already stressed chin injured

[somethingbig]

my girlfriend is a vet tech at a local clinic. we asked one of her managers to take care of our hetero-beige male, rocco fitzgerald. we figured that he should know how to take care of chins seeing how he's had a few for a few years now. he's also the guy we've been trusting with all of our chin care, but i'm starting to think he's full of bs.

while sitting the chin, he decided he wanted babies and put rocco in the cage with his female. it was a horrible move on so many levels (an issue for another thread though). anyway, when we got him back, he had a huge chunk of skin missing right where his left ear meets the head. it was about a half inch by inch rectangle of raw flesh.

my girlfriend went to get him out of the cage and check on the wound when he spazzed out and started kicking every which way. suddenly my gf heard a pop, rocco started shrieking, and his back left leg went limp.

the dr looked at the leg and said he didn't think it was broken, but we couldn't get an xray till tomorrow (today). he did suture the wound. it took 5 stitches.

rocco is not the same anymore. he cowers in the back corner and sleeps a lot. it's obvious he is really stressing right now, and he looks as though he's lost his will to live or something. he was already a stressed chin as he was a rescue from a neglectful home.

he has fresh hay and water in his cage. i have seen him drink a little, but i haven't directly seen him eat the hay.

so my questions, what should i do tomorrow? should i take him to the vet, or would the trip stress him out too much? what, if any, kind of pain meds are recommended for chins? what is the dosage by weight?

thanks!

 

[eroomlorac]

All I could say is Oh, mygod! What a terrible situation. I think that manager should pay any and ALL vet bills for this chinchilla. This is an absolutely terrible situation. He definitely needs to see a vet, possible have that leg amputated if it is broken and cannot be repaired. He may also need to be handfed if he's not eating. But for now I would put him in a very small cage that he can't move around in much to keep him as still as possible. Let us know what happens.

But he does need to see a vet as soon as possible!

 

[tunes]

What in God's name was that idiot thinking of to use someone else's pet in that manner? I'll tell you what, she's **** lucky it wasn't my animal.

First, try and create a stress free environment as much as humanly possible. Place him in a small carrier (both to make him feel secure and to confine him because of the injured leg). Play some soft music, no banging cymbals or loud drums, something soft and pleasant. Just white noise to distract him. If you have a safe stuffie (no plastic nose or eyes, no loose threads, etc.) put that in there for him to cuddle up to.

Order some Lifeline from http://chocolatechinchillas.com/_wsn/page6.html. Explain to Dawnna that you need it overnighted, that you have a chin in serious danger. Get some critical care from your vet practice if you have it there, and if not, get it from another one and start feeding it to him. It's going to be tricky because of his leg, but the small, confined cage should help with that. Hopefully it's just a muscle. You'll have to very carefully burrito him in a thin towel. With him being injured, probably the best way to do it will be to lay the towel across your chest, then set him on his tummy on the towel, and gently wrap it around him to confine him. Don't use a big fluffy towel. They don't work. They don't wrap tight enough and chins will slip out of it every time.

Get some Metacam from your vet and have your girlfriend administer that and warm subcu fluids ASAP. I'm assuming she will know how, as she's a vet tech. If he's shocky, the fluids will help tremendously in bringing him around. With the hurt his leg, plus having half his face torn off, the Metacam should help with the pain. Get the pain and the shock under control and hopefully you'll be able to bring him through this.

The other thing I would do is put a heating pad under the carrier on low heat, but only under the front half of the carrier. As I'm sure your girlfriend knows, if he's shocky keeping him warm will help. Unfortunately, since he's a chin, you walk a fine line with that. With a severely shocky chin I've used towels warmed in the microwave, but it sounds like the less handled he is right now the better.

As far as the vet visit, wow, that's a real toss up. He may not be moving because of his leg, in which case it needs looked at. On the other hand, he's been through so much already, dragging him into the vet could make it even worse. Plus, with his behavior the way it is, and if he is in shock, the anesthesia needed to get a good x-ray could harm him further.

Do you trust your vet? Does he know the entire situation? Call and ask what the best course of action is as far as the leg and another visit.

 

[somethingbig]

i know, i really don't even want to get started on how pissed i am at her boss! he should know better.

i didn't have critical care, but i made a paste in the blender of 1 part Mazuri pellets, 2 parts timothy hay, and about 2 parts water. i placed the paste on a spoon, and rocco ate it willingly. he seemed to really like it, and i suppose it's good for both nutrition as well as hydration. what do you think?

i'm not able to order the lifeline at the moment due to some financial issues. how important is it to his recovery? does it make that significant of a difference?

also, about the leg, i think it may be worse than we thought. today he was dragging himself around his cage with his front 2 legs. he wasn't using either of the 2 back ones. i'm afraid he may have broken his back. we actually have him in a small pet taxi so he can't move around and hurt himself more, but it doesn't look too good right now.

 

[Jovi]

OMG that is one of the worst stories i have heard. I feel so bad for you r poor chin. I don't have any medical advice but i would get him to a vet for xrays. That injury sounds worse than anything stress can do . He needs help. As far as the guy guys that did this to him ... he should be reported for animal abuse! Crossing my fingers and keeping your chin in my thoughts.

