Scariest thing I've seen-EVER.

[brittiny]

I've been in Natchitoches with my bf, jeremy, but we came home for Thanksgiving. (Friday)We ate at my mother's house for lunch, after lunch we cleaned Rem's cage (my mother's been caring for her while we were away).
Rem's always been my most hyper-lovie chin, but she did NOT want to be caught or held as Jeremy cleaned the cage. For the first time ever she nipped at me, but she didn't hurt me. I tried to calm her with scratchies, but she pushed my finger away. That's when I saw her first toe on her right paw was red, swollen, and flaky. Jeremy and I decided to call the vet and bring her in the next day so we went home. We made an appointment with the closest exotic vet which was in Metarie about an hour away.
The next day, we went to my mom's house to pick Rem up for her appointment. Rem was jumping around her cage, but her toe had worsened. It was no longer red, but was covered in puss. She seemed to have a runny nose and had spit dripped down her chin. I knew she needed to go to the vet.
Turns out something was wrapped around her toe (I have no idea what it could be. The only things she had were her house, a hammock, her wheel, food/water/hay/wood. It was tiny and black, but that could have been dried blood. So, Jeremy and I are really confused.) The vet pulled it out and told me to put neosporian on the toe until the swelling subsided. For the runny nose we got drops. She also gave us an antibiotic.
That night Rem seemed much happier and back to her lovable self as we left her with my mother-who was willing to give Rem her medicine twice a day like she needed.
This morning, my mom called me because Rem had peed on her wooden shelf, and seemed quite so I decided to run by and check on her before jeremy and i planned to go back to Natchitoches. Rem seemed to be sleeping when I got there, but my mom hadn't put on the neosporian on her toe so I figured I could do that, check out her toe, and she'd be fine. Rem didn't run from me when I went to catch her. As soon as I held her she started shaking. I quickly placed her on the towel we were using to wrap her in to give her the medication and she...I don't even know. I thought she was having a seizure. She was crying and flailing and her tiny back leg went sideways over her head.
I've never seen an animal do that and I couldn't help her. :cry3: I've always had panic attacks, but I've never gone into one so quickly.
My mom called jeremy and told him what was going on. I went called the emergency number my vet has for after hours (and sundays) and my mom and I rushed Rem to the emergency hospital.

I don't even remember most of the day. The vet at the emergency clinic says she can't see anything physically wrong, I've been taking great care of her, and that the thing she's looking at for the moment is a reaction to the antibiotic. We decided the best thing would be for Rem to spend the night in ICU with an IV, getting hand fed, and such. Tomorrow, I'm supposed to pick up Rem.

Jeremy had to go back to Natitoches. I won't be able to see him until December 12 (when he quits that job). Rem's in ICU, I might have to bring her back to my regular vet to get blood work (the emergency vet said it'd be cheaper and safer because they wouldn't have to draw so much blood.)

I hate when animals get sick. And I have to do it by myself. :cry3:

 

[AZChins]

Brittiny...that is so scary. She's with the vet, they'll help her.

I don't know what could have caused this - maybe it was an infection or something? It could have been the antibiotics. I hope you find out soon!

 

[brittiny]

I do too! I've been crying all day. First because Rem is sick. And I've never been away from jeremy for more then a week and he had to go back today. I've been on my nerves all day because I'm worried about Rem.

 

[AZChins]

I have bad panic attacks, too. The only thing you can do is use all your willpower to stay calm. That's VERY hard to do, but you have to or you will be anxious for days and days.

I admit it - I am the last person, who should have animals because every time something goes wrong I fly into anxiety mode.

Come on, REM, you have to be alright!!

 

[brittiny]

I know what you mean.
The slightest things go wrong and I loose it. I love animals, maybe too much. As a child all I ever wanted to be was a vet, not the best career choice for a person who cries at the thought of an animal being in pain.

My mom said as I sat on the floor telling her Rem needed to go to the vet for her toe (that would be Friday night) she saw the same face I used as a child when one of my animals were sick.

I feel sorry for Jeremy. He's still getting used to my "reactions" to my pets. Morgan Freeman made a noise like he was choking once, and I had the "DO SOMETHING" face, but Morgan Freeman was fine. Jeremy was the once at a lost. He didn't know what to do with ME> crying, frantic, etc.
Perhaps we should rethink our plans for pets: 3 cats, one great dane, an Alaskan husky, Morgan Freeman, Dr. Death, Rem, and 1 more chin.

 

[brittiny]

The vet just called her shifts ending, and the new vets going in, but right now Rem is taking the food they are hand feeding her and she hasn't shown any more seizure-like symptoms.
Tomorrow the vet will decide if she needs to see the normal vet or if she can come home.

 

[AZChins]

Don't let the anxiety keep you from having the pets you want. If I did that, I'd probably not have one single living creature. Don't let the panic keep you from living your life. I spend most of my life scared to death, but I keep going - even if it scares the living daylights out of me!

I've had people say that I am the calmest person that they know. I'm NOT, if they knew what was like on the inside, they'd be frightened! Life is scary, it's much worse with the panic...much, much worse. I can tell you one thing, once you learn how to maintain control you will be a very strong person.

