Handfeeding adult chinchilla after a spay...

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I've hand fed after two emergency spays before. One girl took it really well, the other fought me all the way. Persistence and patience were really really important. I also found that offering a small pinch of oats on my palm after the CC really helped....the girls started to "look forward" to getting their reward I guess.

Hope it goes well for you and your girl. Best wishes xxxx
 
I read your thread showing the xrays of the birthing complication. I wished you well on that thread and asked to keep us updated. And then I found the update here. I'm so happy for you and your girl. I hope she continues to improve. Bless her heart.

The times I've had to force feed I added puree organic apple baby food (infant first stage) to CC. That got them encouraged enough to eat. I also added Pedilite along with water to smooth it down. In these instances I was more concerned with dehydration then "bulk substance" uptake. And the liquid ratio was lessened in time and CC amounts increased to thicken it up and get those "calories" added back into the animal.

We made it through just fine. But sometimes you question yourself. I think we all do. And when we all make it through these traumatic times we look back and are greatful that all turned out well no matter what insane measure we take. And I know for certain my animals love me for the effort. It provides a bond of trust. Not when your doing it..........but when they are healthy again. It's a nice warm fuzzy.
 
Oye, you guys. I'm glad this happened to me now and not when I was 14 because I'd have been done breeding so fast my head would spin. As it is, I think I'm pretty well done.

So she prefers the critical care when it is cooler, not warm, and she loves the pumkin. She's getting better at eating from the syringe but I'm still not seeing many poos from her. I tried massaging her belly around the stitches but of course I can't press very hard.

We'll be at the vet first thing monday morning if this keeps up, but besides diagnosing an impaction and giving her fluids, what else can they do? I'd like to be informed when I go in to make sure she gets the best treatment.
 
Perhaps some a few doses of reglan will help to get her moving. Keep pumping as much critical care into her as you can.
 
I'll let my vet know I'd like some Reglan then. Poor little girl has had a miserable few days!

Thank you for your help!!!
 
When she's better, how do I go about cleaning her up? LOL


I asked my vet the same thing for that very same reason..The CC gets all in my Herby's fur and gets all crusty. She said to try and comb it out with a chinchilla brush or comb and if that does not work, then use a barely dampened wash cloth (warm water) to get what is left. But it also depends on what your chin will sit still for..
I just wipe, with a soft cloth, as I feed Herby to keep it from getting to crusty and then I let her get into a dust bath and she goes from there with getting most of it off, then if there is anything left, I get it with a baby brush. Hope things keep going well for you and your chin!
 
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Okay, I guess Reglan is the brand name of the medication seh's already on.

They said to increase her dosing to every 6 hours instead of every 8, and try to feed her every four hours instead of every 6, and if there are still no poos, off to the vet on Monday.

C'mon Terrah. She's got to be as sick of this as I am! LOL
 
I don't know if this helps. Before a CC feeding I would get a wash towel wet ( then squeeze it out to about a medium water retention) and place it on the table next to my feeding supplies. When I was done I would wipe off the animal as best I could. When they are eating again they clean up all those crusts you leave behind. Can't keep them looking perfect with CC.

Good luck. Sounds like you are doing a super job. Feeding chins is not for the weak of heart. It's very trying on your nerves. But has to be done. Think of the light at the end of the tunnel.........she lived and her kit is healthy. If everything goes well in this "trying time", she will be her spunky sweet self again. It's very difficult to remind yourself that when standing in your shoes today. Chin up! ;)
 
Thank you everyone for all your advice and well wishes! Terrah is not eating on her own much yet, but is eating very well from the syringe every six hours. She nibbled on some hay earlier too! But the best news is she's poo'ing normally again. So nice to have to change the paper in her kennel at every feeding instead of once a day. The weird things we are grateful for, lol. Her face is a mess of critical care crusties, but I'm sure once she's back to normal and dusting again it will get better soon.
 
That is all sounding positive.

You could try stimulating her appetite by adding some healthy, high fibre goodies around her cage so that she comes across them. A few bits of a mini shredded wheat, a small pinch of rolled oats, a sprinkling of alfalfa, some little bits of different hay - basically stimulating the foraging instinct.
This kind of foraging can tempts a chin back to eating by themselves and also has the added benefit of interest (mental stimulation) and movement (which helps digestion and general recovery) so it is worth a try.

Good luck.
 
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