Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Health => Topic started by: GizmoGadget on February 24, 2012, 05:09:19 PM
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Hello all im new to this forum i have a 18 month old chin whos name is gizmo last week he started makin a funny sound on inspiration from his nose it sounds like hes congested his appetite has gone down he hasnt even eaten much not even treats his water bottle is still to the top his bowels have gone down alot not much in the cage at all ive cleaned the cage sqeeky clean changed out the bedding cleaned out his bath his ball ive done all ive can hes still a lilttle active he still rolls in his dust baths but thats pretty much it he isolates himself in a corner and its actually hurtin me too:( i took him to the vet she said his lungs are clear no congestion noted but he still has that funny sound when he breathes in she started him on baytril q12 times 14 days return in 1 week i feel like im hurtin him when i give it to him its orange flavored i have such a hard time with giving the med its 1 ml.im doing all i can i dont know what else to do so any help would be greatly appreciated :'(
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Hello all im new to this forum i have a 18 month old chin whos name is gizmo last week he started makin a funny sound on inspiration from his nose it sounds like hes congested his appetite has gone down he hasnt even eaten much not even treats his water bottle is still to the top his bowels have gone down alot not much in the cage at all ive cleaned the cage sqeeky clean changed out the bedding cleaned out his bath his ball ive done all ive can hes still a lilttle active he still rolls in his dust baths but thats pretty much it he isolates himself in a corner and its actually hurtin me too:( i took him to the vet she said his lungs are clear no congestion noted but he still has that funny sound when he breathes in she started him on baytril q12 times 14 days return in 1 week i feel like im hurtin him when i give it to him its orange flavored i have such a hard time with giving the med its 1 ml.im doing all i can i dont know what else to do so any help would be greatly appreciated :'(
hi, that could be just felling alone but i think what you should do in that case is examinate his "poo" if its wet and soft maybe something wrong is happening ,his ears if thei're cold ,his teeth cause sometimes loss of appetite can be because of the teeth and his his teeth are white.
tell me something your vet is specialized in rodents?he has in his cage calcium stone?what kind of food do you give to him?
sorry i didn't help very much but my chins have never been sick but search for chinchillas diseases and souns made by chins.hope that gizmo gets better.
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the thing is im rarely finding poo but i just clenaed it yesterday so when i get home tonight ill check but this mornin alli found was a couple of poo but they were normal, his ears are fine, his teeth are fine a bit yellow though. well the vet we saw is supposed to specialized in rodents i trust the vet i got too cause theyve taken really good care for my weiner dogs...she told me if he doesnt get better she would have to do chest xrays and the whole nine yards but would have to sedate him :( im a first time chin owner so dont know much but im learnin as i go he doesnt have a calcium stone but i will get him one now his food is from petco called fiesta max... all help is appreciated
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Baytril can very hard on a chin's digestive system. It is a necessary evil in this case. Yellow teeth are actually a good sign for a chin. It means they are getting enough calcium in their diet.
The fact your chin has backed off food and water in the way you described is very dangerous. This can put its digestive system into a state of shutting down. If you don't start hand feeding and watering by syringe its weight will drop rapidly. See if you can consult your vet on advice on how to do this and get the right equipment and formula. It must be done properly to protect your chin. This is an emergency for your pet.
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Baytril can very hard on a chin's digestive system. It is a necessary evil in this case. Yellow teeth are actually a good sign for a chin. It means they are getting enough calcium in their diet.
The fact your chin has backed off food and water in the way you described is very dangerous. This can put its digestive system into a state of shutting down. If you don't start hand feeding and watering by syringe its weight will drop rapidly. See if you can consult your vet on advice on how to do this and get the right equipment and formula. It must be done properly to protect your chin. This is an emergency for your pet.
Yeah it is evil but all i trying to do is get him better it worries me :( but ill try hand feeding tonight and get in contact with my vet staff asap thanks GrayRodent
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It sounds like he has the symptoms of a respiratory infection which should respond to the antibiotic over time. Unless your chin starts drinking water again his health could do downhill very fast. You may not have another day to wait.
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It sounds like he has the symptoms of a respiratory infection which should respond to the antibiotic over time. Unless your chin starts drinking water again his health could do downhill very fast. You may not have another day to wait.
Yeah uri for sure when im outta work im going to do my best to give him water by syringe
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I am no expert and have never done this so please take it as that.
For watering you want to go in from the side, if you aim towards the back of the throat it could cause aspiration into the lungs.
Go very slow to prevent aspiration, just drops at a time. See if you can him to lick it up.
yeah thats how i was giving his baytril side of the mouth slowly in incraments and he would lick the rest but since ive been doin that he looks at me as im evil he doesnt wanna play with me anymore he thinks im gonna hurt him but im tryin to get him better
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Oops! clicked the delete button on the last message.
Anyway, I know it's hard on you and your pet. I had to give meds to a parrot who hated it and I was always afraid of choking him or hurting him because he struggled so much. But not all animals are like that. It took one person to hold him down and the other to feed. In the end he acts like it never happened, and most importantly survived a very dangerous infection that almost claimed his life.
