Can FIP Be Already Cured?
FIP is a fatal viral disease of cats. However, American scientists developed a cure that gives some cats a chance to survive. It’s not easy but you can already get it in the Czech Republic.
Are you wondering how to create the perfect meal plan for your guinea pig? What is crucial for larger rodents and what is better to avoid? Everything about guinea pig nutritional requirements can be found in the following interview with the breeder Andrea Kroftová.
Let's start with a more general and basic question. Why is hay so important for guinea pigs?
Guinea pigs are herbivores, therefore hay is an essential building block of their diet. Hay has two main functions. First, it's used to grind the ever-growing teeth - they grow up to 1.5 mm a week. Second, it's a source of fibre, which is important for fermentation processes during digestion. In case of deficiency in fibre, the movement in a guinea pig's bowels slows down and the peristalsis comes to a stop.
What about the dosage?
In order for the fluff ball to thrive, there must be constant access to loose hay. It's best to keep it in a hay rack. To give you an idea, an adult guinea pig eats up to 150 grams of hay for every kilogram of its weight a day.
So what should an ideal diet plan for the small furry ball look like?
Apart from good-quality hay, there should be fresh water, which we mustn't forget about. Water in a bowl gets dirty quite quickly, therefore we use water bottles, which we refill every day.
Guinea pigs also need fresh grass and vegetables. We don't have to force them to eat it as they love both of them. However, do be careful what vegetables you give them. They definitely mustn't be spoiled or frozen and always wash them before serving. Root vegetables such as carrots, celeriac, parsnips or beet are ideal. Unsuitable ones are those that are too watery or cause bloating.
During the green season, vegetables can be fully replaced by grass. The amount is important as well and it shouldn't replace the amount of consumed hay. Everything that the animal is offered should follow the golden hygiene rule: whatever they don't eat in one day should be thrown out.
What, besides vegetables, can the owner treat his pet with?
Fruit can also be used as a treat. To make the diet more varied we can also add a small amount of fresh or dried herbs such as dill, basil or mint. I don't recommend overdoing it with feed mixes in the form of pellets. One teaspoon a day is ideal. Guinea pigs are quite picky and can end up eating too much starch and protein, and not enough fibre, and suddenly we have a problem. When choosing a mix, it's important to read the ingredients, and other than fibre and protein we should also look at the content of calcium, phosphorus and natural (stabilised) vitamin C. Packaging in a protective atmosphere and transparent foil goes without saying. Also woody branches such as apple, pear or currents I can only recommend as a treat.
Is it necessary to adapt the nutrition to the guinea pig's life stages?
Every animal has its specific needs in different stages of its life and they also change according to the environment in which we keep it. Outdoor guinea pigs require more food than their friends who are of the same age but live indoors. A growing individual needs more protein and calcium than an adult one. Also pregnant or lactating females need to gain more weight. In this case, however, we must monitor the pellet intake and the content of protein and sugar. They increase the risk of toxaemia.
Can I use food supplements as an extra treat for my pet?
Vitamin C intake in feed is essential for guinea pigs as they cannot synthetize it. In order for its body to work correctly, a guinea pig needs approx. 10-20 milligrams for every kilogram of its weight. Guinea pigs in stressful situations, growing, sick or lactating females need an increased dosage of vitamin C. If necessary, we can use multivitamin drops for guinea pigs as a supplement. If the guinea pig doesn't have the possibility of an outdoor enclosure and natural sunlight, adding vitamin D is recommended.
FIP is a fatal viral disease of cats. However, American scientists developed a cure that gives some cats a chance to survive. It’s not easy but you can already get it in the Czech Republic.
If you have at least one cat companion living with you, you have definitely already woken up with a purring body on your legs, stomach, back or even on your head. Only a very few cats don’t want to get into our warm beds. Have you ever wondered why...
Fetching was thought to belong to dogs alone as they have learnt it due to 15,000 years of their domestication. However, the scientists have now discovered that wolf cubs also play fetch. The findings of the research suggest this game might be innate...
Do you even know how to take a dog’s temperature and what is its natural temperature? It would be better to be prepared before you need it, so you can’t be surprised.
This cat breed cannot be easily mistaken for another. It has significant spots (a tabby type) and a peculiar slung and smooth style of walking. When you look at it, you will immediately associate it with a leopard.
Such a place is located in Chocerady, Beroun region, in the Czech Republic and it has one and a half acre. This unique project should serve nature and the people whose four-legged family member has died.
On this day we celebrate our feelings for our loved ones. And this category undoubtedly includes our dog and cat (and any other) companions. Don’t forget about them on this occasion!
Is your cat sick, stressed or does it have any other reason it doesn’t want to eat? There are a couple of tips how to restart its appetite.
Did you know dogs can diagnose cancer at its earliest stage even before any devices can? It has a great potential as it could lead to new non-invasive and cheap methods to reveal the disease.
Do you know this natural therapy method which you can not only enjoy yourself but also order it for your cat? Do you wonder what it is and what it might be good for?
Have you ever asked this question? Were you just curious or were you considering your dog companion could do it? In this article, you will learn basic information – what nature the dog needs to have, what it has to handle and how to start with Canis...
This cute miniature dog is nice and joyful. It is quite a new breed and it has only started becoming popular. However, it has everything one can expect from a sociable dog, its appearance is unusual, and the bonus of its size is that it doesn’t need...