Living with Malo

[mishellyshel]

Ok promise, last question today!

Since my Richie was diagnosed with malo, i have been struggling with a lot of questions. The way the vet put it is basically if i have the time, money & love that he can still survive several years, however; when you read online here it is like the "kiss of death".

As a breeder I can understand why you would put them down, but as a pet owner has anyone had much experience with keeping their pet alive with this diagnosis.

I know eventually it will get the best of him, but I guess I am looking for people with some positive stories of chins that have survived after having been diagnosed with Malo.

I feel like every morning when I go to his cage he is going to be "gone". I am sure I am being "dramatic" at least that what my fiance' thinks! lol
But honestly he is my pet and I love him and just want him to be happy be it for the next 4 months or 4 years.

sorry i am rambling.........just looking for the sunny side up story anyone may have to brighten my day and maybe stop me from crying for just one day thanks.

 

[tunes]

Michelle - I don't have a positive story for you with malo. Any animal I've had with malo has been PTS. Not because I'm a breeder, but because I believe that there is no quality of life to be had with constant anesthesia, trimmings, pain, pain medications, antibiotics, and hand feedings. For me, its a quality over quantity issue.

Any malo I've dealt with has been root related, not surface, so that makes a big difference too. You can't fix or even baby along root malocclusion. You can't trim it down or file it off.

Now if it was a surface malo that might be different, although I doubt it. Maybe if I could get away with trimming once every 6 or 8 months (or longer), then I would consider it. But if it had to be an every 2 month or every 3 month thing, then no, I wouldn't.

Talk to menagerie. She's going through this now with a boy who also had serious health issues develop. If you need a pep talk, she would definitely be the one to give it to you right now. Tucker is quite a fighter. He doesn't give up, so she doesn't give up.

 

[mishellyshel]

i knew the prognosis wasnt good. i am trying to be positive. i will definitely talk to Suzanne about Tucker, i would just like a little hope to stop to constant crying.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

as I have said before I have a chin that has teeth problems (not deep root problems). She has her teeth trimmed about every 3 months and she has been hand fed for 5 years. She refuses to eat on her own. However her quality of life is good. Other than her teeth she is in good health The vet does blood work every year to be sure. She runs around and plays and uses her wheel just like any other chin. She is FULL OF LIFE. When I feed her, she opens her mouth like a bird - she is the sweetest chin. Because she has to be hand fed, she has gone on vacation with me many times. She goes camping with us (an RV) and sometimes to hote/motels. She has gone to Mich./Ohio/Mass./ Conn./ all over PA. This year she will be going to Del. camping with us

 

[FiaSpice]

I just leaned that Boing has malo in my last vet visit. I'm gutted but kinda expecting it ("bad" quality chin form petshop). Even if after the babystitting, I won't be taking care of him, I feel bad for him, haing a dead clock over his head. My ex seamed really sad about this.

 

[alli713]

I'm sorry you have to deal with this. As I haven't had to deal with this, I have told myself that if one of mine gets malo and needs to go into the vet for trimmings a bunch, I won't make them go through that. If they were still full of life after trying it once, I would keep at it for them, but if they were to get depressed and things, I don't think I could make them go through that.

I wouldn't want any of my girls to ever have to be in pain and stressed out with trimmings and things, I just don't think it's fair.

So, I agree with Peggy here, I think if it were a couple times a year thing, then I think me and my chin could deal with it, but if it were a repetitive thing I don't think I would make them go through it.

 

[AZChins]

Michelle,

I have a customer that has been dealing with pretty bad malocclusion with one of her chins for years now. It really isn't that bad, she just has to take the chin in to the vet to have the back teeth trimmed. She and I will trim the front teeth when needed.

Basically the only difference in taking care of this chin is that the food has to be prepared for her to eat it. My customer grinds up the pellets and some hay for the chin every morning so that it can be easily eaten. She's always trying to have her chin eat whole pellets and hay to help grind down the back teeth.

This chinchilla has more than doubled her body weight since the time she was very sick, she's eating and she's happy and full of life. The time and attention and effort has to be put forth to keep her going, but it seems like the owner does not mind. The chinchilla does not appear to be in any pain, but will drool slightly when it is time for another tooth grinding is needed.

It is possible to take care of a chin with tooth problems and keep the little fuzzball alive and happy, but you would need to be prepared for the extra work in doing so. At the point where the chin is suffering, then euthanasia should be considered.

