Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is dosed at 50–100 mg/kg IV q24h in guinea pigs, per Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is used in guinea pigs for Acute severe scurvy, Scurvy prevention/treatment, Scurvy prevention during illness, Vitamin C supplementation (obligate requirement). Routes documented in guinea pigs: IV, PO, PO, SC, IM, SC. A typical adult guinea pig weighs 0.70–1.20 kg. ExoticRx lists 6 cited dose rules for Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) in guinea pigs, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 50–100 mg/kg | q24h | Until stable | Acute severe scurvy | Extrapolated | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed |
| PO | 10–50 mg/kg | q24h | Long-term | Scurvy prevention/treatment | Strong | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed |
| PO | 30–50 mg/kg | q24h | During illness; higher requirement | Scurvy prevention during illness | Strong | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed |
| PO | 10–30 mg/kg | q24h | Lifelong daily supplementation | Vitamin C supplementation (obligate requirement) | Strong | Meredith A. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary: Part B: Exotic Pets, British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Quedgeley, Gloucester, UK; 2015. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.803 (2026-08-01). |
| PO, SC, IM | 10–30 mg/kg | q24h | During pregnancy and lactation | Pregnancy/lactation supplementation (increased requirement) | Strong | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.803, Table (Miscellaneous agents used in guinea pigs/rodents), Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), maintenance row — corroborated verbatim by BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th ed, Part B: Exotic Pets, p.302: 'Guinea pigs: maintenance: 10-30 mg/kg/day p.o., s.c.' |
| SC | 50–100 mg/kg | q24h | Until clinical improvement, then oral supplementation | Severe scurvy, acute vitamin C deficiency | Moderate | Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.803 (2026-08-01). |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your guinea pig's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Essential antioxidant and cofactor in collagen synthesis, immune function, and iron absorption. Guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C endogenously (obligate requirement).
ESSENTIAL supplement for guinea pigs (10-30 mg/kg/day minimum). Degrades rapidly in water — supplement daily. High parenteral doses may cause oxalate crystalluria. Most other species synthesize their own.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for guinea pigs may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) dose ranges in guinea pigs, with cited source references: IV 50–100 mg/kg q24h; PO 10–50 mg/kg q24h; PO 30–50 mg/kg q24h; PO 10–30 mg/kg q24h. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) in guinea pigs: IV, PO, PO, SC, IM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) in guinea pigs include: Until stable; Long-term; During illness; higher requirement; Lifelong daily supplementation. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is indicated in guinea pigs for: Acute severe scurvy, Scurvy prevention/treatment, Scurvy prevention during illness, Vitamin C supplementation (obligate requirement), Pregnancy/lactation supplementation (increased requirement), Severe scurvy, acute vitamin C deficiency.
These are general warnings for Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) across species; consult the guinea pig dosing table above for species-specific guidance. ESSENTIAL supplement for guinea pigs (10-30 mg/kg/day minimum). Degrades rapidly in water — supplement daily. High parenteral doses may cause oxalate crystalluria. Most other species synthesize their own.
Why a species-specific page? Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in guinea pigs — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.