Epilepsy

[pingpongbb]

Does anyone here have any experience with epilepsy in chinchillas? My chinny Wilson has just been diagnosed ive had him for 20 months and he has only had 2 fits. Both happened when he was outside of his cage playing. Im finding it difficult to find much information about helping him. So far Ive got him calcium sticks and have cut down on his run time/treats.Any advise/help would be great?

Thanks in advance

 

[ticklechin]

Do you mean the chinchilla was diagnosed with seizures as opposed to epilepsy? The treatment for epilepsy is either treat the seizure as it happens with valium or the chin can be put on phenobarbitol if the seizures are frequent, but that would be with a true diagnosis by a vet. The fits you seem to be talking about sound more like low blood sugar seizures and you can deal with them by giving the chin a small amount of karo syrup or honey on a bit of a shredded wheat before play. I would not give this chin calcium unless the teeth were white, you don't want to mess with calcium supplementation unless really needed.

 

[pingpongbb]

Do you mean the chinchilla was diagnosed with seizures as opposed to epilepsy? The treatment for epilepsy is either treat the seizure as it happens with valium or the chin can be put on phenobarbitol if the seizures are frequent, but that would be with a true diagnosis by a vet. The fits you seem to be talking about sound more like low blood sugar seizures and you can deal with them by giving the chin a small amount of karo syrup or honey on a bit of a shredded wheat before play. I would not give this chin calcium unless the teeth were white, you don't want to mess with calcium supplementation unless really needed.

When he had the fit the 2nd time I took him to our vet as an emergency and she said it was epilepsy but that chinchillas were too small for medication for it so when he had a fit just to hold him to stop him getting injured and to give him more calcium/rose hips and not to let him get overheated. She checked the teeth but they were fine.The more research I do myself the less credible the vet is looking. Im gonna go to a different vet for a 2nd opinion. Will try the honey/shredded wheat hopefully he will take it without a fuss. Thanks for your time/reply.

 

[ticklechin]

Unless medical tests were performed, the vet is full of it, chinchillas if they have it can be treated so she is wrong on that count also.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

please listen to 'ticklechin' It sounds like seizures. Also I wouldn't allow the playtime out of the cage to be too long. Cut playtime in half and see if that helps.