paralysed chin

[jaykay79]

Hi. I found my 2yr old female chinchilla at bottom of cage yesterday who was moving her head but her back lega are completely still.

I will get her to vet on Monday.

She is still happily eating but ive had to put her on floor with piles of food ie pellets raisins and hay in front and she is happy feasting.

Having to syringe her water.

It also looks like im going to have to bath her as she has pee stains under her tummy.

She seems happy enough in herself and no obvious signs of pain. I've felt her spine and can't feel any obvious breaks although I appreciate this is no substitute for an xray. I have seen her tail twitch a few times also.

Any opinions would be useful?

 

[mknoblich1]

I would get her to an emergency vet ASAP and not wait until Monday. That sounds very serious.

 

[e.murphy518]

Agreed, if you can find a chin competent emergency vet you should take her immediately

 

[jaykay79]

thanks

Thanks of course I would love to but there is no local emergency vet near me with chin experience so im having to do my best in making her comfortable.

Im curious if anyone can tell me if she could move tail if had broken her back

 

[jaykay79]

...

Oh I forgot to add. When I first found her. Her left eye was wide open and she couldn't close it. The white of eyes was red.

Now she can close her eye like normal but eye is still red

 

[Vyxxin]

It sounds like she may've had a very, VERY serious fall. Aside from physical damage the eye issue has me concerned about neurological damage as well. She does need a vet, but if you aren't willing to take her to one you'll have to wait and see. Aside from a good vet visit there is nothing more than can be done or said by anyone online. Even if she does have a spinal injury she may still be able to move other parts of her body. That said, if she did take a serious fall...along with spinal injury, neurological injury, this is the real possibility of internal injury that you cannot see...and waiting to take her to a vet could cause death in such a case even if she is eating/drinking. You're going to get some serious feedback on here regarding taking her to the vet...this is not something that should wait...period. You took responsibility for this animal, it's health, life and well being are your responsibility.

 

[Dreamlite]

I agree with vixen. There isnt anything we can tell you over the internet that can help her. She needs a vet now! Not tomorrow. The longer you wait the less likey that anything can be done to reverse her condition. The twitching may just be nerve reaction, not voluntary. Sounds like she had a major trama. Please find an emergency vet assp.

 

[e.murphy518]

Any updates? I am really hoping that you got her to a vet and that she is ok, sounded like it was pretty serious

 

[jaykay79]

update

Thanks for the input so far I was hoping for more constructive advice. Please understand that in uk there aren't as as many exotic pet vets and the closest emergency one available over weekend was hundreds of of miles away. I didn't want to chance driving her that far.

She has been seen by a vet. The good news is the xray was clean. There was also a response when vet pinched tail and each back toe. Deep pain was noticed by chin.

The vet believes that with with some nursing. Including hand feeding food and water as well as performing wet baths to prevent urine burns that this stands a good chance of recovery.

As for the eye this is a secondary injury. The eye is cloudy and there was evidence of a small hemorrhage. I've got eye drops to administer twice a day and we'll know in 2 days if we can save eye.

The nerve damage is somewhere along spine.

So there are two battles here. One for the nerves and one for eye. In both cases its a matter of time and care.

The vet also said that there is no brain damage as if this was the case she would have no front movement either.

All result of blunt trauma

 

[jaykay79]

final update

Chin got put to sleep tonight rip. Her reflexes deteriorated so that they were just reflexes ie brain wasn't registering. According to vet this meant spinal chord was damaged and chance of recovery was zero.

She had also stopped eating drinking and her bowl had become impacted and eye was a lost cause.

So having nursed fed and bathed her her for past few days it was hard to let go but she is no longer distressed

 

[dreenbmp]

So sorry ....

 

[Pikaia]

I'm so sorry for your loss. RIP little one.