What should I ask the vet?

[tunes]

I meant the probiotics in the CC. The vet said it had some.

The only thing it will do by feeding the CC close to the antibiotics is negate the probiotics in the CC. The whole point to the probiotics is to keep the gut in balance and the appetite up. If you're hand feeding, you're already taking care of that anyway.

Tickelchin - You seem to have quite a bit of knowledge with dental chins. Have you had quite a few that suffer from malocclusion?

 

[ticklechin]

I have had a couple that were PTS, but I work with a rescue as a foster and have more experience there with assorted health issues, we get alot of teeth, giardia and grunge.

 

[mishellyshel]

good luck tomorrow!

 

[Siylvat]

Hello, this is Siylvat's fiance. I just came back from the vet just now and have some X-Ray pictures to post. The vet said that it didn't look like a problem that needed dental surgery (not Malo in his opinion) but I'm not 100% convinced. He said it looked like an inflamation in the mouth, but after the exam said that Bok's teeth seemed perfectly healthy (probably a lot healthier than any other chins he's seen...). He thinks maybe Bok poked himself somehow on the inside of his mouth and that cause the bone around to become infected, but I'm gonna post the X-rays anyways to get a second opinion from everyone here. I'd appreciate any and all help, thanks.

-Dan

 

[Siylvat]

Also, I forgot to mention what I was given for medication for this. I was told to give .3 cc twice daily of SMZ-TMP-Suspension.

 

[Stackie]

First off, I am not trying to scare you and I am very sorry if this is wrong- I hope it is wrong.

Is it just me or does it look like the roots are overgrown? Especially down into the jaw.

 

[Ruby]

First off, I am not trying to scare you and I am very sorry if this is wrong- I hope it is wrong.

Is it just me or does it look like the roots are overgrown? Especially down into the jaw.

I'm no expert but it looks like it to me too, the frontal molars look too long.

 

[Sandi]

I don't have my xray with me but I've looked at mine a million times. It was from my first chin that was PTS due to malo in his lower jaw. It looks similar to the one you posted but I'm not sure as I can't zoom in on yours, I hope it's not though. I'm sorry.

 

[Stackie]

Here's some enlarged photos for those of you that can't zoom in.

I keep looking at them and I still see the overgrown molars..

 

[tunes]

Yeah, I'm with Stack. Those do not appear to be normal x-rays. Maybe they are better in person, sometimes it's just hard to see well from a picture of a picture, but that last one definitely looks like the roots are out of whack.

 

[Siylvat]

So does this mean that there is nothing we can do since, if what I'm seeing now comparing it to a normal x-ray, all his teeth are elongated and overgrowing. I really really don't want to lose him but at the same time I don't want him to have to suffer because of my selfishness.

 

[Stackie]

Unfortunately once the roots start overgrowing there's not much you can do. Malo is not treatable- you can only manage it's symptoms and even then it reaches a point when the symptoms are too severe to humanely let the animal continue living.

With malo either the animal will succumb to the disease through starvation, etc. or you can help the animal cross over the bridge.

I'm very sorry you and your chinnie have to deal with this.

 

[Siylvat]

Well, what is the best way to let him pass on, I have a feeling the vets around here know nothing about Chinchillas and I really don't want him to suffer. Also, is discharge (green in color) from the nose a sign of Malo too, cause I just noticed he is starting to have that too, and if I'm reading the X-rays right, he has a pretty bad case of Malo. I'm gonna miss my little Bok-Choy, this sucks horribly.

 

[tunes]

I sent you a pm Siylvat. Try that first.

As far as the discharge, if it's green from the nose, then odds are there is an infection. For that at least, he'll need antibiotics.

 

[AZChins]

It's possible that an infection could be causing the drooling.

I wish I could see your xrays in person. I can't really tell from the pictures...it looks sort of blobby right at the roots and along the molars.

I hope that he'll be okay. Poor little guy.

 

[Siylvat]

I'm sorry, I'm a wreck over this, and my fiance is still at work so this is a little new to me. I don't take pet problems well sadly, and this is so unknown because of the poor quality of vets around here. Thanks for all the support and I'm sure my fiance thanks you too. As for the x-rays, they only took them digitally so that's all I have really, I could send them to you people via email but I don't know if that would really help.

 

[AZChins]

It's alright...just do what you can for the chin. I'm glad that this chinchilla is with you and that you care enough to take him to the vet and go through all this trouble! I read through the thread and sheesh, you've been through a lot!