Chin has Diarrehea

[steve]

I went to work 4 hours ago and when I came home he had diarhhea all over the cage. I gave him some gas drops to see if it was bloat. I am not sure want to do, no vet in my area will except chins, what should I do????

 

[Stackie]

Was this chinchilla housed with your other chin that also had diarrhea and ultimately ended up dying? I would have hoped you would have found a vet after that...

There is not much we can do. Since your other chin had diarrhea and died, you should really get him into the vet. He could very well face the same circumstances. It sounds like there is something going on in your husbandry.

Now for tons of questions, but first you need to find a vet.
What food are you feeding? Hay? Are you using filtered water? Is the poop smelly? Is the chin still eating? How is the activity level?

 

[steve]

Chin is very active, and I cleaned the whole cage and you do not need to be rude to me. He is still eating, adn very avtive water levels are fine cage has been cleanes, timothy hay, and he does only drink a five stage filtered water process, so I dont see why he did get out of the cage and he nibbled on soemthing while I was trying to get him out of the couch

 

[Vyxxin]

Hate to sound repetitive...but this is why all forum members recommend finding a chin knowledgeable vet BEFORE buying chins.

BUT, since that time has passed...you need a vet NOW! Doesn't matter if it's a few hours drive...if you already had one chin pass with the same symptoms, this one will also likely perish if not seen.

 

[steve]

funny cause I did find a vet and nothing like the other chin, but thanks for being judgemental and assuming, everything I do is wrong. Pretty sure I'm done with this webcite, o and by the way the vet said everything I did was fine just one of those things that happened but he is going to be just fine. Think you guys should point less fingers

 

[Stackie]

I think you need to calm way down. No one was rude to you. If you found a vet then why did you say this in your initial post?

I am not sure want to do, no vet in my area will except chins, what should I do????

I hope for the sake of your chin you really did find a vet and got him medical treatment. Especially since your last chin died and was experiencing the same symptoms. I don't understand why people take "get your chinchilla to a vet" as being rude nowadays......

Anyway, is the chinchilla better? Did the diarrhea clear up that quick? If he is still having diarrhea you need to stop it; he is likely dehydrated and fluids from the vet would help him. Have you given him anything to help with the diarrhea? It would also help if you answered all my questions so we can figure out why he is getting diarrhea- what brand of food are you feeding? Did the vet run a fecal sample?

Not sure how much good this is going to do since apparently you are leaving, but we are here to help the chin.

 

[Vyxxin]

Thanks for tackling that stackie...even being in chins as long as I have and having as many chins over the years as I have...diarrhea scares the bejesus out of me! Often it is contagious, and I know that sounds funny...but what I mean is a LOT of the things that cause it can be passed from one chin to another. PLUS it can be deadly very quickly so whenever it pops up I take it very seriously. Without a vet visit the chin will die if it still has diarrhea...if the diarrhea has stopped, answering the questions above is the best bet at preventing a re-occurance.

 

[steve]

Ya sorry, I was stressed out to the max. The vet did give him some meds and he sent me home with some activated charcoal, and some medicine that starts with a k, can't remember exactly but it is essentially some gas drops. The diarrhea did clear up this morning, although the stool is still somewhat soft. It took some digging to find this vet as he was not in my local phone book, but he seemed like he had extraordinary chin knowledge, unlike the other exotic vet in my town that always said to feed raisins. Everything is looking good for my chin though, he never stopped having a appetite, and he did drink a lot of water throughout the night. Thanks for your inputs, and I am sorry for my last post, I do not deal well with stress and should not have taken my frustrations out on you. Thank you again for your inputs.

 

[Vyxxin]

Steve, first...good job on not leaving. There is a wealth of knowledge here you will not find elsewhere. Second, thanks for the update AND for going out of your way to make sure your chinchilla got treated! Stick around, we ARE here to help.