Vitamin C

[RockedByRequiem]

I've been reading that vitamin C is very good to give them, especially for dental health. I've even read that it can reverse early stage malocclusion. Is this true?

I've never given him vitamin C, but I definitely want to start if it is that beneficial. How many others give their chins a vitamin C supplement?

Also, if he will eat them, is a non-chewable tablet okay? I take 1000mg tablets every day, which contain rose hips. They are also VERY tart, which I know they seem to like. Would that be okay if he liked it, or should I definitely buy chewable ones?

Lastly, how much should they be given?

Thanks

 

[Gizmo24]

I have no idea about the tablets... but most people I know give either crushed or whole rosehips a few times a week. They're very high in vit. C and chins love them! Alot of people sell them on here so you should pm one of them

 

[Stackie]

They don't need any extra vitamin C supplemented in their diet as long as you are giving them a high quality pellet. You can give them rose hips (which are high in vit. C) as treats, but the tablets are unnecessary.

The only reason I would supplement a chin with actual vitamin C is if it was experiencing dental problems.

 

[AZChins]

It's not going to hurt a chin to supplement with vitamin C. I did it for years because I was worried that I wasn't getting food fresh enough to supply enough. Now my food is a month old...so it's not a big deal anymore.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and while a chin may get enough from the pellets and hay it can help a chin's immune system the same way it would help a human's. It helps to repair cellular damage and keep away free radicals. Supplementing it once a week isn't going to cause any harm to the chins. I used to use 500 mg tablets, they'd end up crumbling some of it away and probably got only 2/3rds of the chewable - I'd give them this as their treat. Maybe you could crush up the 1000 mg tab and give the chin half or 1/3rd?

Oh...I didn't read that they were non-chewables...the chewables are probably the only way to get the vit C into the chin easily.

 

[RockedByRequiem]

Well, he actually has had dental problems recently. I had him at the vet a month ago and she did filings. He is fully recovered at this point, but since the vet gave me no real answers, and because of my current financial situation, I'm taking a wait and see approach for the time being. If and when an urgent situation arises, I plan on taking him to a different vet (who I've been in contact with).

And btw, he's been fed Mazuri from the time I brought him home almost 7 years ago.

 

[RockedByRequiem]

It's not going to hurt a chin to supplement with vitamin C. I did it for years because I was worried that I wasn't getting food fresh enough to supply enough. Now my food is a month old...so it's not a big deal anymore.

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and while a chin may get enough from the pellets and hay it can help a chin's immune system the same way it would help a human's. It helps to repair cellular damage and keep away free radicals. Supplementing it once a week isn't going to cause any harm to the chins. I used to use 500 mg tablets, they'd end up crumbling some of it away and probably got only 2/3rds of the chewable - I'd give them this as their treat. Maybe you could crush up the 1000 mg tab and give the chin half or 1/3rd?

Oh...I didn't read that they were non-chewables...the chewables are probably the only way to get the vit C into the chin easily

Thank you. This is kind of what I figured. I also can't seem to find any reason why a non-chewable would be less safe, so I offered it to him...He actually eagerly ate about 1/4 of it, then stopped abruptly. I think it's so tart that he can only handle a small amount at a time.

I'm going to pick up some chewable ones for him anyway, since he has had the dental problems.

 

[AZChins]

That's good! I don't think that mine would eat it if it weren't a little sweet. Maybe he ate it so fast that he didn't bother to try to taste it until after having already eaten some of it.