Sick chin? Tooth problems?

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nirelocin

New member
Joined
Aug 30, 2018
Messages
2
Location
New Hampshire
Hello! I’m Erin and I’m the owner of a 4 year old chin named Samwell. I got him for my 17th birthday (he was a surprise, which most people know isn’t usually the best idea) and I love him very very much but didn’t really know anything about chinchillas when I got him I’ve tried to educate myself but I made some mistakes along the way I’m sure.
My problem that I have now, and the reason why I’m asking in this forum, is that for a while now, Samwell has been seemingly having tooth issues. After some research I’m pretty sure that’s what it is, but he has been (and I’m awful at explaining things so this might not make sense) opening his jaw wide as if he has something stuck in his mouth? And it makes a sort of clicking noise?
He seems to be eating normally (I think, it’s hard to tell because he’s a picky eater and doesn’t eat much to begin with) and he has the same amount of energy as usual, but he’s also been drinking way more water than normal. Like, I try to refill as often as possible but usually he still has water in his bottle after a few days. Over the past few days it’s like I need to refill every other day because he’s drained it dry.
Then there’s the issue of the very smelly pee... which could be because I did change his food recently, and I’m going to go back to the food I used to give him to see if that’s a cause.

Basically I have anxiety and I constantly feel like I’m doing a really bad job of raising him and I have this feeling that he’s sick but I’m probably overreacting... just want to see if anyone else has had these issues? My mom and I have already contacted the nearest vet (an hour away) who deals with “exotic animals” and it seems that an initial checkup and possible tooth filing could cost up to $450, not to mention if there’s something else wrong... figured I would get some tips on here first.
 
Hello! I’m Erin and I’m the owner of a 4 year old chin named Samwell. I got him for my 17th birthday (he was a surprise, which most people know isn’t usually the best idea) and I love him very very much but didn’t really know anything about chinchillas when I got him I’ve tried to educate myself but I made some mistakes along the way I’m sure.
My problem that I have now, and the reason why I’m asking in this forum, is that for a while now, Samwell has been seemingly having tooth issues. After some research I’m pretty sure that’s what it is, but he has been (and I’m awful at explaining things so this might not make sense) opening his jaw wide as if he has something stuck in his mouth? And it makes a sort of clicking noise?
He seems to be eating normally (I think, it’s hard to tell because he’s a picky eater and doesn’t eat much to begin with) and he has the same amount of energy as usual, but he’s also been drinking way more water than normal. Like, I try to refill as often as possible but usually he still has water in his bottle after a few days. Over the past few days it’s like I need to refill every other day because he’s drained it dry.
Then there’s the issue of the very smelly pee... which could be because I did change his food recently, and I’m going to go back to the food I used to give him to see if that’s a cause.

Basically I have anxiety and I constantly feel like I’m doing a really bad job of raising him and I have this feeling that he’s sick but I’m probably overreacting... just want to see if anyone else has had these issues? My mom and I have already contacted the nearest vet (an hour away) who deals with “exotic animals” and it seems that an initial checkup and possible tooth filing could cost up to $450, not to mention if there’s something else wrong... figured I would get some tips on here first.
 
Based on your chin's symptoms I think a vet visit is needed. To start with the opening his mouth wide could actually be something stuck in his teeth, like a piece of hay or a wood sliver. It's also possible, if his molars haven't been wearing down properly that they have over grown and are trapping his tongue. The other possibility is malocclusion, so x-rays will need to be taken to rule out teeth and root problems.

The next issue, what are you feeding him? and how much does he eat? Chins should eat about 2 tablespoons worth of good quality chinchilla pellets and about a half full worth of hay per day. The increase in water intake and the smelly pee makes me think possibly diabetes. The two main signs of diabetes is increased drinking and increased peeing. The other possibility for smelly pee that comes to mind is urinary tract infection. Sudden change in food can cause upset stomach, but that results in wet poop not smelly pee.
 
My chinchillas do yawn, but very infrequently, and what you are describing doesn’t sound like yawning. I do think that this may be a dental problem. Malocclusion is a common chinchilla dental problem. Malocclusion occurs when a chinchilla’s front teeth (incisors) or back teeth (molars) fail to grow in proper alignment. This causes uneven wear of the chinchilla’s teeth. The nurse may have to take X-rays, so please do try to find a good nurse in your area to help you with that. The signs of a chinchilla dental problem can include change in appetite, anorexia, wet chin from drooling, puddles of drool, dropping food, matted fur around the chin and fore paws from grooming, discharge from the eyes or nose, weight loss, or abscesses along the jaw. I would recommended trying to find a small animal or exotic pet veterinarian right away. Another thing could be to check his diet. It sounds like you provide fresh water (that has been boiled and cooled), but what pellets are you feeding? You should feed about 1-2 tablespoons of pellets a day, and the pellets shouldn’t have anything in it (sunflower seeds, oats, colorful bits of sugary things) besides the actual pellets. I would recommended Mazuri pellets or Oxbow chinchilla pellets. Make sure you aren’t feeding too many treats. I would recommend a half of a shredded wheat or once or twice a week, a sliver of an almond every three months or one goji berry every three months. Make sure that you always have fresh hay for your chinchilla, and whenever they eat all of it or the majority of it, refill it. Timothy hay is recommended. Make sure that your chinchilla has a lot of chew toys, but in the end, just find a vet and make an appointment as soon as possible. :spinstar:

RESOURCES: https://www.petcha.com/common-chinchilla-dental-problems/
http://azeah.com/chinchillas/dental-problems
 
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