Chinchilla Vet Visit, opinion/knowledge needed.

[bianca]

Hi. I have a male chinchilla and he has been grinding his teeth for two days now. his brother just passed away yesterday morning, so i am trying to keep this one happy and healthy.

he is going to the vet on Thursday and the plan is : he is going to be put asleep for a full mouth exam. he is very squirmy and independent, so this is why i think putting him asleep will be easier and best, because it will give the vet a chance to find any possible problem. also, i feel like it would be less stressful for him..especially since he is grieving over his brother.


do you think putting him to sleep is a good or bad idea considering the circumstances?
please and thank you

 

[eroomlorac]

I think sometimes anesthesia is necessary for dental x-rays but the vet will (hopefully) now what to do. I would wait and see what the vet thinks should be done and if it doesn't sound reasonable I would discuss options with the vet. Let us know what happens.

 

[tunes]

About the only way to get a thorough mouth exam is when the chin is anesthetized. Unless the teeth are so bad that it shows up instantly on x-ray, you need them to be relaxed and not struggling to look for any abnormalities.

 

[mishellyshel]

bianca--they dont really put them to sleep............they usually dont even inject them with meds, they actually put a little mask on them and have them breathe in the anesthesia just so they can fully get in there and take a good look.

since your other chin died of what your vet describes as a "poop plug" i suspect that your chin has either bloat or is in gi statis. bloat is very hard to come out of but they still can make it. Gi stasis is rough too............but is also a general term for excess gas or general digestive issues. either can be caused by teeth issues, since because they are in pain and grinding their teeth, they are not eating properly. you definitley want to get to the vet as soon as possible. perhaps call back again today and tell them its an emergency and see if they can please get you in???? If not, maybe get your self some infant gas drops and try to hand feed him that. also if you have access to a product called Critical Care you can handfeed him. If not you may want to grind up some pellets and add filterd water and maybe a little bit of plain pumpkin or baby food squash (just a little like a teaspoon to start) mix it all up into a thin paste and try and hand feed him a bit.
also to get the gut moving and make sure he is pooping, you may want to give him extra playtime outside the cage. that usually helps thing move along.
if he lets you hold him.........you can do tummy massage. there is a whole thread on GI Statis, that I think would be beneficial for you to read. it is a sticky note so it comes up right under the health heading

 

[ABBY W.]

Is he showing any other change in his behavior other than the grinding?

 

[bianca]

thanks everyone so much!!

um, he is biting and scratching at himself a lot.

the onyl time the vet can do the full mouth exam is on thursday. so for now i bought him pumice stones and woods to chew on. hopefully he is fine.

also.. he is peeing, pooping, drinking, eating..etc..

i think he may just be stressed and upset about his brothers death, since he hasnt seen him in 5 days