Table 1( part 3 of 4). Summary of findings.
Reference and country Sample Findings
Witkowska A, Price J, Hughes C, Smith D, White K, Alibhai A, et al. The effects of diet on anatomy, physiology and health in the guinea pig. Journal of Animal Health and Behavioural Science. 2017; 1( 1): 103.
Poland and UK
• Poland – 84 guinea pig owners
• UK – 113 guinea pig owners
• Total of 500 guinea pigs reported on
Poland
• English short-haired breed( 43 %), Abyssinian breed( 30 %)
Diet in Poland
• Guinea pig dry food( 83 %)
• Fresh vegetables( 98 %)
• Fruit( 99 %) UK
• English short-haired breed( 41.8 %), Abyssinian( 15.6 %)
Diet in UK
• Guinea pig dry food( 73.5 %)
• Rabbit food( 3 %)
• Rodent muesli( 3 %)
• Fresh vegetables( 77 %)
• Fruit( 83.2 %)
• Two guinea pigs being fed vegetables the least frequently displayed signs of hypovitaminosis C( difficulty walking and bunny-hopping)
• The authors concluded that there is variation between feeding regimes in the UK and Poland for pet guinea pigs, and hypothesised that this is due to variation in literature available to owners
Trejo-Sánchez F, Mendoza- Martínez GD, Plata Perez F, Martínez-García J. Villarreal- Espino-Barros OA. Growth of guinea pigs( Cavia porcellus) with feed for rabbits and supplementation of vitamin C. Revista MVZ Córdoba. 2019; 24( 3): 7286 – 7290. Available from: http:// doi. org / 10.21897 / rmvz. 1384.
Country not stated
• 18 guinea pigs – 9 female, 9 male from a pet store
• All subjects were between 28 and 30 days old
• All with initial average weight of 248 ± 38 g
• Rabbit food supplemented with vitamin C is suitable for guinea pigs in terms of digestibility and effects on morphology / growth
What is unknown( not addressed by authors):
• More long-term effects such as health issues, dental issues – the formulation of feed( e. g. pellets or hay) is unknown, and absence of hay can result in tooth abnormalities
• Whether the morphology of the guinea pigs was studied after death / if deceased guinea pigs were handled for the growth studies
Appendix 2( to page 25 of VNJ). Summary of findings.
6 Veterinary Nursing Journal | Volume 40( 5) • October 2025 | EXCLUSIVE DIGITAL CONTENT