Guinea Pigs - The Criticality of Vitamin C
You and your guinea pig could have more in common than you know. You and your guinea pig absolutely have daily vitamin C to survive. Unlike other mammals who make vitamin C from glucose in their bodies, you and your pet guinea pig are both lacking a particular enzyme required to complete this critical process. So, both human and guinea pig vitamin C needs have to be be met by outside vitamin sources.
Guinea pigs must have a regular source of vitamin C or they will perish. Vitamin C is a water-soluble substance. Fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamins A, D, E and K) are dissolved by lipids - fat globules. Once these vitamins are absorbed by lipids, they are stored in your body's tissues. Vitamin C, on the other hand, isn't stored in the body. It is dissolved by water and any extra vitamin C in your guinea pig's body will be excreted in the urine. Because vitamin C passes so swiftly through your cavy's body, they must be given supplements on an everyday basis.
A great way to supplement your pig's diet with the needed C vitamin is to feed them a diet rich in dark leafy veggies such as parsley, kale or romaine lettuce. Be certain to avoid iceberg lettuce as it is mostly water and empty calories. It is basically lacking in any nutritional value whatsoever. As a general rule - the darker and richer the colour of a fruit or vegetable - the more vitamins it contains.
To insure that your pet pig is getting sufficient quantities of daily vitamin C, it is also advised that you supplement its diet with vitamin C supplements in the form of pills or liquid drops. Tablets can be crushed and sprinkled on food or dissolved in drinking water. Liquid supplements can be added to drinking water or sprinkled on your guinea pig's food.
Be careful when adding vitamin C to your pig's drinking water. Vitamin C can be destroyed by substances found in tap water in some geographical regions. Your best bet is to use only distilled or purified water.
Your cavy needs vitamin C to live a healthy life. While supplementation is recommended, it should not be the only source of vitamin C for your guinea pig. Your pig's diet should also contain plenty of dark green plants. Since vitamin C is water-soluble, there's not much danger of giving too much vitamin C to your cavy. All excess vitamin C will be safely flushed from the body in the urine.
Guinea pigs must have a regular source of vitamin C or they will perish. Vitamin C is a water-soluble substance. Fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamins A, D, E and K) are dissolved by lipids - fat globules. Once these vitamins are absorbed by lipids, they are stored in your body's tissues. Vitamin C, on the other hand, isn't stored in the body. It is dissolved by water and any extra vitamin C in your guinea pig's body will be excreted in the urine. Because vitamin C passes so swiftly through your cavy's body, they must be given supplements on an everyday basis.
A great way to supplement your pig's diet with the needed C vitamin is to feed them a diet rich in dark leafy veggies such as parsley, kale or romaine lettuce. Be certain to avoid iceberg lettuce as it is mostly water and empty calories. It is basically lacking in any nutritional value whatsoever. As a general rule - the darker and richer the colour of a fruit or vegetable - the more vitamins it contains.
To insure that your pet pig is getting sufficient quantities of daily vitamin C, it is also advised that you supplement its diet with vitamin C supplements in the form of pills or liquid drops. Tablets can be crushed and sprinkled on food or dissolved in drinking water. Liquid supplements can be added to drinking water or sprinkled on your guinea pig's food.
Be careful when adding vitamin C to your pig's drinking water. Vitamin C can be destroyed by substances found in tap water in some geographical regions. Your best bet is to use only distilled or purified water.
Your cavy needs vitamin C to live a healthy life. While supplementation is recommended, it should not be the only source of vitamin C for your guinea pig. Your pig's diet should also contain plenty of dark green plants. Since vitamin C is water-soluble, there's not much danger of giving too much vitamin C to your cavy. All excess vitamin C will be safely flushed from the body in the urine.
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