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Author Topic: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u  (Read 1441 times)

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TarHeelsFan1

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Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« on: April 29, 2016, 07:48:52 AM »

Hello, I'm new and have a 12 year old chin named Scrappy. To begin with he is a picky eater. He only eats sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruit. Once in awhile he eats his Timothy hay. I noticed this week he wasn't eating his seeds. He is still pooping and active. When I put him in his ball he rolled around the room. He is fur seems matter by his hind quarters. After reading online I assume it's his teeth. I have a vet appointment on Monday. That wasnthe soonest they could get me in. My question is, can I feed him anything until then? I'm worried :(
Thanks, Danell
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GrayRodent

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Re: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2016, 10:13:05 AM »

I'm sorry your chinchilla is not doing very well. I really hate to say this but your chinchillas diet is very unhealthy. Chinchillas should eat only high quality alfalfa based pellets and loose timothy hay. Treats of dried fruit can be given occasionally (maybe one really small piece a day) but should never be considered part of the diet. Personally I don't give my chins treats anymore. Such a diet that you describe can cause damage to their internal organs over time and tooth decay.

Matting around the hind quarters caused by drooling. This and preference for soft food indicates dental problems which are usually fatal in chinchillas.
You can try to have the teeth filed if the roots aren't too long. The roots of bad teeth can extrude into the eye socket and brain and this is very common and nasty thing to deal with. You should get an x-ray to make that assessment.

Usually having the teeth filed is a temporary fix and the teeth will have to be managed throughout the chinchilla's lifetime which normally isn't very long once malocclusion occurs. Dental malocclusion is a progressive disease. Rodent's teeth constantly grow and must stay perfectly aligned. As fiber (from an appropriate diet) is chewed the teeth constantly wear. If the wear is uneven the teeth will extrude outwards and cause damage to the inside of the mouth. These spikes, or spurs can be trimmed if found but unless the alignment of the teeth is proper will return.

If these problems are caused by diet and the teeth are overgrown because the animal is not chewing properly since it has been picking out the soft stuff there is a small chance switching to an appropriate diet and trimming the teeth may improve the condition. Most attempts at this are unsuccessful and you should not dismiss the option of euthanasia. Discuss this with your vet. Some veterinarians will try to convince you that one treatment is a cure. I've seen this and I've seen it fail and the owner gets very upset with the vet. Sometimes filing the teeth has no effect at all.

If these problems are caused by defect in the skull as many chinchillas are not bred properly and the defect is congenital euthanasia is recommended.

With that being said malocclusion, although the most common cause of these symptoms, is not the only possible cause. A vet exam is certainly needed.

You need to obtain instructions and supplies from your vet. See if you can at least pick up syringe feeding supplies and a recovery diet such as oxbow critical care without taking your pet in. If antibiotics are prescribed keep in mind this can also cause a chinchilla to stop eating and its food intake must be carefully monitored through the course of treatment. Syringe feeding is necessary at this time.

I hope everything works out well for you. I think you need to be very guarded about this one.
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TarHeelsFan1

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Re: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2016, 10:27:27 AM »

Thanks for your response. I put the Kaytee brand food for him to eat but he literally picks out the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and what I believe is raisins. He will leave the pellets. I've tried to put just pellets in his bowl, he will dig through it and just stare at me. It's like he refuses to eat the fiber.
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GrayRodent

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Re: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2016, 11:45:42 AM »

See if you can get supplies before the clinic closes for the weekend and keep that appt.
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TarHeelsFan1

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Re: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2016, 12:28:39 PM »

I just called and the vet said to take his food, add water, and mix it in a blender. Then feed him using a syringe. He's still pretty active. He hops from ledge to ledge in his cage and rolled around in his ball a couple of days ago. I haven't had him in his ball since because I've been busy with work. I appreciate your advice.
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TarHeelsFan1

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Re: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2016, 03:50:35 PM »

So blending chin food so it can fit through a syringe is not easy. Any suggestions?
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Re: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2016, 09:52:59 AM »

Ok there is a lot of things wrong with your post. Chinchillas should not have nuts, seed or fruit. That could be causing gut and teeth issues in your pet. Cut out everything and only feed pellets and hay. Kaytee food is junk. Its similar to feeding ice cream at every meal.

The ball is also harmful to your chinchilla. It forces them to run with an arched back which can cause arthritis. Occassionally pain can cause them to stop eating.

Do you have a knowledgeable vet? I would suggest a vet visit and xrays to check the teeth. You are welcome to post a copy of the xrays here to double check them
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Re: Not eating, vet appointment on Monday u
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2016, 05:27:33 PM »

The best thing you can do without having the critical care diet is to grind food and make it wet. You can feed it with a spoon. If the vet does not or cannot supply this you should find another vet who can because this would indicate incompetence.
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