Weight

[tunes]

Well, when I recently hand fed a couple kits, they took between 10 and 12 cc four times a day, in addition to their pellets, hay, and water. They were 250 gm when they were eating that much. Granted, they were only 5 weeks old, but even so. I don't think you're going to hurt him by giving him formula several times a day. The poor guy missed out on it before! Just make sure he continues to eat his pellets and so on, and keep that dry formula in there for snacking.

It's good that he's up a few gm already. Let's hope that continues.

 

[Fractured Moonlight]

Alrighty, I'll keep at the formula schedule I've worked up then. And I got the powdered goat's milk today and mixed a new batch of supplement for him. He's not quite exactly sure what to do with it save shove his nose in it then lick the power off, but he'll get the hang of it.

He's still fluxing his weight some. But I'll get him steady on all of this and see how he does, and I'll keep everyone posted.

 

[Fractured Moonlight]

One quick question as I've noticed something. Since he's been getting the formula supplement, he's been itching a lot. It's not because he's been taking too many dust baths, I know that much and he didn't start so much itching until now.

Is it possible that he could have an allergy to the goat's milk? I tested it some by not givng him any last night or today and he's nowhere near as itchy as he's been the past three days.

 

[Rickman]

He should only be dusted 2 - 3 times a week - if that's all you're doing, it could possibly be the goatsmilk, although I've not heard of that allergy!

 

[Chinmama]

Where is he scratching? Do either of his eyes look watery at all? Any sneezing?

 

[Fractured Moonlight]

I let him bathe every other day, so he baths about 3-4 times a week.

He's mostly scratching at the backs of his ears and at his back/flank. I checked his skin and it's not red or flakey or anything, he just seems to be itchy. No watery eyes, no sneezing, just itchy and perhaps a little sensitive to touching from his itching.

I want to help him get his weight up, but I don't want him miserable from being itchy at the same time either.

 

[tunes]

I would be really surprised if he was itchy from the goats milk formula. I might wonder, instead, about the powdered goats milk. Is he eating that?

 

[Fractured Moonlight]

He's not eating the powered mix too much, he just doesn't seem to have too much interest in it. I can only think it's the liquid that's making him itchy as I can't figure out anything else.

 

[Fractured Moonlight]

Update

Well, I think I figured out why Xaine has been having trouble with his weight.

Xaine had gotten a little but of a tummy upset, his droppings going way softer and smushier than I would approve of and he'd gotten a little lethargic over the late weekend. On Tuesday night I came home to a very floppy and flat chin. He was flattening himself out and rolling and stretching around. I immediately gathered him up and took him to the emergency vet, fearing that he may have developed bloat and he was in some serious pain either way.

He had to stay the night as the emergency vet, got some fluids and some pain medicine. I then took him to the vet clinic down the street from the emergency vet. They have one of the best specialists in an area about 1-2 hours from my house.

The vet was more wonderful than I could imagine in his handling and knowledge of my little guy, and I feel much more knowledgable than Xaine's current vet. He gave Xaine a little anesthesia so he wouldn't stress more than he was already and gave him a very complete look over. X-rays, blood work, teeth, fur, all the extra stuff.

As it turns out, my poor baby's white blood cells were through the roof and his red down. A little anemic too. Turns out, he has a little type of what the vet suspects is a chronic infection and that's why he's been having trouble with his weight first stopping and then fluxing like it's been. We still have no idea where or when he developed it, just that it finally caught up with him and started zapping his energy. So he's given Xaine some antibiotics and some appetite stimulant and he's eating Critical Care mostly right now.

Xaine is doing much better and is putting on his weight some finally. Needlesss to say that I have a new vet for him. My other was hesitant to do to much to him aside from paraside and general look over tests as he didn't want to stress him.

I still thank you all for trying to help him by home means, but someties I guess we all need a doctor. Hopefully he'll continue to put on weight and when he's more well the vet is going to try and boost his weight as well.

 

[tunes]

Wow - So he's basically had this infection since birth? Because he was mighty small when you got him for his age. Can you let the breeder know in case it affected other kits in the litter? Can you let us know what it was when cultures are returned? (Always good to have this stuff archived for future use.)

What type of antibiotic did he put him on? Baytril is known to stung bone growth in young animals, so that's something to consider.

Please, again, keep us posted on his progress. It would be wonderful if this could all be taken care of with a simple course of antibiotics.

 

[equusus]

Congratulations on finding such a knowledgable vet! Maybe list him on our vet thread?
He is lucky to have such a doting mama!
Good luck!

 

[Fractured Moonlight]

Gah, sorry it took me so long to get back to you all, been doting on him like equusus said!

Well, I still can't get in contact with the breeder breeder, and the vet didn't take any cultures. He was more concerned with getting some fluid and vitamins into him and getting him well.

As for antibiotic he was put on Enrofloxacin, and for appetite stimulant he's taking Cyproheptadine.

We went back to see him yesterday and he was quite pleased that he's gotten better so fast. Though poor baby had dropped a lot of his weight in a few days when he fell down the health hill so to speak.

He's back up to 210g and he's getting some CC every night just to help him out some more. He's switched himself over to Oxbow as well, I was mixing his pellets and Xaine was just throwing out the Mazuri ones, as well as some added alfalfa hay with his timothy.

We go back to see the doctor June 3rd for another weight check. He wants to make sure Xaine is putting on some weight now that he doesn't have something nasty in his system.

I'll go list him over in the vet thread, but just for reference I'll put him here:
Dr. Peter G. Fisher in Virginia Beach, VA.

 

[acbieri]

Thats great he's doing some better, maybe he'll start gaining weight back and get back to health asap!! *Hugs from my chinnies*

 

[Cuddlebug]

Glad that you found out what was going on with him. Keep up the good work.

 

[Rickman]

Great that you caught it before it was too late, and found a great vet! Good luck with him, and may he grow to 900 grams!!
Another that prefers Oxbow over Mazuri! I think you'll find him doing better on the Oxbow!

 

[Fractured Moonlight]

Indeed he is doing MUCH better with the Oxbow and he does seem to prefer that brand for everything.

Also, the very good news is that he seems to be gaining 2-5 grams a day now and is keeping on his weight as it steadily goes up. He is at 238 grams today which it the most he's ever weighed.

I think the vet will be very happy when we go back on Wednesday.

I know I'm ecstatic that he's finally doing consistantly well. His tummy is so much happier as well.

 

[addictedtochins]

Yay!

 

[Tanya]

I'm glad to hear your chinnie is doing well! Great job!