How do I do it?

[abyssa]

First i want to thank all of you who helped my with my chin. Gandolf, we have had him for 4 years now.... Now.... we have just found out he has malocclusion and I must make the choice to put him down.

I spent last night cleaning his little paws because he can't. I have bought everything known to help him chew. (thank you for the advice on the raisins. He tried so hard to gnaw on that piece of bark.) I have taken him to the vet every two - three months for the past year to get his teeth trimmed because he stopped chewing. He is slowly loosing weight.... and I can't do ANYTHING to help him........

Gandolf is my son's chinny. He saved up his money to buy him. He wanted a chinchilla since he was 8. Now he's 17 and has to put down his first and only real pet he ever owned....

If I knew what i know now, i don't think we would of bought Gandolf. I have lost sleep taking care of this little creature, this little fuzzy fur ball... the cutest thing I have ever came across. I love how they are so timid, but then has a fiery side to them. I love to watch him eat his treats with his little hands grasping to help him tear the raisin apart....How Gandolf loves his boy...how he stays on my son's shoulder while walking around just prancing back and forth from one shoulder to another.

GOD, I AM GOING TO MISS MY LITTLE RASCLE!!!  His spunk is so much part of this family...

How am I going to find the strength to let the vet put him down.... and never be able to hold him again, play with him again, watch him again....take care of him again.

[paulfg]

I have unfortunately been there and it is a painful thing to do. It took us a little while but as we talked about it we decided to do what was right for Rocki and not what is best for us.  She didn't deserve to live in pain and not be herself anymore. We had a fun play time with her albeit with tears in our eyes and took herto our vet and let her go.  We had her cremated so she is still around and her toys are here too.  We have replaced her with a rescue who is not a wonderful replacement because you can never truly replace the ones you love but Stella our new chin is getting tons of loveand giving it back 100%!

We have 5 chins in all (ages 4 down to 1 right now) so you just keep on loving them and making sure that they have the best life possible!

I am sorry for your pain and while I can not tell you when you will begin looking back at the memories and thinking about the awesome things you described and not the way it all came to an end.  Your family & chin are in my thoughts.

Paul

[sashasmommy]

I know how hard this is for you, but you're doing the right thing. i know i will have this same decision one day (Spike also has malloclusion...we take him every few months for a trim). but i know you've given gandolf the best life he could have...he deserves to not be in pain anymore.

Much Love
Jess

[abyssa]

The appointment is made.
My son, Gandolf and I are going to the vets today to end Gandolf's suffering. We took alot of pictures while we played with him last night. He was so exhausted. He is so weak from not being able to eat.

My vet told me all we needed to do was to extract his insisors and he would still have his molars to chew. This totally didn't make sense to me. It's his molars that is causing the whole problem.

I would still just be putting off the inevitiable.... and making Gandolf suffer longer in the process....
I'll post some pictures later.

[starleomach]

It is a hard thing to do and I am very sorry you have to. you will always have the memories of him so hang in their and when you are ready sometimes having a new chinchilla can help. something to hold and love.