Hi...he has lost almost 30 grams in 2 weeks..his poops are perfect..and he didn't loose his appetite and wheeks everytime I open any food item..but I noticed he is more inclined towards veggies and barely eating his hay and pellets...but he seems quite active..can you suggest me what that recovery food should include?
Hi!
Have a look at his front teeth. They are normally self sharpening. But if they are noticeably slanted or jagged, then it can be an indication of pain in the mouth (either a developing incisor root abscess or uneven chewing with his back teeth because of something going on there). The fast growth rate of the molars at the back of the mouth has evolved against the very abrasive silica in hay and grass - their main food source. The incisors at the front are responsible for picking up and cutting food while the premolars and molars at the back do the grinding down.
With the kind of minimal weight loss you are seeing (30-40g is the daily weight swing between a full/empty tummy and bladder), you won't see any inward pointing no longer meeting incisors yet, which are a sign of badly overgrown and bridging molars at the back of the mouth.
However, picky eating can also be caused by another pain source somewhere else in the body. Right now, the problem is only in the early stages and likely rather difficult to point down, but it is likely to accelerate. Please switch to weighing daily at the same time instead of weekly. At this stage you can just offer some top up syringe feed if you wish to but don't step in with full time syringe feeding yet. We do not speak of weight loss until 50g or more. You will however have to see your vet at some point if this is accelerating.
These guides here may help you in the coming days. It is worth reading and bookmarking them so you are provided with all the necessary information and can look it up and re-read whenever necessary.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links (Oxbow Critical Care may be likely easiest for you to get but in a pinch you can supplement with mushed up pellets; follow the advice in the guide)
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
(contains link to how soon to see a vet, first aid kit, and support care during illness including the guide links above).
We have compiled all the necessary information and links in this guide, so you do not have to spend lots of time with doing your research on how to get your piggy through an emergency or bad illness.
All the best!