sick Chilla, not eating or drinking, fur feels funky

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swayswaymschilla

New member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Messages
4
Location
muskegon, mi
Heya

My fiance and I have two chillas. The older female is about 5 years old and is getting extremely lethargic, she won't eat or drink and I can't get her to a vet till Tuesday-although I've been trying to. I'm scared she wont make it so I'm asking for help.

Her symptoms- her fur feels molty, not matted but getting clumpy. She won't use her dust bath.
Not eating or drinking.
No redness by ears
Not drooling
Stool is small and dry.
Stays in one corner of cage, won't lay on cool marble like she normally does.

Please, any advice till I can get her to a vet?
 
Sadly, no. You need to get her to eat and drink. If she isn't, she will die. Combining it with lethargy and you have beyond an emergency situation. At the bare minimum you will need to start hand feeding her and have her shot up with subcu fluids. Also with not eating and drinking comes gut stasis, for which she will need prescription medications. There is nothing else that can help her.

Why can't you see a vet until Tuesday? There are plenty of E-vets everywhere in the country who can see your chin. Post your location and we'll help you find one. If you wait until Tuesday, she will be dead. Not eating, not drinking, lethargy on their own are bad enough, combining all 3 and your chin is in a very serious health crisis.
 
I'm in Muskegon, Mi and I'm not sure what E-vets are. I know that makes me sound stupid, but yeah... my normal vet doesn't deal with exotics so I'm trying to find one. Haven't ever had issues with the chillas so I didn't have a vet lined up.

We are currently getting water into her system with a tear dropper. She's eating raisens by hand.

I know its serious and I'm a little scared because I have no clue what to do.
 
Don't feed her raisins. If she is in gut stasis or is bloating, sugar is the last thing she needs. Grind up some pellets really fine, mix in some PLAIN canned pumpkin (not "pie mix"), add some water to get some decent consistency to it, and try and feed it to her through a syringe. Make it thin if you need too, the water will only benefit her. Make sure the food is ground up super fine (use a blender) so it will pass through the syringe. Start calling every vet in your area and see if you can find Critical Care for herbivores, NOT Carnivore care. If you find a vet that carries CC, you most likely found an exotic vet who can see your chin. Now that your location is up here, hopefully we can help you find one as well.

An E-vet is an emergency vet.
 
http://www.westmichiganaeh.com/

Animal Emergency Hospital
3260 Plainfield Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Phone: (616) 361-9911
Toll Free: (877) 406-9911

http://www.grpetemergency.com/

Michigan Veterinary Specialists
1425 Michigan St. NE, Suite F
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
P: (616) 284 5300

http://www.greatlakeshospital.com/Templates/ModernElegance.aspx

For after hours emergency care please call the Animal Emergency Hospital on Plainfield Avenue at (616)361-9911.

http://northside-vet.com/

1416 W. Giles Road
Muskegon, MI 49445
(231) 744-1787

Looks like pretty much everybody recommends the Animal Emergency Hospital, so I would call them ASAP and get her in there. Find out what's going on, and we can help guide you in what care should be provided, and what shouldn't.
 
Thank you. Would have replied earlier but was trying to find a ride to Grand Rapids as my car won't make it. Heading to Grand Rapids Emergency in a few. Will keep updated. Thank you.
 
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