[Gpdd] HEALTH: piggies and pellets

[Cazza177]

Dear Cindy

It was not me who posted the original about the pellets. However, I have
thought of a few things that might help. I know you will know the importance
of Vit C from fresh fruit and veg for Tumbleweed, and suggest that if he
won't eat them or is being limited on them at present, that you are giving
him additional Vit C in the form of a supplement.

I had a gp with gas issues, and it is a difficult balance. Mine used to do
this very od squawk-like sound when eating, which was kind of like a burp. I
have heard other gp's make this sound, so know it is not pecuilar just to
him. I felt with him that was down to the fact that he ate incredibily
fast -- he ate at at least 3 times the speed of his brother (I timed them
eating long blades of grass!). So with Tumbleweed, maybe there is a similar
issue.

It is a matter of striking a balance, and maybe even changing the balance
from time to time as well. As you have had the invaluable expereince of
having to almost ensure a proper eating pattern for your rabbit, E. B.
White, you know that sometimes with-holding a food to encourage the
consumption of another, can and does work. It maybe a little of that has to
occur with Tumbleweed.

With regard to the pellets he loves, they are a needed part of a gp's diet,
so dropping back on them too much will almost certainly see a weight loss,
as pellets are just about the only food source with a fat content in it for
gp's. I don't know the ingredients in timothy hay pellets, but Vedra from
the Cambridge Cavy Trust always told me to never give a gp any dried food
pellets that contained artifical colourings and/or additives, as she said
this can ruin their insides. She gave the thumbs-up to Waggs Guniea Pig
Crunch and Rusel Rabbit's Science Selective, but a BIG thumbs-down to Guerty
Guinea Pig dried food, which is made with colourings, (at least here in the
UK it is). Maybe colourings could be playing a part with Tumbleweed either
in his pellets or perhaps in dyed wood that he knors on?

The other factor here that I would say to beware of if you reduce
Tumbleweed's pellets, apart from a weight loss danger, is that hard foods
such as pellets, hay, carrots, corn on the cob, and also wood to knor on,
are what keeps a gp's teeth correctly worn down and alligned, and a loss of
them in meaningful quantities may leave Timbleweed with dental issues, and
that's a nightmare street, take my word for it.

I wonder if it will be that you will need to juggle things around with
Tumbleweed as best you can, as it maybe that you never find the true cause
of the gas, and so jiggling with foods every so often may be the only
physical way to manage things, that and some tummy massage for him to help
get the gas passing through him. I know you are using things like gripe
water and other gas remedies, and these are all great helpers. Perhaps best
to give them just after a feed, rather than on an near-empty stomach, as
some do contain a small amount of alcohol. I would also advise using a
probiotic each and every day, added to a diddy amount of water and syringed
in. It can do no harm, and may help aid digestion, thus reducing the gas. I
have heard that sometimes gp's who have required medication (not just
antibiotics, but other medications too), can have their gut rocked a bit by
that, and that can cause gas issues ever thereafter,

I am sorry I can't suggest the sole cause, but that's because I never found
it in my own gp -- who had the issue on/off for most of his six years and
four months life. I found the best solution I was able to acheive was to
montior daily how he was and to offer foods accordingly. I never held back
on timothy hay or pellets, (although I did withhold Readigrass as and when I
felt that was warrented), but I did swap and vary veg (and limited fruit),
as I felt was needed to help him.

Finally, if things get worse, and bloat kicks in -- even if it's the middle
of the night -- get Tunbleweed to a vet asap, DON'T think you can leave it
til morning!!, as time is an enormous factor in that situation and can
literally make the difference between life and death. Here's Peter Gurney's
link for bloat: http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/bloat.htm

I hope Tubleweed will be ok. C x