Eenie refuses to eat =(

[TiffanyT]

Greetings everyone. My chinchilla Eenie needs help.

Lately Eenie has been playing with his food and throwing the pellets out of the food bowl. I noticed that his little hands were dirty, and I thought that was because of his new bad habit so I just cleaned his hands and did not pay more attention to it. About one week later, I noticed he was drooling a little and the fur around his penis was damp. I immediately took him to the vet, and she said his incisors were way too long so they need to be trimmed. According to the vet his back teeth are fine, but there was a small piece of overgrown gum on the left side of his mouth and a smell sore on the other side. But she did not think those would bother him too much. So she trimmed his teeth and we were sent home with some pain killer and she said he should be fine and eating. That was last Friday.

He did not do very good that weekend. He went to the food bowl once and had a piece of pallet and then went away. He played with hay but didn't eat any, and proceeded to pee on it instead of in his litter box. I thought that maybe he was just old and I'd lose him soon. (I've had him for only 6 years but the people who gave him to me did not know his age.)

On Sunday night I saw him sleeping in his litter box which he normally would not do. I took him out to check on him and saw that he could not retract his penis. I took him to the emergency room and doctor said she could not find anything wrong with him, and did not know why he couldn't retract it. All that time when she was examing him he just lay there and did not even resist, which was very abnormal. I left him there for them to observe and also wait for his regular doctor to come in next morning to exam him more in detail.

Next day they sedated him to exam him more and also took X-rays, and they still could not find anything wrong with him. So Eenie was sent home with an antibiotic, one more kind of pain killer, medicine for upset tummy, and also critical care. The doctor said he should be eating but no, he still refused all food and would only close his eyes and sleep all the time. He ate a bit of CC but then would not take it anymore. I felt very sad and thought I'd lose him soon.

I looked on the internet and found this site and realized that other chinchillas had this problems too. I had hope again!! I started to hand feed him CC to force food into him. He looked a lot better after I got some food into him, but he still spent most of his time sleeping. So for 2 days I gave him his medication and forced CC into him and he would run around happily when he is out of the cage and roll in the dust bath, but he still would not eat voluntarily.

On Thursday I took him in to see the vet again. She was concerned about him refusing food. She gave me 2 options.

1. Dental work. She would cut the overgrown gum and fix the tooth beneath it, and "hopefully" he will pick up his appetite afterward.

2. Blood work and Ultra sound to check on other parts of his body.

I told her that I'd like to observe him more this weekend when I'm home to decide on the next step.

My concerns and questions:

1. We are not sure whether the overgrown gum and tooth is causing him to lose his appetite. He did change his eating habit and showed frustration when he tries to eat before he completely gave up on eating. Is it possible that this pain will cause him to completely loses his appetite and refuse even raisin? A friend suggessed giving him the teething ointment for babies to ease the pain, should I try that?

2. He wouldn't drink from the water bottle. He did get fluid twice when he was in the hospital, but right now he is mainly getting the water he needs from the mixture of CC. He started to pee on hay which I don't understand why. He would still occassionally go pee in the litter box, but then he also slept in it. I just don't understand this behavior. His doctor said that they would sometimes change their habits when the aren't feeling well. I just don't want to miss a symptom that he is showing.

3. His poop was very small and black when he first got sick but is now looking more normal but still not smooth and round shaped like it is supposed to look like. He doesn't look like he is in pain when I touch his tummy.

I'm not sure about the Dental work because if it is not the cause of his pain then I'd much rather not put him through it since it is most certainly going to cause him more pain. Right now I think I'd have them do the blood work and see if doctors can pick up anything abnormal like an internal infection.

Please.. if anyone has experience with this or suggessions Eenie and I would greatly appreciate.

 

[Stackie]

First of all, no, do not give him the infant teething gel.

Yes, dental work can cause them to be in pain and thus, go off their feed. It hurts him to eat. Usually anytime a chinchilla gets their incisors cut or their molars ground, they will need to be handfed because of this. Sometimes even the pain medication is not enough to help them eat on their own.

It sounds like he is not eating at all, so you will need to handfeed him at least 50 mL of Critical Care a day to even maintain his weight. If he does not keep feed moving through his gut, he could go into GI stasis (basically the gut shuts down) and that is a very bad problem.

People that are more experienced with teeth issues can give you some more pointers.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

My first question is did he have dental x-rays? Without x-rays it is impossible to know whether his roots are fine which could cause him to stop eating if he is in pain. It could also be the sores you mentioned. He needs x-rays for sure.

Second, the penis not retracting could be due to a hairring. If he couldn't properly clean his penis then he may have one. Has that been checked?

Don't give your chinchilla anything that hasn't been approved by your vet. While some things we give our chins that are for humans are OK, others are not.

As Stacie said, you have to keep feeding your chinnie or he will have even more problems. You need to find out why he isn't eating. I would start with a hair ring check and then x-rays. Keep us posted!

