Jenk
Well-Known Member
In mid-Nov., I started feeding our sensitive-gut girl, Zoe, a single Oxbow BB/T pellet per day. Within 1.5 weeks, I moved her up to 1/4 tsp. of pellets/day. I also slowly introduced 1-2 parsley leaves at night. (Yes, her gut is ultra-sensitive; so I move very slowly with dietary changes.)
When she started getting the pellets, I did notice calcium deposits in her urine. (They've since stopped but likely because I dropped her down to 1-2 pellets/day again.)
For several weeks now, she's seemed "off" in behavior and water consumption. She used to drink 3/4 of her crock dish overnight (within seven hours). But for some time now, she doesn't drink quite that much in 24 hours. And her hay consumption time seems to have decreased, as well.
Even more strange is that she's still enthusiastic to leave her pen in the morning, but she's been downright fearful/reluctant to leave it at night. We can't explain why this is, since there are no odd smells/sounds that occur consistently enough to explain her fear.
The vet did find three points on her teeth that could be causing (or cause) her an issue. But we don't want to start filing her teeth if that's not the problem. (She did decrease in weight from 4.44 lbs. to 4.31 lbs., which could be due to decreased hay consumption.)
My husband gave her fresh hay around 12 am today (we don't normally change it that late); by 12:17 am, Zoe was already hunkered down in bed. Typically, she eats for at least an hour once she has fresh hay. And she wasn't eating by 6 am when our other two buns were. (She used to be the first one up to eat by 5-5:30 am.) This change has me concerned, too. I can't gauge exactly how much hay she's eating, since we must fill her entire litter pan with hay. (She can't be exposed to litter, and we can't find a grate with spacing smaller than her foot size.)
Any suggestions? I'm at a loss, and we can't continue spending money on vet bills like we have to date.
Thank you,
Jenk
When she started getting the pellets, I did notice calcium deposits in her urine. (They've since stopped but likely because I dropped her down to 1-2 pellets/day again.)
For several weeks now, she's seemed "off" in behavior and water consumption. She used to drink 3/4 of her crock dish overnight (within seven hours). But for some time now, she doesn't drink quite that much in 24 hours. And her hay consumption time seems to have decreased, as well.
Even more strange is that she's still enthusiastic to leave her pen in the morning, but she's been downright fearful/reluctant to leave it at night. We can't explain why this is, since there are no odd smells/sounds that occur consistently enough to explain her fear.
The vet did find three points on her teeth that could be causing (or cause) her an issue. But we don't want to start filing her teeth if that's not the problem. (She did decrease in weight from 4.44 lbs. to 4.31 lbs., which could be due to decreased hay consumption.)
My husband gave her fresh hay around 12 am today (we don't normally change it that late); by 12:17 am, Zoe was already hunkered down in bed. Typically, she eats for at least an hour once she has fresh hay. And she wasn't eating by 6 am when our other two buns were. (She used to be the first one up to eat by 5-5:30 am.) This change has me concerned, too. I can't gauge exactly how much hay she's eating, since we must fill her entire litter pan with hay. (She can't be exposed to litter, and we can't find a grate with spacing smaller than her foot size.)
Any suggestions? I'm at a loss, and we can't continue spending money on vet bills like we have to date.
Thank you,
Jenk