Gritty urine

[ScrappyDo]

For the past 3-4 days, Rose has had crystallized urine. She is drinking and peeing normally. Her diet consisted of filtered mineral water (I just read this was bad. Do I switch to tap water?), 1 hhb a day or 1/8 tsp of Henry vitamins mashed in a tsp of avocado. She gets romaine, broccoli, cauliflower, dandelion greens, arugula, snow peas, and Chinese cabbage. (Not all in one day) 1-2 pieces of fruit-usually apple, papaya, orange, and she likes to chew banana peels sometimes. She very rarely gets a small piece of fresh corn. She was probably getting too many nuts (I've had a serious talk with my husband about this!!!). Right now, she is getting 1-2 hhb (probably eats 1 all together), romaine lettuce, and 1/3 capsules of dmannos with cranactin mixed with colloidal silver. 2 different urine test strips turned blue immediately (9 ph). How can I help her quickly! I've read so much I'm confused (I have terrible brain fog from an autoimmune disorder) so I need someone to just tell me the steps I need to take please and not send links. lol Thank you!
Edited to add: she turned 1 this February.

[SophieSquirrel]

For the past 3-4 days, Rose has had crystallized urine. She is drinking and peeing normally. Her diet consisted of filtered mineral water (I just read this was bad. Do I switch to tap water?), 1 hhb a day or 1/8 tsp of Henry vitamins mashed in a tsp of avocado. She gets romaine, broccoli, cauliflower, dandelion greens, arugula, snow peas, and Chinese cabbage. (Not all in one day) 1-2 pieces of fruit-usually apple, papaya, orange, and she likes to chew banana peels sometimes. She very rarely gets a small piece of fresh corn. She was probably getting too many nuts (I've had a serious talk with my husband about this!!!). Right now, she is getting 1-2 hhb (probably eats 1 all together), romaine lettuce, and 1/3 capsules of dmannos with cranactin mixed with colloidal silver. 2 different urine test strips turned blue immediately (9 ph). How can I help her quickly! I've read so much I'm confused (I have terrible brain fog from an autoimmune disorder) so I need someone to just tell me the steps I need to take please and not send links. lol Thank you!
Edited to add: she turned 1 this February.

My first thought would be to treat for a UTI. Do you have any SMZ-TMP (Sulfatrim) antibiotic? It's a safe and slow acting antibiotic so the sooner you start her on it the better. Not sure what part of Florida you are in. There is Dr. Diaz (Exotic Animal Hosp) in Orlando who is one of the top vets and Dr. Emerson in Port Orange. Can she be handled by a vet at least to be weighed for dosing? If you have a gram scale you may be able to get a call in script from Dr. E.

First I would cut out the Colloidal Silver as the FDA has recommended against using this for humans so I would not use it on a squirrel. Don't know enough about Dmannos with Cranactin so perhaps Diggie's friend or someone else may be around to answer if this is safe for squirrels. It's probably better to get the SMZ-TMP dosed by squirrel weight in a compounded form than trying to mix yourself from tablets since squirrel friendly vets abound in Florida.

Diet might be a little heavy on the fruit (sugar feeding bacteria) and veggies high in Oxalates. You may need more of a base block diet like Teklad 2018 or Mazuri Rodent along with the 2 HHB's. I know the Chinchilla people recommend tap water because the chlorine supposedly helps prevent mouth infections - so they claim. I just use plain tap water on mine. Tap water is better than the pesticide, chemical and bacteria laced water she would drink in the wild - ESPECIALLY in Florida.

[CritterMom]

I would also try getting her to the 2 HHBs a day and cut out the Henry's vitamins. When doing the MBD treatment to a squirrel, one of the signs that you are giving more calcium than the body is able to absorb is gritty, white residue left behind when the urine dries, which is, literally, calcium/mineral powder.

