Bok Choy update

[Siylvat]

Sorry I have not updated at all in a while. I just got a new job, and that has kept me extreemly busy the last month.

If you don't remember what was going on, here is the original thread. http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11936

We got a second opinion about the X-rays. The vet saw nothing suspicious about them, they did not think his teeth looked bad, but they did say that they could not be 100% sure without better x-rays. I guess they are not very clear x-rays. All I know is that I can't read them.

We had him on the SMZ-TMP-Suspension for a few weeks, as well as CC and lifeline. He seems to be doing much better. Before he had some green stuff coming out of his nose, that has cleared up, his drooling has stopped. Every night he devours his pellets, and he has even started to pick at his hay a little bit. (both cubed and free). He is also definately feeling much better, he comes to the cage bars again to say hi and get skritches.

So, right now we are cautiously optimistic. If he starts drooling and getting worse again we will have to deal with that when it comes, but for now he seems to be doing better. We have some metacam that the vet gave us as well, but we havn't used that because he seems to be feeling better.

 

[alli713]

I hope he continues to get better for you! Are you weighing him? That would be a good way to make sure he's still eating good.

Not that long ago I had to put down one of my girls due to Malo, and it's real tough. She had all the signs, pawing at the mouth, drooling, small poop from when she slowly stopped eating, and wouldn't eat treats. So if you see any of these other signs, I'd get him in for another x-ray.

Because the x-rays in the other thread did look suspicious in my mind from looking over my Mei's. But I'm hoping for your sake they were just bad x-rays and that he really is okay now.

 

[Siylvat]

yeah, the x-rays looked funny to me too, but i'm really not an expert. I ordered a scale, should be here tomorrow or the next day. He is definately eating though. He is in a cage by himself. When he was having problems, he would leave half eaten pieces of pellet in his bowl. Now they are 100% gone every morning. I am giving a decent amount of them-like 2 tablespoons or so. I would increase his pellets but he seems to be picking at his hay too and I know he prefers pellets to hay (his previous owners never fed hay and he hasn't really taken to it much)

He has even started taking rose hips. He has never liked them, but maybe it is because they are crunchy and it bothered him before?

I know it is still up in the air with him, but I am encouraged by how he has been acting lately.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

I would definitely get some clearer x-rays after looking at your other thread. I hope all is well of course but IMHO those x-rays do not look normal. I have a girl with malo as well and it's such a hard thing to deal with for all. I'm sorry you and your chinnie have to go through it. I think a second opinion should definitely be had, the sooner the better. Best of luck and thanks for the update.

 

[Siylvat]

I would definitely get some clearer x-rays after looking at your other thread.

I have been trying to find a place that does them, but I have not had much luck. The place I went to did digital X-rays, they did not put him under at all, and that cost me 200 bucks. THe only other place I have found, after calling all over is an animal dentist that said he could do them for 800, but he has little to no experience with chinchillas.

Most vets I went to compared Chinchillas to rabbits and horses. They said teeth were teeth, all the same, and they looked at me like I was stupid when i told them I wanted x-rays because I wanted to check out his root growth. "roots are roots. they don't do anything. The only way teeth grow is out into the mouth"

If anyone has any suggestions for chin vets within a few hours of me, I would appreciate it.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

they looked at me like I was stupid when i told them I wanted x-rays because I wanted to check out his root growth. "roots are roots. they don't do anything. The only way teeth grow is out into the mouth"

Wow, scary that they actually said that since we have hard evidence to the contrary...From what I can recall because I don't know exactly where all of my bills are at the moment the most I have paid for x-rays here was about 150.00 including the anesthesia...