aspirating?

[Brittany]

Info on the whole situation: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20066

This particular batch of CC was on the liquidy side, I was just feeding Lily and as I was applying pressure to the syringe it made this weird clicking sound and shot forward very fast. Lily threw her head back and made all sorts of gagging noises. Her whole body was shaking. I called the vet right away and he tried to instruct me in holding her in a towel and "swing" her to get the food unlodged. I couldn't understand what he was trying to get me to do and the whole time Lily's just coughing and sputtering. I seriously thought she was going to die there and then. Her body seemed to settle down a bit to more of a hiccup like spasm which became less and less. I put her back in her cage and she ate a piece of hay. She's had this hiccup like spasm once or twice in the last 15 minutes but is resting otherwise.

I feel terrible because I'm trying to do everything right to help her get better and I may have seriously just hurt her. I asked the vet about the possibility of the food getting in her lungs and he said her body is just going to have to fight it off. On Wednesday she was given an antibiotic injection that is supposed to last for 14 days. I've been playing around with the syringes and two of them appear broken. When I squeeze there is some resistance and then they make the clicking sound and jerk forward. So I need to go out and get some more. I'm just scared to leave her cage right now. She's been through so much in the last few weeks and I feel so bad that I just contributed to it. :cry3:

 

[Brittany]

She's still cough/sneezing a couple times at approximately 15-20 min intervals. Is there a way with chins to help them get fluid out of their lungs? Are there any pic/video examples? When it first happened my vet was trying to describe some sort of swinging motion with her in a towel but it just wasn't making sense over the phone.

 

[ticklechin]

Aspiration of food is serious,it can cause fatal pneumonia fast, what antibiotic was given that lasts 14 days? There is not much you can do if she already has antibiotics in her, just watch her closely for heaving and weezing and keep in close touch with the vet.

 

[Brittany]

she was given covenia. I looked it up online and all I can find is that it is used for skin infections in dogs and cats. I've got the vet's private cell he just told me to keep an eye on her and call if necessary.

 

[ticklechin]

If this was my chin, and I know how serious aspirated food is dealing with the 1000s of handfeedings on many chins, I would ask about a second antibiotic such as baytril and have it on hand and administer it the second I saw distress beyond the cough. I might even pre-med the baytril if I actually saw it happen and saw the condition of the chin right after the event. I am super paranoid of this and may be overboard in how I would treat it but when Gino aspirated when he came out of a filing and teeth cleaning the vet did have me pre-med him for a few days injectable baytril and said he could be dead in hours even with it. I don't want to scare you but keep a close eye on her.

 

[Brittany]

If this was my chin, and I know how serious aspirated food is dealing with the 1000s of handfeedings on many chins, I would ask about a second antibiotic such as baytril and have it on hand and administer it the second I saw distress beyond the cough. I might even pre-med the baytril if I actually saw it happen and saw the condition of the chin right after the event. I am super paranoid of this and may be overboard in how I would treat it but when Gino aspirated when he came out of a filing and teeth cleaning the vet did have me pre-med him for a few days injectable baytril and said he could be dead in hours even with it. I don't want to scare you but keep a close eye on her.

I am scared but I have to just face it. It happened and this is our reality right now. I have liquid bactrim on hand, I may give him a call again before it gets too late to see what he recommends.

ETA: Just got off the phone with my vet he said to give her a dose of the bactrim, I'm bringing her in tomorrow morning.

 

[ticklechin]

I just looked up in my records what Gino got, it was not baytril it was zithromax. I think this is a case of bringing out the big guns to be on the very safe side.

 

[ticklechin]

How is she this morning?

 

[Brittany]

Seemingly ok, coughs have grown less and less fequent (didn't hear any this morning). She ran in her wheel almost all night, and stripped a couple apple sticks. I dropped her off at the vet this morning with a note asking about the antibiotics. I have a break in a half hour so I'm going to call them and hopefull go pick her up.

 

[Sandi]

Keeping fingers crossed Lily is ok!

 

[Laurie]

Brit--glad to hear she sounds as if she's getting over the hump--I don't know but I would think in that moist environment that infection would have already set in, it doesn't seem like it has.

Hope you get good reports from the vet!

 

[Brittany]

Thanks for the well wishes. She seems to be doing ok, no more coughs or sneezes. She still grinds her teeth after a feeding, but it's only been a week since the filing. Anyone know how long this could last? When do I start wondering if they missed a spur or something?

After leaving the vet I still had some questions so I emailed Angie. She said it could take up to 3 days for pneumonia symptoms to appear (that will be today around 3pm).

Considering everything Lily's been through I didn't want to compromise her immune system, or stress her further, so we're staying in Ohio for Thanksgiving. Paul and Gus are coming up today; after 11 weeks apart I'm so excited to see them both! I'm hoping all five of us can have a relaxing long weekend. :thumbsup:

 

[Annieo]

I'm so glad to hear that Brittany! I've been thinking about you and Lily Bean. Sounds like she's going to be just fine and the five of you are going to have a great weekend. Happy Thanksgiving.

 

[ticklechin]

She could be grinding because she is getting used to her new occlusion or it could be pain, I would give it a couple of weeks for all this to calm down and see how she is then. Infection like this is a bell curve so she IMO is out of the woods, give her a scritch for me!

 

[Sandi]

Me too. I've been thinking about you and Lily and was hoping she'd be ok. Thanks for updating us.

The only way I knew it was time for CJ to go back to the vet for a filing was when he wouldn't touch his alfalfa hay or feed, also he would hang out at the bottom of the cage, which was an unusual spot for him. Sometimes it's hard to describe but for me, I just knew when he looked "off" and that's when I would get him into the vets and sure enough it was due to a spur or two.

 

[Laurie]

Brit, I'm hoping with the antibiotics already in her system before the syringe malfunction that she'll be just fine. I think you did an AMAZING job getting help and swinging that fluid and CC from her lungs--you kept calm and listened to advice. You are a great chin mom!

Glad to hear you and your guy and getting reunited for the fabulous Holiday!