ACK I think my chinnie is SICK!

[jmrothermel]

Since yesterday he has been really withdrawn pretty much just staying in one spot, I've seen him eat a little hay, but no pellets, and he won't even come over to the scale for me to weigh him (which he usually loves because there is a little dust bath in it) and his eyes are only half open like he's kinda sleeping, but even when I wake him up he still stays like that!!!!  He hasn't lost any weight up to yesterday, he was the same so if he did lose any it was overnight....literally

Don't worry, I'm not just posting here so you all can yell at me "GET HIM TO THE VET" I am on hold now with the vet trying to get in ASAP this morning.  I just pray its not something he was masking and now its too late....

Please say a chinnie prayer for him that all is well.  I will update after we get back.

Jacqui

[Abby W.]

I am so sorry to hear of your boy's illness.  I hope all is well, and I'll be praying for you both.

Please let us all know how things are after your visit.

[Jenova]

Good luck!

[jmrothermel]

Alright, heres how our trip went:

The vet did a stool sample and found that he has alot of hookworm eggs in his stool - no signs of Giardia - so he is on a dewormer medicine, she also said he has alot of bacteria in his stool, so she is wondering if he doesn't have some sort of infection going on, so to be safe she put him on an antibiotic, as well as some Bene-Bac to help replace the good bacteria he is loosing.  She didn't have any critical care available, and now I don't know where to get it.  He is not eating, so I'm really worried about that.

Does anyone know where on a Saturday at 2:00 in the afternoon I can get critical care, or the recipe for it?

Secondly, his female companion in the cage, does she have these things?  She looks fine, and is acting fine, but now I'm worried!

Thanks!
Jacqui

[Abby W.]

I don't know where you could get critical care...I would try other local clinics.  If you can't find it my suggestion would be to grind up his normal pellets into a fine powder, mix it with water, a little grape pedialyte, and a small amoutn of nutri-cal.  It should be about the consistency of oatmeal, so you cans uck it up into a syringe but it's not too watery.  Then feed him that with a feeding syringe every couple of hours.  Leave him regular food as well, and monitor if he eats any.  Once he feels better he should start eating on his own. 

Good luck!

[Joyce]

What medication is he on?  I would think that his cagemate would need to be treated as well.  Ask your vet about this.
As far as Critical Care goes I have only ever bought it at the vet's office.  However I know you can order it directly from Oxbow, they are the company that makes it.  Check their website I think it's oxbow.com   You could have it send as quickly as possible even though it may cost you.

I'm sorry to hear he is sick and pray for a speedy & full recovery.

[jmrothermel]

He is on TMS Suspension antibiotic, Panacur for the worms.

Jacqui

[Joyce]

Sorry!  The Oxbow site is www.oxbowhay.com and unfortunately critical care is not sold online I thought it used to be.

[Jo Ann]

 Pedialyte will help hydrate him faster than regular water ... Gerber puts out a little single-serving 4 pack that is apple-flavored.   Once pedialyte is opened, it is only good for 24 hours ... the single-servings save on waste. 
Do not mix anything with the pedialyte.

Ocean Spray cranberry juice (not cocktail) mixed 1/2 and 1/2 with water can be used to coax him to drink more fluids.

An extra bottle of plain water is good to keep up at all times.

I make a "home-made critical care" ...

Healthy hand full of Alfalfa hay
2 Tablespoons chinchilla pellets (Mazuri, preferably)
Place in blender high-speed, until in a powder form.

Add: (found in health food store)
1 capsule acidophilus - Open and add to above.(Refrigerate after opening)
1 teaspoon Raw wheat germ (Refrigerate in airtight container)
1 teaspoon papaya powder (optional)
Mix. Store in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator.

Methods of feeding...
1) Mix with water and feed with syringe or glass eye dropper.
Just put a little at a time on his lips and let him take it down at his own speed.
2) Mix with Nutra Cal (cat/dog section of pet store)
about the size of a pea, making mini footballs the size of raisins.
He will probably eat these like a treat.  (Refrigerate.)
3) Can be used as a supplement when you add whole raw oats.

Keep me posted!

