Jitterbug’s and Charlotte’s Medical

[kailaeve1271]

I’ve had a few problems with my pigs health over the months that I’ve had them.

When I got my pigs I immediately put them on vitiman C Oxbow tablets because I had heard about how good it was for them. Both of my pigs get half a tablet of this a day and never have had any scurvy problems.

I noticed that my pigs had an excessive amount of calcium deposits, even in a low calcium diet. My vet recommended putting them on Oxbow Urinary Support tablets. My pigs were then given half a vitamin C tablet and half a Urinary Support tablet.

After the calcium issues stopped I noticed runny poops in my guinea pigs diet and frequent upset tummy’s. Again, I changed the diet, but it didn’t help and I went back to the vet. She recommended that I give half a Digestive Support tablet along with the half a vitiman C tablet and half the Urinary Support tablet.

Recently one of my guinea pigs fell from a four inch ledge and started limping. Again, I had to go to the vet. She said that my pigs have weak bones and also have a lot of dander disoute my attempts to fix the dander issue. She recommended (although I haven’t done so yet) giving my pigs an exercises to strengthen joints as well as half an Oxbow Joint Support tablet and half a skin and coat tablet.

Which would mean 5 half tablets per pig! Is this even safe? Do I need to find a new vet? I know my pigs have a lot of issues, but is putting them on all of this good for them?

[bpatters]

My honest opinion is that those tablets, at least some of them, don't do much good. I had a pig develop stones after years on urinary support tablets. The darn things are expensive, too.

If you're feeding a good variety of veggies, including bell pepper, they don't need a vitamin C supplement unless they're ill. I have no idea what a digestive support tablet is supposed to do, but I'd try a probiotic rather than the support tablet.

How did she diagnose "weak bones?"

[kailaeve1271]

I’m assuming she diagnosed it whenever they did x-rays on the pig to make sure the limp wasn't from a fracture. She didn’t say weak. Her exact words were “brittle bones”.

As for Digestive Support, it was supposed to help her digest food to make her poops more solid and also help pass gas. I haven’t seen anything since they started on it that has gone wrong so I’m assuming it’s helping a little