 

[Cuddlebug]

If you haven't already, please get him in to see a vet asap. I hate to say it, but the poor little guy may need to be put down. He has got to be in a lot of pain.

 

[tunes]

I agree. He needs to go to the vet. If he's dragging both back legs, that's just a really bad scenario unfolding. I'm terribly sorry this happened to your little guy, and if I could get my hands around the office manager's neck I'd squeeze until his eyes popped out. In lieu of that, all I can do is offer sympathy and suggest you get him to the vet for x-rays, so you can make the decision that will be the most beneficial for this little guy.

I am so, so sorry for him and you.

 

[saphire]

My heart goes out to all of you and mostly for your little guy. I don't need to add to you frustration with that personne who did not think before acting. I wish things will get better.
Although I agree with Tunes that it's touchy as to wether you shud take him or not, but a vet check may be needed here to guide you in the right direction for the sake of your chin.
The supplements/nutrient Lifeline and Critical Care are two of the best things to have on handto help a chin recover.

 

[starleomach]

I am so sorry you are going through this and I feel bad for the chinchilla. I can't believe he did that that is horrible, but your chinchilla needs a vet now, at the very least to end his suffering

 

[somethingbig]

i took him to the vet, and the dr gave him an anti-inflammatory. then he did an xray, and rocco had a broken back. the spinal cord had severed itself. we had to put him down.

sorry the xray image isn't great. it came out dark when they took it, and it was tough to scan.

it was incredibly depressing. apparently, when my gf picked him up, his frantic flailing was powerful enough to loosen him from my gf's grip and break his own back. the dr said he has seen that happen a lot in rabbits. it could have been prevented if he had been held more tightly and with more support, but we had no clue that he was capable of it.

the dr also said that he could make it if he had bowel or urinary movement, but he couldn't. he had a full bladder, and never went. plus, even if he could go, his quality of life would never have been anything close to good. the spinal cord can't heal.

RIP Rocco Fitzgerald. 8/25/09

 

[rcr]

I'm so sorry for you loss. RIP Rocco.:cry3:

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

I am so, so sorry for your loss of Rocco. :flowers5:

I believe the person responsible for this disaster is morally, if not legally, obligated to pay all of the expenses you have incurred while trying to save Rocco's life.

And, if there is anything to be said, definitely payment for pain and suffering (both Rocco's, yours and your girlfriend's). I think that he should also pay for the cost of your new chinchilla.

Again, my sympathies to you for this horrible situation.

 

[addictedtochins]

I am so sorry, Rocco's story was so sad I actually had a little trouble believing it was 100% true. I hope you stay with chins-n-quills and when the time is right maybe you can open your heart to another fuzzbutt. I do believe Rocco is kacking and popcorning on the other side of the rainbow bridge and you will see him again. I will include you in my prayers, you must be hurting so bad. Theresa
RIP Rocco :angel7:

 

[somethingbig]

well thankfully, the dr provided all the care for free because my gf works at the clinic. it should have cost well over $200 for the xray and euthanasia alone. the dr usually provides care for his employee's pets for free and especially if they're rescues. of course, with my gf bawling her eyes out and little rocco in tremendous pain, the dr had no choice but to take pity on us.

the manager did feel really horrible about what happened and has offered to get us another chin. i spoke with him over the phone, and he was extremely apologetic cuz he knew i was pissed, and he hated that an animal that he cared for had to die. i gave him my chin in fine health one day to have him chin-sat, and when i pick him up a couple days later, he has a huge gash on his head and a broken back! granted the broken back wasn't the manager's fault directly, this whole situation would have never occurred if he had just chin-sat and not tried to start his own backyard breeding club...

i think the manager knows quite a bit when it comes to health, nutrition, anatomy, ect... but he knows very little about chinchilla social dynamics. he assumed they were like any other animal that can just be studded out.

i'll be honest, i'm a newb here, and i have a lot to learn, but i'm on these boards looking for answers. i wish my gf's manager would do the same...

 

[menagerie]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[eroomlorac]

What a horrible, tragic story. It is truly one of the worst chinchilla stories I have heard. I am so sorry you had to experience this and I am so sorry for Rocco who trusted the humans to care for him properly. I hope you find it in yourself to get another chinchilla. You are a good chinchilla owner. Poor little Rocco. :cry4:

 

[saphire]

RIP little Angel, I am sincerely sorry and my thoughts are with you.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

I am very sorry for your loss . The manager needs to make amends in some way for sure...

 

[tunes]

I was really dreading looking at this thread today. Your description of Rocco yesterday just didn't leave much room for hope. I am so very sorry that through the irresponsibility, stupidity, and greed of one moron, you lost your beloved Rocco.

RIP little guy. You're pain free over the bridge now and in good company.

 

[ABBY W.]

I am so sorry for your loss and for poor little Rocco! That guy ought to be ashamed of himself. What an idiotic thing to do!!! I would think at the LEAST he should be getting you a new chinchilla! He ought to be begging your forgiveness for his stupidity.
At least Rocco wasn't with him for long, and was able to be in your loving care for his final moments. He knew he was loved before he passed on. RIP Rocco