Easterpiggy
Master of the Fuzzies
Im glad he's ok too. for future reference. chinchillas with UTIs stretch and strain to pee. it looks like the are trying to push it out.
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BoundNoFtWaL
Well-known member
Good to hear he's ok. 
I hope he and you adjust well since your move. The fleece doesn't hide their leavings as well as other bedding, huh? I think someone on here also made a comment about alfalfa hay making the urine darker, if they are eating a lot of it. He was probably just stressed with the move. I'd keep an eye on him over the next few days just in case. Try to observe him when he does try to go pee to see if he is straining like Easterpiggy said. Mine would also make quiet chirping noises like he was crying when he'd go. I hope all continues to be well with you and yours.
I hope he and you adjust well since your move. The fleece doesn't hide their leavings as well as other bedding, huh? I think someone on here also made a comment about alfalfa hay making the urine darker, if they are eating a lot of it. He was probably just stressed with the move. I'd keep an eye on him over the next few days just in case. Try to observe him when he does try to go pee to see if he is straining like Easterpiggy said. Mine would also make quiet chirping noises like he was crying when he'd go. I hope all continues to be well with you and yours.
AndreaMD02
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2009
- Messages
- 50
I don't know if UTIs are the same as in chins and in humans...but UTIs can be EXTREMELY painful. and the pain is usually at the end of urinating not at the beginning.
stones are the most painful tho, so that needs to be taken care of right away.
(btw, i'm glad ur chin is okay!
)
Right, "can be." I've had UTI's. For me they are just annoying as heck, but they don't hurt me. Mostly the having to urinate every 3 seconds is what killed me. They didn't make me scream in pain. If I had a stone, yes, that would be killer, but not a UTI.
Mainly I didn't want the OP to panic by screaming, OMG HE'S IN HORRENDOUS PAIN, YOU MUST RUSH HIM TO THE VET THIS VERY SECOND. That doesn't help, and in this case, it would have been needless panic for her, since it was just normal urine.
As to the fleece comment - I tried using it. I did an entire wall of runs with it. I changed it every 2 days. I was not impressed with either it's odor control or it's absorbancy, and my liners had two baby diapers sewn into each one (quilted actually). So I'm not a fan of fleece. I know there are people who swear by it, but I just don't see it personally.
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Vera
Guest
I noticed him stretching to pee this afternoon, so I made an appointment for him tomorrow morning. I hope he's alright, I feel so bad for him. Do you think I should try to collect a urine sample?
Let the vet do it Vera. It would have to be a sterile sample anyway, and there's pretty much no way for you to do that at home.
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Vera
Guest
Alright.
Is there a way I can help prevent this kind of thing in the future? or is it just something that sometimes happens no matter what?
Is there a way I can help prevent this kind of thing in the future? or is it just something that sometimes happens no matter what?
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
I haven't had a chin with a UTI in years now. The only way to try to prevent it is to keep them clean, feed them a good diet and monitor their health.
How was he stretching? I've had a few chins that will lean over while they urinate...it's because they try to not get any urine on themselves at all. They do it every time they go. The stretching when they are in pain has an element of them straining to it. It isn't a simple stretch where the back legs just stretch a bit while they are urinating.
Maybe you should go to the vet just so you don't have to think about it anymore at all. He's probably just fine...
How was he stretching? I've had a few chins that will lean over while they urinate...it's because they try to not get any urine on themselves at all. They do it every time they go. The stretching when they are in pain has an element of them straining to it. It isn't a simple stretch where the back legs just stretch a bit while they are urinating.
Maybe you should go to the vet just so you don't have to think about it anymore at all. He's probably just fine...
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Vera
Guest
He stretched his whole body out, kind of like a cat does when they wake up, peed, and then continued jumping around.
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
Have you seen him do this before? Maybe he was just needing a little stretch. Normally after they are done urinating they don't go back to jumping when they have something that hurts in the urethra or bladder. I hate that you have to watch him so closely now!
