Loose Stools

[Zerker]

Hey Guys, my chin Meryl is relatively new to the house got her a few weeks back and these past few days her stools have been a little loose. When they are passed they keep their form but if they are stepped on they get mushed. We have fed her the same pellets and hay from the pet store. I have talked to a vet assistant and she said it might be our towns water upsetting her system and that I should try filtered water. Our other chin who we about about a month ago from the same store and receiving the same diet is perfectly fine. Treats are kept to a minimum now and she has been only receiving hay and pellets. What is your input on the situation?

 

[tunes]

It definitely could be the water. I use reverse osmosis water (you can find it at Wal-Mart or most grocers) or you can use filtered.

I would also consider changing her from the pet store feed. 99% of the time it's crap food, as is the hay. There are a few feeds that are sold in pet stores that are okay, but that's not what they feed the chins they keep - it's too expensive. They use whatever cheap stuff they have on the shelf.

For now, pull all the pellets, give nothing but good quality hay and fresh water. You can lightly dampen a bite sized shredded wheat and roll it in activated charcoal powder and offer that twice a day. Acidophilus would also help to settle her gut down and get it back to normal. If after 3 or 4 days of just hay the poop doesn't firm up, I would get a stool sample to the vet for culture.

 

[Zerker]

OK cool, I'll take away the pellets for now, Meryl is obsessed with hay anyway. As far as the shredded wheat goes, is that just the unsweatened Post cereal that you can grab at the grocery store? I was thinking I could grab it later when I'm getting some filtered water.

 

[tunes]

Yep, that's what it is. Just the plain kind, no sugar, bite sized. You can pick up the activated charcoal at a pharmacy or a health food store as well. I get mine in capsules and just use some then either put the capsule back together or dump it in one of the little tiny storage containers.

 

[Zerker]

OK, yeah both chins devoured the Shredded Wheat, but no dice on the charcoal, apparently Walmart doesn't carry it because it's no longer fit for human consumption. =( Thanks for the help, will see if she gets better in the next few days. She still has a enormous amount of energy though and played on my shoulders for the first time tonight.

 

[tunes]

Really? Well, I'm guessing Wal-Mart is a bit confused, as I just ordered a pack through my local pharmacy and had it the next day.

 

[caiti]

Really? Well, I'm guessing Wal-Mart is a bit confused, as I just ordered a pack through my local pharmacy and had it the next day.

Yea, activated charcoal isn't considered safe for people anymore. I had to ask the pharmacist at CVS and he had to go look in back to see if they had any. I told him it was for my chinchilla. To be honest, I don't know if they would have sold it to me if they thought I was going to take it for myself. There's also a warning on the bottle. I think maybe the FDA did something and so stores aren't selling it as much.

Try CVS and Walgreens and ask at the pharmacy counter if they have any. I have no idea if it's any different (if those stores carry the same stuff etc.) in Minnesota than in Massachusetts, though.

 

[Zerker]

Yeah I'll have to wait until I'm in the Twin Cities this weekend to pick some up for future usage, but I appears that Meryl is getting better as the stools are getting firmer, almost back to normal.

 

[clarinuto]

Hi everyone, I just bought charcoal yesterday from BetterHealth in the digestive section. I believe it was around 8 dollars. Happened to be stocking up on emergency supplies and then saw this. I didn't have to ask specially for it, it was on the shelves. Hopefully this will help!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

They also sell it in the small animals section of many pet or feed stores,I have found.