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Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: minkasmom] #649706
10/03/08 01:02 PM
10/03/08 01:02 PM

M
Monster
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Monster
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M



Well, I went to the Walgreens & they had the strips to test for glucose or ketones or both, but nothing at all for pH. And I know my vet doesn't have them because I was talking to her about the strips this morning & she never mentioned that she had them...

I will call around & check specifically for the DiaScreen strips...

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #649741
10/03/08 02:08 PM
10/03/08 02:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,732
Utah
S
silverwolf Offline
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Posts: 1,732
Utah
Isn't diascreen strips something you could get from the diabetic area of most pharmacies? I know that diabetics use the glucose strips but I know they use one that checks the ph of the urine as well I just don't know what it is called.

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: silverwolf] #649744
10/03/08 02:11 PM
10/03/08 02:11 PM

M
Monster
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Monster
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M



Well, I don't know - it could be that this particular Walgreens just didn't have them. They did have the Diastix, but those only test glucose. Then they had another brand that tested glucose and ketones, but not pH. There were no empty space on the shelf where pH strip may have gone dunno

That's why I thought I'd just get out the old phone book & just start calling around to pharmacies.

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #649746
10/03/08 02:13 PM
10/03/08 02:13 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11,015
MA
pappy1264 Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
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MA
Yeah, that is what I thought. My sisters cat was diabetic and she had to use those for her cat. She got them at the pharmacy, I am pretty sure, too.


Timmy, Gidget(RIP), Bandit, Petey(RIP), Phoebe, Jake (RIP) Piper(RIP), Pru(RIP), Paige, Cole, Molly(RIP), Oliver, Wyatt, Roo(RIP), Romeo, Pennie, Mandy(RIP), Madison, Garth, Kikipoo, Stasia, Bella, Petunia(RIP), Helen, Sydney, Kizzy and Sweet Pea's mom,
Mary
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #649748
10/03/08 02:15 PM
10/03/08 02:15 PM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 22,749
80 acres of paradise in KS
Dancing Offline
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80 acres of paradise in KS


620-704-9109
Judge not until you have walked in their shoes and lived their lives. What you see online is only part of the story.

I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance


The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Dancing] #649852
10/03/08 04:36 PM
10/03/08 04:36 PM

M
Monster
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Monster
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M



Thanks T - I'm going to try to find them locally here tonight or tomorrow - if I can't, then I'll order online. At least I know exactly what I'm looking for now!

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: minkasmom] #649868
10/03/08 04:56 PM
10/03/08 04:56 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 409
Navarre, Florida
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This is very interesting! Some new for me to learn!


Our pack of 14:
2 Humans,5 Chihuahuas,7 Suggies(the Suggies definately rule!)
RIP Grace 12/12/12 Harmony 1/17/13 Turbo & Everest 2014
Forever Gliding High, together!

Save a Kid! Close the Lid!
And Check your Pouches Daily!
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: happygypsymoth] #650269
10/04/08 12:14 PM
10/04/08 12:14 PM

S
schlep
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There are a few commonalities:

1) All the mammals make urea as they metabolize protein.
2) Proteus (and other bacteria) are everywhere, so all species will see some of those that cleave urea.
3) Proteus and other bacteria that possess urease enzymes and cause higher pH (alkaline) tend to occur in increased frequency in those who have been on antibiotics a lot.
4) In the presence of those bacteria, urea is cleaved and eventually can raise the pH (become more alkaline).
5) (By the way, blood pH is weakly alkaline at around 7.4, and the body rids enough acids that tend to make urine pH drop into the weakly acidic range.) Urine pH can move up and down with diet, metabolic problems, etc., but normally the urine will hover at close to 6, which is in the weakly acidic range (7 being neutral). It can get more acidic and weakly alkaline for various reasons.
6) Normal metabolism and diet delivers a certain acid load to the kidney to expel in the bladder, which is why it is routinely weakly acidic. High enough pH (or strongly enough alkaline levels) to make struvite isn't common (some might say possible) in daily, normal activity.
7) In the ill population, there are several reasons why the acid load goes up, and urine pH will drop even lower as the body rids one of the acid.
8) The next leap of logic - people are usually checking urine and finding struvite crystals and stones when they think their glider is sick.
9) Add all that up, and if I think my glider might be sick, I check the urine, and see struvite, and knowing the envirment that leads to struvite - I'd treat 'em.

