treatment-in-celiac-disease/)
Burgess Excel Guinea Pig Mint Nugget Ingredients - Grass, Wheat*, Soya Bean Hulls*, Oat Feed, Hi Pro Soya*, Lucerne, Yeast, Sugar Beet Pulp, Mint (1.25%), Soya Oil*, Limestone, MonoCalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Ligno-Cellulose, Short Chain Fructo-oligosaccharides(0.25%), Minerals.*
Oxbow Guinea Pig Ingredients - Timothy Grass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Wheat Middlings, Sodium Bentonite, Soybean Oil, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), Monocalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Yeast Culture, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Zinc Proteinate, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Magnesium Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate
These two brands are popular which is why I have chosen them to show. You can see that Wheat features high up in the ingredients list for them both. Oxbow uses Wheat Middlings, and they are commercially also used to create pasta, bread, cereal and so forth. Both types of guinea pig food contain gluten because they contain wheat, and this makes them not gluten-free. Celiac disease patients avoid wheat and gluten containing products to alleviate their symptoms.
My girl Daisy who I adopted as an adult six months ago has had ongoing issues with her bladder. She has had a UTI, bleeding, pain when urinating and using the toilet, crying out when toileting, thick sludge-like urine, has been on antibiotics and pain medication, has had an ultrasound and x-ray showing an excess amount of crystal in her urine. She was bloated all the time and touching her stomach was painful for her. She would get random instances of diarrhea and sometimes even bleeding from her anus. Pats were not nice for her either because she was always uncomfortable.
I changed her (their) food over a month ago – going for the one with the “0.1%” less calcium content than Burgess Excel had, out of desperation. It so happens it is grain-free because I thought “why not, give it a go, sounds good!” She is a different guinea pig. It’s the only thing I changed – diet is the same, she hasn’t been taking any medication either. She doesn’t present any of the same symptoms, her stomach is no longer a balloon and it’s actually squishy and she doesn’t bat an eye when I touch it now, her coat is the softest and silkiest it has been, when I pat her she closes her eyes in enjoyment, she’s able to run and walk around now without looking stiff in her movements, and she doesn’t cry out in pain when toileting now (which broke my heart to listen to).
Guinea pig owners that have guinea pigs who are struggling with bladder problems and who are struggling themselves to find a way to help their guinea pig – I greatly suggest trying some grain-free (gluten free) pellets for your guinea pig to see if there is some improvement. I know that medical conditions are complicated, that there is not one straightforward “recipe” and that all kinds of causes can create different symptoms, but there is no harm to try it. I didn’t transition her to her new food, I just swapped it, but I’ll leave that up to you. It has most certainly done Miss Daisy some good.
If you are interested, there are some grain-free guinea pig food brands that you should come across if you Google for "grain free guinea pig food".
Thank you for taking your time to read this, I really do hope that it was useful in some way. I also hope that if you have a guinea pig with bladder related issues that they can find good health.
***
Please check back in to update if you have a guinea pig with bladder issues, you have changed their food to a grain-free one and if there is positive improvement!
***
It would be great to get a collective idea if this does work for people and help their guinea pigs. It may end up being helpful knowledge to share further.
***
- Malabsorption
A common health issue for guinea pigs is recurring urinary tract infections, crystals in urine, bladder sludge and development of bladder stones. Despite some pigs being put on a different hay, going pellet-less (or changing pellet brands), having a low calcium diet, surgeries, and taking medication, the issue persists. How is it that other guinea pigs on the same diet and so forth do not suffer in the same way?
It is always said that these problems to do with the bladder are from excess calcium, even though other guinea pigs around them consume the same amount... So, one must ask, why them? Is it genetics? Or is there an external factor affecting the way that these guinea pigs are processing calcium in their bodies? Right now, no one has an answer for how some guinea pigs are susceptible.
Guinea pigs have been used consistently in laboratories since the 18th century to research health issues, create medicine or vaccines (and cosmetics), study mechanisms of the body, and they are to greatly to thank for the medical knowledge that society has today. Guinea pigs were “…used by medical researchers as laboratory animals because they have many biological similarities to humans”. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200616100818.htm#:~:text=In%20the%2018th%20century%20guinea,a%20guinea%20pig'%20in%20research.)
“In science, the guinea pig is best known as one of the gold standards for modelling human disease. It is used as a model for epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, leukemia, melanoma, and arthritis, among other disorders. The guinea pig is especially important as a model for the human immune system, as its immunological genes are more similar to human than are the mouse’s genes. It is currently our best model for testing biodefense agents and is critical for vaccine testing. The guinea pig is also useful for toxicological studies, since it is exquisitely sensitive to toxic effects and has similar reactivity to humans.” (Guinea Pig Genome Project)
“The few studies involving genetics of the guinea pig have revealed striking immunologic similarities between guinea pigs and humans.” (Europe PMC) Considering the strong resemblance that a guinea pig has to human bodily functions, it cannot be dismissed that a human ailment could be applied as the cause behind the unfortunate symptoms some guinea pigs face with their bladder. We look to calcium in guinea pigs’ food as the reason this may happen, however gluten is now something that should be considered as a reason for their symptoms.
Celiac disease is an allergy to gluten and an inability to digest gluten properly. This negatively impairs bodily functions by treating gluten as an attack on the immune system. There is also gluten insensitivity and intolerance, however these are not as severe, but still do present unfavorable symptoms. There are a range of symptoms in Celiac disease, but the focus here is to look at how Celiac disease may contribute to urinary tract infections and further bladder or kidney issues.