[ScrappyDo]

I would also try getting her to the 2 HHBs a day and cut out the Henry's vitamins. When doing the MBD treatment to a squirrel, one of the signs that you are giving more calcium tgat the body is able to absorb is gritty, white residue left behind when the urine dries, which is, literally, calcium/mineral powder.

She absolutely refuses to eat any other block besides hhb and she's been that way since she was weaned. She smells every one (I've bought them ALL) and squeaks and runs away like they are poison. I try her on them periodically and it's always the same. The past few days she is still only eating an average of 1 hhb with a bit of romaine, but I can cut out the romaine until she is eating 2 hhb. I just switched her to tap water. I can get antibiotics from her vet. Thanks

[Diggie's Friend]

It may be the duplication of calcium in the diet that is causing the crystals, yet with the raw greens you feed it could be from the high pH they also promote.

The biggest impact to pH comes from nuts, or greens, balancing these opposite pH promoting sources in the diet is key to supporting and maintaining a healthy urine pH in the mid to high 6 range. (6.4 - 6.8) that inhibits urinary calculi formation.

When the diet is too high in pH, the body will dump Calcium phosphate (the two key components of mammal bone) into the urine to maintain a static pH in the bloodstream. Then in the urine this compound precipitates out into a disassociated mass of crystals instead of forming a aggregate of crystals in the form of large stones. These collect in a mass of crystals in the bladder, which abrade the lining and can cause an infection. The infection causes bacteria to increase in the bladder which promotes alkaline urine pH. ABs may also be needed.

If the original cause was from a UTI, the solution is the same, for to correct this condition the urine needs to be acidified. And though the diet may indeed be high in oxalates, with the present super high pH, the formation of alkaline Calcium phosphate crystals will occur. Any Calcium oxalate crystals present aren't going to be dissolved by alkaline pH, only passed; the focus then is to move the urine pH down into a healthy range that will dissolved the calcium phosphate crystals, and to lower the oxalates in the diet by boiling high pH greens that eliminates high pH and oxalates at the same time in order to maintain urinary tract health.

Cranberry juice adds both support to inhibiting bad bacteria in the bladder, and dissolving Calcium phosphate crystals.

For most leafy greens no more than 1 1/2 minutes, for after that they tend to turn to green glop. For heavier leafy greens this may take longer, but be sure to remove them before they turn to glop, and then rinse them to remove oxalates. For stalked vegetables boiling takes longer even 20 minutes to break down the cell walls of the leaves in order to release the insoluble oxalates and destroy the oxalic acid they contain.

You can also choose to reduce the amount of greens down to 1/4 Tsp. a day; yet if that isn't enough to lower the present highly elevated urine pH, then remove the greens for the present if you don't want to boil the greens before feeding them.

Plain organic is noted to be neutral in pH; adding cranberry juice into your squirrel. If it isn't appealing enough, add a 1/4 Tsp. of fruit jam, preferably an organic that is significantly lower in sugar, as sugar increases CaOx formation. There are other sources I would also recommend, but you would need to order them.

Chia Oil (Foods Alive) food grade only.

Pumpkin Seed oil (Seed Oil Company of Oregon)

Both of these are available on Amazon.com

Both of these sources have been used in a gray squirrel diet that has balance urine pH for a number of years, and also safely reduced the weight of the squirrel. This diet has only a small measure of nuts, and includes boiled vegetables, with those lower in oxalates blanched to maintain healthy urine pH.

Chia Oil (Foods Alive); and Pumpkin Seed oil (Oil Seed Company of Oregon) both available on Amazon.com

[SophieSquirrel]

Make sure your water bottle isn't growing bacteria. I use a small funnel and put some baking soda and a little water in mine and shake hard to scour the bottle and then rinse thoroughly before refilling. 2 HHB's is better than no blocks.

After posting I found this old post and it also cites water source, Oxalates and fruit with sugar: https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/...p/t-40532.html.

If there is a UTI SMZ-TMP will knock it down but it's obviously not a long term solution if it's diet (too much natural sugar), Oxalate, or water related. A vet can run a strip for leukocytes.

