Urine Sludge

[Nummy]

Hi everyone , I need some very important advice. Nummy had suffered a bladder stone about 6 months ago. I have been trying to give him a better diet since then. I have been watching for changes in his urine content aswell. I am a bit comfused though. I have read on websites that rabbits have a variety of urine shades and such. I really don't quite know what is normal though. I am a bit more concerned with this since he has already had a problem. I need to know if what I am seeing is a cause of alarm. I took some pictures of his newspaper this morning. Oh and he was just at the vets last week and he said the bladder felt normal but you never know right??

The 1st picture is one from this morning. I find it is usually like the one on the bottom. I need to know if this looks normal to anyone,I just don't know if it is or not. I was reading somewhere that "Rabbit urine always contains a certain amount of sediments. This is absolutely normal, the system of rabbits works this way to excrete the too much of calcium in their body". Can someone tell me if this is true and if the pictures above may look normal to anyone?

 

[Maureen Las]

It looks to me lke it is chalky but not sludgey (the consistencyof toothpaste.)

I have had rabbits who sometimes had chalky urine similar to the pics and also had no bladder or kidney issues.

Since your rabbit already has a kidney stone I would try to increase the amount of fluids taken in daily.

One way to to do this is to fill acrock 3/4 full of water and add about 1/4 apple juice.to the water. it many times will cause a dramatic increase in fluid consumption.

 

[kirbyultra]

When I've fed veggies with too much calcium or if I've mixed alfalfa pellets in with their timothy pellets, I definitely notice the white chalky substance left in their litter box. Sometimes it seeps through the paper and sits in the box and sometimes it dries on the newspaper like your pictures. As far as I know, none of my buns have bladder issues and their urine is liquid, not sludgey. Sometimes it's chalkier than I'd like so I decrease the high calcium foods.

 

[Nummy]

:bunny18Thank-you for both yourresponses. So I take it that his urine looks normal then for the most part. I have been giving him lots of greens lately. Maybe it is the kale or his pellets. Does anyone know how quickly a stone can re-occur? I hope Nummy won't have to ever go through that again. I was reading online that a rabbit that has had a history of stones should be given less pellets and more greens. I have noticed he has been eating more greens the last few days it has been pretty hot. Could the kale be causing the chalky looking urine?

 

[kirbyultra]

It's possible that kale is contributing to it. Kale is high in calcium.

 

[kimberly_byrd]

My little guy had the same problem with the sludgy, chalky urine. Kale is high in calcium and so is alfalfa pellets. I was told to take him off of the alfalfa completely to give him timothy based only, tmothy hay, and parsley as it would help his ph level. The urine cleared up within a day and a half. He is happy and healthy now. Hope this helps. Said to give plenty of the parsley though.

 

[kirbyultra]

Interesting, as parsley is high in calcium as well. I still give it to them moderately because it's my buns' fave.

 

[kimberly_byrd]

My vet said that the Parsley would help settle the ph level in his body and hep with the urine problem. I also gave him dandelion greens which seemed to help increase his urine production and pushed liquids. Kinda like you would if you had a bladder infection. Had to clean it out.

 

[Nummy]

I have been giving him dandilion, he really likes it and I have cut back the kale and his urine does look better toady. It's more yellowy again. He was drinking alot more water too yesterday because it was pretty hot out. I think all the greens and water intake is helping clear it up.

 

[Maureen Las]

kale should not be fed regularly (daily) as it contains calcium oxalates. I would cut the kale down to maybe once a week and substitue with a veggies that have lower calcium level

 

[Maureen Las]

Actually the following article contradicts what I just said but i would still cut down on the kale
in actuality your rabbit could just be eliminating the calcium in the urine

http://carrotcafe.com/f/veggies.html



http://carrotcafe.com/f/calevel.html