The important thing is to stay calm and make sure the animal is as relaxed as much as possible.
There are a couple things you mentioned that has me thinking.
With these symptoms it's best to take away the dust bath. The dust can be irritating. It will not hurt to remove that for a few days. Instead of leaving it in the cage it's normally recommended giving it for about 20 mins every other day.
The diet you mentioned is not good for chinchillas. There appears to be a lot of fruits and sweets in it. This usually results in the chin eating the sweets and leaving the healthy stuff that should be the main part of its diet behind. It can also result in tooth problem down the road because it's not the right hardness and fiber content. Too much sugar can cause cavities even in chins and both these can be fatal. Treats should be limited to about two a day to prevent digestive upset. Another issue is that changing the diet suddenly can also lead to digestive upset, so it's probably best not to do anything about this until your pet recovers from this and when you do mix the pellets together and make it a smooth transition over a couple of weeks.
You should be giving it fresh timothy hay to promote tooth wear for its molars. It should be part of its main diet. Make sure its has wooden blocks and rodent chew toys to keeps its incisors trimmed as their teeth constantly grow.
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Oops! clicked the delete button on the last message.
Anyway, I know it's hard on you and your pet. I had to give meds to a parrot who hated it and I was always afraid of choking him or hurting him because he struggled so much. But not all animals are like that. It took one person to hold him down and the other to feed. In the end he acts like it never happened, and most importantly survived a very dangerous infection that almost claimed his life.
The important thing is to stay calm and make sure the animal is as relaxed as much as possible.
There are a couple things you mentioned that has me thinking.
With these symptoms it's best to take away the dust bath. The dust can be irritating. It will not hurt to remove that for a few days. Instead of leaving it in the cage it's normally recommended giving it for about 20 mins every other day.
The diet you mentioned is not good for chinchillas. There appears to be a lot of fruits and sweets in it. This usually results in the chin eating the sweets and leaving the healthy stuff that should be the main part of its diet behind. It can also result in tooth problem down the road because it's not the right hardness and fiber content. Too much sugar can cause cavities even in chins and both these can be fatal. Treats should be limited to about two a day to prevent digestive upset. Another issue is that changing the diet suddenly can also lead to digestive upset, so it's probably best not to do anything about this until your pet recovers from this and when you do mix the pellets together and make it a smooth transition over a couple of weeks.
You should be giving it fresh timothy hay to promote tooth wear for its molars. It should be part of its main diet. Make sure its has wooden blocks and rodent chew toys to keeps its incisors trimmed as their teeth constantly grow.
he has timothy hay and i have chew toys for him but he doesnt do anythin with them but its probably cause hes not feeling well..so what chinchilla food is best? any reccomendations?
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It is strange for a chin to stop eating hay. I understand he's really sick and pretty much anorexic at the time. Was he normally eating the hay and chewing on the toys before he got sick?
There is certainly a debate on what the is the best chinchilla food. Perhaps someone who has an opinion can interject here. If it were mine I'd probably feed Mazuri Chinchilla Diet if you can find it since it seems to be highly recommended and easily available.
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It is strange for a chin to stop eating hay. I understand he's really sick and pretty much anorexic at the time. Was he normally eating the hay and chewing on the toys before he got sick?
There is certainly a debate on what the is the best chinchilla food. Perhaps someone who has an opinion can interject here. If it were mine I'd probably feed Mazuri Chinchilla Diet if you can find it since it seems to be highly recommended and easily available.
He was good a week ago he was eating hay and chewing on toys he had even chewing on borders in the house markin where he was...in 40 min im outta work and gettin to him as fast as i can
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For now if you must hand feed him, get goats milk (I got some powdered at the petstore) and some infant rice cereal. Maybe some apple juice to mix in the water too if he's not drinking. (You may have to force feed him water too at first). This will help him get nutrients hes not getting since he's not eating. You can also try regular yogurt to help his digestive system. (I would go with the goats milk/infant rice cereal first, then when he eats on his own do yogurt every other day until he's much better).
Like GrayRodent said Mazuri is awesome; its what I use. Another good brand is Oxbow, and they also carry a Critical Care diet food too (although its not in my local pet stores), which is why I came up with the above. Just feed him in increments and aim for the side of his mouth (so you don't choke him or anything). I hope he feels better!
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This morning i went to petsmart and bought mazuri chin food and some other toys for him and once i changed the food he started eatin mazuri and we he had fiesta in his bowl he would never eat the colorful food everything but that last night i syringe fed him water and crushed his food up gve him his baytril last night and this mornin but im happy to see hes eating and drinking a little on his own he still makes that nasal congestion sound but hes not congested....he did put up a fight intitally with syringe feeds and he got some medicine some water and some food on his fur would this harm him??? anyway to take off the hardness of his fur?im a first time chin owner and im learnin day by day i had the basics down...all yall have helped me so much im thankful for forums like this were we all share the same passion
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That is excellent that your chin is starting to eat on his own. Water is critically important too so watch this closely. Constipation and dehydration is a big concern through this.
