Skinny chinchilla, I can feel her bones. What's wrong?

[Laurie]

chinchillas mask their illnessess really well as it's the survival of the fitest in the chin world--they are prey animals so don't want to appear weak to a predator--that being said I'm sure that's why Corky did all she could to seem the same.

It's always a good idea to pick up your chins on a regular basis so you feel if they are losing weight. It's a better idea to get a scale and weigh them regularly to see if they are losing weight.

It's also hard to tell who is sick when chins live together.

I'm sorry you lost Corky but as dawn said with Yuki you are doing all you can and hopefully as it's not gone into the lungs yet you have caught it quickly. I will keep you all in my thoughts!

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

Thank you

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

no syringe for CC

What can we use for CC if we do not have a large syringe??

 

[Laurie]

Some will eat it off a spoon but usually not. You need to see about getting a large syringe for it. You may be lucky and your chinchilla will still eat on this medication. If not you need to see about getting a large syringe from somewhere. Try your local pharmacy--tell them what it's for, they might even have something at a petstore.

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

syringe

we have a small syringe so is it possible to make the CC mix more watery? Or does it need to be thick??

 

[addictedtochins]

I myself like the 60 cc one because of the larger spout. I got mine from the after hours E-vet. I like to have a few on hand because Tibbit would chew them plus you want to have new ones for new illnesses. Pop the plunger off and clean everything, I did 2-3 times a day.

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

Well he had his medicine and although feeding him was difficult at first, he came around. we got a large syringe and will be feeding him 4 times a day. Splitting the 2 syringe fulls in half. So 3 more times and hopefully it all goes well. He actually ate some pellets after we gave him CC. He just needs to drink more. He is either resting or running on his wheel all day. Lol

 

[ticklechin]

How is he this morning?

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

He's still alive. we gave him some CC and his medicine. He does all the work now when it comes to feeding. He still sneezes/coughs every now and then. His nose is not running anymore. Which is a relief. And he's constantly grooming since he hasn't had a bath. He has eaten some of his pellets and drank a little water. He sleeps a lot.

 

[addictedtochins]

. He is either resting or running on his wheel all day. Lol

You need totake his wheel out, he needs to take it easy, maybe in a month he can have it back.

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

Ok

I just had it in there because I was afraid he was bored and would get depressed from being so bored since we don't let him out to play or give him baths. So I thought I should give him something to do. When I put it in the first night he ran a lot, but now he doesn't. He sleeps on it. lol. He has been sleeping/resting a lot,but if it's a bad thing I will take it out.

 

[Jenn]

All of his energy should be going toward getting better, and if he continues to use his wheel, I would take it out. He may be bored, but at least he will increase his chances of recovering from this.

I sure hope he continues to improve for you, and you don't suffer any more loss! Good luck!!!

oh, and he is adorable, btw!

 

[Laurie]

yes yes yes to taking out the wheel. He is ill right now, it would be like you going to work all day with pnuemonia (something you are NOT supposed to do by the way). He needs all his strength and energy to heal.

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

Okeey dokeey

I already took it out. I feel bad going out and leaving him home. I even feel bad sleeping. lol. I sleep next to his cage and my bf and I take turns sleeping. Yuki watch as we call it. I'm afraid something will happen so I can't even leave the house to go buy food for my other animals. Is that silly of me? :/

 

[ticklechin]

Its not silly at all, your kid is sick and you want him well and you want to make sure he does not get worse. How is the breathing doing?

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

the breathing is ok. just an occasional cough or sneeze. he keeps standing up in his house. idk why.

 

[Laurie]

yep you are worried and that's a responsible thing to do. It's good that your checking him.

 

[ticklechin]

the breathing is ok. just an occasional cough or sneeze. he keeps standing up in his house. idk why.

Watch the body movements-if you see him stretch and rub his belly on the ground, roll on the side and twist, do any weird wiggly movements, sleep on the side when he usually does not call the vet and tell him he has bloat-hand fed sick chins can get bloat which is gas in the digestive tract-its also very painfull and can become a real problem. I am sorry to toss all this out to you but you need to know what to look for when dealing with a sick chin.

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

Update on Baytril

So Dr.Nakamura's technician called and told us the reason why they did not prescribe Baytril was because Yuki is too young and it could cause him to stop eating completely. That includes even hand feeding. She said if he is not getting better after a week (next Thursday since the medicine said to give for a week) then to bring him back in. Do they charge you for that btw? I mean if their medicine doesn't work?

 

[Marshmallowcloudbeanie]

Yuki today pics