The kidney is primarily responsible for conserving water and excreting many products that are not very soluble. That is, they would rather not be dissolved in the urine, and form crytals or precipitate out as some solid hunk of junk in the pee. The various reasons why the urine environment changes can lead to seeing crystals, amorphous urates, stones, etc. Low pH (acid) favors some calcium stones. Some stones and crystals, calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate, uric acid, cysteine, and other stones can occur without infection. Struvite usually means infection, as it is usually formed in pH's not common without urease enzymes present from bacteria. I'd at least serious consider it.

Diagnosis and treatment is often playing hunches, making educated guesses, and especially letting statistics guide decisions. Once the probability is tipping the odds in favor of one course of action, one needs to be respect the info. You don't put in a weak-hitting pitcher in the baseball game to pinch hit when you need a run, you grab the guy with the best batting average. He might strike out, but play the percentages.

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #650294
10/04/08 01:02 PM
10/04/08 01:02 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
minkasmom Offline
Serious Glideritis
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Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
Teresa: Thank you for doing the internet research! The Hypoguard DiaScreen items are EXACTLY what I use...the "7" gets the job done quite well. My back-up vet says they don't rely on the "urine gravity" aspect of the test, it's just an "indicator" that more testing is required.

Monster: if you manage to find those ANYWHERE locally...please let me know! I've been trying myself & have failed miserably! frown I'm of the impression that online is going to be the BEST route to take.

Silverwolf & Pappy: the DiaStix are a SINGLE test that are for GLUCOSE ONLY. Yes, they're available from your local pharmacy counter....for diabetic people. And surprisingly enough, it can be used on animals as well!

Schlep: I am QUITE IMPRESSED with your research! Thank you! What I guess I need to emphasize here is this one point: These test strips are ONLY A GUIDE that a problem exists with gliders....I am 100% in agreement that it's not a GUARANTEE that "if you see this, then you need to react like this". Things like what a glider consumes WILL have an influence on test results....feeding watermelon will increase glucose levels on a SHORT TERM basis, but those glucose levels decrease as the body digests the watermelon. It's the same concept with getting a giardia test: just doing it ONE TIME isn't necessarily a guarantee that your glider DOESN'T have it. The little beasty disease can lay dormant for up to 3 months before it "comes to life" and can be detected!

Any time I go to a gathering with my test strips, and there's a glider whose levels read "unusual"....I make the suggestion to their owner RIGHT THEN & THERE that they need to take their baby in for an exam! The one thing I'm sure we're ALL in agreement with here is that WE NEED TO LEARN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SUGAR GLIDERS IN EVERY ASPECT AND EVERY REGARD! What we, as owners, can do to help in the gathering of data will help not only today's veterinarians but be the foundation of accurate diagnostics in the future! There is still so much to learn....in so many areas....it's almost mind boggling to look at the "whole picture".


Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses)
Slave to:
25 gliders,4 cats,
and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!)
gangel Remembering all my lost loves cry
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: minkasmom] #650347
10/04/08 03:17 PM
10/04/08 03:17 PM

M
Monster
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Monster
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M



Schlep, I have no doubt in your expertise in mammals, and if I had a mammal, that baby would be on antibiotics as we speak. But I question the differences between mammals and marsupials in this area (as well as many others).

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #650731
10/05/08 01:40 AM
10/05/08 01:40 AM

S
schlep
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schlep
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S



Monster,
I was always under the impression that gliders WERE mammals. College Biology was a while ago, but my recollection was that the Class Mammalia includes the Subclass Theria, and that the Subclass Theria includes the Infraclasses Placentalia and Marsupialia. I have some old books somewhere packed from moving. I'll look it up sometime. But in any case, I'm pretty sure gliders are mammals. So, I think you do have a mammal there.
Quote:
and if I had a mammal, that baby would be on antibiotics as we speak.
But you have a point that marsupial mammals and placental mammals have differences. Given the lack of data on our marsupial cousins, we tend to fall back on the info we know from the placental side. My error.

One thought is that the pH at which a solute precipitates out of solution and forms crystals is independent of species. That is simple chemistry. It also occurs in the test tube.

The urease enzymes that cleave urea come from the bacteria, not the host animal, so that is independent of the species the Proteus or bacterium is visiting - glider, dog, or whatever.

I'm not trying to be argumentative - trust your intuition and veterinarian. Both are very good. I was just trying to point out that we check pee when worried, and when we find something, it's hard not to react. All the crystals except struvite can occur in the absence of infection. That one is suspicious.

