Malocclusion Symptoms?

[caiti]

I got my chin, Chloe about 6 weeks ago. I've never had a chinchilla before so every little thing she does I freak out over. I had some questions for you guys who seem to have an answer for everything (thank you for that by the way!!)

Chloe acts like a normal chin except :
1) She grinds her teeth sometimes. At first, I was under the impression she did it when she was frustrated but she sometimes does it right before she falls asleep.
2) She might paw at her mouth, but it looks more like she's grooming.
3) Also, I find dust at the bottom of her food bowl, so she's leaving crumbs behind. I'm in the process of switching her to Mazuri which is more dense than her old food and I've noticed less crumbs.
4) Lastly, her eyes may be watery?? I don't know what is considered watery. She'd never had a tear actually come out of her eye, but it freaks me out.

I'm going to call the vet tomorrow to see if I can get x-rays.

On a random side note, she sneezes a bit. On average, like once a day. I told my vet and he said that didn't warrant urgent concern but to keep an eye on her. But she sneezed like four times today and it scares the bejesus out of me!!

No drooling, no lack of appetite, and her urge to chew isn't hindered and she can get a good grip (she bit my hand when I was feeding her a treat and I felt a good force behind her teeth). I don't know whether she's lost wieght because I don't have a scale yet.

I just wanted either someone to tell me to freak out more or reassure me that I'm not a chinchilla murderer. I don't even think I'll sleep tonight, it's already 2:30. I've had a small light on in my room and I think I'll keep it on so I can see her. Hopefully I'm just being paranoid, which I do a lot. Oh yea, this is gonna be a good night...

 

[Anna]

One of my chins periodically grinds his teeth, usually out of frustration (I had him all checked out, he's fine) but sometimes they do that when they are in pain anywhere in the body. I would for sure keep an eye on that. Hmm.. My guys usually leave some crumbs but I think that they're like from the pellets that get broken and crushed under the weight of the others. They also get sneezy after their dust baths. It wouldn't hurt to get her checked out though if you're worried. Malo symptoms definitely include drooling, and loss of appetite which I am sure you would notice. so I wouldn't guess it without that... I can't speculate though, many of these members have much more experience with these guys than me. I've had a malo scare or two though, keep and eye on her and bring her in if it will give you peace of mind : )

p.s. if there is anything I have learned about chins, they are excellent at scaring the pants off us!

 

[ticklechin]

Mouth swiping is a very quick motion across the front of the mouth, its done randomly or in conjunction with eating-when eating they will take a bite, act stunned, drop the pellet, swipe the mouth and run away. Weight loss is a leading indicator of malo, shows up usually prior to any symptoms. IMO, your symptoms are to vague to point to malo. I would start tracking weight first before rushing off to a vet.

 

[Sandi]

I agree with ticklechin. I'd be more concerned with him sneezing. Especially since you are saying that it has increased in sneezes in one day. Does he have labored breathing or wheezing?

 

[alli713]

I also agree with Dawn. It does not exactly sound like malo to me. Having had a malo chin unfortunately yours sounds like just normal occurrences. Many chins just eat half the pellet or leave dust behind. Like Dawn said, it's more of a pick up a pellet, try to bite and then drop it and swipe at the mouth.

For my poor girl, the giveaway that something was wrong was drool on her chin, pawing at her mouth with both front and back paws, as well as she wouldn't accept any treats. She would try to eat the treat but then would drop it and paw at her mouth. It was real sad to see.

 

[Olallie]

Try to give her more stuff to chew, like wood. Watery eyes could signal infection, or root elongation. If she's not chewing enough wood to keep her teeth worn down the roots could be elongating, because the teeth are hitting eachother or overlaping. I would get an x-ray if you're going to be that worried about her. Otherwise, just monitor her food intake...

 

[caiti]

Thank you for all your replies. I had class so I couldn't write back sooner.

She does do the mouth swiping thing but exclusively with her old food. Everytime I feed her, she picks out all the Mazuri and eats the rest later when she gets hungry again. I've seen her eat, and she'll pick up a pellet of her old food, bite it, freeze for a minute and drop it. But she has never done that with the Mazuri, maybe she just has really good taste!!

ticklechin, is the mouth swiping you're describing a symptom of malo? She has done that and ran away but it's when I'm feeding her (I feed her her pellets as treats, she likes it more I don't know why since she has a bowl of it right next to her) her old food through the bars of her cage. She'll come back and eat the Mazuri if I give her a pellet.

She does have several pieces of wood and more chews coming in the mail (so she's down to the bare minimum she's used to but still a bunch of wood). She's been chewing away at her wood house almost every night for a bit. She seems less interested in her apple wood now that the bark is gone, but maybe she's just weird and doesn't like apple wood as much as every other chin does.

Her breathing has never been labored that I've noticed and no wheezing that I've heard. She lives in my bedroom so I do spend a good chunk of time with her everyday when she's not out for play, I'm hoping I would hear if she had breathing problems.

The sneezing has worried me for a while like some of you said. It's just there's no other symptoms of a respiratory illness. But knowing how well small prey animals hide sickness makes me wonder about it all the time. She hasn't sneezed today, but I was away for class.

 

[ticklechin]

Mouth swiping like I described is a symptom, but not the only symptom. Its usually in conjuction with other symptoms. What I would do is invest in a gram scale and weigh her every day for a couple of weeks, cheaper to buy that than a vet visit. If her weight is steady then I woould not worry.

 

[Olallie]

Chinchillas eat the bark off the apple sticks... they dont actually chew up the wood under the bark for some reason.... >.> haha

 

[caiti]

So I didn't call the vet for x-rays. She still hasn't sneezed today, and I just gave her a dust bath. I just put her back in her cage from her play time and she's pooped, lying down for a bit haha. I'm going to look where I can buy a scale or order one online right now.

Olallie, thank you for saying that I actually had no idea!! So, do people just have left over de-barked apple wood that they have to throw away? Hmm...oh, and your avatar makes me giggle everytime I see it heehheeheeehehehehehehehehheheheehheehehehehheheeee (that's me giggling...)

P.S. Thank you very much to everyone who read and/or replied to my post. You guys are mighty helpful.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

So, do people just have left over de-barked apple wood that they have to throw away?

I throw so much away that I actually feel guilty, maybe I should save it for kindling in the winter??

 

[caiti]

Yea, I have to think of something to do with that wood I really can't throw it away. I have a friend who loves making fires on cool summer nights, maybe I'll give them to him. I wonder if apple wood smells good when its burned.

Or I could make a bridge out of the sticks...oh the cogs are turning, I'll think of something.

 

[Sandi]

I throw mine away as most end up peed and pooped on.