Bok Choy's vet visit

[Siylvat]

So our poor boy Bok had started drooling again. Frustrated with the vets around here we drove him out two hours to Dr. Lucas in Saratoga Springs. She was the first vet that we felt comfortable with so far, and really seemed to know what she was talking about. We were a little nervous as we heard she takes a little warming up to, but she was very friendly with us and answered all our questions.

It looks like poor Bok Choy's teeth are not "perfect" like the second vet we went to told us, and as we pretty much expected. He had several points that she could see as soon as she looked into his mouth. On one side of his mouth he had a "wave"? I'm not sure what that is. He had a point growing into his cheek and another on on the back molar. So overal not great.

It was late in the day yesterday so we could not do proper x-rays. She told me I can email the ones that the one vet took for us so she can take a look. For now, she filed his teeth for us and took care of everything on the surface. We are just going to play it by ear with him. We will see if the filing helps at all and if it comes back quickly or not. If she can't see enough from the x-rays I am emailing her we are going to take him back out in a few weeks for a proper one and go from there.

For now he seems to be doing well. He is on Metacam, Critical Care, Benebac and Enrofloxacin.

Wish us luck with him.

 

[Sandi]

Definitely wishing you much luck with your furbaby! Hopefully your new vet is able to get a good read on the pics you send her. Keep us posted.

 

[starleomach]

Good luck!

 

[Laurie]

Best of luck for you and sweet Bok Choy!

 

[Siylvat]

Well, he has been on the metacam, critical care, and antibiotics for about a week now. At first he would eat the critical care off a spoon. He had even begun nibbling at his pellets and hay. but now for some reason he doesn't even want the critical care. Is this a common thing with teeth filing?

 

[Sandi]

Yes, it is common after a filing and you will have to force feed him now. Wrap him up like a burrito in a small towel and syringe feed him.

 

[Parkerspetchins]

My girl also has the "wave", it literally means that her teeth are in a wavy pattern. It is not correctable but only affects her as far as that it does not allow some of her other teeth to be trimmed properly on their own. She also has a couple of teeth that affect her cheek and tongue when they are overgrown which need to be kept in check. We are on a quarterly filing pattern right now and it is working for us...right now. I am keeping a close eye on her roots, so far the consensus, though I have at least one opposing opinion, is that they are in check. I think everything hinges on your chin's quality of life (which I believe should come first) and if that is positive, then what you are willing to do to maintain it. I can completely sympathize with your situation. I wish you and your chinnie all the best!

 

[Siylvat]

Yes, it is common after a filing and you will have to force feed him now. Wrap him up like a burrito in a small towel and syringe feed him.

We are doing that now, but he will literally push the food out of his mouth. Should I make it thinner? Last night he was into his pellets and hay again, but I do not see any poops in his cage now.

 

[Siylvat]

Also...how many CCs of critical care should we be getting into him a day?

 

[Sandi]

Do you have the apple-banana CC or the plain kind? If plain, I would add just a little bit of canned pumpkin or black strap molasses for flavoring. Try and give a little thinner mix. My CJ would gag if it was too thick. In the beginning he would only take about 15 cc's of critical care at a time, so I had to hand feed him 4 to 5 times a day. He/we got better at it and took about 25 to 30 cc's at a time after about a week. You should try to get at least 60 cc's of critical care in him in one day.

 

[Siylvat]

Do you have the apple-banana CC or the plain kind? If plain, I would add just a little bit of canned pumpkin or black strap molasses for flavoring. Try and give a little thinner mix. My CJ would gag if it was too thick. In the beginning he would only take about 15 cc's of critical care at a time, so I had to hand feed him 4 to 5 times a day. He/we got better at it and took about 25 to 30 cc's at a time after about a week. You should try to get at least 60 cc's of critical care in him in one day.

We have the plain kind.

He still does not want the CC, but I have seen him eat hay and he has been eating pellets at night.

The thing we are concerned about now is his poop. Two days ago we noticed that there were no poops in his cage. We watched and he did not have any all day. So we tummy massaged him and gave him simethicone, figuring if he did not start within a day we would have to take him for a vet visit. Yesterday he had a few poops that were kinda small and hard. Now Today, he has had a TON of poops in his cage. They started out okay, but now they are quite squishy. Could this be from him not pooping for a day or two?

Going to call the vet tomorrow because she asked us to, to update her.