Weight loss after recovery from sickness

[Asha]

Recently, one of my chinchillas had a nasty URI. He was put on Baytril for ten days. When it all started in early March, his weight was 725g. He lost some weight during treatment due to not eating as much as he should. Thankfully he was able to eat on his own for the most part during his sickness (primarily hay plus a few grams of pellets daily. CC was virtually impossible to get down unfortunately), but had to have sub-q fluids for a several difficult days when he refused to drink. His weight during the several days when he received fluids stayed around 675-685g give or take. He completed the full round of Baytril by March 20th, and began to eat and drink normally again.

However, I checked his weight today and was alarmed to see it had dropped to 620g! How can this be?? I've been weighing his food bowl since it all began and after his recovery (since I'm paranoid of relapse), and he eats on average about 20-23g of pellets a day (Mazuri) and also eats plenty of hay. Poops are normal and there's plenty of them as usual. No breathing issues or wheezing of any kind. No watery eyes. Activity seems a bit more restful at times, but that's not totally abnormal for him since I've noticed with time he goes through phases of being wild and crazy then sometimes more chill. Chewing sticks and hopping around normally from what I can tell. Anyone seen this before? Do you think that maybe he lost more weight than was evident during sickness and his weight was artificially heavy due to daily fluids?

 

[Newt]

During a period of illness chins often lose quite a bit of weight. If I was you I'd keep weighing him every couple of days for the next 3-4 weeks, and keep a record of his weight. If he's fully recovered, then you should probably see a gradual increase.
Make sure to weigh him at approx the same time every night.

Weighing the food bowl may not be useful, as chins often nibble a pellet then throw it down into their bedding and start on another one!

 

[Dreamlite]

Fluids could have effected the weight. Sub Q fluids take up to 48 hours to work out of the body. So he may have temporarily weighed more than he actually did. I would weigh him daily or every other day to watch for a pattern. Did you give him any probiotics with the medications? Those are always advised. Also check the battery in your scale. It can read weird if the battery is getting low.

 

[Asha]

Thanks for the replies! I did give him some probiotics during the time he was sick. I have not given any in the last couple of days, but will resume probiotics for immune support. I'll start keeping an official weight log from today and see how he does over the next few weeks (plus check the scale battery too). And Newt, you are right about the pellets. I probably should just discontinue weighing the bowl so much because I have noticed the last two days he has been nibbling and throwing them! He doesn't always do that, but has been on a pellet tossing streak lately! I do count it as a kind of a good sign (the pellet tossing) just because that's a more usual behavior for him and he didn't do it at all during being sick. I do feel better knowing that significant weight loss is not uncommon during sickness. I knew that some weight loss was normal, but last night's number had me worrying. Thanks guys!