I would like to refine my post by saying use tap water if known to be of good quality - IE: If you would drink it yourself. Excessive chlorine or sulfur smell is not good either.

[ScrappyDo]

It may be the duplication of calcium in the diet that is causing the crystals, yet with the raw greens you feed it could be from the high pH they also promote.

The biggest impact to pH comes from nuts, or greens, balancing these opposite pH promoting sources in the diet is key to supporting and maintaining a healthy urine pH in the mid to high 6 range. (6.4 - 6.8) that inhibits urinary calculi formation.

When the diet is too high in pH, the body will dump Calcium phosphate (the two key components of mammal bone) into the urine to maintain a static pH in the bloodstream. Then in the urine this compound precipitates out into a disassociated mass of crystals instead of forming a aggregate of crystals in the form of large stones. These collect in a mass of crystals in the bladder, which abrade the lining and can cause an infection. The infection causes bacteria to increase in the bladder which promotes alkaline urine pH. ABs may also be needed.

If the original cause was from a UTI, the solution is the same, for to correct this condition the urine needs to be acidified. And though the diet may indeed be high in oxalates, with the present super high pH, the formation of alkaline Calcium phosphate crystals will occur. Any Calcium oxalate crystals present aren't going to be dissolved by alkaline pH, only passed; the focus then is to move the urine pH down into a healthy range that will dissolved the calcium phosphate crystals, and to lower the oxalates in the diet by boiling high pH greens that eliminates high pH and oxalates at the same time in order to maintain urinary tract health.

Cranberry juice adds both support to inhibiting bad bacteria in the bladder, and dissolving Calcium phosphate crystals.

For most leafy greens no more than 1 1/2 minutes, for after that they tend to turn to green glop. For heavier leafy greens this may take longer, but be sure to remove them before they turn to glop, and then rinse them to remove oxalates. For stalked vegetables boiling takes longer even 20 minutes to break down the cell walls of the leaves in order to release the insoluble oxalates and destroy the oxalic acid they contain.

You can also choose to reduce the amount of greens down to 1/4 Tsp. a day; yet if that isn't enough to lower the present highly elevated urine pH, then remove the greens for the present if you don't want to boil the greens before feeding them.

Plain organic is noted to be neutral in pH; adding cranberry juice into your squirrel. If it isn't appealing enough, add a 1/4 Tsp. of fruit jam, preferably an organic that is significantly lower in sugar, as sugar increases CaOx formation. There are other sources I would also recommend, but you would need to order them.

Chia Oil (Foods Alive) food grade only.

Pumpkin Seed oil (Seed Oil Company of Oregon)

Both of these are available on Amazon.com

Both of these sources have been used in a gray squirrel diet that has balance urine pH for a number of years, and also safely reduced the weight of the squirrel. This diet has only a small measure of nuts, and includes boiled vegetables, with those lower in oxalates blanched to maintain healthy urine pH.

Chia Oil (Foods Alive); and Pumpkin Seed oil (Oil Seed Company of Oregon) both available on Amazon.com

I will definitely get her some antibiotics (waiting on a vet call). She doesn't tend to eat boiled greens or cooked vegetables of any kind (we do purchase organic), so what exactly can I feed her? I do have chia oil. Should I use chia and pumpkin seed oil the same day, or is it one or the other? How much a day? Should I give her the unsweetened cranberry juice every day? How much? Thank you for your help! She is super picky with food 😕

[Diggie's Friend]

These greens in immature form are lower in oxalates. Baby yellow-green leaves are lower in oxalates than dark green leaves.

Baby: Lettuces, Tango, Sango, Romaine, B & Bibb, Frisee', Oak leaf, Curly Leaf (green), etc.

