A little rescue adventure

[Claire D]

Good on you for taking this little fella on.
How is he doing now?
Is he eating, drinking, peeing, pooping, and managing to get around yet?

I know you're trying to deal with him at home at the moment but the lack of droppings and heat exhaustion/stroke are real concerns - in the type of situation you have described the chin should really be taken to a vet to be fully assessed - the problem you have right now is no proper diagnosis so you are not really sure what you're trying to treat.
He may need prescribed meds and more fluids etc.

Have you managed to get him in to see a chinchilla competent vet at all?

Chins which have suffered heat exhaustion/stroke can die several days after the initial problem (even with intensive vet and 'nursing' care) so it's definitely worth getting him checked out asap.

Good luck with him and please do keep us posted on his progress.

 

[Mandy]

He's doing much better than he was this morning. Much better. I started giving him the gas drops every 3-4 hours and it seems to be helping. His stomach is very bloated, but one side seems to have gone down a bit.
He's passing a few poops here and there and his overall grumpy mood has left. He did pee for the first time since he's been here around noon.
He's starting to want to hop around and explore my desk. I'm giving him a mix of water/pineapple juice/baby food/pumpkin as I was told it would help move whatever may be there along.
He did let go of 2 poops just now that looked packed together..so I guess I'll be seeing more of those..

The vet techs checked him out I believe when they gave him his sub-Q fluids, but he has not seen an exotics vet yet. We called today but were put on hold and they closed real early today..so I will have to try again tomorrow.
There may be a vet that works with the shelter. That's what I have to check with to see what they want to do about the situation.

Overall he's doing better..like I said. He's even starting to nibble loose hay I give him. Still not really taking pellets, but seems curious about them.
Other than that he's mostly happy and comfortable sitting on my lap and watching the computer or sleeping..so I'm letting him do that while I off and on rub his belly.

 

[Claire D]

Poor little fella - he does not look well in that photo and if he is bloated then he really needs to see a vet asap to be assessed and a treatment regimen started.

I would not recommend home treating him at all - you need a proper diagnosis and prescribed medication.

It is worth having a look at Meanie's thread about Sparky (here) as it is full of information about treating a chin who came into a rescue situation with gut issues. What you have on top of whatever is going on with this little chap's gut is heat stroke/exhaustion and that complicates the situation further.

I would not give him anything sweet as you don't know what you're dealing with - whilst the principle of using pineapple juice is based on the effects of the digestive enzyme bromelian and the osmotic effects of the juice itself, the risks of using a sweet product are high - sweet/sugary foods can lead to over-fermenation of bacteria in the gut leading to further gas production and bloating because the gut function is already slowed.

I'm really glad he appears to be doing a bit better but please take him to a vet.

 

[ticklechin]

Why ask for help here? From another forum.

I like how I'm getting told not to self-vet on another forum.. really? I'm trying to help him..not self-vet.

first Mandy you can tell those people on the "other forum" to take care of their own pets and to keep their traps shut
you are one in a million and you do an awesome job

 

[Mandy]

And did I come on here and tell you all to shut your traps? No. That would've been rude.
And that's a little creepy/childish for you to go around to another forum and try to use that against me here.

I wanted advice from different breeders and rescues with experience who have dealt with this sort of thing. I got advice on another forum that was to hold him over..that obviously wasn't the best. (As I'm just finding out from a personal message bashing, thank you) I never had the intentions not to bring him to the vet if I can.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Aww. He is adorable Mandy. Glad you were there to save him

I hope he has a speedy recovery.

 

[liewwan]

If you're working w/the humain society they normally have a vet tech set up for you onsite and off site and will provide the info in case of emergancy. Most are covered by the humain society being a foster parent for any sick animals. You will have to advise them of the severity of the situation. Even if your regular vet is closed, the shelter/humain society will set you up with a different qualified vet for the sake of the animal's well being.
Any relations to a neglected chin shouldn't be overlooked nor self treat because of more internal issues could be at risk.
He can be dehydrated and with him not taking in much fluids, it's not going to help the situation, the vet will have to get fluids in him.
Pineapple juice does help with blockage, but in your case it's not what you're dealing with. Especially with bloat sugar doesn't help improve the situation.
I understand you're trying your best to help this baby, but you have to understand we're not trying to tell you what to do. Advise was asked and we answer.

 

[ticklechin]

I have to wonder at this "shelter" that allowed a obviously sick animal to leave its care without a vet check and just released it to someone to take home and self vet with no support basically here you go, good luck. Regardless if the animal was mine or not, it would be at a vet, that is what you do when you rescue, you put the chin first and if you can't you let someone who could do it.

 

[Mandy]

We didn't notice his digestive problems until the morning after he came home. When he got to the shelter he was in the middle of a heat stroke and was doing much better after sub-q fluids. I took him home for him to recover from that episode.


Ticklechin - It's ridiculous that you keep commenting. It seems you only want to continue dragging drama into this. You must not completely understand. I'm not a rescue. I'm the only person that understood chinchillas at the time of his arrival, so they were trusting my judgement. We're talking about the local pound. They deal with dogs and cats day in and day out. Not exotic animals. You don't seem to want to read and understand..rather just jump to your own conclusions.

I've already asked a mod to close this thread.. as it seems fighting is all this forum is good for, but then again, I assume the moderator is only in on the drama as well - which is sorry.

liewwan - I was taking the advice of someone who was trying to help me hold the chinchilla over until he could be examined by the vet. What he has me doing worked as he is passing stool frequently now (as well as wanting to move around and eat his hay and nibble pellets) as opposed to yesterday when there was nothing being passed. The only advice I was getting otherwise was to take him to the vet and hope I don't kill him trying to 'self-vet'.

For anyone actually worried about the chinchilla - good news is I did finally get in touch with one of the head vet techs at the shelter. She's going to call me back in a bit as she's wrapping up surgery to sit down and focus on what's going on with the little guy.

 

[ticklechin]

What drama? A shelter who lets a animal leave who is obviously sick without seeing one of their vets to be released to a person who is not a rescue, has limited experience with chinchillas to be left on their own to care for it is negligent. Its not drama, when one is told to take the animal to a vet even if its on their own dime, its actually caring for a chins welfare, those of us who are actually rescue take this very seriously.

 

[lauralynne]

Do not continue to self-police. If you don't like something that someone has said, that is what the exclamation point is for in the top right corner of the posts.