Natsubate!
Natsubate basically means 'summer lethargy/fatigue' in Japanese. It comes from 'natsu' (summer) and 'bateru' (exhausted), and is a collective term used to describe symptoms such as: lack of appetite; feeling tired or without energy, and/or having occasional headaches, constipation, diarrhea, or dizziness. It's thought to be brought on by factors including sharp climate changes, extreme heat, or by the abrupt changes in temperature one experiences here when going from an air-conditioned room into an un-air-conditioned one.
And..I'm pretty sure that Wasabi has it! At first we were really concerned that she'd picked something up while being boarded a few weekends ago, since she pretty much stopped eating directly after arriving home. However, we neglected to consider other factors, such as the sudden rise in temperature around that time. I still would have no idea what the problem was, except for the fact that Thursday was rainy and much cooler than usual...and Wasabi ate like her usual porky self! Friday? Hot, and the eating decreased again.
If only I had figured this out BEFORE the trip to the vet...the trip that involved her shivering with fear in her cage before going into the exam room, then throwing an utter fit: growling, attempting to bite, REFUSING to have her temperature taken (but I can't blame her for not wanting a rectal thermometer anywhere near her behind) and finally peeing all over the table upon receiving a shot to stimulate her appetite. Poor baby!
Next month, it's time for annual vaccines...can't wait to see what she does then!
Wasabi and Sushi relaxing in the (air-conditioned) living room
My little poker making herself comfortable on the table
No matter how many times I squirt her, she keeps getting back up. The spray bottle and the Windex bottle are getting used way too frequently!
I have no idea how she even fit in there
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