Radicchio
Arugula
Chicory leaf
Escarole, broad leaf
Watercress
Bok (Pak) Choy
Kale
Turnip Greens


Gurnell noted in book on tree squirrels that leafy greens are not as well digested as grains are by tree squirrels. Also that they consume very little of them in their diet. It is the juveniles that consume more greens, as it is mother squirrels. Other sources noted to be the mainstay of flyers like lichens, truffles, along with insects, bird eggs, berries, nuts, seeds, buds, bark, and mushrooms.

Blanching leafy greens makes them more digestible, reduces their bitter taste, and lowers their pH. Boiling even short term blanching kills fungus, bacteria, parasites.

Boiling mature leafy greens vegetables that are higher in oxalates than calcium, makes the calcium that they contain, which is otherwise non-bioavailable raw, and would reduce the calcium in other foods consumed with them, also bioavailable.

[Diggie's Friend]

If you can find Lakeview organic cranberry concentrate I would see 3 to four drops a day.

Check the pH to see how it reacts daily.

This is the brand, they carry a smaller bottle so you may want to look for that one at your local market that carries organic brands.

https://www.amazon.com/Lakewood-100-.../dp/B0078DQYAC

[Diggie's Friend]

Grammar error correction:

"Plain organic yogurt is noted to be neutral in pH; if adding cranberry juice isn't appealing enough to your squirrel,

add 1/4 Tsp. of organic fruit preserves, as organic is significantly lower in sugars. Higher sugar consumption has been found to increase calcium CaOx formation."

[Diggie's Friend]

Seems to be my day for typos; that is "Lakewood" cranberry concentrate as the link indicates.

[ScrappyDo]

Seems to be my day for typos; that is "Lakewood" cranberry concentrate as the link indicates.

Giving cranberry juice every day with 2 hhb, antibiotics, and milk thistle powder mixed with probiotics a couple of hours after her antibiotics. I have withheld all other foods for the moment so she will get used to the hhb as her main diet. Her ph is still very high and I just realized milk thistle is alkalizing 😕. I also want to start giving her veggies again as the poor baby is starving. She refused boiled greens (several kinds). Since her diet was too high in oxylates before AND too alkaline, I am at a loss on what to give her to bring down the alkalinity and still give her plenty of fresh foods. I would like to stick to the foods that have a good balance of ca/ph but it's all alkalizing! Can I give her organic rice cereal (or just organic cooked rice-she will eat cooked rice)? If I give her a little cinnamon, will that counteract the blood sugar spike? Will it help keep her ph more balanced? I also have pecan, crepe myrtle, peach, Bradford pear, and pine trees for chewing the bark and eating the buds. I have chickweed, dandelion, plantain, and elderberry bushes. I am also raising mealworms. Should I feed her every thing I've mentioned plus some cah balanced low oxylate veggies? I don't know how to move forward at this point. I've probably read every thread on here but my brain is just not in a position right now to put it all together and I need help 😭

[ScrappyDo]

Oh! She is also getting a drop or 2 of chia seed oil and I just ordered Mission testing strips and will post those results when they come in but it's hard to get a urine reading as she's mostly trained to go in her various dig boxes so there may be only 1-2 readings a day if that. Thanks for the help!

[Diggie's Friend]

Before adding in all these alkaline sources that defeat the purpose of acidification.

For now set them aside for now till you get the pH under control. Then you can try adding one in at a time to see if the pH will hold.

For now continue with the HHB and add more calcium from Calcium citrate, an acidified form of Calcium.

If you get the Frontier Naturals 1b. I can recommend a measure.

Yes, you can feed cooked white rice, yet the oats are a better choice.

If you can't get the oats for a few days then add in boiled cooled white rice.

Old fashioned rolled oats quick cook, not instant, from Bob's red mill. Available on Amazon.com

Oregon Mushroom carries frozen huckleberries.

Mushroom powder: Chanterelle, or Yellowfoot from "Oregon Mushroom" online.

They list a higher portion high price; look for the smaller amount they also carry on their website.

