Paralyzed Chinchilla

[Essentia]

So I went and picked up Houdini today. He had a china cabinet dropped on him and he is paralyzed from the back down. He has no use of his back legs at all. Surprisingly enough, his owner did meet me, which I thought was a major surprise since she was completely shady from the beginning. He is eating and pooing. He loves the Oxbow hay I have. She didn't give me any food (of course) so I am having to do a cold switch to PANR. Here's hoping everything goes ok. He is wearing a "back brace" since supposedly he has a broken vertebrae, but it doesn't seem to be supporting anything at all. Do you think I should just take it off to make him more comfortable? It's literally just a piece of ace bandage type material around his middle.

When I got him home I picked him up to check him over. He had the largest "hair ring" I have ever seen. It wasn't even a ring, the hair was completely caked onto his penis, so it wouldn't go into its sheath. I soaked it and warm water to loosen the caked on fur and that's when the blood came, a little bit of puss too. I have no idea how long it had been since he was able to urinate. She said he had been peeing, but that would have been impossible through he caked on hair. Since he can't get to it to eat it, I put some antibiotic ointment on it and called my vet. He was in with a patient so I am waiting on a call back. I am checking on it several times today and keeping it moist, since it was hard as a rock from not being in the sheath.

Should I start him on antibiotics? I have Baytril and Sulfa antibiotics. I can wait on my vet to call me back, but I figured you guys would know as well. I did give him some metacam for the pain. I know he could feel something when I was getting the hair mat off because he started biting me, when before that he was very friendly.

This poor baby. I feel so bad for him. I have a vet appointment for tomorrow morning to see what he says. I want to see if he thinks there is any hope for him regaining the use of his legs, or not. If not I am going to go ahead and put him down. I can't imagine him living even a decent life dragging himself around.

Here is a picture of the sleepy boy after the penis ordeal.

Here is a picture of his "back brace".

And here is his Xray. I doubt you can see anything, but supposedly there is a broken vertebrae there.

I can try to make it larger if anyone wants to take a closer look at it.



Any advice at all of what to do to make him more comfortable would be helpful. Also, any advice about his penis would also be helpful.

 

[NewMommy2Chins]

Aww this is heartbreaking. I hope everything goes well with the vet appointment. I pray he will regain use of his back legs. )): He is a beautiful chin ! Wish you guys the best !

 

[mishellyshel]

He is so cute and it makes me so sad that he is in that condition. I am sure you will make the right decision.

 

[EveningChin]

Wow. That is incredibly sad! I hope you get good news!

They make wheelchairs for small dogs, could that work for him too?

 

[Essentia]

Possibly for playtime, but even then he just lays in his cage. I have moved his pellets, water, hay, and some chew toys all within reachable distance to him. He has been munching on the hay and pellets but he hasn't drank anything yet.

He is on a towel right now because I wasn't sure the fleece would absorb his urine well enough, and I didn't want bedding to irritate his penis any more than it already is.

 

[Rickman]

How long has he been this way? Did her vet make any suggestions?
Poor guy, and hard decisions ahead - good luck with him!

 

[Essentia]

How long has he been this way? Did her vet make any suggestions?
Poor guy, and hard decisions ahead - good luck with him!

He had the accident on April 9th. The vet put the back brace on him and gave her a long list of medications. She did give me all his meds, but I have only given him the metacam. She said that was all she had given him as well. I am going to go through all the meds tomorrow with the vet to see what he actually needs and what he doesn't. The vet said he has a chance of regaining the use of his legs, but I'm not sure if that was just what his owner wanted to hear or not.

 

[Rickman]

I guess anything other than a full recovery would leave him in pain - are you going to a different vet? That "backbrace" doesn't look too professional to me - I'd think there'd be something stiff in it to keep his spine straight, and how could a vet miss a hair ring that size? Maybe he was a emergency vet??

 

[Chinniechantel]

Has his penis went back into the sheath? If not, hair rings will keep being a problem, so keep an eye on that. Fleece seems to be much worse than wood shavings, in my experience with a chin with a very swollen penis. The shavings kept it the cleanest. I would give him a while to see if he does regain some use of his legs. I have a good feeling about him. Maybe he could be ok with only 2 legs..I have heard of that before.

 

[andymilo]

poor poor baby!!! he is so cute!!! i wish you all the best with this little guy!!! :'(...it breaks my heart

 

[Essentia]

I guess anything other than a full recovery would leave him in pain - are you going to a different vet? That "backbrace" doesn't look too professional to me - I'd think there'd be something stiff in it to keep his spine straight, and how could a vet miss a hair ring that size? Maybe he was a emergency vet??

