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[Squirrel_Butt]

Nine years ago, I lost my first Chin Puff.  After he passed I tried to administer CPR, but I knew he was gone, and didn't pump his heart.  Now nine years later, I recovered the thought from the back of my mind.  If a chin stops breathing or the heart stops beating, is it theoretically possible to perform CPR to save them? From my perspective, it would seem to be a remote chance at best.

[PSV]

In my opinion it's not an option since their ribcage is quite easy to be damaged. Simply performing a heart massage could end up with several broken ribs or worse, a rib stuck in the lungs or any other nearby organ.

[dianah]

i think the way it's normally done (post surgery complications etc) is a stimulating injection (adrenaline? don't know if that's used on chins). i think they are too fragile for compressions but even if they weren't... would you know where to press? how often? the count would be different to human cpr i would imagine.

[Squirrel_Butt]

 When Puff died, it was 5 minutes after he passed when I started rescue breathing, so I didn't even attempt a compression. Also didn't even know the breath to compression ratio. With a human a rib or even the sternum can be crushed too. The thought just came back to the front of my mind and I wondered the actual feasibility of it.  Thanks for answering.

[dianah]

i'm sorry about puff it must have been heartbreaking.

human ribcage can get crushed too but it's usually easier to fix a human collapsed lung (should it get pierced) once the person is stable. with a chinchilla, it's a lot harder and the ribs could pierce all sorts of organs so perhaps that's why it's not advisable.

[texchin]

I volunteer at and animal shelter and I've seen the vet techs revive many feral cats by picking them up and dropping them from a height of about 3'. The jolt restarts their heart. Maybe something like a vigorous rubbing or a small drop might work for the more delicate chinchilla?

The way I see it: the animal is dead and you do nothing it stays dead. Your lack of action isn't right or wrong--it was your personal choice to not intervene and you allowed the animal to rest in peace.

If you chose to intervene it's likely that your efforts will not work and the animal stays dead. You tried. On the other hand--if your efforts to revive the animal are successful then you've given it a second chance.

[Squirrel_Butt]

Oh it was heartbreaking.  I can still remember that day in 2002 when he died.  He screamed at about 6:30 AM.  5 minutes later I try rescue breathing, but don't attempt compressions as i knew he was already gone.  The day was spent between crying, cursing to the Lord, falling asleep, then crying, and so on.  


Wouldn't dropping a chin injure it? Chins are so much more fragile than cats.

[dianah]

i am so sorry. i went through the same thing when chinchi died last year i still do, sometimes.

i would imagine dropping a chin would kill it in a life threatening situation - an 18 inch accidental fall can kill a chin. chins and cats = very different!

[texchin]

If you do nothing (and this isn't wrong) it stays dead. If you try something that under normal circumstances would kill a chin--big deal--you're doing it to a dead chin.  You can't kill an already dead animal, right? But there is a chance--even if it is minute--that you could revive it. Maybe drop it from a few inches? Maybe give it a shake? Maybe rub it vigorously?

[dianah]

yes but what if you revive it, cause major organ damage and effectively kill the chin again but this time cause it prolonged suffering? there are more outcomes than 1/stays dead 2/wakes up and is fine.

[Squirrel_Butt]

I would have to agree with Dianah. Looking back, I guess it was good that I didn't try the compressions.

[texchin]

I suppose you are right. I know myself and I would probably err on the side of doing too much, esp. if I didn't think the critter I was trying to help was not old or ill...

I didn't say earlier, but I am terribly sorry for the loss of your beloved Puff. It's obvious that you loved him very much and did everything you could. Don't second guess yourself--it's only causing extra heartache. (((hugs))) to you.

[Squirrel_Butt]

Thanks.   Puff was my first chin. Chip is my second.
My recent loss was Frisbee. She died on July 15th from complications due to pyometra.  She became lethargic, so I brought her to the vet, She improved, then passed away the next night at the vet. We thought it was lead poisoning at first. We thought she was a male.  So the day she was in the vet, she was under palliative care as she was too weak even for blood work. The vet and me fought  for her to the end but she passed away in her sleep.  I ordered the necropsy which revealed Pyometra and that she was in fact a female. All the critical care she had the day before was still in her stomach. I had the uterine tissue biopsied, and had Frisbee cremated.  The biopsy didn't reveal a full blown pyometra, so it is suspected that she had a secondary infection in her body.  She was a sick little chin. She lost one of her incisors when she was younger, then would get infections every year.  It was a miracle that she lasted that long.

After I got the ashes back, I got my new chin Raisin who was carying 2 kits.

[dianah]

that is so sad i think it's very difficult to diagnose pyometra, especially when it's closed pyometra and hence there are no obvious outward symptoms that would point towards the problem. i had a pyometra scare when mae, my rescue girl, was acting really strangely and had an odd discharge so i rushed her to the vet who thought it did not look like the right discharge for pyometra and that mae was on heat and possibly had stomach cramps (she kept standing up and moving as though she was trying to push something out - she's missing a back leg, she never stands up!!!) and indeed, that's what it was! i was so relieved because even though my vet has spayed a chinchilla before, it's quite an extensive surgery and mae is quite a sickly chinchilla! but i think going in their sleep is the best way one could wish for. sure, it's horrible for us, but hopefully not for them.

[texchin]

Wow Squirrel_butt you have been through the ringer with your chinchillas! Surely there must be some smooth sailing on the horizon for you.  Your sickly and ill chinchillas found their way to you because somehow someone knew that you would do right by them. 

Kudos and I'm sorry for such a rotten run of back luck.