Chinchillas Seizures/Stroke

Lipton · Jun 6, 2010

I think my 1-and-a-bit-year-old chinchilla had a seizure or stroke last night, she hadn't been out of the cage and I was giving her a couple of bits of dried apple at the cage door when all of a sudden she went very still - which is completely out of character for her as she's normally a hyperactive wreck. Then she started slowly tilting to one side so I picked her up and she felt like she was vibrating she curled her front right paw up at a funny angle and her ear went flat on her right side and she couldn't move properly. This lasted about 2 minutes and then I put her back in her nest box and then she was fine, started hopping about and went and had some pellets and was completely back to normal.

The room was at a cool temperature, her ears and feet felt fine, she didn't look to be in pain and I try to ensure she gets plenty of calcium through chew blocks and cuttlefish.

This has only happened once before, and I don't even know if it was the same thing. About this time last year she was running around the conservatory at night and then she jumped of a chair seat on to the floor and went limp on one side and was trying to run and carry on playing but was lop-sided. Again this only lasted two minutes and at the time we put it down to her possibly jarring her leg or trapping a nerve when she jumped off the chair. I had a vet check her over and he said that the jump probably was the cause.

I do worry about her sometimes because she's quite small for her age and when she was born her brother only lived a week and then died even when they both appeared to be developing at the same rate. Her mum was 9 when she had her so I'm don't know if maybe that was a bit old and she might have something wrong we also don't know what her dad was like, as she and her brother when little surprises 3 days after bringing mum home.

Is this common? What can I do to reduced the chances of it happening again? and lastly does anybody know of a good chinchilla vet in the Chichester, West Sussex area, in case this happens again?

ticklechin · Jun 6, 2010

The vibrating or trembling seizure points towards a Vit B1 deficiency seizure, what feed do you give her?

Lipton · Jun 11, 2010

She's on Pets At Home Chinchilla pellets. Here's the info from the packet if that helps:

Ingredient(s):

Wheat, Grass Meal, Soya Hulls and Full Fat Soya, Oat Bran, Peas, Unmolassed Sugar Beet Pulp, Brewers Yeast, Vegetable Oil, Dicalcium Phosphate and Calcium Carbonate, Fructo-Oligosaccharides.

Typical Analysis:

Moisture 9%, Protein 17%, Oils and Fats 4%, Fibre 14%, Ash 6.5%.

She hasn't had any symptoms since so it's hard to see if there's a pattern or a trigger but anything I can do to potentially lower the chances of it happening again would be appreciated.

ticklechin · Jun 11, 2010

ClaireD here is from UK and maybe can help here, Me personally I don't like the contents of that pellet, but since I am from the USA I don't know what is a good pellet there.

Lipton · Jun 25, 2010

Thanks, I've left Claire a message to see if she's got any recommendations. Baby hasn't had any more seizures since but I'm constantly wary.

I had a chat with a vet who said that obviously there could be several causes but one maybe that this is a neurological problem she has and it's just something I have to accept but to keep a diary of when she has them and to get her to a vet if she has more than one a month or they last for more than 2 minutes as her brain might be being starved of oxygen.
She also told me that is not the diagnosing that's the problem but the treatment, trying to get things in such small doses and administering them can be the pain.

I guess only time will tell, she's just a little bit different I guess all I can do is try an lower her chances of having them again.

Claire D · Jun 25, 2010

Hi, I got your message

It is possible that your chin had an excitement/feeding fit. These are not uncommon in chins but they are not always seen, hence go unreported. The fit is caused by the chin becoming over-excited by the anticipation of food or a treat & sometimes the rattling of the food tin or rustling treat packet can trigger a fit.
These types of fits are more common in younger chins but any chin can have them - usually they are one-offs but if a chin continues to suffer from these kinds of fits it can be prevented or reduced by feeding the chin first so they are not waiting.
You may never see another fit & it may not have been caused by any nutritional deficiency - time will tell & as you are doing, it is worth keeping an eye on the chin to see if there is a pattern to any further fits (if they occur).

As for the food, the most popular pellets in the UK are Duggins, Harrisons, Charnwoods but they all tend to come in larger sacks. Beaphar Care + chinchilla pellets or Science Selective are also recommended by some people & can be bought in smaller amounts to suit pet owners. Personally I use the Beaphar for some of my oldies or poorly chins as they are very well liked & as a treat for the rest of my chins, alongside their staple ration of Duggins.