 

[ticklechin]

Chins who are in pain can have the symptom of the penis not retracting-since his issue is revolving around the mouth I would say he has pain there. Does this vet see alot of chins with teeth issues? Some vets look at a x-ray of the chinchilla teeth and say its all good if they do not know what they are looking at. Chins react to dental pain differently, some a bittsy tooth spur will trigger a huge pain response where others have huge dental problems and they barely show any symptoms. I would get a 2nd opinion.

 

[Claire D]

A prolapsed penis is often a sign of a run down/ill chinchilla or one that is in pain & in the case of Eenie I would strongly suspect that is his problem rather than a fur ring (although it is always worth checking for one anyway).

Dental problems are always difficult to treat & if there is tooth root elongation or true malocclusion (where the grinding surfaces of the teeth do not line up against each other correctly) then I am afraid it is only possible to treat the symptoms. Malocclusion and root elongation cannot be "cured".

Any ulcers or gum problems in the mouth can stop a chin from eating - so can root elongation - is he still having pain relief? If not he needs some from your vet.
If the vet has burred his incisors then he is faced with a different bite - it can take a chin a while to get used to & sometimes they need a bit of help to eat initially.


You are doing the right thing in feeding Eenie - he needs to have plenty of high fibre food and also fluids - it is a good sign that he is producing better droppings than before - it shows his gut is working even if he is not producing perfectly normal poops. Having said that, you need to make sure he keeps eating plenty to ensure his gut keeps working, that he is getting enough nutrition and fluid, and so he is "well" enough to have another anaesthetic for a dental procedure or bloods.
Aiming for 50ml or more per day is a rough guide - if he will take more than that then great.

The xrays that were taken - were they of his skull to check for tooth problems? if not he needs some doing before the vet starts messing about with the mouth. I would suspect, from your description, that Eenie has tooth trouble & you really need a proper diagnosis before you can make any firm decisions, especially if you do not know how old the little fella is.

Good luck and please keep us posted - all the best.

 

[TiffanyT]

Thank you very much for your help!

Yes stacie, Eenie is not eating at all, and he usually loves to eat and would go to his food bowl all day long.
We see Dr. Natalie Antinoff at the Gulf Coast Veterinary Hospital http://www.vin.com/VIN.plx?P=ConRepsFeatured&F=75&C=3838
She told me several times that she did not think Eenie has malocclusion, but I will have them do a head X-ray as Jean Marie recommended.
He did not have a hair ring. Both Dr. Antinoff and Dr. Miller checked him thoroughly, but he did groom himself a lot more often before.
And yes Claire, I'm giving him two kinds of pain relief twice a day.
Eenie had his incisors cut in half.. The only reason I didn't think it was causing him to stop eating was because Dr. Antinoff told me that chinchillas do not have nerves in their teeth so it would not hurt. And thats also why she is thinking there is something else thats bothering him.
I can not tell you how much I appreciate all your inputs. (I'm sure Eenie appreciates it too although he only wipes his nose and kicks me for forcing him to eat. >.<) I will keep feeding him and we'll probably go in for a head X-ray next Monday.

 

[ticklechin]

Healthy chinchilla teeth have a pulp which consists of the blood supply and nerves, unhealthy teeth the pulp chamber is mineralized

 

[Claire D]

Any dental burring, abscess, ulcers, or even just rough examination can lead to lack of eating - his mouth will be sore and it is possible that he has jaw ache too.

 

[TiffanyT]

Update on Eenie.

I was able to hand fed him 2 tablespoon of CC on saturday and sunday. Generally he looks good and are happy to run around outside of his cage and take a dust bath. I noticed hair on his penis which he did not retract completely. I think he is not grooming himself like he used to.
However, this morning he sat in the litter box and did not move again. When I picked him up I noticed his poop was soft but dry. Like I can crush it easily. And they were also yellow, just like the color of CC. Looked like he did not completely digest the food. He still struggles when being fed.
I made an appointment for him to get a head X-ray this afternoon. But again I'm wondering if there is anything else wrong with his internal system. I will ask the doctor to check his X-ray again.

 

[Stackie]

You need to be feeding much more than 2 tablespoons of Critical Care a day if he isn't eating at all. Let us know what the vet says.

 

[TiffanyT]

Eenie had all of his teeth filed and trimmed yesterday. He also had head X-rays taken. He does have a minor case of malo, but the doctor still did not think that's causing him to stop eating. She said that the sore in his mouth near the left cheek maybe an abscess on his skull. She saw some pus came out so she cleaned it, but she could not locate it on the bone. She gave him 2 kinds of antibiotics to fight the infection, hopefully it's just a skin wound and would go away..
Eenie is doing well after the surgery. The doctor gave me some Lafeber's Emeraid which is easier to feed. He is more energenic and even tried to eat on his own.
I hope the abscess is not as bad as the doctor thinks so he can still live a happy life.
Again thank you for all your help.

 

[Stackie]

I haven't heard of Lafeber's Emerald and doing a search didn't turn up anything, except as a feed for orphaned pigeons? I personally would keep feeding the Critical Care because it is known to work and is one of the best feed replacements formulated for chinchillas.

I personally would be seeking out a second opinion..first the vet says he didn't have malo but now he does. But it's a small case and she doesn't think that would cause him to stop eating? Malo does and will cause chins to stop eating. I don't know, something just isn't adding up to me.

