|Guinea pigs share a unique quality with human beings: the
inability to synthesize (create) Vitamin C for their bodies.
Because this is true, Vitamin C must be supplied to guinea pigs
through food or supplement intake. Guinea pigs failing to
receive adequate levels of Vitamin C will develop the disease,
that in people, is known as scurvy. What causes scurvy? In human
history, scurvy was common among sailors who traveled long
distances without access to fruits and vegetables containing
Vitamin C. In 1747, James Lind, a Scotsman, discovered that
sailors suffering from scurvy were cured by eating oranges and
limes. Science has since shown that it was the Vitamin C in the
fruit that made the difference. Symptoms of scurvy in your
guinea pig Indicators of a Vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs
include loss of appetite, bleeding from the gums, joint
stiffness, general lethargy, weight loss, poor tooth development
and nasal discharge. Avoiding Vitamin C deficiency To help
guinea pigs avoid a deficiency, Vitamin C is