Chinnie Sick :(

[saritalaa]

My Chin has never been sick before and I am really worried about her. First yes I am taking her to the vet today but I am not sure how experienced they are with chinchilllas. Their website says they see exotics and when I called to make the appointment the receptionist said they had two doctors that see them. I was hoping someone could let me know what I should expect at the visit from an experienced vet based on her condition? Is there something that they would normally recommend in this case? I'm afraid that I am going to take her to someone that doesn't really know a lot about chinchillas. Here is the situation:

I noticed the night before last that Chili didn't seem as active as usual. I didn't hear or see her running in her wheel as much as she usually does. She's not just laying there doing nothing but she just doesn't seem as active as usual. She does move around the cage but she seems to be spending a lot of time in her hammock. The next day (yesterday) I was concerned so I took her out of the cage to let her run around and check out her behavior. She ran around like usual, jumping on me and trying to nibble on stuff but seemed a little slower than normal. Usually its hard for me to grab her when its time to go back in the cage but it seemed a lot easier this time. Also the entire time I had her out she did not poop once. I know this is very unusual. I've also noticed that her food/hay and water hasn't gone down as much as I would expect. I have seen her drinking and seen her nibble on her food and hay and she has also taken a treat from me last night (oats). However, it just doesn't seem like she is eating as much as she normally does. I tried massaging her belly but I'm really not sure if I'm doing it right. I took her out again this morning and let her run around and again she did not poop. I'm going to the vet in about an hour, I hope someone can tell me what an experieced vet should do. Thank you so much!

Sarah

 

[tunes]

It's possible she's suffering from bloat or gut stasis. Your vet should do an x-ray of her abdomen to check for air and for blockages.

A few things on bloat: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=852

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

If it's bloat, she needs medication, massage, and she needs to have fluids injected subcu. You will not get enough liquid into her by syringe feeding her.
Simethicon drops (baby gas drops)
Reglan
Propulsid
Metacam
Subcu fluids
Critical care to hand feed. You have to make her eat.
Gentle but firm massage, working in circles around her tummy and down towards his rectum.

These are the things she's going to need if she's going to survive bloat. If it's stasis, the treatment is different and I'll try to find a link for that as well.


Please keep us informed.

Edited to add: Here is a link to a thread on stasis. http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6553&highlight=stasis

 

[saritalaa]

thank you so much for the info tunes!

 

[saritalaa]

This is going to be fast because I'm very tired. Didn't get much sleep last night and I just spent over 4 hours at two different vets.

Just as I feared the first vet was a waste of time. They checked her out and said they were going to do an xray so I thought everything was great. However after doing the xray they said she had a little gas in her belly and some density in her lung area so they thought she might have a respiratory infection. They were going to give me an antibiotic and send her home and they said if that didn't help they would send me to a specialist. I said no she needs to go to the specialist today.

Took her to the specialist, they said she does have gas but they couldn't see an obstruction. They examined her and said it is stasis. They gave her fluids and reglan and they gave me reglan, an antibiotic (smz tmp) and critical care to take home. I fed her cc when I got home and she is resting now, poor thing I feel so bad for all the poking and proding she went through today If anyone has any other advice for me I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[Jadebf700]

I am going to post something because I don't know what the time thing is and it seems no one has responded. Everything I have seen on here says that if your chin is on an antibiotic, it needs a probiotic to help it but you need to give it to your chin 2-4 hours after the antibiotic or they will cancel eachother out. I am sure someone will confirm this later on down the post.

If you do some searching in the forum, there are lots of different posts on antibiotics and chins.

I hope she starts feeling better soon!

 

[saritalaa]

thank you Jade I will try to find more info on that!

 

[Sandi]

Definitely take a look at this post, Tunes posted this link yesterday -
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6553&highlight=stasis

as well as this one - http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html

 

[Sandi]

From what I've read the probiotics should be given approximately 2 hours after the antibiotics. If given the probiotics any earlier (closer to the antibiotics) the antibiotics will cancel out the probiotics but the probiotic will not cancel out the antibiotic.

 

[Directorthiang]

Get her out for lots of run time. My chins have been battling the gas since having been put on medicine for giardia, and the run time helps get everything moving. Simethicone helps, too. Belly massage for as long as she'll let you, and you might even try a vibrating back massager on her tummy. Dash liked it, though Powder didn't.

 

[Jadebf700]

and you might even try a vibrating back massager on her tummy. Dash liked it, though Powder didn't.

I could see my buddy freaking out at something like that! That is a good idea though if they like it.

 

[saritalaa]

i bought some acidophiles and mixed it with her cc. she's taken to nipping me and struggling every time i try to rub her belly now. still no poops. I don't know what I'm going to do after today as I have to work 8 hour shifts the next 4 days straight. I just feel awful for her.

 

[tunes]

She can't go 8 hours without being fed and massaged. Plus, with her not pooping, that's really bad. Call your vet, see if they will rehydrate her with subcu fluids, and take care of her during the day.

This is going to end up being a financial call in the end I'm afraid. It's not going to be cheap to have your vet care for your chin for the next 4 days until you can be off work again. She should be eating every 2 maybe 3 hours tops. You have to constantly keep working at the gas to keep it moving.

I absolutely would not leave her at home for 8 hour stretches, plus travel time. I'll be blunt. If you do, she will die, and she will die in horrible pain. I am not judging, nor condeming, because you need to work and support yourself. I know Meanie lived and breathed her chin until he was out of stasis, but she was fortunate enough (or unfortunate enough) to be laid off from work at the time. It was long hard work, and even with a ton of work, not all chins survive this because it's just so deadly to them. Talk to your vet, then do some thinking on this before you go into work tomorrow. Decide what's best for both of you.

 

[menagerie]

I agree with Tunes. She shouldn't be left for 8 hours plus travel time. Treating stasis is touch and go in the best of circumstances. If you read Sparky's story you will see that even though I was able to give him my undivided attention (being unemployed was certainly a blessing), it was touch and go at times. We'd take a step forward and two steps back. And that was with constant massages, warm compresses, and lots of holding and comforting. Stasis is very painful, think the worst stomach ache you've ever had, and Sparky craved warmth and human contact.

Do you have anyone else who can help you while you're at work? Can you trust the vet's to take care of her during that time? Are you able to take her to work with you and take frequent breaks to give massages and warm compresses?

 

[menagerie]

As luck would have it, saritalaa is in my neck of the woods. So I'm going to take her girl for a few days to help out.

 

[Dustbunnies]

That is really awesome of you. I wish I had someone like that in my area. That is why I have been looking for local chin owners.....in case I need help like that someday. I hope you are able to help her chin get through this. You are a great friend for taking her.

 

[tunes]

Ewwww - You don't want Meanie in your area. She's vewwy, vewwy scary. Mwahahaha!

Glad you could help out Meanie. Hopefully this little girl will pull through this.

 

[AZChins]

I hope that she feels better soon. There's nothing worse than having something be off with just one chin around here. One chin is ill and I am crazy until we fix the problem.

I don't know about the back massager...I do think that that would get me bitten. LOL I'm kidding, that is wonderful that it helped out a little chin with a digestive problem.

 

[menagerie]

As each animal is different, I can't guarantee the outcome here. But I will give it my best shot. :thumbsup:

As my mother keeps reminding me; it's a good thing I don't have a job right now, I'd never be able to fit it all in. :dance3:

 

[Claire D]

Nice one Meanie - fingers crossed for the little girly. :crossfingers:

 

[Kalandra]

We will be keeping our quills and fingers crossed here.