Advice needed for chin not eating

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
S

Snickers

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
1,825
Location
So Calif
I have a chin that was born 08/2007 she is with her 2 daughters from 2010. Her last kit was born 08/01/12. She has lost over 200 grs since 01/01/13. I have been to 2 vets probably since mid Oct. Nieither vets know what is wrong with her. X-rays were done of her mouth looks great, full body x-ray white spot near her rear end on spinal which is inconclusive since they couldn't get a good x-ray, liver & kidney good, fecal test (negative), blood work no because he couldn't get enough blood to send to lab. Medicines metacam, bactrim, cyroheptadine, reglan & something familiar to flagyl. She's been on reglan since Oct and flagyl she has 4 more days left on this. I thought she was getting better on the flagyl on the 1st week since she was only losing 5 grs or keeping her weight steady. The problem I have is that she needs to eat on her own. I'm feeding her 3x a day. She will gain what she eats plus some.
EX: 654 morning after feeding 670. 2nd feeding 650 after 672.
Every time I'm thinking about PTS she will do well in gaining weight. I was going to put her down 2x already. I'm getting frustrated because I don't know what to do.
 
Have you moved her into her own cage? I had two sisters that got along great, but one hogged all of the food, she wouldn't let the other eat. Was never any fighting or anything, it got to the point where the one "gave up" eating hardly anything because she wouldn't fight for it... could be an option?

I'm going to assume you had fecal done and it was negative? Are you using a probiotic with all of the meds she's been on?
 
Sometimes this will help. I give vitamin B-12 supplements to chins that seem to have lost weight or have little appetite. Some chins will eat more and feel better....it's a mood enhancer and can help a little with metabolism. Chins under stress or that have been ill can benefit from it because it helps to calm them down.
 
No, I haven't moved her into her own cage they are all bonded. They are free fed. Yes, fecal test negative. I'm giving her 1/3 capsule with each feeding. The mom will sometimes lye on her side and her daughters will hover over her. I just got done cleaning 2 cages one of the daughter's was by her side grooming her face.
 
Do you see her eating or by the food dish? The two girls I had never had any signs of issues, they'd snuggle, groom each other the whole works...

Have you tried someone like LifeLine? That would have the probiotics and Vit B probably...
 
Susan - how much B-12 should I give her and how many times a day?

Nicole - I used to see her eat by the dish the 1st week she was on her new med. I have grinded pellets, with supplement I got from Tricia. When I make her food I used cc, the pellets, and lifeline, & probiotics. I just got another supplement from FuzzieKingdom or something like that. She is active, and has lots of poops.
 
You can grind up an entire tablet of it (get the cherry flavored type) and put it in with her food...or give her a tablet to eat on her own. It will be of the most benefit if it can sit in her mouth for 20 to 30 seconds as she chews it up.
 
I highly recommend supplements by Fuzzies Kingdom. She has been around for a very long time, selling herbal supplements and is very knowledgeable on their medicinal value and use.

Not sure what the supplement from Tricia is or who Tricia is but unless the supplement has been tested over time by a very knowledgeable source, I would be leery to use it. No offense meant to anyone, obviously I do not know all sources of chin safe products.
 
AZChins said:
You can grind up an entire tablet of it (get the cherry flavored type) and put it in with her food...or give her a tablet to eat on her own. It will be of the most benefit if it can sit in her mouth for 20 to 30 seconds as she chews it up.
Click to expand...

Is that a tablet every feeding? Do you ladies think I should only feed her 2x hoping that she will eat on her own?

EMS - I just got the supplement from Fuzziekingdom Wed and tried to give it to her last night. I might have to grind it up in her feed.
 
Does she act hungry when fed or are you fighting her? I think I would want to revisit the blood panel that was not done, looking at her liver enzymes and sugar levels.
 
Sometimes she does fight. She does act like she is hungry. I just got done feeding her with no fighting. I don't burrito wrap her she will sit on my leg her front paws on one of my hands. If it's her liver enzymes & sugar levels is that one of the possibilities she's not eating on her own? Does that mean more medicines or the outcome is worse? I just don't understand why she doesn't eat on her own she has no mouth/teeth problems.
 
Nan, I would try separating her since nothing else is working. At least then you could really determine if she's touching any food you're offering her.
 
Primary and secondary liver disease can cause inappetence and anorexia, diabetes can cause weight loss with good appetite. Reason I ask if she is hungry is does she have a appetite or is it she cant eat because he mouth hurts-there are dental issues that do not show up on x-rays or visually during a oral exam.
 
ticklechin said:
Primary and secondary liver disease can cause inappetence and anorexia, diabetes can cause weight loss with good appetite. Reason I ask if she is hungry is does she have a appetite or is it she cant eat because he mouth hurts-there are dental issues that do not show up on x-rays or visually during a oral exam.
Click to expand...

I can put the syringe by her mouth she goes after it like she's starving.
 
She has an appt Wed morning for blood work. If it's liver or sugar is there reasonable treatments for this?

B-12 she eats like candy.
 
Nan, any time I have encountered a similar situation, I have isolated them at least in different cages. You have to do this since you can't be certain that the others in the cage aren't preventing her from eating (since you cannot watch them 24/7). I would recommend a cage next to their cage so she doesn't feel completely alone. This is what has worked for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top