Am I to be concerned?

[ysy]

Last Friday, I noticed one of my girls Becky was a little off. She didn't touch her pellets, but was still eating hay. Her poops also seemed a little small and quite a bit less than usual. Suspecting constipation, I started her on some watery CC that day, and she'll still eat it from the spoon (I have all my gals trained to see CC as a treat) although albeit reluctantly.

The next day saw loads of small hard poops and she was a lot perkier, I continued the CC hoping to clear her system out and booked her a vet appointment on Monday. She did very well over the weekend and was almost her usual self on Monday, I brought her in anyway, and the vet said she was fine and doesn't seem constipated anymore. Poops were normal at this point. Vet says to continue the CC until we tide her over this phase.

The last couple of days I was starting to wean her off the CC, reducing the amount she gets everyday. She's starting to eat a little pellets, but not her usual amount. Today I got out the scale and she has lost 20g since Monday at the vet visit.

I'm just wondering if I should be worried about the weight loss. She really does seem better so I'm just a little confused about the weight loss. She doesn't really touch her pellets still, but will eat hay and CC. Is she just being a brat and holding out for the CC? Hence reduced CC means reduced food means weight loss?

Sorry if I sound paranoid but I'm a worry wart. Also, I will be on holiday soon (hence the chins will be boarded) so if there's anything to be worried about I'll like to get it attended to.

Thanks for any insight on this!

 

[ticklechin]

Is this a vet who knows chinchillas well? If the chin had all the hay it could eat and has no trouble eating (meaning teeth or gut issues) it should not be constipated. Chins can get picky about pellets but usually will make up for it with hay consumption. Also, make sure the water bottle works well and post any unusual sypmtoms you have seen with the way she acts or eats.

 

[ysy]

Yes, it is the same vet that saved Kelly (my wheat intolerant chin) previously. He has chinchillas of his own and used to breed them.

The water bottle works fine and I've also cleaned it out just in case. Becky seems fine in every aspect except that she's not taking her usual amount of pellets. She loves the CC and will shamelessly beg for it, and she's still taking hay (her usual amount, but I can't be really sure as it's hard to track hay consumption but she is eating them). The pellets were also not a new batch.

The only change is that I recently introduced oat hay in addition to the timmy and she absolutely loves them. But even when I removed the oat hay and gave her only timmy, it made no difference to her pellet consumption.