 

[Sandi]

as I have said before I have a chin that has teeth problems (not deep root problems). She has her teeth trimmed about every 3 months and she has been hand fed for 5 years. She refuses to eat on her own. However her quality of life is good. Other than her teeth she is in good health The vet does blood work every year to be sure. She runs around and plays and uses her wheel just like any other chin. She is FULL OF LIFE. When I feed her, she opens her mouth like a bird - she is the sweetest chin. Because she has to be hand fed, she has gone on vacation with me many times. She goes camping with us (an RV) and sometimes to hote/motels. She has gone to Mich./Ohio/Mass./ Conn./ all over PA. This year she will be going to Del. camping with us

This made me happy and cry at the same time, beautiful.

Michelle, I'm sorry but I don't remember if you said the xrays showed that Ritchie's malo is due to his roots elongating?

 

[Aneesa's Muse]

I'm sitting here in tears.. as I know this story too well. I am sorry you are facing it ..and that anyone has faced it. It is heart wrenching, to put it mildly ..for all involved.

Phoenix has malocclusion ..in his roots, as well. He gets regular trims and he still eats on his own, but it is starting to take its toll on him. He doesn't nibble his hay or chew sticks/toys ..and I know this is contributing to the increased growth, etc. He is drooling quite a bit more ..even sooner after a trim ..and he has frequent "eye goo". A couple of days ago, I even noticed a little bit of colorful "schnozzz" in one nostril.

Just typing this breaks my heart.

He plays and runs around like there's not a single worry in his little world ..but I know in the pit of my gut that his days are few. I can't watch him suffer. He suffered enough before I received him. He'll always be my little "parking lot kid" :heart:

 

[AZChins]

Awww...Aminah... That's so sad. I know that feeling, just knowing that you don't have much longer with a chin hurts. I went through that recently with one of my girls....she actually lived about a year longer than I was told she would live. She had a very good year!

 

[Idgie]

My previous chin, Buster, had malo and I didn't know it. All I knew was that he was having trouble eating and the vet obviously didn't know any more than I did then about chins. I ended up grinding his pellets in a coffee grinder with some oats and he survived on that. He lost weight and I eventually put him down. I wish I had done it sooner--had I known that he was in pain. Years later, I still feel guilt about not doing more to make him comfortable. (I didn't even know that there were any options like filing teeth.) I guess that it is a quality of life issue. So sorry that you have to deal with this. It is hard, but you'll do the right thing.

 

[mishellyshel]

Thank you ALL for your kind words and advice. I would never want to see my baby in pain and since he is my first chin there is such a huge learning curve. I am determined though.............so i will continue on with his med and with all the fabulous feeding suggestions on this thread and my critical care thread (thank you, thank you!).
i am not sure about the deep root malo or if it is just surface..........either way when he gets to the point of constant pain, he will sadly be put to rest.

 

[ann1]

My opinion is this, since idk the severity of your chins malo. How is his quality of life? Is he acting like a normal chin more often then not? Does he seem perky, love to play, take baths, attempt to eat between trimmings or does he sit hunched over in the back of his cage? If he seems happy and content more often then not and your prepared for the financial obligation then i say go for it. If he seems "unhappy" and in pain all the time and you are only keeping him alive for yourself then i'd say it's time to come to grips with it and do the right thing by him. It's a hard decision to make and i'm sorry your going through this. Good luck with him.

 

[RichInGB]

I have a very similar case with my girl, Fluffy. She has surface tooth issues that require regular trimmings, but her quality of life is good. Excellent health otherwise, playfull, etc. A lot of what you mention. She's been 100% hand fed for going on 2 years now and she's doing great. Some tooth issues aren't immediate death sentences. I've also had an experience with a chin with tooth root problems, Harold, and that didn't go or end well. Really depends on what type of issue you're dealing with.

as I have said before I have a chin that has teeth problems (not deep root problems). She has her teeth trimmed about every 3 months and she has been hand fed for 5 years. She refuses to eat on her own. However her quality of life is good. Other than her teeth she is in good health The vet does blood work every year to be sure. She runs around and plays and uses her wheel just like any other chin. She is FULL OF LIFE. When I feed her, she opens her mouth like a bird - she is the sweetest chin. Because she has to be hand fed, she has gone on vacation with me many times. She goes camping with us (an RV) and sometimes to hote/motels. She has gone to Mich./Ohio/Mass./ Conn./ all over PA. This year she will be going to Del. camping with us