Low Calcium Diets

CAREFOODMEDICALPLANTS
Written By Jen Herd

The following can help with urinary tract health and are mildly diuretic, so help to flush the bladder -

  • Dandelion (but not masses as highish in Calcium)

  • Yarrow

  • Birch

  • Goldenrod

  • Hawthorn

  • Cranesbill Geranium incl Herb Robert

  • Stinging Nettles

  • Chickweed

  • Fennel

  • Sow Thistle/Puha (Good for hydration and general tonic but not masses as highish in Calcium)

  • Cleavers - kidney tonic

  • Willowherb - kidney tonic

  • Chickweed

  • Oxbow Urinary Support

    The lowest calcium pellets available in NZ are -

  • Kaytee Exact Rainbow: 0.4-0.6

  • Selective: Grain Free, 4+ & Adult: 0.6%

  • Oxbow Adult: 0.35-0.75%

  • Burgess: 0.75%

"Calcium is essential for rabbits to maintain healthy bones and teeth, but the special way rabbits process it means that some rabbits encounter urinary tract problems if their diet is too high in calcium. If your rabbit suffers from stones or bladder sludge you may need to adjust their diet to reduce their calcium intake to help control the problem."
Low Calcium Diet for Rabbits - The Rabbit House

"Rabbits’ urine can change dramatically depending on what they have eaten. If they have eaten red cabbage, beetroot leaves or other foods with strong colouring, their wee may be stained red. This is called beeturea, and it’s normal."
Rabbit Bladder Problems - RWAF

"Urolithiasis (stones or sludge) within the urinary tract of rabbits, has been a ‘hot topic’ in the veterinary profession and amongst owners for several years. Many theories have been put forward and researched as to why rabbits seem to readily develop these deposits…but sadly there is still no hard facts as to exactly what causes these problems and how best to treat and prevent them from happening."
Urolithiasis (urinary sludge and stones) - RWAF

"Incorrect dietary intake of calcium is often suggested as an underlying cause of disease in rabbits. Too little calcium in the diet calcium is linked with dental disease and feeding high amounts of calcium could contribute to sludgy urine and other urinary tract problems. Feeding a balanced diet that does not have too much or too little calcium is beneficial but it can be hard to know what to feed. "
Calcium and Rabbit Food - Frances Harcourt-Brown

"The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of calcium is approximately 500mg for fully grown rabbit that is not pregnant or lactating. The amount of some common food items that a rabbit would have to eat in one day to meet the RDA are illustrated below. The dish they are in is the same. It can be seen that it would be impossible for a rabbit to meet it's RDA by eating flaked maize. It might be difficult with spinach, broccoli and other 'high calcium' foods but it would be easy to exceed the the RDA by eating a lot of nuggets.It can also bee seen that a very small amount of a mineral block would provide enough calcium and it would be easy to ingest excessive amounts if a rabbit decided to eat a lot of it."
Amount of a food item that contains RDA of calcium - Frances Harcourt-Brown

"Although no direct scientific link between dietary calcium and an excess amount of calcium excreted in the urine has been proven, many veterinarians are advising clients whose rabbits have urinary/bladder problems to decrease the amount of calcium in their rabbit's diet."
Lowering Blood Calcium - House Rabbit Society

Further Reading including dealing with urine scald can be found in WW’s Pee File.

Jen Herd
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