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Supplements Vitamin C Supplement in pig getting older?

Happy Cavy

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I got those for my piggy awhile back. She loves them but they're very hard. I have to break a tablet into small pieces.
 

Artista

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I got those for my piggy awhile back. She loves them but they're very hard. I have to break a tablet into small pieces.
Sounds like their urinary tabs which are like a rock.
 
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Artista

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Thanks @Kelsie! I won't bother getting oxbow and trying the syringe thing won't work if it's not delicious. I'll give this a try.

Found it here:

(broken link removed)
 

Happy Cavy

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I tried wetting the tablet. That's a lot much better. I like the Oxbow tablets and treats (they don't contain sugar unlike other treats), but I worry that Hunter will hurt herself trying to eat them. I just purchased their hay and pellets after learning from [MENTION=27627]Artista[/MENTION] that kaytee is a bad product. I tried to find the one she suggested in the pet stores here so I can get Hunter off Kaytee faster, but no one sold KMS.
 

Artista

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I tried wetting the tablet. That's a lot much better. I like the Oxbow tablets and treats (they don't contain sugar unlike other treats), but I worry that Hunter will hurt herself trying to eat them. I just purchased their hay and pellets after learning from @Artista that kaytee is a bad product. I tried to find the one she suggested in the pet stores here so I can get Hunter off Kaytee faster, but no one sold KMS.

KMS is only available online. Oxbow is a good brand too like KMS.
 

Artista

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@Artista, I've read both here and on Guinea Lynx that so many people's pigs just would not eat the new Oxbow Vitamin C tablets. Maybe Mooshy would like them, but most likely she probably wouldn't. They are as hard as a rock.

On a different note, I give the Oxbow Joint supplement tablets to my two very senior pigs and they just love them. They seem softer and they break in half very easily. Why can't Oxbow make all their supplements like that.


HOw old are your seniors @Kelsie? Mine isn't showing issues so not worried about joints yet.
 

Artista

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@Kelsie I looked at the solgar site and didn't see Kangavites. What's the link? I want to see which is cheaper. Thanks!
 

bpatters

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You don't want to give a multivitamin to a pig on a regular basis (as recommended by the manufacturer of the vitamin) unless there's some specific reason the pig needs it. Some of the vitamins in the multivitamin bottle are fat soluble. Guinea pigs are just balls of fat and fur, and they can easily get too much of the fat soluble vitamins. I've given them to an older pig recovering from an illness a time or two, but I give less than half the recommended dose, and only every other day. I also don't put them on it for more than just three or four weeks at the maximum.

Regarding the Oxbow tablets, mine have loved them, and would willingly take them from my hand.

I'd ALWAYS prefer natural sources of vitamin C, such as peppers, rather than liquids or tablets. Too much vitamin C, particularly that from non-food sources, can contribute to bladder stones.

If a guinea pig is getting a good quality pellet with a stabilized vitamin C in it, and is getting fresh veggies with vitamin C, I wouldn't add a supplement unless the pig is/was ill, or is elderly, like over 6.
 

Artista

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You don't want to give a multivitamin to a pig on a regular basis (as recommended by the manufacturer of the vitamin) unless there's some specific reason the pig needs it. Some of the vitamins in the multivitamin bottle are fat soluble. Guinea pigs are just balls of fat and fur, and they can easily get too much of the fat soluble vitamins. I've given them to an older pig recovering from an illness a time or two, but I give less than half the recommended dose, and only every other day. I also don't put them on it for more than just three or four weeks at the maximum.

Regarding the Oxbow tablets, mine have loved them, and would willingly take them from my hand.

I'd ALWAYS prefer natural sources of vitamin C, such as peppers, rather than liquids or tablets. Too much vitamin C, particularly that from non-food sources, can contribute to bladder stones.

If a guinea pig is getting a good quality pellet with a stabilized vitamin C in it, and is getting fresh veggies with vitamin C, I wouldn't add a supplement unless the pig is/was ill, or is elderly, like over 6.


By ill does uti count? Otherwise I'll give her another year and just up the green pepper to a little larger piece. She has KMS timothy hay pellets that she eats though I cut down the portion to 1 TBSP daily from 2.
 

bpatters

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A UTI doesn't really count, IMO. I'm thinking loss of weight, loss of appetite, not moving much, etc.
 

Artista

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@Artista, my two seniors are both over the age of 8 years. Since starting them on the joint supplements I have noticed they move around much more. They just seem more comfortable.

The Solgar store where I purchase the vitamin C from is. "Solgar.ie." There's some seller on Amazon trying to gouge people by charging $40.00 a bottle. That's absolutely ridiculous. I think I pay around $15.00 plus shipping for a bottle of 90 tablets.


Awesome! When I first got Mooshy I was told 5 years was about it. So naturally I'm trying to be in front of what I can as she approaches 5 soon, I'm not finding on Solgar.ie the vit c where you can purchase in $. Can you pm me the link just so I have it
 

ArcanaNoir

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My vet recommended the Oxbow vitamin C tablets when my guinea pig was sick and wasn't eating normally. She really loved them. After she recovered I didn't get a new bottle since she gets enough vitamin C from her pellets and veggies. She got sick again and this time she wouldn't even taste the tablet. I gave it to her cage mate instead and suddenly she was very interested. Now she loves them again. Silly pig :) I keep the tablets in the refrigerator with their pellets to help preserve the vitamin C.

I'd ALWAYS prefer natural sources of vitamin C, such as peppers, rather than liquids or tablets. Too much vitamin C, particularly that from non-food sources, can contribute to bladder stones.
Wow, I never heard this before. My vet even said you can't overdo vitamin C. I have read something about if pigs are given a very high level of vitamin C over a period of time and then it is suddenly decreased that they can get scurvy even if the new lower level is adequate. Do you have a source about the contribution to bladder stones? I'd like to know more about that!
 

bpatters

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They don't actually get scurvy if a high dose of vitamin C is suddenly reduced -- it's called pseudo-scurvy, and usually resolves itself within a few days.

I had a couple of good articles on vitamin C and stones, but lost the references when my last hard disk crashed. You should be able to google something up, and I'll see what I can find later this afternoon.
 
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