Buzzing/chewing/dusty pellets

[tcraighenry]

We've had a chin for about a year and a half that does all of the above. She buzzes and will destroy one of the Whimsy Jacob's Ladders in two days. She's also had a long habit of grinding her pellets into dust. Vets haven't found anything and she's bright eyed, bushy tailed, energetic, poops, drinks and has a steady weight at 680g.

But I still have it in the back of my head we have teeth issues in her future. What's your experience with chins like her? She's about 4-5. Not a lot of knowledge about her background, just that she came from a show herd. What should I watch out for or be extra cautious about?

 

[ticklechin]

If the weight is steady, there are no dental issues. The first sign of issues is slow gradual weight loss, that shows up before other symptoms.

 

[tcraighenry]

Do you think the rest if it is just kind of what she does? I swear she sounds like a little drill sometimes.

 

[ticklechin]

I personally never found pellet dust a malo symptom, others have but all the malo/dental chins I have had pellet dust was never a symptom.

 

[AZChins]

I have a female, who will be 16 in a few weeks, and she has always turned her pellets into dust. She doesn't have any tooth issues at all and has maintained her weight for the last 15 years she has been with us. It definitely doesn't mean that a chin has tooth issues.

I have another girl, who has a lot of issues with her teeth, that does the same thing. It can go either way. It isn't necessarily a symptom. I'd say that if a chin has done it all along it's not a big deal, but when a chin starts suddenly turning her pellets to dust maybe it can be a sign of a dental issue.

I've heard of other people saying that they have never seen this in any chins with tooth problems, just like Dawn said. Some chins are just strange little critters.

 

[tcraighenry]

Oh good. I worry about her but it just sounds like she's a little strange and a very enthusiastic chewer

 

[ChinChild]

Our second chin Mojo has ground his food into mulch since the day we got him (at 3 months old). No signs of dental problems, clean vet record, he's in great health. Our first chin Gizmo practically inhales his food, leaving no evidence that it was ever there lol. Seems to be a personality quirk, Mojo is just a messy eater