Why Does Your Skinny Pig Need Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is a critical nutrient for the proper health and growth of your Skinny pig. Skinny pigs aren’t able to make their own ascorbic acid so they need to get it from their diet. It is very important that your Skinny gets this nutrient in the food they are eating.
What Happens When They Don’t Get Vitamin C?
In Skinny Pigs, Vitamin C is required for making Collagen. Collagen is required for your Pet to have healthy blood vessels and strong bones. Collagen also aids in healing wounds and scratches that your Guinea Pig may be able to.
Vitamin C is required for making collagen. Collagen is required for healthy blood vessels, the proper formation of bones, and wound healing. Deficiency results in fragile blood vessels, hemorrhages of the gums and tissues in the mouth, skin, muscles, and internal organ surfaces. A Vitamin Deficiency results in fragile blood vessels, bleeding from the gums and tissue in the mouth, skin, and internal organ surfaces. It can also cause abnormal cartilage and bone formation. This can cause them discomfort and lead to painful swelling of joints and cause mobility issues.
Signs & Symptoms
-Lameness; stiff or slight hop while moving
– Lethargy, weakness
– Decreased appetite or inability to eat if teeth are involved
– Joint pain and swelling in legs and ribs
– Bruising or bleeding of the gums or skin
– Diarrhea
– Rough hair coat
– Weight loss
Prevention
Preventing scurvy is easily done through a proper diet. You can make sure to include the following:
–High quality pellets with stabilized Vitamin C
-Fresh vegetables that are rich in Vitamin C (Bell pepper is a great low calcium option to feed daily)
–Chew-able Vitamin C tablets
-Feeding fruit on occasion
-Fresh grasses
Treatment
If you believe your guinea pig may be suffering from scurvy, a trip to the vets is needed. Your veterinarian will be able to properly diagnose and let you know the proper course of treatment required. It is also a good idea to have the vet check out your guinea pig because they may require a pain medication to help alleviate pain and swelling.
When a guinea pig is ill, it is always a good idea to provide extra Vitamin C.
Things To Avoid
Liquid Multi Vitamin and Vitamin C are not recommended because you cannot tell how much is actually being taken in and vitamins degrade in the air and light.
Vitamin drops in the water change the flavor of the water and can make guinea pigs not want to drink as much, this is not a good thing.
