Diet Composition and Mineral Balance in Guinea Pigs

Abstract

The guinea pig is highly susceptible to soft tissue calcifi cation. Wulzen and Bahrs ('41) first reported a stiffness syn drome which has heen studied in detail and reviewed by van Wagtendonk and Wulzen ('50). The syndrome was charac terized by stiff joints and by extensive soft tissue calcification and necrosis. A similar syndrome was reported by Hogan et al. ('50, '54) in guinea pigs that consumed excess phos phorus. Smith et al. ('49) also observed metastatic calcifica tion when certain diets were fed for long periods. Roine et al. ('49) pointed out that for maximum growth the guinea pig has a high requirement for potassium and magnesium. House and Hogan ('55) observed that high levels of these elements protect guinea pigs from soft tissue calci fication. Magnesium deficiency has been implicated in meta static calcification in other species including the calf (Moore et al., '38), the cotton rat (Constant and Phillips, '54) and the white rat (Tufts and Greenberg, '38). The rabbit has a high requirement for potassium (Hove and Herndon, '55), but part of the requirement can be met by other cations (Wooley and Michelson, '54). The high cation requirement of guinea pigs is partly due to their inability to conserve fixed bases by excreting ammonia in the urine (O'Dell et al., '56). Gum arabic has been reported to be superior to celluflour as a

Acacia Senegal Gum Exudate Offers Protection Against Cyclophosphamide‐Induced Urinary Bladder Cytotoxicity

“…GA's efficiency as a potent cytoprotective agent may depend both on its qualitative and quantitative attributes and accessibility to the target tissues such as the intestine and kidney 23. GA is absorbed from GIT following oral administration when it is given up to 10% of the diet 40. It is completely digested when given orally by rats and guinea-pigs and by humans 41.…”

Disease Problems of Guinea Pigs

“…This condition is caused by primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism and results in increased osteoclastic resorption of bone and replacement by fibrous tissue. 36 In addition, vitamin D deficiency, calcium malabsorption, or other calcium metabolism disturbances may play a role in the onset of disease. Breeders in Europe and the United States also report this disease in the Satin type, suggesting an inherited factor in this line of guinea pigs.…”

Biochemical Effects of Gum Arabic, Gum Tragacanth, Methylcellulose and Carboxymethylcellulose-Na in Rat Heart and Liver

“…Gum arabic is almost completely digested by guinea pigs (15) and other species. Dietary levels of less titan 10% are fully absorbed with a caloric equivalent o f four calories per gram (20).…”