An interesting study - at the next SGGA do a U/A on all the attendees pee (gliders - not people.) See how many have struvite. (I would guarantee you that none of the people will have struvite absent infection.)

Another fun study - have all people on GC submit their gliders' U/A results. Best to get the entire lab printout from the veterinarian. At minimum ask them to submit struvite yes/no, antibiotics within 1 month yes/no, and glider health status 1-2 months later. It would be hard to have the info and results blinded to the collector of the data, so bias could occur. At the end, it would be intriguing to see if the survival rates between the treated and non-treated groups were statistically different. This would be a retrospective study, and the conclusions of those can be tricky.

A prospective study, although much more reliable, would be harder to pull off. Any takers? I'll bet very few veterinarians in the USA have access to such info, and the GC membership could collectively add to the literature.

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #650810
10/05/08 10:16 AM
10/05/08 10:16 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11,015
MA
pappy1264 Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
pappy1264  Offline
Glideritis Anonymous

Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11,015
MA
With Roo having just got through her third UTI since June, I think I should get some of those strips myself to keep an eye on her ph levels. She will be going in to have a recheck in a week, and will discuss this discussion with her. I'd like to hear her feelings on it all.


Timmy, Gidget(RIP), Bandit, Petey(RIP), Phoebe, Jake (RIP) Piper(RIP), Pru(RIP), Paige, Cole, Molly(RIP), Oliver, Wyatt, Roo(RIP), Romeo, Pennie, Mandy(RIP), Madison, Garth, Kikipoo, Stasia, Bella, Petunia(RIP), Helen, Sydney, Kizzy and Sweet Pea's mom,
Mary
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #650833
10/05/08 11:06 AM
10/05/08 11:06 AM

M
Monster
Unregistered
Monster
Unregistered
M



Originally Posted By: schlep
Monster,
An interesting study - at the next SGGA do a U/A on all the attendees pee (gliders - not people.) See how many have struvite. (I would guarantee you that none of the people will have struvite absent infection.)


If struvite is impossible absent infection, then how do you explain the study that Dr. Tristan supplied my vet that shows struvite (in small amounts) to be common in brushtail & ringtail possums? Did all of the possums in that study have an infection? That seems highly unlikely...

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #650889
10/05/08 01:05 PM
10/05/08 01:05 PM

S
schlep
Unregistered
schlep
Unregistered
S



Monster,
I think you are taking my comments to mean more than I stated. My first post reflected:
Quote:
It is difficult to get the pH that high without an infection. So struvite should always make one suspicious of infection.
Key words "difficult" and "suspicious."

In later posts I tried to address the association between infection and that particular crystal formation and why they tend to occur together. In a subsequent post
Quote:
High enough pH (or strongly enough alkaline levels) to make struvite isn't common (some might say possible)
may have been written poorly enough on my part to make my point misunderstood. I'm not saying it is impossible to have one without the other, I said it is suspicious and when looking for abnormalities in a sick critter, pay attention to that one. The other crystals are common without infection. In people we see a very strong association between infection and struvite. That is why I also suggested getting better data from the GC members to help learn more about gliders.

My reference relating to people is this: people have bladders and the contents of the bladder should be sterile and infection free. I was also taught that struvite formation in people requires infection due to struvite needing a pH consistently well outside of the range the kidney puts out.

Since gliders have a cloaca, they have colonization of bacteria in the urine collecting vessel making bacterial presence more prevalent. Perhaps that affects them differently. One should try to find out. There have been several posts on crystals over the years, and no more definitve answers than when we had our first struvite positive urine in 2002. The post on Struvite caught my attention and I responded because 1) Mario had them, and he is the only glider we had that lived less than 5 years (what a sweetheart he was!) and 2) I know a fair amount about urine crystals and wanted to help. Just because Mario had them doesn't mean that was the cause of his demise, but it was the only illness that any of our gliders ever had and the only time any of them ever got antibiotics. And follow-up U/A's were repeatedly negative for struvite crystals after treatment. I guess it still haunts me, although he passed over three years ago.

I always felt that the more we know the better. And new data will always challenge what we think we "know" and improve our understanding. I constantly have to improve my mental models to get better. We need to start somewhere, and I only wanted to throw out my comments to stimulate thought. I worry that people do many ineffective things and don't get to the heart of the issue. What are people doing with the results of litmus paper to test urine pH? What treatment plans are being enacted with those results? What different plan is put in play for a result of 4? or 6? or 8? Is that effectively treating illness and helping?