 
Jo Ann

[jmrothermel]

UPDATE:  I couldnt get the mixture of the homemade CC into powder so I kept blending it and blending it, sifting sticks out, blending some more, and then I found out that when its on very high speed in the blender everything thats a fine powder flies to the top at the lid.  So I blend it for 10 seconds, opened it slowly, tapped all the powder that accumulated on the lid, repeat, and after about 5 times I had enough powder to make a mixture.  So I mixed it with pedialyte until it was thin enough to suck up in a syringe and was feeding it to him.  At first he was hesitant trying to jump out of my hands and everything, but I kept talking to him telling him I was trying to help him and that he is going to be ok he needs to eat, and after about a minute he just sat in front of me on my desk with his little paws up on my one hand and I had the syringe in the other and he took about a good 10cc's of mixture from me that way.  He was very patient and kept letting me squirt a little on his bottom lip he would eat it off, and then repeat.  Even when he got messy he would let me wipe it off his chin and continue.  Then after about 10cc's he started squirming and trying to jump away and run off so I took that as a hint that he had enough.  While I had him with me for about 5 minutes I guess it was he pooped twice, so I'm glad for that he's not too empty - not enough to stop passing stool.  So I will try to do this probably once an hour and then this afternoon around 5 weigh him again and see if he is doing any better.  In two days he lost 20 grams, and Im hoping that he turns around now that we made a breakthrough with feeding, and he is on his medicine for 24 hours now.  He will eat a piece of hay or a pellet here and there, but nothing like his appetite was before he was feeling bad.

Thank you Jo Ann for ALL your help, I fear he might not have come through this without your guidance.  I'm feeling much better now that I got food into him and hope that he continues to progress in the right direction.

I will update again later after weighing around 5!
Jacqui

[Joyce]

As far as cranberry juice goes...............I have always thought you were supposed to give them CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL since it is almost all cranberry juice.  The regular cranberry juice has all kinds of other sugary juices mixed in with it I think.  I have always given my chins the cocktail (including Mia) and been OK.

[jmrothermel]

Ocean Spray has a new cranberry juice out and its called OceanSpray Pure Cranberry.  Its a tad expensive (but who wouldn't do anything for their chinny) but if you read the back the only ingredients are 100% Cranberry.  Thats it.  No sweetners, or juices, extracts, flavors, NOTHING.  I got 32fl ounces yesterday - a small bottle - and it cost 4.00.  But at least I knew it wouldn't hurt my chinny.  And since there is nothing in it except cranberrys it considerably stronger than the cocktail, so I did 1/3 to 2/3 water.  It says on the front 100% Pure Unsweetened Cranberry.

But hey, go figure, he didn't touch it.  Oh well I would put 100 bottles in the cage full of 100 different things if I though for a second it would make him feel better.  I'm so sad with him sick 

I fed him again at 1 - an hour after the last time - and he only took 3cc's this time (or 3ml's depending how you look at it LOL - Being an ex nurse (now stay at home mom to kids and chinnys) I always use the cc version)  So I figured he was still a little full from the 10 last time.  At least I know his belly isn't empty.

Then as I was feeding him - yea heres how despirate I am to make sure he's ok - I start feeling really sick in my stomach - and I realize that its now after 1pm in the afternoon and all I've done all day is try to get him to eat, make sure he has his meds - tried to perfect the homemade CC recipe, etc., that I didn't even eat all day!  I was at that point so hungry I felt sick, and everytime I felt my stomach growling I ignored it because I was taking care of him!  LOL  So needless to say, after that feeding I threw lunch in the oven, and now I'm almost ready to eat.  Good thing the kids are visiting their grandparents this weekend, or I would be a really bad mom!   

I will update again later!
Thanks for all your help and good wishes for my baby.
Jacqui

[jmrothermel]

UPDATE: I've been feeding him every two hours throughout the day, and its going really well.  He's still pooing up a storm, so thats good!  Once though I did catch a glimpse of a worm in his poop, ewwwww.  But at least I know he is getting them out of his little body, and thats what I want!

At his last weight at 9:30 tonight, he was up 14 grams from his weight earlier today.  So hopefully with continued feedings and medication we're on the rebound here.  Thanks for thinking of us!

Jacqui

[Jo Ann]

Fantastic!   He had only gained 6 grams when you called me ... great to hear he has added 8 more grams to that!  Continuing to poop is a must!

I have always thought you were supposed to give them CRANBERRY JUICE COCKTAIL since it is almost all cranberry juice.  The regular cranberry juice has all kinds of other sugary juices mixed in with it I think.  I have always given my chins the cocktail (including Mia) and been OK.

Joyce, I had forgotten about you giving Mia the cocktail instead of the juice ... I remember she did great on it, too.  I was thinking of it the other way around and thinking the cocktail was the one with a mixture of juices.  I haven't had to use it in quite a while ... I'll chalk it up to senility.   

Jacqui, I'll have to look for the Ocean Stray Pure Cranberry... don't think I've seen it before.  I will see if any of my little ones will drink it ... if not, I'll try putting a tiny bit of Nutri-Cal in it to sweeten it a little ... they may not like it because it is so strong.  Mixing it 1/3 to 2/3 water was a good idea.

Keep us posted!
 
   Jo Ann

[Chins To Love]

I hope he keeps getting better, my thoughts are with you guys
Julianne