weight loss from wheel?

[TnkTaingTal]

My chin has been losing weight since I put in a real flying saucer wheel (used to have the plastic one). I've read that some chins will run too much that they loose too much weight. What is too much? She has already gone down 126g since November 7th. At her heaviest she was about 765g.

 

[Amethyst]

That seems like a lot of weight loss to me in just a couple months time. Unless the chin was fat before you got the wheel and you changed the diet. I would say a weight loss of more then 20 grams a month is too much (as in goes down and keeps going down). I would pull the wheel, and maybe make a vet appointment, something else could be going wrong with the chin. Weigh can fluctuate from day to day, but it should only go up and down about 5-10g. It is true some chins do just run nonstop on the wheel and can't have wheels for that reason, they run more then eat so they aren't replacing the calories they are burning. It's more commonly a problem in young chins, but it can happen to adults too.

Some other things to consider, how often do you weigh her? Was the weight loss a steady decline over the past weeks/months? or a sudden drop? or is the last time you weighed her in November and you just weighed her once now? Also time of day matters, did the chin just drink? pee? eat? poop? just wake up? just finished running around? those can all affect weight. The best way to notice weight loss is weighing the same time of day about once a week, if there is a noticeable loss weigh more frequently, like a few time a week to once a day to rule out a bad weigh reading do to having just emptied (peed/pooped) and/or activity level (just woke or just ran around).

 

[TnkTaingTal]

I weight, before they play, every Monday. She went to the vet last month and was put on bytril for too much bacteria in her vulva That's when her weight worried me because I thought she was losing from the baytril. Vet said she looked good at her recheck appointment. She continued losing weight and I brought her back in. The vet did an ultra sound to make sure she didn't develops pyo from the extra bacteria in her vulva. She said she has a small amount of fluid in her tubes that should clear up with her regular cycle. I know she is eating lots of hay, a bit of pellets and she seems to have more energy than she used to. After her ultrasound visit I realized that her weight loss began when I installed the wheel. I took her out of her usual cage and her weight remained the same that day. Otherwise its been going down a few grams each day. She was very chunky before the wheel was installed. She looks like she has lost her rolls, but doesn't look underweight. I'm just worried that the loss will continue and it will be too late by the time we figure out what's wrong.
What are some possibilities for a chin who's only symptom is weight loss?

 

[Kokorobosoi]

Define very chunky. Do you have a pic?

 

[LGarl]

While she may be losing fat she would also be building muscle through exercise, right? It seems that a bit of weight loss at first could be normal as fat is lost but it shouldn't continue because muscle is built up and muscle weighs more than fat by volume.


When I took my chin for his 6 month checkup he had lost 10 grams but his vet said one pee and a couple of poops could cause that. Then the vet said Bentley was too fat because he has rolls now though he gets out nearly every day for a good romp. He is pretty solid now under those squishy rolls whereas before he was just a ball of fuzzy squish all over. Plus he's a lot stronger, he can jump much better than before. Figure that one out. lol

 

[TnkTaingTal]

Good point, she should be gaining muscle... She wall surfs higher and more often and just looks so happy playing. Its hard to believe that she is ill =/
By chunky i mean she definately had some rolls. I tried to get a good picture of her last night to compare to, but i was not very successful.
The first picture is from last January, long before the weight loss (Only one i have showing her tummy before the wheel)
The second is a week after she got her wheel.
The last three are from last night. She does not just sit around much anymore.

 

[Kokorobosoi]

O my goodness. I just said pudgy wudgy out loud really loud and in the talking to toddlers voice. People are staring at me....

Ok so, I would say that she is feeling much better lately. The fact that she is moving more, running, wall surfing, etc. Not to be harsh, but I say she is getting back to a healthy weight, and that she is gaining muscle, just not as fast as the um....fluff? is coming off.

That said, she is so cute! And Looks so happy on that erm... bookcase? Like, look! I can get up here!


...oh dear. Speaking of hey ma! Look!! ..... I need to go rescue the ferret. Who has climbed my curtains. My handmade lace curtain. And gotten stuck.

 

[TnkTaingTal]

Thank you for putting a huge smile on my face! I took out her wheel to make sure that's what is causing the loss. Once I confirm that's the case they can have their flying saucer back. They were not happy to see it go. Thank you for your input. Hope your ferret doesnt try to fly

 

[Kokorobosoi]

LOL.... well we got out of the curtain... and got stuck in my hair. Did I mention I have nearly three feet of hair? Oh my gosh. I can see how this day is going to go.

What did I get myself into?? lol

 

[Cuddlebug]

She was pretty heavy before and it looks like the weight loss did her some good. If you find the wheel is the cause, just give it to her at playtime.

 

[TnkTaingTal]

Update

I took the wheel out for a few days and she gained a few grams so i gave it back. I think her weight loss may have plateaued. Her weight has remained in the 640-650g range. Thank you for the replies!