It feels like I touched a nerve somewhere without intending harm. If so, sorry. Back into hiding...

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #650910
10/05/08 01:59 PM
10/05/08 01:59 PM

M
Monster
Unregistered
Monster
Unregistered
M



Schlep - no nerve touched, I am just a frustrated Mommy, trying to figure out which path is going to help my baby.

On one hand, I have 2 vets - one is fairly new to suggies, but very good & open to learning. The other is a very trusted suggie vet who owns suggies himself. Neither of them knows if struvite is normal in suggies or not. But, we have this recent study on 2 very closely related species. Much more closely related than people or other animals we have data on. This study seems to indicate that struvite is, in fact, normal in small quantities in these two closely related species.

Then, I have the data on people and other animals, which tells me that struvite can be an indicator of infection.

Being a person of no medical background, I have to make an educated decision based on the information presented to me and the advice of my vet. The information given to me tells me that, more likely than not, it is normal to have small amounts of struvite in different types of possums. My vet has advised me against putting him on antibiotics. However, she does want me to keep a close eye on him and push fluids, which I think is perfectly reasonable.

I am very interested in the Diascreen strips. I think it would be interesting (and expensive) to monitor my own colonies for a given period of time (maybe a year or more), and see if there were others willing to do the same. At the very least, I would know the normal ranges for my own gliders, so if someone were sick, it would be apparent to me even if they were showing no symptoms.

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #650928
10/05/08 03:02 PM
10/05/08 03:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Trigger Offline
Glider Addict
Trigger  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
I am interested in the strips too and have been out searching for them on the net. I have found a couple brands can Denise or T pleasse advise on these?
http://www.pulmolab.com/laboratory/lab_supp/urinalysis/permaxim.html
http://www.biousa.com/ur10sg1010pa.html
http://www.medexsupply.com/products/pid-19450/RapidResponse10Parameter10SGUr.htm
Test Country
http://www.egeneralmedical.com/urine-rea...leukoctyes.html
http://www.imed.com/shop/detail.cfm?sku=k1039&rfr=FRG&zmam=1000941&zmas=21&zmac=102&zmap=k1039

Sorry to be a pain just wanting to get some of these around our house too. sounds like a great investment.
Anyone want to tell me just how they work, how to use for dummies version please.

Last edited by gliderdad79; 10/23/13 08:40 AM.

»-(¯`v´¯)-»MO MONEY!»-(¯`v´¯)-»
kids Chance, Dylan, John, & Kayla
Skittles, Snupi, Snuki, Lucy, Shanu, Caspian, Ivy, Kalysta, Kaliya, Santee, Cheyenne, Apache, Comanche, Twirpy, Meribelle, Santeria, Shyamalan, Sebastian, Zoey, Naira & Katsu
www.jensfuzzyfriends.com
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Trigger] #650953
10/05/08 03:37 PM
10/05/08 03:37 PM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 22,749
80 acres of paradise in KS
Dancing Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
Dancing  Offline
Glideritis Anonymous

Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 22,749
80 acres of paradise in KS
I've not used them yet so I can't offer advice on brand. Denise will have to help with that one.


620-704-9109
Judge not until you have walked in their shoes and lived their lives. What you see online is only part of the story.

I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance


The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Dancing] #650956
10/05/08 03:40 PM
10/05/08 03:40 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Trigger Offline
Glider Addict
Trigger  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Well can you help me with the how to use for dummies part. Can take it to pm so as not to hi-jack Gina's thread. Or here if Gina is interested.


»-(¯`v´¯)-»MO MONEY!»-(¯`v´¯)-»
kids Chance, Dylan, John, & Kayla
Skittles, Snupi, Snuki, Lucy, Shanu, Caspian, Ivy, Kalysta, Kaliya, Santee, Cheyenne, Apache, Comanche, Twirpy, Meribelle, Santeria, Shyamalan, Sebastian, Zoey, Naira & Katsu
www.jensfuzzyfriends.com
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Dancing] #650962
10/05/08 03:56 PM
10/05/08 03:56 PM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 582
Lake Worth, FL
Msdoolittle Offline
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Msdoolittle  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 582
Lake Worth, FL
I'm a lab tech. Do you need some sort of disposable pipette to drop the urine on the squares you want to check? My Pokie can pee a river, but it's not enough to be able to dip the stick in like we do with human patients.

Trigger- they are real easy to use. In the hospital we dip the stick in a container of urine, then read the stick at the times specified. There is a color guide on the side of the jar. I'd be glad to help if you have any questions.

