Directorthiang
Active member
My chin, Dash, has been losing weight over the past month. A month ago he was at 538 grams (which is low for him... he used to be around 600), and as we kept weighing him, he was losing around 10 grams a week. He's now down to 498.
I took him to the vet because malocclusion has been a concern--he's a rescue and when I got him, his teeth were in pretty bad shape; spurs all over the place, but no root problems. The vet filed him down and he was gaining weight after that and happy for several years. Because of this recent weight loss, I figured he might be having teeth issues again, so I took him in as soon as I could and the vet looked him over.
She took x-rays and found no problems with the roots. He had one small spur on one of his back molars that she filed down, but other than that, she said he looked great.
However, that was a week ago, and he's continuing to drop weight. Because he shares a cage with another chin, I can't monitor his food or water intake, so now I'm considering splitting the two of them up so I can do that, but I'm not sure if that will stress him out more and make him more sick.
He's active; eating critical care and some of his treats---he's gotten very picky lately and doesn't want the timothy-hay healthy treat that he used to gobble up, but will still eat a small piece of shredded wheat. But tonight, he just seems miserable and grumpy. I've messed with him quite a bit tonight getting him to eat and feeling his bony back, but I just don't know what else to do.
I live in the Central Valley and the vet I usually go to is two hours away and only available Thursday-Saturday. I can make him another appointment next week, but I just don't know what more to have them do. Blood tests? Does this sound like a parasite or diabetes? He's approximately 4 years old and his stool looks fine. These guys had a bout with ghiardia when I first got them, and I remember the dark black, oily stool they had... none of that, now. And they don't look particularly small or dry, either. Just normal.
Should I split them up for a night?
I took him to the vet because malocclusion has been a concern--he's a rescue and when I got him, his teeth were in pretty bad shape; spurs all over the place, but no root problems. The vet filed him down and he was gaining weight after that and happy for several years. Because of this recent weight loss, I figured he might be having teeth issues again, so I took him in as soon as I could and the vet looked him over.
She took x-rays and found no problems with the roots. He had one small spur on one of his back molars that she filed down, but other than that, she said he looked great.
However, that was a week ago, and he's continuing to drop weight. Because he shares a cage with another chin, I can't monitor his food or water intake, so now I'm considering splitting the two of them up so I can do that, but I'm not sure if that will stress him out more and make him more sick.
He's active; eating critical care and some of his treats---he's gotten very picky lately and doesn't want the timothy-hay healthy treat that he used to gobble up, but will still eat a small piece of shredded wheat. But tonight, he just seems miserable and grumpy. I've messed with him quite a bit tonight getting him to eat and feeling his bony back, but I just don't know what else to do.
I live in the Central Valley and the vet I usually go to is two hours away and only available Thursday-Saturday. I can make him another appointment next week, but I just don't know what more to have them do. Blood tests? Does this sound like a parasite or diabetes? He's approximately 4 years old and his stool looks fine. These guys had a bout with ghiardia when I first got them, and I remember the dark black, oily stool they had... none of that, now. And they don't look particularly small or dry, either. Just normal.
Should I split them up for a night?