White spots???

[Pepperpiggie]

So I gather up the fleece in my girl's cage to put in the wash when I notice white spots here and there. Does anyone know what this is? Or what causes it?

[coalregioncavie]

It could be calcium deposits from the urine. Do you feed kale and romaine lettuce? They are higher in calcium than red leaf. They can have it of course but it may be too much. If they seem to be having some discomfort when urinating, it could be kidney stones. Have they lost weight? When in doubt check with a vet.'

[Pepperpiggie]

I do give them romaine lettuce, but no weight loss..

[coalregioncavie]

I would try red or green leaf with romaine as a treat. All urine has some calcium...just watch for discomfort.
Stones are very painful and they cannot be passed. But it sounds like it is just the pee staining the fabric. I also saw white spots on my fabric when I would change the cage and they needed to "mark" their spot.

Edited by bpatters: If you're having trouble with white spots, don't feed romaine at all. Stones are sometimes painful, sometimes not, and can sometimes be passed. Guinea pigs have no need to mark a spot.

[bpatters]

White spots in the urine are excess calcium, which can be caused by many things or combinations of things: the pig's own genetics, diet, water, infection, etc.

A diet too high in calcium can contribute to spotting. Romaine lettuce causes problems for some pigs, but not for others. Oxbow Cavy Cuisine pellets do the same thing -- some pigs have problems, some don't.

If you live in an area with hard water, you should use a filter, but be sure to change it on a regular basis.

See http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...ants-list.html for what you can feed and how often, and pay close attention to the calcium content.

[CanadianComforts]

And don't just blame romaine, it could be ANYTHING your feeding. From your pellets to you hay to any fruits or veggies. I would personally do up a list and check out the information for nutritional stats. Oxbow has a pretty high calcium % for example. I switched to a lower calcium brand but I hear KMS has a better formula with their pellets. Timothy hay believe it has more calcium than say Orchard Grass hay.

I've been trying to cut back as much calcium as possible with my pigs and its been interesting that's for sure. I've learned a lot while doing it.