Chico's teeth and x-rays

[critterrx]

My 5-year-old boy, Chico, has been having problems with his teeth since January. He had a physical at the vet's in September, and while he had been slowly losing some weight, there were no known problems. By the end of January he had lost close to 100 grams. I took him back to the vet where he could see some points on Chico's back teeth. The vet filed Chico's teeth, I gave him meloxicam and Critical Care, and within a week Chico was doing better, eating and gaining weight.

Things went well for over 4 months. I weighed Chico weekly and he was slowly gaining weight, a couple of grams per week, typically. When he dropped 2 grams in two consecutive weeks and seemed to be eating less of his pellets, I took him back for a visit. More points, more filing. This time he didn't bounce back as well. He handled the handfeeding better (we both had had practice by now) but when I started weaning him off the Critical Care, he lost weight (40 grams in a few days). He was crumbling his pellets or just dropping them, not chewing any of his sticks or toys, and gobbling CC care down like he was starving.

Three weeks after his second filing we went back to the vet. She could see no points or other problems with the otoscope so she took x-rays. They're not good.

For now, Chico is getting meloxicam once daily and Critical Care three times daily. I still offer him pellets and hay, although he's not eating much of either. He'll chew on his sticks a little shortly after getting his pain meds. I have ordered some calcium powder and vitamin c drops to add to his Critical Care which should be here by the first of the week. Is there anything else I can do to help him either be more comfortable or to slow his root growth?

Thanks for any help. I love this critter dearly and want to do whatever I can to help him.

 

[ticklechin]

Besides the not eating on his own, how is his attitude?

The first x-ray looks like fairly advanced elongation for which there is no reversal. Is this the first set of x-rays ever done? If he is still being chin like and not showing stress of the feedings or filing all you can do is keep him fed and filed. He may not ever eat on his own with elongation, just keep him comfortable with being fed so he is not hungry, a pain med and when he stops being his normal self then quality of life needs to be addressed.

I have used Calcium/phosphorus 2:1 powder and Vit C in high doses-1000mg a day with Gino, his elongation stalled at moderate after being on it since when he was 1.5 yrs old-he also got UV light treatment and a sling so I do not know what exactly stalled it. His elongation stayed steady for 3 more years with biannual x-rays since 1 year old. It can't hurt to try as long as his quality of life is still good.

 

[critterrx]

This is the first set of x-rays ever done. He hadn't shown any signs of teeth problems until his first filing, and he was great for 4 months after that.

His attitude is still pretty good. He mostly still acts like Chico. I think he gets frustrated when he can't chew his sticks (I offered him 5 different types last night, and he threw each down after trying to chew it). He eats his Critical Care off a spoon now, so the handfeeding isn't stressful at all. For now he seems to be doing okay except for not being able to eat on his own.

Handfeeding, pain meds, and filings as needed were what the vet said, too. I was just hoping there was something else worth trying. I won't let him just suffer when he gets to where he's not being a chin anymore or having more bad days that good, as much as I hate to think about that.

 

[ticklechin]

Something I found that helps malo chins to use their chew instincts so they don't get bored-get a small clean plain brown cardboard box, cut holes so the chin can go in and chew on the edges of the hole, also tear little "starter" strips so the malo chin can tear off the strips. They won't eat the cardboard but it keeps them busy. When Gino was alive he got a new box every couple of weeks and tore it up. Dante gets a box when he is recovering from his biannual filings, he just got done last week and here is his box and a pic of the "starter" strips

 

[critterrx]

Oh, okay, that makes sense. I'll do that. Thank you!

 

[mishellyshel]

I have used Calcium/phosphorus 2:1 powder and Vit C in high doses-1000mg a day with Gino, his elongation stalled at moderate after being on it since when he was 1.5 yrs old-he also got UV light treatment and a sling so I do not know what exactly stalled it. His elongation stayed steady for 3 more years with biannual x-rays since 1 year old. It can't hurt to try as long as his quality of life is still good.

Dawn--what are the benefits of the calcium & what form & dosage did you give. In addition do you give that AND the Vitamin C Daily? And with the Vitamin C, do you give the chewable? I give Richie 1/2 a chewable maybe 1 time per week.
Also what is UV light treatment & a sling?
Sorry for so many questions, but I have not heard of these treatments with the exception of the vit C.

