folk remedy for stones

[Yvonne G]

Don Wells posted the following on another tortoise forum I subscribe to:

"My experience with stones in tortoises goes back over many years. I've gone the
surgery route both successfully and not! If it were my animal I would first
determine where the stone is located? Is it a bladder stone ( most common)?
Stones are made metabolically by gathering minerals i.e. Calcium,Magnesium etc.
and forming the stone. Its been suggested and I prescribe to this idea, based on
observation, that the animals body Ph. is not correct and its not getting the
correct balance of nutrients that will influence the Ph. in its body.
If you want to try a folk remedy that has worked for me more than once, allow
the animal to drink slightly acidified water for a few months or forever. This
is done by adding cider vinegar to its drinking water a teaspoon per cup. Desert
tortoises drink mainly non mineralized rain water or get their water from plants
like cacti,flowers etc.The acidified water allows correct absorption but seems
to not allow these stones to grow and dissolves the ones that are there."

I have added apple cider vinegar to my horse's water trough for years because it helps keep the flies off the horse. I don't see why it wouldn't help a tortoise with stones. What do you have to lose?

Anyone have any comments or thoughts about this system?

 

[Tom]

It sounds reasonable and logical, but so did keeping desert species hatchlings hot and dry.

 

[pebblelu]

Yvonne,
Sorry for going off topic but I was wondering how much apple cider vinger you put in the horses water?
And how often.
Jackie

 

[Yvonne G]

Yvonne,
Sorry for going off topic but I was wondering how much apple cider vinger you put in the horses water?
And how often.
Jackie

My horse waterer is a bathtub, and I put in two cups of vinegar.

 

[kimber_lee_314]

I'm surprised they drink it - it's not too bitter?

 

[pebblelu]

Thanks Yvonne,
I think i'll give that a try.
Jackie

 

[Missy]

I have heard if you put a tsp. in your dog and cat water bowls it will keep fleas off. I have not tried it but I have a friend that swears by it.

 

[Madkins007]

I can no longer recall the book, but an author I read recommends a couple drops of apple cider vinegar in human drinking water, for flavor and health benefits.

There are lots of benefits of vinegar, and there a lot of 'uses of vinegar' items that are pretty much folklore. It would be interesting to do some studies on using it to prevent stones.

Dr. Mader's book "Reptile Surgery and Medicine" mentions that no one (when the book was written) knows what causes stones, but their general opinion in there is that dehydration is a big part of it. Of course, even if the acid only encouraged the tortoises to drink more of the water, that would be a huge benefit!