Vitamin C Question: Dr Recommends 20mg. Too Much?

[Lilythepig2017]

EDIT: sorry title is supposed to say “20mg on top of red pepper. Is it too much?” Sorry for typo

so I think I read guinea pigs just need 30mg of C to stave off ill health from vitamin C deficiency. Today I served her 28 grams of red pepper which has 35 mg of C.

The vet gave me though at our first appointment Vitamin C liquid for her (actually for children) to give via syringe (20mg of C)

If she’s getting that 35mg of vit C from a red pepper daily does she need liquid C on top of that?

Thanks so much

 

[Veggies Galore]

I think she's getting enough vitamin C from her diet

 

[Swissgreys]

The vets here (Switzerland) also seem very keen for us to administer liquid Vit C drops.
But when I explained to my vet that my piggies receive daily veg, and then ran through a list of the ones we include, she agreed that they certainly did not need additional drops.
She said because Vit C is so important, and they can't control what foods people feed to their piggies, they always recommend the drops, but if you feed a good quality, in-date pellets, and fresh food at least 5 times a week, then the drops are unnecessary.

 

[Lilythepig2017]

The vets here (Switzerland) also seem very keen for us to administer liquid Vit C drops.
But when I explained to my vet that my piggies receive daily veg, and then ran through a list of the ones we include, she agreed that they certainly did not need additional drops.
She said because Vit C is so important, and they can't control what foods people feed to their piggies, they always recommend the drops, but if you feed a good quality, in-date pellets, and fresh food at least 5 times a week, then the drops are unnecessary.

My girl doesn’t get pellets. Just red pepper, micro greens, dandelion leaf, she has stated eating a touch of zucchini and wheat grass, she eats dried herb forages for guides pigs as well and some dried rose hips. I’d like to expand her veggies. When she came a month ago she ate no veggies so we have made progress. Now that she eats some I’ve pulled her off pellets as she doesn’t like them and would pick at one or two per day. 35mg of C ok then without pellets?

 

[rome_italy]

EDIT: sorry title is supposed to say “20mg on top of red pepper. Is it too much?” Sorry for typo

so I think I read guinea pigs just need 30mg of C to stave off ill health from vitamin C deficiency. Today I served her 28 grams of red pepper which has 35 mg of C.

The vet gave me though at our first appointment Vitamin C liquid for her (actually for children) to give via syringe (20mg of C)

If she’s getting that 35mg of vit C from a red pepper daily does she need liquid C on top of that?

Thanks so much

are you sure that that piece of bell pepper had actually the amount of vit C it is supposed to have? have you picked up the bell pepper 5 minutes before? had it grown up with sun and light? no fertiliser? was it not stored into any fridge? (one day into a fridge and the vit C is split in half). No light? the light and the air destroy vit C...
This is the reason for your vet suggests that supplement... which if really it is in excess is easily eliminated by the body without any consequence (only big and absurd amount of vit C, such as thousands and thousands grams, cause troubles).
here in italy all the vets suggest a supplement and there are families with very old and healthy piggies.
Anyway, here the supplement suggested has a lower dosage; only 6-12 mg a day or even three times a week...
I also use the supplement for children (Cebion drops, each drop is 6mg and I give two almost every day).
I doubled the supplement only in certain period of stress; after the adoption, after a surgery, when there was a watery eye, when the poo was soft and smelly, when my boar developed a sort of abscess post-op, etc. Maybe your vet is thinking that your pig needs to boost her immune system...

 

[Lilythepig2017]

are you sure that that piece of bell pepper had actually the amount of vit C it is supposed to have? have you picked up the bell pepper 5 minutes before? had it grown up with sun and light? no fertiliser? was it not stored into any fridge? (one day into a fridge and the vit C is split in half). No light? the light and the air destroy vit C...
This is the reason for your vet suggests that supplement... which if really it is in excess is easily eliminated by the body without any consequence (only big and absurd amount of vit C, such as thousands and thousands grams, cause troubles).
here in italy all the vets suggest a supplement and there are families with very old and healthy piggies.
Anyway, here the supplement suggested has a lower dosage; only 6-12 mg a day or even three times a week...
I also use the supplement for children (Cebion drops, each drop is 6mg and I give two almost every day).
I doubled the supplement only in certain period of stress; after the adoption, after a surgery, when there was a watery eye, when the poo was soft and smelly, when my boar developed a sort of abscess post-op, etc. Maybe your vet is thinking that your pig needs to boost her immune system...

Thank you for your reply. Sorry for the typo in the title. It’s actually around 20mg of C he wants me to give. You are very right about the pepper losing vitamin C. I hadn’t even thought about that. The liquid V I am using now contains fructose. Is that bad for my pig’s health? I feel they shouldn’t have any sugar in their diet except the occasional piece of fruit. He bottle doesn’t say the sugar content and claim it has no sweeteners but it’s one ingredient is fructose. Does yours contain this? Any recommendation for one that doesn’t?

Thanks so much!

 

[rome_italy]

(sorry for my delayed reply)
I don't know much about fructose... in our methabolism it has a different action of glucose; fructose is methabolized into the liver... it produces hormonal effects. I have forgotten all the matter, which is quite complicated. The only thing I know for sure is that guinea pigs have a similar hormonal response of us humans and that sugars should be avoided.
Cebion contains (I am reading the label): acid ascorbic, glicerol, water.
In UK you have another good and cheaper product:
Nature's Aid Vitamin C Drops 100mg Lemon Lemon | Holland & Barrett - the UK’s Leading Health Retailer
this is a better image:
https://www.biggreensmile.com/shop/...amin C 100mg Drops for Infants & Children.jpg
I read:
Ingredients:
Purified Water, Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid).
The dosage is a bit different compared with mine, I see. In the british product it is declared that 0,5ml has 100mg of vit C. There is the dropper included and you should see how many drops are needed for reaching 0,5ml. With my dropper it seems to be 10drops=0,5ml. Hence, if I am not wrong each drop of that product should have 10mg of vit C...
Another forum member is using that product, but I forgot who she is...
Anyway, consider also the supplement contained in pellets, pellets are a supplement, too, (my piggies have some pieces of pellets only as a treat).
If you have any doubts, have a honest talk with the vet, he will explain his reasons (he is paid for doing that,too) and you can tell him your doubts (of course make a research before).
Anyway, how much fructose can your piggie eat with few drops of vitamin? also bell peppers have sugars...