For my chin with malo i also purcase willow coins from PPBN, they are a softer wood and he is able to chew the bark off them.

 

[ticklechin]

I used CA 2:1 powder and just dusted his daily CC with it, he also got Vit C powder added also. The sling I used to have pictures of him in it along with his UV light but they are gone. The UV light was on him for a hour or so a day, it was used with the calcium to better absorb it. The Vit C was for connective tissue production and the sling was used to increase TMJ strength and increased clamping power.

Here was the treatment he had with the sling,

http://www.guinealynx.info/chinsling.html


I do not anymore recommend radical treatments for malo, many here still remember the Gino saga so if I am vague in this post its because the treatment although showed some promise, it was not a cure nor hindsight was it good for the chin.

 

[mishellyshel]

thanks for the explanation.

i would not try anything radical with richie but was just curious about the treatment.

i may try the powdered vitamin c added to his food mix as a supplement. but want to do a little more research on quantities and side effects, etc.... will also have to check out the calcium/phos powder.

 

[lauralynne]

Best wishes for you and Chico! *HUGS*

 

[ann1]

I am sorry to hear about your chin. Unfortunately you are about to embark on a long and painful road which i too have traveled. Its hard to watch a once so lively and full of life chinchilla deteriate into a frail, helpless, painful one. I have to agree with ticklechin on this one in the fact that all you can do is keep him fed, pain free and as comfortable as possible (as well as spolied and loved) until his quality of life is no more and he no longer acts like a normal chin. Unfortunatelt there will come a day when you have to make a very difficult decission to end his suffering.
The xrays didnt look good to me at all. I know sometimes they can pull teeth when theres root elongation (altho my vet told me it was hard to do in chins) but with your chin it looks like there is to many teeth that are elongated.
What did you say he was on for meds? Did you say metacam? I know towards the end of my chins battle my vet had put her on a different more strong pain med too. I cant remember what it was called but i could try and find out if your interested.
Good luck to you.....

 

[mishellyshel]

My chin is on Tramadol for long term pain management.

 

[ticklechin]

Long term pain managment if you go that route, and you want to use the pain meds every day, use the Tramadol with metecam, then famotidine to prevent ulceration on the digestive tract.

 

[critterrx]

I am sorry to hear about your chin. Unfortunately you are about to embark on a long and painful road which i too have traveled. Its hard to watch a once so lively and full of life chinchilla deteriate into a frail, helpless, painful one. I have to agree with ticklechin on this one in the fact that all you can do is keep him fed, pain free and as comfortable as possible (as well as spolied and loved) until his quality of life is no more and he no longer acts like a normal chin. Unfortunatelt there will come a day when you have to make a very difficult decission to end his suffering.
The xrays didnt look good to me at all. I know sometimes they can pull teeth when theres root elongation (altho my vet told me it was hard to do in chins) but with your chin it looks like there is to many teeth that are elongated.
What did you say he was on for meds? Did you say metacam? I know towards the end of my chins battle my vet had put her on a different more strong pain med too. I cant remember what it was called but i could try and find out if your interested.
Good luck to you.....

Chico is currently on meloxicam (Metacam is the veterinary suspension brand name, Mobic is the "people" tablet version; my vet compounds a suspension from the tablets). At his last visit the vet said we could go to something stronger later if needed. I didn't ask then what she'd use, but I'll ask tomorrow. Meloxicam doesn't seem to last the full 24 hours. Chico gets kinda mopey after 18-20 hours.

I really do hate seeing Chico not doing as well as he has all these years. He still seems to be happy more often than not for now, at least. He's getting lots of extra hugs lately.

 

[ticklechin]

Metecam is not enough for long term-it like I said in my above post can cause ulcerations so it needs to be used with famotidine if used more than 14 days and when its used with Tramadol which is a moderate to heavy pain reliever it gives relief and can be used long term.

 

[mishellyshel]

What is famotidine? Is it similar to cisapride? That is what I use but am open to discuss other options with my vet.

 

[ticklechin]

Its pepcid, used to prevent ulcers in humans and its used to prevent ulcers that can be caused by metecam and tramadol in chinchillas. This is used if the chin is getting pain meds everyday for long term.

 

[critterrx]

I talked with the vet this morning and she said we'll add tramadol next. Looks like this is going to be long-term so I'll ask about adding some famotidine as well.