Vitamin C Tablets

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Red Star

Red Star

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Are they necessary?

Everytime I've ever taken a guinea pig to the vet, one of the first things the vet asks is whether they get some sort of vitamin C tablet or drops, so I just assumed that was an essential part of a cavy diet.

But then someone on another site I'm on started saying that they're completely pointless so long as you're feeding your cavy enough greens and such.

So....I thought I'd ask y'all's opinion! Are they redundant? Do we not need them at all?
 
Hello

I've noticed that if you feed them enough variety of veggies along with the occasional fruit and lots of hay, and about 1/3 cup of pellets the vitamin C intake is good enough. I give my gps green and yellow bell peppers a lot because those have a ton of vitamin c. Also the pellets usually have vitamin C added. I think the vitamins might be a good idea but not the chewable tablets, they usually contain yogurt which isn't good for them Good luck!
 
As long as they have a good selection of veggies in their diet and some pellets specifically for guinea pigs then the drops are rather redundant.
 
Red Star said:
Are they necessary?

Everytime I've ever taken a guinea pig to the vet, one of the first things the vet asks is whether they get some sort of vitamin C tablet or drops, so I just assumed that was an essential part of a cavy diet.

But then someone on another site I'm on started saying that they're completely pointless so long as you're feeding your cavy enough greens and such.

So....I thought I'd ask y'all's opinion! Are they redundant? Do we not need them at all?
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The debate whether to add extra vitamin C or not still rages on.

With a good veg diet and good quality pellets that are reinforced with vitamin C, you don't need them - none of my piggies has ever shown any sign of scurvy, nor have we ever had a case of scurvy with our regular members in all the time I have been on this forum.

Too much vitamin C on a regular basis, especially in young guinea pigs, can actually lead to scurvy if the vitamin C intake/uptake for some reason suddenly drops. Vets tend to ask because a lot of people still feed a bad and deficient diet, which can lead to all sorts of problems.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet

You can give extra vitamin C (and in this case I would actually recommend it) if a piggy is ill in order to help boost the immune system or if a guinea pig is off its food and not eating veg or pellets for more than just a few days.
Please use Oxbow tablets if possible. Don't add anything to their water; it puts them off drinking.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
 
My eldest has access to hay and pellets, but really isn't eating his hay at this point, due to his illness. He does still eat his pellets and the lettuce and other veggies that he likes. Is lettuce alone enough vitamin C for him? He doesn't like most other C-rich veggies, and is getting pretty picky in his old age.
 
Not too sure on lettuce, as my two almost never have it, since we never eat lettuce. To my family, there's no point buying something that we won't eat too unless it's a small packet (like dill) to avoid wasting it.

I give the Pro-C probiotic everytime I have a sick piggy, to counteracts the antibiotics and give their immune systems a little boost. If they're healthy and have daily access to sufficient vegetables, then they shouldn't need extra Vitamin C. 50g vegetables per pig per day is ideal.

I don't see any harm in adding a little extra Vitamin C, if you feel he is not getting enough. Pro-C probiotic or the Oxbow tablets would be best. Just sprinkle a little Pro-C over vegetables or soften the Oxbow tablets with some warm water, if they won't eat them whole.
 
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