If he does have a UTI, it's in the very beginning stages and you won't have to worry too much about him because antibiotics will clear it up fairly quickly.
I'm not worried about him right now though. I'm more worried about your sanity!
If he does have a UTI, it's in the very beginning stages and you won't have to worry too much about him because antibiotics will clear it up fairly quickly.
I'm not worried about him right now though.
I'm more worried about your sanity!
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Vera
Guest
I haven't seen him do it before, but I had to leave him in a friends care last week.
I think I'll take him to the vet anyways, just so I don't have to worry any more. I'm a little bit of a worry wart when it comes to him. He's my best bud I would hate it if anything happened to him.
I think I'll take him to the vet anyways, just so I don't have to worry any more. I'm a little bit of a worry wart when it comes to him. He's my best bud I would hate it if anything happened to him.
BoundNoFtWaL
Well-known member
He may have just been stretching. I know both of my chins would occasionally stretch when they wake up. Sigmund would do the stretching with back feet up in a corner to go and then huddle there making noises like he was in pain when he'd try to pee with the stone. He did look and sound visually strained. Reminded me of myself with a UTI, not fun. He would also sit still for most of the day when he was acting like this. His bounding about the cage didn't occur until well after dark.
Susan knows her stuff. The vet also told me a good diet and clean living environment makes for mostly healthy chins. My sisters hampster would rear up into a corner to pee also.
Like Tunes said with a UTI the pain is after urinating and feeling. The need to go so often, but not really being able to go as much was more frustraiting than painful.
If he's bounding about after he's probably fine. The visit to the vet should at least give you peace of mind.
How old is your Hurculese? How long have you had him? The fleece liner change could also be the reason he's going in more than one spot. Maybe he thinks he needs to mark his territory
Susan knows her stuff. The vet also told me a good diet and clean living environment makes for mostly healthy chins. My sisters hampster would rear up into a corner to pee also.
Like Tunes said with a UTI the pain is after urinating and feeling. The need to go so often, but not really being able to go as much was more frustraiting than painful.
If he's bounding about after he's probably fine. The visit to the vet should at least give you peace of mind.
How old is your Hurculese? How long have you had him? The fleece liner change could also be the reason he's going in more than one spot. Maybe he thinks he needs to mark his territory
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Vera
Guest
I got him at a pet store, they said they thought he was about six months old. I've had him for a month so he will be seven months old.
BoundNoFtWaL
Well-known member
Just a little one still. Don't worry too much though. Just keep an eye on him. I hope he's just adjusting still. Keep us updated with how he's doing.
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
He's just a baby. He's probably going through or going to be going through puberty soon. I hope he's not too hormonal!
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Vera
Guest
Update:
He's eaten and has taken a few drinks but he hasn't jumped around his cage like he usually does at night. Hopefully he will be okay until 9 tomorrow morning.
He's eaten and has taken a few drinks but he hasn't jumped around his cage like he usually does at night. Hopefully he will be okay until 9 tomorrow morning.
saphire
Christiane's Chinchillas
He should be, maybe he's just relax tonight.
AZChins
Pro Cage Cleaner Champion
He did just move to a brand new place. I sincerely would not worry. The more you worry, the more you will make the little guy worry. Chins are very sensitive to that.
He's eating and drinking, that's very good! Have you given him some hay or a treat yet? That would cheer him up a bit.
He's eating and drinking, that's very good! Have you given him some hay or a treat yet? That would cheer him up a bit.
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Vera
Guest
So I took him to the vet this morning so he could have a check up and talk to the doctor about him maybe having a UTI. He wants to do a urinalysis since he isn't peeing in one spot, but, he also said it may be because he hasn't picked a favorite spot yet. We talked about him possibly having stones. the doctor couldn't feel any but he said if we could do an x-ray... which i'm going to wait on. and he also said to switch his pellets to timothy based instead of alfalfa based.
N
NOLA Chins
Guest
I have used Oxbow Cavy Cusine with good results. It's timmy based.