 

[mishellyshel]

i have to agree with stacie......something doesnt add up. did you get a copy of the x-rays?? having a little malo is like being a little pregnant.... however; there are different types of malo or different levels. but if the roots are growing upward into eenie's skull that is bad and painful. if he has uneven tooth wear, dental spurs, misaligned jaw, or other dental/mouth issues he can live comfortably for a while. but you would need to make sure you take care of the symptoms and keep him under medical care.

when you say she filed all his teeth, did she actually file them ALL. that is kind of unusual.
what kind of experience does this vet have with chins. is there another vet in your area that you can consult with?
what antibiotic did she use. some antibiotics decrease appetite and i am not sure he needs to be on 2 different ones. tri meth sulfa should clear up a minor mouth infection with lettle side effects or if he needs soemthing stronger than baytril would have done it.
also if she filed them all she should have prescribed metacam for the pain.
imagine going to the dentist, getting all your teeth filed and not taking any motrin??? ouch............

 

[Stackie]

I guess I missed the part about having ALL of his teeth filed and trimmed? Wow..why? I would definitely be seeking another vet. I really hope she gave you pain meds for him. Having one tooth alone filed is another to cause a chinchilla to be in enough pain to stop eating..I can't imagine ALL of them.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

I haven't heard of Lafeber's Emerald and doing a search didn't turn up anything, except as a feed for orphaned pigeons? I personally would keep feeding the Critical Care because it is known to work and is one of the best feed replacements formulated for chinchillas.

I did a search on it, and found this: Developed by Dr. T.Lafeber, Jr. and an avian nutritionist, Emeraid formulas are the first elemental diets designed for critically ill exotic animal patients. All diets contain balanced omega 3 and 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, all essential amino acids making protein more easily absorbable, and dietary nucleotides to provide DNA and RNA precursors. Emeraid may be fed as a partial or sole source of nutrition.

They have different formulas for different exotics, from what the site shows. And it sounds like her vet may have prescribed the one for herbivores, or at least I hope that is what they did.

This is the Nutritional info: Description

Emeraid Herbivore may be fed as a partial source of nutrition or the sole source of nutrition for up to 7 days.

Features and Benefits

* High fiber content to enhance gastrointestinal motility.
* A highly digestible blend of fats and simple carbohydrates for energy.

Guaranteed Analyses

Crude fiber (max) 32.0%

Crude protein (min) 19.0%

Crude fat (min) 9.5%

Calcium (min) 1.0%

Phosphorus (min) 0.4%

Calories (kcal/g dry weight) 1.2
Ingredients

Cellulose, soy protein hydrolyzed, corn syrup solids, rice gel flour, inulin, corn oil, defatted wheat germ, canola oil, sucrose, glutamine, ground limestone, dicalcium phosphate, potassium bicarbonate, iodized salt, DL-methionine, magnesium sulfate, choline chloride, cysteine, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D3, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, copper sulfate, manganese oxide, zinc oxide, niacin, calcium dipantothenate, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12, folic acid, biotin, ascorbic acid, tryptophan, manganese sulfate, ethoxyquin, zinc sulfate, sodium selenite.
Storage and Shelf-life

Refrigerate upon arrival. The shelf-life of Emeraid Herbivore is approximately one year from the date of manufacturing.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

I, too, would get a second opinion. I have a malo chin and know how fast they can go downhill. One day they can be eating and playing normally, and the next they are laying in the bottom of the cage, not moving and are sick.

I hope your Eenie feels better soon though! it is no fun when they are not at their tip top shape.

 

[newf]

I hope your chin feels better soon.

 

[TiffanyT]

I kinda have that feeling too.. Dr Antinoff is an avian expert and Gulf Coast Avian & Exotics is a very big speciality animal hospital that actually is a four stories building, but she often make me feel that she is either reluctant to tell me the whole story or did not know enough herself to comment..

She prescribed Baytril and Metronidazole and also Eenie is still on Matacam.

She did say that she trimmed and filed all of Eenie's teeth to make them all shorter so that any discomfort he has when he trys to chew should be gone.
The X-rays are been looked at by the radiologist ATM, and she also collected a sample of the pus and sent it to the lab to do a culture test.

I will keep feeding him both kinds of supplement and look to see if I can find another vet.

 

[mishellyshel]

well at least he is on some good meds.......i would ask for a copy of the x-rays and see if you can post them here.

i hope eenie makes a full recovery and starts to feel better real soon.

 

[TiffanyT]

It's been 4 days since the dental work was done on Eenie. He is taking the hand feeding very well now, but is still not eating on his own. He is still grinding his teeth. I called the doctor today and she said that this is normal.
I still don't have a copy of Eenie's X-rays, also the lab report on the culture from pus is not back yet.
I'm worried that there may be something else wrong with him except for the pain in his mouth.. Every morning when I go to his cage he would be sleeping in his litter box, and he is not having problems taking a pee. The doctor said maybe he just wants somewhere comfortable to sleep... Is that normal behavior?