Has This ever Happened to You?

[DaddyslilDimwit]

Sweet Pea, My Gray Female Chinchilla, Sadly passed last night. I am BEYOND heartbroken. I had her out yesterday for play time and she was fine, Cuddling with me and trying to eat my toenails . But When I checked on her this morning, she was dead. It seems she actually choked to death on her own poop. I never thought that she would do that to herself. Poor Poor Pea.

She was such a sweet girl and had come such a loved member of our family. :'(

Has This ever Happened to anyone else?

She was on Oxbow pellets, Timothy hay, Clean water and every now and then Some Plan Cereal (Cheerios) for threats.

 

[ticklechin]

I have had two sudden deaths, one was confirmed by a necropsy that it was a heart attack, the chin was 10 the other the advanced necropsy showed squat, the chin was 11 years old. It really is tragic when it happens with no warning.

 

[Dreamlite]

I had a young chin, 5 months old, who choked on a piece of hay. And like ticklechin I had a older chin around 12 (a rescue) who had a heart attack.

 

[DaddyslilDimwit]

Have you ever heard of a chinchilla choking on it's own feces?

 

[ljiayi]

May I know what is squat?

 

[EMSChins]

May I know what is squat?

Lol! "Squat" is slang for "absolutely nothing"!

 

[ljiayi]

-Embarrassed- (Sorry I had no idea :/)

 

[ticklechin]

I shouldn't write like I talk, like a 5 year old!

To the OP, chins can choke on things just like humans, malo chins have a greater risk of it than normal chins since they don't fully chew their food.

 

[Claire D]

I am sorry for your loss.

Sometimes a chin can have a mechanical heart defect which does not show on necropsy. Death is sudden & can happen during any activity - for example, if a chin's heart suddenly stops during eating, food can be found in the mouth.

 

[DaddyslilDimwit]

My main thing is just that there was SO MUCH feces in her mouth and throat. I know chins do eat some... But this was like jammed in her throat and still some more in her mouth/on her lips. It is like she was choking and still shoveling it in.

 

[Jenn]

I'm so sorry for your loss, especially as it came so suddenly and with so many questions. May she rest peacefully.

 

[Adam Dexcell]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[mgonya]

So sorry your loved one is gone.