I keep some of these around. They are great for screening for diabetes, liver disease, and infections.


~Janet~
Mom to 2 daughters (Laura & Kayla)
4 suggies (Scooter & Snickers, Coral,& Portia)
3 birds (Prince,Lucy,Sidney)
1 dog (Sammy)

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Msdoolittle] #650970
10/05/08 04:10 PM
10/05/08 04:10 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Trigger Offline
Glider Addict
Trigger  Offline
Glider Addict

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
My real question on them is are they read just as a neg/pos result or colors = certain ranges?
If certain ranges how would we find out what is the right range for gliders ?


»-(¯`v´¯)-»MO MONEY!»-(¯`v´¯)-»
kids Chance, Dylan, John, & Kayla
Skittles, Snupi, Snuki, Lucy, Shanu, Caspian, Ivy, Kalysta, Kaliya, Santee, Cheyenne, Apache, Comanche, Twirpy, Meribelle, Santeria, Shyamalan, Sebastian, Zoey, Naira & Katsu
www.jensfuzzyfriends.com
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Trigger] #650978
10/05/08 04:20 PM
10/05/08 04:20 PM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 582
Lake Worth, FL
Msdoolittle Offline
Glider Lover
Msdoolittle  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 582
Lake Worth, FL
There are ranges for most of the squares. Would normal values be in the Merck's vet Manual? Some of the tests should always be negative, for example leukocytes (white cells),blood,and ketones. It's possible glucose would be positive if they had eaten something sweet before you tested them.


~Janet~
Mom to 2 daughters (Laura & Kayla)
4 suggies (Scooter & Snickers, Coral,& Portia)
3 birds (Prince,Lucy,Sidney)
1 dog (Sammy)

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Msdoolittle] #651052
10/05/08 06:55 PM
10/05/08 06:55 PM

M
Monster
Unregistered
Monster
Unregistered
M



http://www.biousa.com/ur10sg1010pa.html

This link has a FANTASTIC price - I looked the brand up on Amazon & they have really good consumer reviews.

Trigger - when Denise has done demos with the glucose strips, she has sort of swirled the strip in the puddle of pee, then waited for the results.

What I would like to do is get these home, then maybe do one on each of my gliders once a month so that I know what is "normal" for MY gliders - a baseline. If I have any outliers, I can go to the vet for a UA & a 'deeper' look, so to speak...

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #651058
10/05/08 07:02 PM
10/05/08 07:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Trigger Offline
Glider Addict
Trigger  Offline
Glider Addict

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Thanks, yep that's just what Denise was telling me in pm and I am going to get them and start testing each once per month unless I feel something is off with a glider and will test then too.
I think these are a great idea. Any advance warning I can get that one of my babies may be ill is worth it. A few dollars could end up saving a glider.


»-(¯`v´¯)-»MO MONEY!»-(¯`v´¯)-»
kids Chance, Dylan, John, & Kayla
Skittles, Snupi, Snuki, Lucy, Shanu, Caspian, Ivy, Kalysta, Kaliya, Santee, Cheyenne, Apache, Comanche, Twirpy, Meribelle, Santeria, Shyamalan, Sebastian, Zoey, Naira & Katsu
www.jensfuzzyfriends.com
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Trigger] #651068
10/05/08 07:11 PM
10/05/08 07:11 PM

M
Monster
Unregistered
Monster
Unregistered
M



Cool - do you mind sharing your results?

I have just ordered my strips - you show me yours & I'll show you mine roflmao roflmao roflmao

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: ] #651080
10/05/08 07:23 PM
10/05/08 07:23 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Trigger Offline
Glider Addict
Trigger  Offline
Glider Addict

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
I don't mind at sharing at all. I think the more info we have available for gliders the better.
I would love to see others test and share so we could compare results.


»-(¯`v´¯)-»MO MONEY!»-(¯`v´¯)-»
kids Chance, Dylan, John, & Kayla
Skittles, Snupi, Snuki, Lucy, Shanu, Caspian, Ivy, Kalysta, Kaliya, Santee, Cheyenne, Apache, Comanche, Twirpy, Meribelle, Santeria, Shyamalan, Sebastian, Zoey, Naira & Katsu
www.jensfuzzyfriends.com
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Trigger] #651089
10/05/08 08:00 PM
10/05/08 08:00 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
minkasmom Offline
Serious Glideritis
minkasmom  Offline
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
I'm delighted almost beyond words to see so many of you showing interest in this! jump dance The things that we need to keep in mind throughout the gathering of this data is:

* the age of the glider that we're gathering the info from;

* the diet that's being given to said glider (including treats!); and

* being as ACCURATE as humanly possible!

