My chin can't eat. I need help!

[Carina505]

Hi! My chinchilla Chila fell yesterday and since then she can't eat anymore and she is lethargic. She takes the food in her hands and she tries to bite it but she can't.

Today i took her to the vet and he looked at her mouth and didn't find anything wrong with it and he gave her an anti inflammatory injection. He also said that she might be scared because of the fall.

Chila doesn't feel any better and she doesn't drink water. I crushed a biscuit for chinchillas and she ate it from my hand but she can't chew "hard" food.
I don't know what to do!

 

[tunes]

Did he x-ray her? If not, there could easily be something broken that he missed.

 

[Carina505]

No, he didn't. Where I live, chinchillas are not common pets and the vet said that he gets to treat chinchillas rarely so I don't know if he knows how to x-ray her but I will call him and see if he can do it. Thank you for your advice!

I tried to give her something small to eat; she took it in her mouth and than she took it out but she is very hungry. She keeps taking hay in her hands and she tries to eat but she can't so she throws it away

 

[tunes]

She needs to be x-rayed. He cannot tell if she's got a fracture in the jaw, a broken tooth, or some kind of internal injury. Lethargy is deadly in chins. I realize he may not have a lot of experience, but x-rays are pretty standard for any critter.

 

[JamaisVu]

Are there any exotic vets within driving distance? I'd get a second opinion with a vet more familiar with chins.

You might be able to just give an exotic vet a call/send an email. They might not be able to diagnose over the phone, but might be able to guide you as to what your vet needs to do.

 

[Dragonflye]

How is your chin doing Carina?

 

[Carina505]

Hi! I went to another vet with my chinchilla and he said that she hurt her mandibula and that's why she can't bite her food. The vet gave me a medicine to give her everyday and she is feeling a little bit better and she has more energy. She started drinking from her water bottle and I don't have to give her water with the syringe anymore but I still have to crush her food in tiny pieces. The vet also said that my chin won't be able to chew over the next month.
I couldn't have her x-rayed because the only place where she could be x-rayed was closed because of the holydays but I will have her x-rayed when the holydays are over.

Sorry for not respondong earlier and thank you for your advices!

 

[Devynthecatwithsocks]

I am glad she is feeling better!