I could go on and on...I don't want to bore you.

 

[AZChins]

That's good news!

 

[brittiny]

I know. Not many things set off my panic attacks, but my pets certainly do.

Also, you wouldn't bore me. I'm looking for things to keep my head clear.
Not only do I secretly harbor panic attacks, but I over analyze everything and tend to reply images in my head. (the whole---legthing--I'm trying to avoid.)

 

[Aimee & The Chinette's]

I am assuming you saw Dr. Pence at West Esplanade? She is good but she is new to chins. When you make your next appointment I would ask to see Dr. Rich, he is THE BEST!! Also, I had a weird "seizure" like episode with one of my babies last week too, I brought her in and had blood work but everything came back normal. On a side note I have been on meds for panic & anxiety for most of my life!!:wacko:

I hope your baby gets to feeling better, keep us posted!!:kiss:

 

[brittiny]

I hate my life.

I had brought her to Dr. Pence, but Sunday I had to bring her to the emergency clinic. They held her over night in ICU.

This morning they called my told me she was eating Critical Care fine, on another IV just to give her extra fluids. They called Dr. Rich and updated him on what was going on with Rem. He said if I could take her home so I went pick her up just after 10. They gave me critical care and asked me if I had any questions, Rem was coming to the door of the carrier like her normal self welcoming my scratchies. We drove home (about an hours drive) and I opened her carrier to try my first at feeding CC. She happily licked at the CC, but that's when I noticed she was lying instead of sitting.
I gave her another rub under the chin and then I saw red spots on the towel on the carrier floor. I put the carrier on the ground and she hopped out scurrying around the floor. Finally, I was able to pick her up and instantly felt the blood. There was just a little on my hand and I flipped her over and saw the blood was coming from her bottom.
Enter panic attack #2, however, I was by myself this time so I was more focused I knew I had to call them and let them know what was going on. I was told to bring her in at Dr. Rich's and they would fit her in as an emergency (SHE'S BLEEDING FROM HER BUM???!!!? THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!).
So, another hour long ride and everyone's like, "awe, Rem's back." I was told to drop her off and they would call me when the vets could look at her (both were in surgery...), I resisted because I didn't have anywhere to go and it didn't pay to start an hour drive back home when they would probably call me half way. Reluctantly, I left.

Not even 5 mins into my drive around town I got the call.

Rem's intestines had exited her body.
She chewed the ends.
They could try to put them back in, but they probably wouldn't stay and Rem had damaged them so much by chewing on them.

We decided to do the best we could for her.

Rem has crossed ya'll rainbow bridge.


I've never put an animal........before...
I just want to crawl under a rock and die right now.

 

[AZChins]

Oh...I am so sorry. That wasn't your fault. This is something that has nothing to do with anything you did. Poor little girl. Please don't feel like this was something you did wrong.

 

[brittiny]

I know it's not my fault, but I tried so hard to save her. I feel like she was supposed to be safe with me after I bought her from that ****-hole, but she died.

I was suppose to give her a better life, she was supposed to live the happy spoiled life in an FN cage like all ya'll chins, not....end like this. She was supposed to have a happy ending.

 

[starleomach]

I am so sorry. You did all you could and gave her a wonderful life while she was with you

 

[Brittany]

I'm so sorry for your loss! I lost my Chance to internal bleeding back in June. We still don't know what caused it, the vet could only speculate. I also suffer from anxiety, and jump every time one of my babies does something out of the ordinary. Even though you lost your little girl sooner then was expected know that you did make a difference in her life, and that she was better off for it. Again I'm so sorry. :-(

 

[cintistatern2005]

I am so sorry for your loss! It's not your fault!! RIP REM!!

 

[Sandi]

This is so sad you've been through a lot. I am very sorry for your loss. Rest in peace, Rem.

 

[Anna]

I'm so sorry, that sounds so traumatic, all the things that happened to Rem. You did everything you could, I hope you feel better

 

[AZChins]

Brittiny - I lost my sweet Dolly tonight very suddenly. I'm crying right along with you. Losing a chin hurts so much, it's just the most awful thing I can even imagine happening in my life besides the loss of my husband or one of my pups.

Losing a chin just stinks. We do everything we can to make sure that they are healthy and happy. We spend every minute obsessing over every little thing. All my effort is put towards loving and cleaning and planning and making sure everything is as it should be. I can tell you with certainty that you can do everything perfectly and things can still go very wrong.

Right about now I would do anything to have my Dolly baby back, I know that you feel the same way. Every few months I have to go through the same thing. Sometimes I think that I am really torturing myself! But, the chins are so wonderful and give me so much, that I keep doing it. I can tell you one thing...the longer you have a chin, the more it seems like you haven't had the chinchilla long enough!

 

[Stackie]

I lost Harley the same way- a rectal prolapse. I also got him from a pet store, and didn't have him very long at all.

I too helped him cross the bridge. It's very painful losing a chin, especially one that you have tried so hard to save.

RIP Rem.