Hoppit!
Wise Old Thumper
Pickles is a bit off colour today. I put him out in the shed (don't worry, it's heated!) this morning at around 9:30 before I went to work, with 3 big piles of fresh green oat hay and a bowl of fresh readigrass. When I got back from work and brought him in at 5:30 he hadn't touched it and I saw he'd only done about 5 droppings all day. My sister had a look at him but she couldn't see his teeth properly because he was 'champing' the otoscope too hard, and she listened to his tummy which she said was quieter than it should be, but that they always are quieter when they're stressed. I offered him some basil which he did eat, but only because he was cross and biting it (if that makes sense!) he's also nibbled the fleshy part of some cucumber and had a few leaves of spinach/rocket/watercress. He's not showing any interest in his hay in here either.
My sister says she can take him in tomorrow for a dental, but as it's her last day that's it then until the new year. I am reluctant to put him through one unnecessarily though, especially just before Christmas. Should I bite the bullet and have his teeth done (he hasn't had them done in over a year, but he's not showing any signs of needing one apart from being off his food) or keep him going on pellets (I'm sure he'd eat them - he loves them!) until the new year and decide then?
I feel so torn. Obviously I don't want him to suffer, but he's a good weight, he's not tooth grinding or dribbling, he doesn't have runny eyes and he's not pawing at his mouth - there's really no other signs that he needs a dental. BUT he has been less keen on his hay for a while now, and he's been leaving some of his veg in favour off pellets too, which are signs.
What would you do in my situation?
My sister says she can take him in tomorrow for a dental, but as it's her last day that's it then until the new year. I am reluctant to put him through one unnecessarily though, especially just before Christmas. Should I bite the bullet and have his teeth done (he hasn't had them done in over a year, but he's not showing any signs of needing one apart from being off his food) or keep him going on pellets (I'm sure he'd eat them - he loves them!) until the new year and decide then?
I feel so torn. Obviously I don't want him to suffer, but he's a good weight, he's not tooth grinding or dribbling, he doesn't have runny eyes and he's not pawing at his mouth - there's really no other signs that he needs a dental. BUT he has been less keen on his hay for a while now, and he's been leaving some of his veg in favour off pellets too, which are signs.
What would you do in my situation?
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