Soak nuts in yogurt overnight, then dry them on low heat in the oven. Feed no more than 1/2 Tsp. of chopped nuts daily.

This not only lowers pH, but lowers oxalates and phytates making calcium and phosphorus more bioavailable.

No cinnamon, Pycnogenol from either Healthy Origins extract dried, or Organika liquid both available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Organika-PYCN...iquid+organika

Yet MTS is alkaline; I would try the liquid elixir from Oregon Wild harvest. https://www.amazon.com/Oregons-Wild-.../dp/B00J9MKEUG

[Diggie's Friend]

It may be the mineral water, some are alkaline.

For humans that consume allot of acidic sources from meat and higher grain sources alkaline mineral waters if not too high can help bring the pH up to mid 6 range . These animals though don't have that issue, so including mineral water can be overkill when it comes to it's alkalizing effects. I would check on Youtube for videos on testing of various mineral waters may be helpful to see if the one you are including is one of the higher ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB9yoIF7NtI There are other videos that tested other sources you may want to check out also.

[Diggie's Friend]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4zpgBF-t4k

Aim at 6.5 up to 7.0, as high and low pH will promote calcium loss in the diet, with calcium crystals in the urine, or kidney stones.

[ScrappyDo]

Before adding in all these alkaline sources that defeat the purpose of acidification.

For now set them aside for now till you get the pH under control. Then you can try adding one in at a time to see if the pH will hold.

For now continue with the HHB and add more calcium from Calcium citrate, an acidified form of Calcium.

If you get the Frontier Naturals 1b. I can recommend a measure.

Yes, you can feed cooked white rice, yet the oats are a better choice.

If you can't get the oats for a few days then add in boiled cooled white rice.

Old fashioned rolled oats quick cook, not instant, from Bob's red mill. Available on Amazon.com

Oregon Mushroom carries frozen huckleberries.

Mushroom powder: Chanterelle, or Yellowfoot from "Oregon Mushroom" online.

They list a higher portion high price; look for the smaller amount they also carry on their website.

Soak nuts in yogurt overnight, then dry them on low heat in the oven. Feed no more than 1/2 Tsp. of chopped nuts daily.

This not only lowers pH, but lowers oxalates and phytates making calcium and phosphorus more bioavailable.

No cinnamon, Pycnogenol from either Healthy Origins extract dried, or Organika liquid both available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Organika-PYCN...iquid+organika

Yet MTS is alkaline; I would try the liquid elixir from Oregon Wild harvest. https://www.amazon.com/Oregons-Wild-.../dp/B00J9MKEUG

Frontier calcium citrate is on order-how much per day?
I have the correct bobs red mill oats-can she have them raw? How much per day?
Huckleberries on order-1 or 2 a day?
Chanterelle powder on order-how much per day?
Have nuts soaking in organic plain yogurt, will dry tomorrow.
The other 2 extracts are on order- how much per day?
I switched her to tap water as it rarely smells or tastes of chemicals.
I really appreciate all your help!

[Diggie's Friend]

Measure for plain rolled quick cook oatmeal cooked 1/4 Tsp.

The amount of calcium will depend upon how much of the block your squirrel eats daily on average.

Keep a record on how much you feed and how much is consumed.

Remove all uneaten block before bedtime; if then a half or quarter, etc. portion is left, write it down at the end of the day.

Huckleberries 2 Tsp. to begin with. It is very high in anti oxidants, and very low in sugar.

Ask for the coastal huckleberries (the smaller sized berries).

Add the berries to plain Lowfat organic yogurt (not Greek as it's too high in protein).

I'll send you the rest of the recommendations by PM.

[ScrappyDo]

Oh! She weighs 587 g

[ScrappyDo]

[QUOTE=Diggie's Friend;1270681]Measure for plain rolled quick cook oatmeal

You're notifications are full. Do I need to dehydrate the nuts with the yogurt? She usually has anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 block left in the morning. My ebv has kicked back in and my brain is mush right now.