Chin in pain! Help?

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M

midnight

Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
16
Okay so my chinchilla is clearly not feeling well. My chin gets hyper and runs around and explores. Right now when I put him on the floor he finds a spot where he can rest and not move. I normally hear him run in his wheel since his wheel does make noise, but there's no turning of the wheel these nights. He usually hates the dog, now he'll let me leave him beside the dog. I haven't seen him eating nor drinking. I have seen very few droppings in his cage. He is pumping air in and out of his lungs all the time. Just staring at his eyes, he seems in pain and just wants to rest. It's been almost three days now. I can hardly sleep at night. He's around 7-8 years old and always been in good health. His cage is clean. Water's been chage, been eating the same batch of food for maybe amonth or so (chinchilla food and guiniea pig pellets (he has eaten them since his early years because he never eats chinchilla pellets)). Temperture is freezing nor is it extremely hot (hot is pretty cool). The last time I have seen him look right was before going to work and he came to eat his food I put in his bin. He was excited like always before yesterday. Than I come back the came day and realise he's not waiting in his normal spot to get out. That's when I see he's looks in pain and his airing quite rapidly. I can't get to the vet. I will have to convience my parents. They say he just need some rest. But I'm really worried. I barely sleep at night. I love my chinchilla A LOT! He's been my little baby for a really long time. I just want to see his happy expression on his face again and see him run around hopping everywhere once more. Please help.
 
You definitely need to get him to the vet. Chinchillas mask injury and illlness very well, so if he is acting that different he is REALLY not feeling well. Plus, if he stops eating he can develop GI stasis. He needs to see a vet to figure out what's wrong, and to give him medication to stimulate his appetite and GI movement.
 
Take him to a vet. If he's having trouble breathing and he is in pain, you should be at the vet rather than on a forum. Respiratory issues in chins can be deadly and they have a very small window in which to get treatment.

Get to a vet.
 
There is no hope but to get him to a vet, you need to tell your parents he is very ill. Have them come on the forum if they don't believe you. What is the temperature where his cage is?
 
You don't need advice on how to help ur chin, you need advice on how to convince your parents to take him to the vet!
Maybe tell ur parents that he's suffering?
I hope you can convince your parents in time :cry3:
 
It may be too late already. This chin could be suffering from anything at this point. It's always best to get the chin into the vet at the first sign that anything is wrong. Chins hide that they are having a problem until many times it is too late. I hope he makes it.
 
Chinchillas are expensive to keep. But, if you are their owner, you just have to take care of them no matter what... Your parents should be happy that you are a responsible person who wants to take him to a vet.
 
My chinchilla is finally drinking. Thank god for that. Hid ears and paws are not hot. Still he remains motionless. We called the vet. They don't treat rodents. My parents called another vet, they haven't answered. Now I'm worried that they will answer after the weekends are finished. He is still breathing hard and he's not eating much. His cage in living room against a wall. That's the area he prefers being since he always been there. I might think his teeth might have grown longer and it hurts him to eat. Or maybe he is contipitated. I'm not so sure. Can any of you guys tell me what to do until the vet answers my call or I find another vet? I really not sure how to make him feel better. It would help again.

Thanks.
 
Just keep calling. Most vet offices are open on Saturdays also, and 24 hour offices are open all the time. Where is "somewhere" on Canada? Someone can probably help you find vets to call.
 
Hi midnight

call 418-840-0444 Dr. Marie Pierre Rainville
they are open on Saturday's, she is really good, and probably the best in Quebec City
 
Hey guys, it's time I gave you an update. The vets in Quebec City had some kind of stupid meeting and wouldn't be open until Tuesday night. So my mom called vets around Quebec to see if there were any open on Saturday. Most of the vets were on vacation. We almost gave up when we called Sherbrooke and they said they would take my chinchilla in on that very day (his name's Chilla by the way). So we packed our stuff and got in the car. It takes about 3 hours to get to Sherbrooke from my place. I kept him in shade out of the sun in a little basket and a blanket. If he were his normal self, he would have jumped out and I guess he wouldn't want to stay still. We finally get there and go see the vet. At last! The vet asks questions, weighs him, takes temperature and inspects him. Clearly he doesn't look good. He checks his teeth. He has a chipped tooth from one of the bottom teeth which I couldn't see right since I don't how to open a chin's mouth. That was one reason he didn't eat. His tooth was arranged. Chilla was trying to fight back because his mouth was wide open. It hurt to him cry. He couldn't stay standing up, he was weak (he didn't flop to the side). He hadn't eaten for a while. For his breathing, well it wasn't the vet wasn't sure what it was. He listened to Chilla's breathing but nothing was odd in the inside. But the vet did give us medication to prevent some illness. Chilla was happy to take medication and took with no problem. We fed him with baby food as asked. But things did not get any better after feeding and going to see my grandmother who lives nearby. My mother believes he the medication shocked him. He did have an empty stomach and took a big affect on that. He was in the corner of his basket drooling and taking deep breaths. I took him out for a second. Staring at him scared me. I decided putting him back in his basket. He flopped to the side. I nudged him to stand. He did. I tried cleaning him up lifting him softly in the air. Setting him back down, he flopped back. I saw his last gasps before his life slipped away. It hurt to see him in such way. My mom picked him up and examined him. He was in a ball, a position he would never let himself be in. He was dead. So yeah, Chilla isn't around anymore. It's going to be weird not feeding him anymore, morning and evening. Not hearing his wheel spin at night. And when I get a new chinchilla, things aren't going to be the same as they use to be. The chin will have different habits than Chilla. And the new chin won't be named Chilla since Chilla's name is Chilla's. It hurts to know he isn't around with me. He has been with me half my life (about). It's really sad.
 
I'm sorry for your loss. It's never easy loosing a pet.

It really sounds like he went into shock and was in pain from his teeth problems. Unfortunately chinchillas are prey animals so they hide their pain normally until it's too late to help.
 
Thanks guys. I wish they would show their pain. If only I knew some time earlier would he still be alive (maybe).
 
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