Chin dosen't drink

[NOLA Chins]

Female, 1-2 y/o, surrendered by college students last week. Has not drank any measureable amount of water. Eats lot of hay and is transitioning from Charlie Chinchilla to Oxbow.

Tried different water bottles and spout sizes.

She is now on Critical Care and sub-q fluids. Has been to the vet.

Anyone had anything like this?

 

[emily.j.roth]

Does he know how to drink out of a bottle? I had the worst time with my chin when I first got him because he didn't understand how the water bottle worked, and so I would come into his room 5 or 6 times a day and hold a bowl of water for him to lick out of. I started showing him how to use the water bottle at night too by putting the water bottle where he could see it, then getting water from it on my finger and letting him lick it so he got a better idea of what it was for.

Other than that, I'm not sure why she wouldn't be drinking. Maybe someone else will have a better idea than me...

 

[Stackie]

Try rubbing a raisin on the spout of the water bottle.

 

[tunes]

Try giving the chin a dish of water to start out with. After everything else is taken care of, transition over to a water bottle when you can.

 

[NOLA Chins]

Thanks for the replies. I am really sorry! I should have said that she came with a dirty plastic drinking bottle that we tossed. I have (clean) dupilcates. She goes to the bottle(s) sniffs them, but not in distaste. I am guessing anyway.

It just seems a lack of interest. We checked teeth, water, bottles, everything we can think of and now must entertain the possibility of a non-physical cause. Maybe just pining badly?

I will try some water in a bowl anyway. Just because there was a bottle doesn't mean they used it.

The only other thing I can think to do is bloodwork.

Thanks again.

 

[Claire D]

Try rubbing a raisin on the spout of the water bottle.

This is often a good trick to try - if she likes raisins then rubbing the inner flesh around the spout often encourages them to lick, bringing the water out at the same time - if you can get a little teeny bit of the flesh "stuck" to the inner rim of the spout just by the ball bearing that will also encourage her to nibble and lick around the area. You never know, it might be worth a go. :crossfingers:

 

[emily.j.roth]

Maybe she doesn't want the bottle because the old one made her sick or something, so she's wary of using another bottle. What is her poo like? Also, I know that at least in cats, if they have bad bacteria in their system sometimes it'll cause them to not want to drink water, but I'm not sure if that relates to chins at all.

 

[AZChins]

I usually just show the chins where the water is and make sure that the bottle is functioning. After the stress of going to a new home most chins won't drink much in the first week or so. They don't dehydrate themselves if water definitely is available and they know how to get to it...unless they are too sick to get to the waterbottle. If this girl is eating hay and acting normally, all you can do is show her how to use the bottle and she'll probably catch on fairly quickly.

 

[NOLA Chins]

>After the stress of going to a new home most chins won't drink much in the first week or so

This has been my experience, too, in a few cases. However, this girl has not drank for 6 days. Her intake was limited to CC which was started fairly quickly and sub-q fluids started Monday.

Has anyone else had an apparently well chin not drink for about a week or more?

 

[menagerie]

If you're syringing her CC and giving her subq fluids, she's not going to drink. She will be getting more moisture from the two of those than she would from drinking on her own.

I'm confused as to how soon you put her on CC and why?

 

[mercynursie]

Just a thought, was she getting "city water" at college instead of purified. If so, it may be that it smells/tastes different from what she is used to. I know some horses are like that, when they travel you have to take water from home with them, or disguise the taste with flavored electrolytes. I don't know if they make anything similar that is safe for chins.:hmm:

 

[NOLA Chins]

>Just a thought, was she getting "city water" at college instead of purified.

We try to get water with a surrendered chin, but didn't this time. We haven't had a problem before. Am trying purified, R/O and distilled. Thanks.

I do appreciate all the suggestions. I don't care to explain why we have done what we have done in this thread. I am wondering if anyone else has had a chin who didn't drink for an extended period.

 

[Claire D]

I do appreciate all the suggestions. I don't care to explain why we have done what we have done in this thread.

It is a pity you feel that way - getting clarification on what has prompted changes in treatment and/or feeding regimens often helps us to provide more direct/specific answers - if there was an underlying condition which has meant you have changed to OCC (Oxbow Critical Care) even though you have said the chin was eating food and hay normally then we might be able to make some more suggestions, tailored to your chin's needs.
Of course, it is your absolute prerogative not to post an answer to any question asked of you but Meanie's question appears to be aimed at helping you with this chin, nothing more - and actually I was also wondering what prompted the change to OCC and when you changed to it. These are valid questions given the circumstances of your posts.

I am wondering if anyone else has had a chin who didn't drink for an extended period.

Nope, unless there was an underlying condition which has prevented the chin from being able to drink or they were already on OCC (or some other high fibre food/fluid replacement therapy) or the water bottle/system was faulty and no water was available then I have never seen a chin refuse fluid - even the rescues I have dealt with.

 

[NOLA Chins]

She started drinking today. Very strange.