This is all written with the idea that a guinea pig could have Celiac disease or sensitivities and intolerances to gluten. It is exploring an idea that may not have been considered for treatment. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and most grains, which most of the time makes up the bulk of guinea pig pellets. There is evidence that Celiac disease is linked to negative bladder function. Allergies cause the body to release a chemical called histamine. As Celiac disease is an allergy to gluten, when it is consumed histamine will be released as a form of protection for the immune system and because of this “…patients with chronic bladder pain and urgency often have elevated levels of histamine and other inflammatory markers in their urine. These findings indicate that a heightened immune response in reaction to environmental or food sensitivities or allergies may be responsible for bladder symptoms.” (https://www.ic-network.com/gluten-food-sensitivities-and-ic/)
While the body is working hard on protecting itself from the invasion of gluten, other nutrients may not be absorbed into the blood stream properly. Malabsorption of food disrupts the body’s working order and “in active celiac disease, the normal mechanism to get rid of oxalate (calcium binding with oxalate) is prevented by fat malabsorption.”
“If too many fatty acids are present in the intestine, the calcium binds with them instead and is excreted as waste. The oxalate remains to be absorbed into the bloodstream by the colon where it is then excreted into the urine. This process is called enteric hyperoxaluria. “Enteric” means intestinal. “Hyper” means high. “Oxaluria” means oxalate in the urine. Calcium present in the urine binds with the oxalate to form crystals.”
“Oxalate that should have combined with calcium in the gut to be properly excreted in stool now shows up in the kidneys where it combines with calcium to be excreted in the urine. Stones form when the amounts of oxalate and calcium are high, the urine is concentrated and the pH (acidity) is low, all of which allow the calcium and oxalate to precipitate out of the urine to remain in the kidney. To illustrate this problem of concentration, think of stirring sugar into a pitcher of lemonade…add too much sugar and it begins to fall to the bottom of the pitcher.
If nothing changes, stones remain in the kidneys to grow and block the passageways of urine excretion.” (https://glutenfreeworks.com/blog/20...-calculus-causes-treatment-in-celiac-disease/)
Burgess Excel Guinea Pig Mint Nugget Ingredients - Grass, Wheat*, Soya Bean Hulls*, Oat Feed, Hi Pro Soya*, Lucerne, Yeast, Sugar Beet Pulp, Mint (1.25%), Soya Oil*, Limestone, MonoCalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Ligno-Cellulose, Short Chain Fructo-oligosaccharides(0.25%), Minerals.*
Oxbow Guinea Pig Ingredients - Timothy Grass Meal, Soybean Hulls, Soybean Meal, Cane Molasses, Wheat Middlings, Sodium Bentonite, Soybean Oil, Salt, Lignin Sulfonate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Monophosphate (Vitamin C), Monocalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Yeast Culture, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Zinc Proteinate, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Magnesium Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate
These two brands are popular which is why I have chosen them to show. You can see that Wheat features high up in the ingredients list for them both. Oxbow uses Wheat Middlings, and they are commercially also used to create pasta, bread, cereal and so forth. Both types of guinea pig food contain gluten because they contain wheat, and this makes them not gluten-free. Celiac disease patients avoid wheat and gluten containing products to alleviate their symptoms.
My girl Daisy who I adopted as an adult six months ago has had ongoing issues with her bladder. She has had a UTI, bleeding, pain when urinating and using the toilet, crying out when toileting, thick sludge-like urine, has been on antibiotics and pain medication, has had an ultrasound and x-ray showing an excess amount of crystal in her urine. She was bloated all the time and touching her stomach was painful for her. She would get random instances of diarrhea and sometimes even bleeding from her anus. Pats were not nice for her either because she was always uncomfortable.
I changed her (their) food over a month ago – going for the one with the “0.1%” less calcium content than Burgess Excel had, out of desperation. It so happens it is grain-free because I thought “why not, give it a go, sounds good!” She is a different guinea pig. It’s the only thing I changed – diet is the same, she hasn’t been taking any medication either. She doesn’t present any of the same symptoms, her stomach is no longer a balloon and it’s actually squishy and she doesn’t bat an eye when I touch it now, her coat is the softest and silkiest it has been, when I pat her she closes her eyes in enjoyment, she’s able to run and walk around now without looking stiff in her movements, and she doesn’t cry out in pain when toileting now (which broke my heart to listen to).
Guinea pig owners that have guinea pigs who are struggling with bladder problems and who are struggling themselves to find a way to help their guinea pig – I greatly suggest trying some grain-free (gluten free) pellets for your guinea pig to see if there is some improvement. I know that medical conditions are complicated, that there is not one straightforward “recipe” and that all kinds of causes can create different symptoms, but there is no harm to try it. I didn’t transition her to her new food, I just swapped it, but I’ll leave that up to you. It has most certainly done Miss Daisy some good.
If you are interested, there are some grain-free guinea pig food brands that you should come across if you Google for "grain free guinea pig food".
Thank you for taking your time to read this, I really do hope that it was useful in some way. I also hope that if you have a guinea pig with bladder related issues that they can find good health.
***
Please check back in to update if you have a guinea pig with bladder issues, you have changed their food to a grain-free one and if there is positive improvement!
***
It would be great to get a collective idea if this does work for people and help their guinea pigs. It may end up being helpful knowledge to share further.
***
- Malabsorption
Last edited by a moderator:
just keeps things in a simple way 