Broken Leg

[AlexEarl]

I came back from work tonight (about an hour ago) and found my chinchilla dangling by its back leg. I immediately and carefully got him free but I have no idea how long he had been there for. Once down he was dragging it around and not moving it at all.

We rushed it to a night time emergency vets who charged us £120 ($190) only to tell us something we already new (that it was broken) and gave it £8 pain killers. We are taking it to our normal vet at the crack of dawn to get it X-rayed and to see if it can be saved.

All I really wanted to know is can a chinchilla survive comfortably with only 1 back leg? this chinchilla is only 4 1/2 months old so always has time to learn how to hop but would it be fair on him?

Thanks

 

[Stackie]

Amputation is often the best choice when dealing with chins with broken legs. Many chins live just fine with 3 legs and can even continue running on wheels, jumping from ledge to ledge, etc.

 

[obcsed]

They do just fine with only one back leg. I have one here missing his foot and it doesn't even slow him down. He runs in his wheel and jumps from shelf to shelf with no problems. I also have a friend with a tripod and she is just as crazy as her other one. Don't bother trying to repair it. Chin bones are so thin it seldom works. You just prolong the recovery and have to do the amputation later anyway. Have them take it off above the knee so he isn't left with a stump that gets banged on things and causes discomfort.

 

[AlexEarl]

Oky im glad that they can live with 1 back leg, now all i have to do is wait till the vet opens which seems light years away but i guess theres nothing else i can do for him now except check on him throughout the night

 

[Stackie]

Do you have him confined in a carrier/small area? That is the best thing to do at this point so that he isn't hopping around in his cage, possibly doing more damage.

 

[AlexEarl]

he is in the smallest cage we have and he is just sitting in the same spot each time i have checked

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

please don't let the vet 'try to save the leg'. Over 95% of the time it does not work and you have to amputate anyway. Their is less pain for the chin by just amputating - as well as less money for you to have to pay. As was mentioned they get along fine with the 3 legs. You should be given pains meds. and will probably have to hand feed for awhile until the chin's pain decreases.

 

[Tagna]

I have a tripod rescue and she does great with 3 legs. You wouldn't even know it with the way she moves. She lost a back leg due to a break when she was young at a guinea pig rescue. They had a ramp in the cage.

 

[ticklechin]

I had a tripod that lost his leg at birth that lived until he was 17-would have lived longer if the vet did not kill him.

Lots of bad things can happen when vets try to save legs, let them amputate.

 

[saphire]

I rescued from a vet a male who they amputated his back leg who has been adopted by a wonderful pet owner. This little guy was not healed that he was already jumping around like there is no tomorrow. AND fast as a bullet I may say faster than the four legged chins.

Only good happy words for tripods

 

[AlexEarl]

please don't let the vet 'try to save the leg'. Over 95% of the time it does not work and you have to amputate anyway. Their is less pain for the chin by just amputating - as well as less money for you to have to pay. As was mentioned they get along fine with the 3 legs. You should be given pains meds. and will probably have to hand feed for awhile until the chin's pain decreases.

If i do have to hand feed him is it the same as when the mum does not feed them as kits? as i had to do that for his sister for a while. Im guessing it is not though as they all eat normal food

 

[javachin]

If i do have to hand feed him is it the same as when the mum does not feed them as kits? as i had to do that for his sister for a while. Im guessing it is not though as they all eat normal food

You would feed him Critical Care if you have access to that, or a mixture of ground pellets, water, and plain canned pumpkin and syringe feed him. I hope all goes well at the vet and he recuperates.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

Alex, I have a chin, ("Little Two Paws" Shakur) with only 2 legs -- BOTH on the right side!!! He gets around just as quickly as my chins with 4 legs!!!

The decision to amputate IS the right way to go. Animals are so much more accepting of their situations than humans are. LTP doesn't KNOW he only has 2 legs -- he just gets on with his life, which is a very happy, spoiled one.

Good luck with your baby. Keep us posted...

 

[AlexEarl]

Yer i have already decided to go straight for the amputation (thats if it is broken which i 100% think it is) all i am worried about now is if he will make it through the night. There is no reason he shouldn't as there is no external bleeding that i need to be worried about and he looks absolutely fine sitting there high on pain killers but i always think the worst is going to happen so i am prepared for it.

 

[AlexEarl]

We took him to the vets this morning and they had a look at him, he was more springy on the table but still dragging his leg so they took him away for an X-ray. They just rang me to say that they cannot see a break in his leg and are just prescribing him pain killers until his leg isn't sore any more and we get to pick him up in 2 hours.

 

[obcsed]

That is good news. You might still want to consider some hand feeding until he is off the meds. He may have difficulty locating his food dishes. Pain meds may cause him to forget to eat too. He should remain in the small cage without shelves until he heals up.

 

[AlexEarl]

Yer i dont think i will be allowing him to have a shelf again until he is a big boy with bigger feet. The vet has given me Metacam to give him 8 times a day and he seems to like the taste so it isnt a problem giving it to him. They also said to put him back in with his dad so he doesn't get too stressed out being on his own in a different environment + it keeps him company. Ill watch to see if he eats anything next time i fill up the bowl to make sure he is still eating

 

[Claire D]

The vet has given me Metacam to give him 8 times a day and he seems to like the taste so it isnt a problem giving it to him. They also said to put him back in with his dad so he doesn't get too stressed out being on his own in a different environment + it keeps him company. Ill watch to see if he eats anything next time i fill up the bowl to make sure he is still eating

Umm are you sure you have the directions for the Metacam right? 8 times a day is unheard of! What type of Metacam is it (dog or cat) and what dose has been prescribed?

I would not put him back with Dad if he is dragging his leg - I would keep him confined in a small cage so that he cannot do himself further damage and so that his dad can't inadvertently jump on him or anything.
Yes, it can be a pain re-pairing chins afterwards but you need to be able to see that the little fella is eating, drinking, peeing, pooping ok as well and that's hard to do with multiple chins.

 

[AlexEarl]

Yer it says 8 drops per day, its dog Metacam and I only do a tiny drop. Ill move him out tomorrow then as its too late for me too start sorting out the other cage for him now

 

[Claire D]

At 4 1/2 months old I certainly would not be giving a chin 8 drops of Metacam! One drops, perhaps, but most definitely not 8. Many adult chins don't get that much and it is usually given in 1 or 2 doses per day.

I would re-check the dose with the vets before giving the little chin any more.

Whereabouts are you based in the UK? We might be able to suggest another vet for you to try.