Chewing electrical wire

[AZChins]

I hope she's alright. Electrocution is very serious, like everyone has said. I'd watch her tonight and tomorrow...by tomorrow evening I think you'd be able to tell if she actually got shocked and has any damage from it.

I came home one day to find an extension cord chewed in half and in the cage with five girls. It was a plugged in cord...everyone was fine, but I shocked myself on it when I was trying to fix the problem. I know that they can chew a cord and live through it...if that's any consolation at all.

 

[B.Cygni]

It is consolation, but I suppose I'm more worried about the plastic causing impaction in her stomach- the electricity seems to have not affected her at all- or so I think. :/

EDIT: we're both just really freaking out. This is the same chin that broke her leg last year- all the bad things seem to happen to her. I don't want to lose her at all.

 

[AZChins]

Ohhh...I am so sorry. Just take it easy, everything will work out. It couldn't have been that much plastic. I feel so bad that you are worried like that because I know exactly how you feel!

 

[B.Cygni]

We let her out for a runabout and a dust bath- she's about as active as usual, no real change there- she took about a 10 minute dustbath, ran around us, then zipped into her cage for a wheelrun.

I'm hoping there isn't late onset. We'll keep checking for 24 hrs, although we're both at work tomorrow... :/

 

[Stackie]

I think the reason Neeko had a problem with impaction was not just because he ingested the plastic, but also because his body was zapped of water and he became very dehydrated after the shock. Without hydration, everything in his stomach just kind of sat there, causing the GI issues and impaction.

Give her lots of hay and like I said, just monitor her appetite and poo production. If you see any change in the poos (smaller, harder) then it may be time to start worrying.

 

[B.Cygni]

Her poos have always been of the smallish and hardish variety, unfortunately, so it might be hard to notice a difference, unless the change is drastic. She's a very timid, nervous chinchilla, and she's prone to ceasing poop altogether when she's especially nervous...

but she has been eating and chewing and nibbling and doing her normal things. I'm still feeding her water in a medicine dropper, as much as she'll put up with... I'm just worried. If it is impaction, I'm not even sure a vet could do anything about it.

 

[B.Cygni]

help help help, I woke up this morning to find she hasn't pooped AT ALL over the night. I don't know if she just doesn't poop when she sleeps (I've never checked!) or if she just... isn't. She's still eating, she's still running on her wheel... but no poop.

Please advise. Should we rush her to the vet? Should we wait? Please!

 

[B.Cygni]

I was reading on http://chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26&highlight=impaction the master list of first aid that psyllium and bran mash help with impaction- should I get some of that, or just bring her right to the vet? Am I overreacting? Anyone?

 

[Claire D]

These are just some possibilities -
She may be in pain/discomfort from an electric shock and/or from the injury on her paw - this will have a knock-on effect. She may need some pain relief but this MUST NOT be given without professional veterinary assessment.
She may be in shock - is this is the case then she needs a clam, quiet atmosphere and careful monitoring - there is an excellent article here on Debbie's site (Azure Chinchillas - http://www.azure-chinchillas.co.uk/pages/treating_chinchilla_shock.php) which is worth a read.
You say she gets stressed easily and stops producing droppings - escaping her cage and biting through a wire, possibly electrocuting herself would be pretty stressful even if it was a small shock so that might be one reason.
It is also possible that she is reacting to your level of stress and fussing too - if she is sensitive and picks up on your vibes that could also be an issue.

Are you sure she has eaten over night? How much fluid has she had?

It is sometimes a hard judgement call to make between the added stress of taking a chin to the vets and knowing what is going on (needing a full assessment). At the end of the day you have to do what you are comfortable with but personally I would suggest you take her to your vet for a full check-up and get her checked for burns/inflammation to her mouth. I would not be trying to diagnose and home treat this chin yourself - you could do more harm than good.

Good luck and please keep us posted. :crossfingers:

 

[mishellyshel]

sometimes i notice that my chins dont poo at certain times, but maybe if you take her out for some supervised playtime in a room you can montitor the poo?? it seems when they are more active their gut starts moving and they poo a little more.
i have also read & got advice from a vet that a very very small amount of fresh pinapple juice can help. you should water it down. so if you are using a syringe, use .05cc of fresh pineapple mixed with .05 cc of filtered water. it would also help hydrate her. these are the very small syringes, less than 1tsp.
if you dont see any poop for several hours you may want to consider a vet visit.