It may have just been since after the accident that the hair started getting stuck there since he was urinating on himself? I have no idea. I just don't want him to be in any pain.

And yes, the vet visit tomorrow is with my vet, in Jacksonville. This chin is from Orlando.

Has his penis went back into the sheath? If not, hair rings will keep being a problem, so keep an eye on that. Fleece seems to be much worse than wood shavings, in my experience with a chin with a very swollen penis. The shavings kept it the cleanest. I would give him a while to see if he does regain some use of his legs. I have a good feeling about him. Maybe he could be ok with only 2 legs..I have heard of that before.

The tip of his penis is exposed. It is raw right now, so I am thinking the shavings will irritate it. I will see how the towel works. I would think it would draw the liquid away from him. I will be changing the towel daily since he is laying in the same spot.

With his back legs not working he literally just lays in his cage. If I take him out (like I did very carefully when I wanted to check him over) he will scoot around. I payed him on the counter for a moment and he went to sliding all over the counter. I just don't think there is any quality of life there. He seems so depressed, which heck, I would be as well.

 

[HaleyGoBoom]

I'm glad you got him and not someone else off CL! How did she manage to drop a china cabinet on the poor thing? The back brace looks useless to me, just putting pressure on the area I guess is what an ace bandage would do? I'd say he'd need something with straight support, that's just what would make sense in my opinion.

I wish you the best of luck Houdini!

 

[CerLynn]

Poor little guy, that's just heartbreaking. Best of luck at the vet; hopefully there's a chance of recovery... I imagine it's a good sign that he felt you working at the matted fur. We'll be keeping our fingers (and paws) crossed for this little guy!

 

[Essentia]

Supposedly he got behind the china cabinet during playtime and she moved it trying to get him out. Why she didn't just lure him out with a treat or a dust bath I will never know.

 

[ABBY W.]

So, wait this person left the poor guy in this condition for nearly two weeks?!!!
Well, that just ticks me off! I am so glad you got him Essentia. At least we know he will get responsible care now.

 

[Essentia]

So, wait this person left the poor guy in this condition for nearly two weeks?!!!
Well, that just ticks me off! I am so glad you got him Essentia. At least we know he will get responsible care now.

He saw a vet the same day it happened. She decided to not put him down.

 

[Sandi]

What a tough little guy! I'm glad your taking care of him, poor little guy

 

[S & C's Chin]

I would think that if he had some sort of under-belly lift/wheel thingamajig, he would be able to get around in a single level cage. I envision the bed of my son's toy pick attached to him. I have seen the dog wheelchairs, but I think those would be too big except for playtime, like you said.

My sister, when we were in elementary, had her hamster get out. A few days later she showed up, but she was dragging her back half. We guessed she had been paralyzed. She could still pee and poo, so my sister wanted to keep her. My parents decided to give it a couple of days to see how the hamster did. I got one of my little matchbox cars, and my dad wrapped her with gauze, then wrapped the car to her. It worked like a charm. Baby, the hamster, got along well in her cage - we even caught her in her wheel a few times, and she lived about two more years. Mom would change her gauze daily, and would leave it off of her during sleep time, and I don't think Baby was ever unhappy.

Anyways, that's my story. Hopefully, Houdini will regain his legs, and never have to know what a "wheelchair" will feel. I wish you the best of luck!!

 

[LovableFuzziezandCrawliez]

I just don't think there is any quality of life there. He seems so depressed, which heck, I would be as well.

Oh that is so sad, the pictures of the "brace" made me cry! Literally, crying.

I also have to wonder about his quality of life. It breaks my heart to say this but if nothing can be done and his back won't ever improve you may have to consider euthanasia. Even though he can defecate ok the fact he can't move well on his own is a problem. Realistically, you can't keep him in a tiny cage with everything crowded around him forever.

Has he had water yet? I know you mentioned he hasn't had a drink.

I don't understand why she decided not to put him down but then gave him away. She couldn't handle it so she passes the problem to someone else.

With his hair ring being that bad he was probably in a huge amount of pain as it was without having his back broken. The poor thing.

I really hope the vet can give you some good news and I am really happy he is with you!!

 

[aznmexaggie]

That poor chin... I hope he will be able to regain use of his legs but if he remains paralyzed and in that condition, I would consider his quality of life... Stuck in one spot, unable to move around, only able to eat or drink what's placed in front of his face... that doesn't seem like a happy life for a chinchilla.