I'm not too concerned that the stuff on his fur will cause any harm unless it becomes matted. You might want to take a damp washcloth and wipe it off when that happens. Just try not to get the fur around it wet and blot it dry as best as possible. If it's really hard and can't come off it will grow out eventually. I still don't recommend commencing dust baths until after those respiratory symptoms are cleared up.
Typically it's recommended to change their diet gradually to prevent upsetting the normal balances of gut flora but everything is so messed up right now I wonder if it will make any difference. I think the yogurt suggestion makes a lot of sense to help restore the good germs that are needed for digestion since the antibiotic kills those too. Just be sure to give it about 20 minutes after the baytril. Giving it at the same time may reduce the benefit of both.
I'm glad to hear there are signs of recovery but be on close guard.
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I think Mazuri rocks :) glad to know he is feeling better! I have heard that Mazuri pellets make chins have smaller and sometimes softer poops so if you notice them a bit smaller don't worry. The food on him is okay, like Gray said use the washcloth. How long has it been since his dustbath? If its been a while you may still need to give him one, try having it with an open container and not for too long. Watch him closely.
Another thing I do with my chin (even tho he's healthy) is give him 500mg of Vitamin C once a week. I give him the chewables I found at walmart and he loves them!
I think since you had the fiesta mix (I know which one you're talking about) your chin picked through and ate all the yummy stuff that he shouldn't be eating (like treats). Many companies claim stuff is good for chinchillas but isn't; another good example of something to never get is that 12" 'chinchilla' exercise wheel from Petsmart. Every chinparent learned day by day :-)
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That is excellent that your chin is starting to eat on his own. Water is critically important too so watch this closely. Constipation and dehydration is a big concern through this.
I'm not too concerned that the stuff on his fur will cause any harm unless it becomes matted. You might want to take a damp washcloth and wipe it off when that happens. Just try not to get the fur around it wet and blot it dry as best as possible. If it's really hard and can't come off it will grow out eventually. I still don't recommend commencing dust baths until after those respiratory symptoms are cleared up.
Typically it's recommended to change their diet gradually to prevent upsetting the normal balances of gut flora but everything is so messed up right now I wonder if it will make any difference. I think the yogurt suggestion makes a lot of sense to help restore the good germs that are needed for digestion since the antibiotic kills those too. Just be sure to give it about 20 minutes after the baytril. Giving it at the same time may reduce the benefit of both.
I'm glad to hear there are signs of recovery but be on close guard.
Yeah before i came too work he seemed better but im lettin my guard down yet yeah i know to change the diet gradually but i was desperate to have him eating :( but thanks alot gray :) you were alot help
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I think Mazuri rocks :) glad to know he is feeling better! I have heard that Mazuri pellets make chins have smaller and sometimes softer poops so if you notice them a bit smaller don't worry. The food on him is okay, like Gray said use the washcloth. How long has it been since his dustbath? If its been a while you may still need to give him one, try having it with an open container and not for too long. Watch him closely.
Another thing I do with my chin (even tho he's healthy) is give him 500mg of Vitamin C once a week. I give him the chewables I found at walmart and he loves them!
I think since you had the fiesta mix (I know which one you're talking about) your chin picked through and ate all the yummy stuff that he shouldn't be eating (like treats). Many companies claim stuff is good for chinchillas but isn't; another good example of something to never get is that 12" 'chinchilla' exercise wheel from Petsmart. Every chinparent learned day by day :-)
Yeah i think gimzo knew that Mazuri rocks cause i just opened the bag and he went crazy jumping everywhere.. he got a dustbath bout 3 days ago... is it specially made vitamin c only for chins or is it human type? lol idk im learnin.... but yeah im learnin day by day :) tryin to be a good chinparent
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How's your chin's output tonight? You should be noticing a marked increase.
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How's your chin's output tonight? You should be noticing a marked increase.
This morning i checked his cage and he had small output better than before where it was nothin at all i also noticed hes been drinking water on his own now too not alot but a decent amount compared too nothing he sounds better i think he doesnt seem in that much distress as before and hes some what more active now hell come to the cage door and wait for some tlc so overall i see a improvement in the little guy ;)
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I am very glad to hear that. Thanks for the update.
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Ill keep updated tomorrow im off so im gonna spend all dayy with giz :) and lately he hasnt been fightin me with the medication administration
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I got the vitamin c for humans; 500 mg chewables :)
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It sound like the same thing I'm experiencing with my little guy. I made a video of mine. Does your sound like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3WTqrjC8EA&feature=youtu.be
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umm... jaime_riri, i think your chin might be just fine. The sound your chin makes in the video, thats the same sound my chin makes when she's irritated. Yours may be doing it for other reasons, but im not sure anything is actually wrong with your chin. chins can make some pretty interesting sounds sometimes... ::silly::