NOT normal. 2 chins die within the month...possibilities? input? anything?

[AnnShh]

**Note: We've got the body in the fridge and my mom is taking it to the vet to have a necropsey done so that we can figure out if this is something that is spreading around or what. In the mean time, I'm just looking for ideas**


On Sept 28th, one of my chins passed away. He looked like he had been mauled by one of his cage mates (a few days prior it had looked like he was beaten up and we had a vet appt. for him but he passed before the appt.). I initially thought the cagemate turned on him but I am wondering if he mauled him because he was sick.

My mom called this morning saying that Stardust had died sometime during the night. This is NOT normal. 2 chinchillas who were perfectly healthy before this should not just up and die for no reason within the month. She was apparently acting lethargic yesterday as my mom mentioned (today) that she could pet her and hold her without issue, which is weird. Other than that, she thinks she was eating and drinking but she was caged with another chinchilla so she does not know for sure.

I have 3 chinchillas remaining, all in separate cages. All appear fine at the moment but I am worried this is contageous. The two chins who passed on were in different cages- one cage ontop of the other... The only contact they'd have would be indirect contact ie: my mom doing something with that cage and then doing something with the other.

Some things I could think of, aside from something contageous: contaminated food or shavings?
I will update when we hear the results back... but this is just not right.

 

[InkedupTara]

I am sorry to hear you lost 2 chins so fast

I am very sorry for your loss. I dont know much about what could have caused that. I think the necropsy is a good thing. It will help you decide what to do next, as far as precautions for the other chins. I know a rule I go by, is if a chin is lethargic, I call the vet, asap; Lethargy isnt a good sign.

 

[tunes]

I'm very sorry for your loss, but yes, it can happen just like that. Ask any breeder who has walked into a barn to find a chin that was healthy and bouncing the day before, only to find them suddenly dead when they go out to feed the next day. Even with necropsy sometimes, the pathologist just scratches their head and says either they can't find anything, or they throw out the ever popular "liver abnormalities." That seems to be the catch all of late.

One died from the after effect of a fight, the other one could have been anything at all and your mom missed the signs. The two are totally unrelated so try not to panic.

Again, I'm sorry for your loss. Two in such a short time is hard.

 

[AnnShh]

I'm very sorry for your loss, but yes, it can happen just like that. Ask any breeder who has walked into a barn to find a chin that was healthy and bouncing the day before, only to find them suddenly dead when they go out to feed the next day. Even with necropsy sometimes, the pathologist just scratches their head and says either they can't find anything, or they throw out the ever popular "liver abnormalities." That seems to be the catch all of late.

One died from the after effect of a fight, the other one could have been anything at all and your mom missed the signs. The two are totally unrelated so try not to panic.

Again, I'm sorry for your loss. Two in such a short time is hard.

I know that mothers will sometimes reject the kit if they are sick. Do chinchillas have the ability to sense when a cagemate is sick?

At any rate, I can almost point to what the necropsey results will show. Bloat.
I called my mom asking if they were both on the same bag of food and she said "no, when we got low on the big bag of food I went and got a small bag from the petstore"... by big bag she means Mazuri. I asked what food she bought and she said "Vita-Kraft".
At this point I was about ready to bang my head against the desk. I told her before I left what kind of food they were on (and the bag even said Mazuri on it!). I feel partly at fault because I should have left her with a written list of illnesses and symptoms, and a list of normal behaviors for each chin. I'm typing that up right now. I told her to take the food out, buy some Mazuri and slowly switch them back over.

This is so frustrating. My mom has been helping me with chins on and off for the past 1.5 years (I've been injured and unable to get down there on and off over the past 1.5 years). I know I've told her before not to change the rabbit's food, to keep it consistant. She knows its bad to switch the dog food suddenly. I assumed she would have known not to change the chins food. I assumed wrong I guess.
I hope the results come back showing nothing contageous. I have a feeling it will show bloat.

 

[jmdebb]

I'm sorry for your losses.

I also lost one that was fine one day, and the next day she looked horrible. We went to the vet and in a nutshell, there was nothing that could be done to save her. I had to put her down., she was only 3.

Doesn't make sense when they are fine the day before, and not the next but this is part of the 'chin world' unfortunately. [don't mean that in a sarcastic way, just saying]

 

[AnnShh]

Necropsey Results- Pneumonia caused from Pasteurella

I posted an update in a new thread incase people didn't read this far, but the vet called saying Stardust died due to pneumonia caused from pasteurella exposure. He guessed that Ten-Shi passed from that as well. The three remaining ones have all been exposed to it so they are now on antibiotics as a prevention. My parents are working on moving the rabbit cage to another room.