URI?

[Solo]

Hi everyone. I have been reading a lot on this forum for a long while now, but never registered. I am having a few problems with my chinchilla, Sophie, starting Sunday night. She had started making weird noises while breathing, sort of like a hiccup? (her breathing is heavy, too) She has also been acting a bit lethargic, and not wanting to play much at all. She isn't eating much, either. We tried to get her to a recommended chin vet, but they said their exotic vet is out for 8 days. We had another vet recommended to us, but they were rather sketchy.

We went and the vet told us that Sophie has a URI (listened with a stethoscope), and our options would be to take an xray (not sure what it was for?) or go on an antibiotic and see if she got better for a few days. They really wanted to put her on Baytril (the pill, or injectable), but I was worried about Sophie's appetite and I had no clue how to give a chin shots. We went with Trimeth Sulfa? and she is getting .2ml by mouth twice a day and that's it. I am also giving her a probiotic a few hours after she gets her meds through water in a syringe, which isn't really easy to do. I think the vet gave me 5 days worth of antibiotic.

I have tried to hand feed her, but she seems to aspirate very easily.. I can get water in her if I do it very slowly, but feeding her is another story. She isn't drinking water, but is eating a bit on her own. On Saturday night, she choked on the water from her bottle, which seemed to be leaky. I had another water bottle, so I replaced it right away and threw out the other one.

It has been two days, and Sophie really hasn't improved, nor got any worse. Should I go back and do an xray? This vet is a little scary and I'm not sure he knows what he is doing. It was a walk-in clinic and another vet was going to see her, but it was the end of the day and we were told he left and we had to wait another hour. They didn't really seem all that... sanitary either, compared to vets we have taken our dogs to before.

Here's a bit of a background on Sophie- We got Sophie from a local pet store I really like. The owner said he got Sophie and a few other chins from someone who breeds them, but was forced by their parents to give up a few. I got Sophie at the end of April 2011 and I believe she was 60 days pregnant. She smelled pretty gross (like bad bedding) but looked ok. She had white teeth, and gained a bit of weight in my care. She had two kits and raised them fine without any help. We believe Sophie is around 5 years old.

 

[ticklechin]

If your choice is trimeth sulfa or baytril oral with possible appetite loss and injectable is not a option, go with the baytril and possible appetite loss, TMS is not a strong enough antibiotic for a URI. Are you hand feeding this chin? Proper nutrition is important for sick chins, a non eating chin can develop digestive issues.

 

[momenteller]

So they gave you an option for the injectable Baytril? I would do that if you can. What kind of hand-feeding formula do you have? Do some searches on here, there are many threads with advice on how to hand feed and what to hand feed so they will take it better. I would be worried about the constant aspirating/choking, even on the water bottle. Is her nose crusty and she can't breathe through it? I have never had a chin with a URI so I'm not sure if that is a common issue. Also, there are other ways to give probiotics, you could try mixing it in her critical care so you aren't having to give her a separate syringe of fluids.

Perhaps you can go back to this vet for the Baytril injections then do any follow up with the exotics vet.

Sorry you are dealing with this. Crossing my fingers Sophie feels better soon.

 

[Solo]

We went back to the vet today. We decided to give her injectable baytril, .2CC twice a day for a week. Sophie was also dehydrated, so he gave her a shot of some kind of fluid and sent us home with a bag of the stuff, 10CC once or twice a day? I forgot. My mom is a nurse, so she said she can give the shots to her if I hold her. The vet also gave her a vit B-12 shot, saying it would help bring up her appetite.

I am still very worried about her not eating. She pooped quite a bit at the vet, but I don't not want her to develop any issues. I don't have any CC, so I am giving her grinded pellets (mazuri) mixed with water and acidophilus. I still can't get anything into her, though.. I have never handfed a chin before and she seems to aspirate really easily, even if I do very little at a time.

 

[Solo]

I just tried again at handfeeding Sophie. I was able to get around 15-20CCs of food into her with no complications. Hopefully she'll keep this up.

 

[momenteller]

How long has it been since you saw her eat anything? Have you tried offering fresh alfalfa hay? Many chins can't turn that down.

 

[ticklechin]

You can mix canned pumpkin with the pellets to give it more flavor, even add a bit of blackstrap molasses. What syringe are you using for hand feeding?

 

[Solo]

The only syringe I have that is working for handfeeding is a 60CC syringe. I handfed her a few more times and it seems to be getting easier and easier each time. We've got the 100% pure canned pumpkin, but it doesn't really seem to make a difference when I try using it, so I am not.

Is 10cc twice a day of that fluid (saline I think) the vet gave me plus the bit of water in the mixture enough to keep her hydrated? Her poops seem rather dry.

 

[Solo]

Sorry for not posting. Thank you both for your help.

Sophie unfortunately passed on the 10th early morning. I really wish I had listened to the vet and went with the baytril first. She was doing so well for a while and then suddenly just went downhill.. I miss her so much.