Cheryl -
 
Please bear in mind that I am not a vet and do not claim to be.
 
A common cause of paler than normal gums is anemia (low RBC count).
Anemia can be caused by a number of things and your vet could do a quick
panel to confirm whether or not he has an abnormally low red blood cell
(RBC) count.  Symptoms of anemia very often include tiredness as the body
is not able to transport the normal levels of oxygen due to reduced RBCs.
 
What the underlying cause of his anemia is I wouldn't be sure of, but it
could be something quite serious (i.e. cancer) or just an indication that
for whatever reason he isn't metabolizing his iron like he should and may
need to take some sort of supplement (in humans this would mean either
increased iron intake or vitamin B supplements).
 
It's up to you to decide whether the little fellow is showing an
unusual level of tiredness or not.  If you feel his drop in activity is
noticeable I would recommend you get him into a vet for some bloodwork.
The blood tests shouldn't cost too much and at bare minimum will give
you some peace of mind.
 
Good luck and be well,
Lorraine
(& Al the Sock Warrior)
 
Proud supporters of FRES
[Posted in FML issue 4197]