These things MAY be factors that'll make little differences in the results we get. Who knows what kind of surprises we'll discover.

Oh, and to answer your question, Janet, on how to COLLECT the pee sample: One thing that I've learned from all the testing I've done through time is that a glider LOVES to pee when they're first brought outside their cages in the evening. Setting them on a scale tray usually furnishes the desired results, so cleaning the tray with a baby wipe prior to "playtime" will be your starting point. (Check what the wipe ITSELF does to your test strips too!) All you need is enough pee to dampen all (7 or 8) the spots on the litmus strip. A healthy, well-hydrated glider will furnish MORE than enough to get the job done.

And trust me, Gina: Getting YOUR OWN strips ($25.00 for 100) is a WHOLE LOT cheaper than having the vet do it ($6.00 per TEST at my vet's office). With 22 gliders under my roof, I hear how PAINFUL on the budget it can be to have the vet do it for me....no math wizard required here! roflmao


Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses)
Slave to:
25 gliders,4 cats,
and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!)
gangel Remembering all my lost loves cry
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: minkasmom] #651092
10/05/08 08:09 PM
10/05/08 08:09 PM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11,015
MA
pappy1264 Offline
Glideritis Anonymous
pappy1264  Offline
Glideritis Anonymous

Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 11,015
MA
I am going to order these strips and will see what my guys come up. I have had UTI's in Petey, Roo (3 times since June), and Oliver. Petey and Roo also were wormed (as Roo passed a live roundworm) and Petey also had an infection in his anal glands. Roo also was suspected of having Giardia (with this last UTI, Petey had no symptoms, but was treated as well for Giardia to be safe). She will go back in one more week to have a recheck.


Timmy, Gidget(RIP), Bandit, Petey(RIP), Phoebe, Jake (RIP) Piper(RIP), Pru(RIP), Paige, Cole, Molly(RIP), Oliver, Wyatt, Roo(RIP), Romeo, Pennie, Mandy(RIP), Madison, Garth, Kikipoo, Stasia, Bella, Petunia(RIP), Helen, Sydney, Kizzy and Sweet Pea's mom,
Mary
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: minkasmom] #651093
10/05/08 08:10 PM
10/05/08 08:10 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Trigger Offline
Glider Addict
Trigger  Offline
Glider Addict

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,970
Spring, Texas
Denise is there a best time to test?
Should there be a certain time lapse between eating or having treats that would give a truer reading?


»-(¯`v´¯)-»MO MONEY!»-(¯`v´¯)-»
kids Chance, Dylan, John, & Kayla
Skittles, Snupi, Snuki, Lucy, Shanu, Caspian, Ivy, Kalysta, Kaliya, Santee, Cheyenne, Apache, Comanche, Twirpy, Meribelle, Santeria, Shyamalan, Sebastian, Zoey, Naira & Katsu
www.jensfuzzyfriends.com
Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Trigger] #651096
10/05/08 08:16 PM
10/05/08 08:16 PM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 582
Lake Worth, FL
Msdoolittle Offline
Glider Lover
Msdoolittle  Offline
Glider Lover

Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 582
Lake Worth, FL
Thanks,Denise! That is a whole lot easier than what I have tried. I think these strips are great because if something like bilirubin does come up positive, your vet can order the specific blood work for liver problems. Blood is just too precious to our little friends to take for a whole battery of tests. Same thing with the glucose and ketone squares for diabetes.


~Janet~
Mom to 2 daughters (Laura & Kayla)
4 suggies (Scooter & Snickers, Coral,& Portia)
3 birds (Prince,Lucy,Sidney)
1 dog (Sammy)

Re: Struvite Crystals? [Re: Trigger] #651097
10/05/08 08:18 PM
10/05/08 08:18 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
minkasmom Offline
Serious Glideritis
minkasmom  Offline
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,968
Northeast Indiana
The most accurate reading would probably be obtained before they've had their evening meal...or any treats. I think what would be most important is to do the testing at the SAME TIME of day under the SAME CONDITIONS (for instance: when they first wake up in the evening, before they have their supper).


Minkasmom (Papillon Kisses)
Slave to:
25 gliders,4 cats,
and ONE husband (can't handle two, lol!)
gangel Remembering all my lost loves cry
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