 

[B.Cygni]

Last night, she ate tons- and she's eating more as we speak- pellets, hay, alfalfa cubes, and the occasional tiny piece of rosehip from me. Water drinking, I'm not sure about- I've been hand-feeding her water with a medicine dropper, so I know she's had some THAT way, at least...

I called around- one vet told me just to make sure she eats and drinks, and if it continues until tomorrow (seems like a bit long for me), I should get x-rays done. I also called my normal vet, and was informed he'd call be back later, in 2-3 hours. For sure, I'll be bringing her into a vet- the problem is, my normal vet is booking for thursdays and fridays right now- not today. I could probably squeak her into a look today, but I'm not sure.

Keep the info coming, and thanks.

 

[B.Cygni]

i have also read & got advice from a vet that a very very small amount of fresh pinapple juice can help. you should water it down. so if you are using a syringe, use .05cc of fresh pineapple mixed with .05 cc of filtered water. it would also help hydrate her. these are the very small syringes, less than 1tsp.
if you dont see any poop for several hours you may want to consider a vet visit.

can anyone else confirm or deny this? I have fresh pineapple in the fridge right now, so if it helps at all, I can juice it. My syringe is very small, so it would be perfect.

 

[Claire D]

Put her in a carrier with white pater towels in the bottom and see how much she poops over the next couple of hours. You could also try a little gentle exercise in a confined space, again watching for droppings.
That she is eating is a good sign.

can anyone else confirm or deny this? I have fresh pineapple in the fridge right now, so if it helps at all, I can juice it. My syringe is very small, so it would be perfect.

I know some people use pineapple juice but I would not be giving her anything sweet for now.

 

[tunes]

can anyone else confirm or deny this? I have fresh pineapple in the fridge right now, so if it helps at all, I can juice it. My syringe is very small, so it would be perfect.

If she is having an issue with bloat or constipation, adding sweet sugary fruit to the mix is not going to be overly helpful. If she were dehydrated, people will recommend a 50/50 water bottle with 100% apple juice in it. But no, I'm not jumping on the bandwagon of pineapple juice.

 

[B.Cygni]

I took her into the bathroom for a little runabout-- and glory be, she started the poop train! I can't tell you how relieved I was to see those normal, brown, soft pellets spewing out!

However, I don't feel like I'm done yet. Her paw- the one that seemed to have the nick on it- is not getting a lot of use. She isn't running with it at all, it seems, and has it pulled up most of the time, close to her body. However, she does use it to clean, and I've seen her hold pellets and hay with it as recently as this morning. It doesn't seem to be bothering her overmuch (but who can tell?), but she's definitely favoring her non-nicked paw.

Is this common "I have a cut on my hand" behavior, or is there something worse than a surface abrasion here? I might take her into the vet anyways.

Regarding the pineapple juice, thank you for your advice- I'm just sticking to water, as I have for the last 12 hours.

Thank you, and keep the advice coming!

EDIT: incidentally, I still haven't treated the paw in any way, save wiping it with a damp cloth. Should I keep at this?

 

[Stackie]

Her paw may just be a little sore and that's why she's favoring it. If she still isn't using it within a day or so, you may want to take her to the vet.

 

[B.Cygni]

That's what I was thinking- it hurts, so she's trying not to use it. But she does, for things that aren't running around. Still, I guess I'm just very worried. I felt it, and she doesn't seem to want to push with it, either- she doesn't like putting pressure on it. But like I said, she does use it in small ways.

 

[Stackie]

If she can still use it then I highly doubt it is broken. Like I said, I bet it's just sore.

 

[B.Cygni]

What were the suggestions of things I could put on her cut, just as antiseptic? I'd like to at least clean the wound beyond an attempt to wipe it with water.

 

[Stackie]

I use blu-kote for scratches on my chins. You can find it at most feed supply stores such as TSC. It's a good thing to have around.

My vet has always suggested cleaning the wounds with a damp cloth and antibacterial soap.