Re:
>low pH diet:
Is he on a diet to lower the pH because of struvite stones when pathology
was done on them, or is he on a diet because his urine pH is low as with
cystine stones?
 
If there were cystine stones found when the pathology was done on the
stones then there is a study on-going due to the increased rate of
cystine stones from ferret sent to the urolith laboratory at UC Davis
over the last year.  They are less common than struvite stones in ferrets
but since the treatments are the opposite of each other in some regards
it is always essential to find out which type of stone is involved when
possible to give the ferret the best chance of survival.  Type can be
found out directly from the stones being studies by experts in that work
or can be postulated from the urine pH.
 
If it was cystine here is some contact info for an expert who can help
at the same time that your ferret's data can help this study.
 
Dr. Michelle Hawkins VMD DABVP (Avian) is coordinating this effort and
can be reached at:
 
2108 Tupper Hall, University of CA, Davis, CA 95616
1-530-752-1363 (phone)
[log in to unmask]
 
For both struvite and cystine stones changes in diet can often be
curative.  For struvite a person wants to cut down vegetable matter,
whereas for cystine stones (which as sometimes due to several possible
genetic causes of a kidney syndrome) the COLA group of amino acids
(cystine, ornithine, lysine, and arginine) needs to be reduced in the
diet.  For those who have cystine stones but diet isn't enough there are
some meds but they can be prone to bad side-effects so diet changes need
to be tried first.  The meds used are Tiopronin and Policitra-K.  So, in
case you need that info on the more rare stone type this will help you
not have to look it up from scratch since as the less common stone type
the info isn't as readily available as for struvite stones.  The vets Dr.
Michael Dutton and Dr. Thomas Kawasaki have experience with this more
rare approach so in case your vet needs a consultation down the line...
there are also some wonderful veterinary urologists associated with
several vet schools.  If you need more I will try to dig stuff up for
you, or look in the archives of the FHL and FML.  I hope your little
one does well.  That is what matters.
[Posted in FML issue 4788]