chins & issues

[mishellyshel]

i couldnt even think of a title for this! over the last 6 months i have had 3 chins with various issues. First it was stitch.........i have never seen a chin so ill, laying on bottom of cage, whimpering, not eating, etc. i immediately took him to vet and was diagnosed with some bacterial infection, im thinking something like giardia but not sure of the exact name. while there dr did xray and some mouth adjustment. with meds, stitch bounced back really quick.

next comes klinger. he has always been teeny tiny. he stops tearing up wood and then stops eating the beaphar i give him........i know somehting is wrong. take him to get checked. hes does a filing. he is very slow to bounce back but finally starts eating some pellets again about 6-8 weeks later. but his weight never comes up.

than my sweet Jack comes down with a URI, i take him, get him treated and they check his teeth too.......lots of damage in there so they do a filing. he was never really right again. about 6 weeks later, he is really bad and gets diagnosed with pnenomia and after a month long battle, i had to make the diffiuclt decision to let him go.

NOW......Klinger is back to not eating, his week is dangerously low (same weight when he first came to me, which was around 350g). i have been supplementing and he is pooping but he is just not right. so i have an appointment on monday!

I am just feeling like either I am having a horrible bad luck streak, i am doing something wrong OR maybe my chins are just at the age that problems start and its gonna be a rough road. i am really beating myself up over this whole thing and was wondering if anyone else had a similar problem or if there is any advice anyone can give me.
I am due to deliver my baby girl next week and i am SO excited. but i still have a heavy heart over Jack and I am so worried about Klinger and my husbands and sons ability to care for him and the others the way they are accustomed to that i am a bit afraid that i will lose another.
Anyway just wanted to talk it out with other animal lovers as most people in my circle of life just dont get it. i cant tell you how many times over the last 6 months i have heard "just get rid of them", "how are you gonna take care of 9 chins and a baby" blah blah blah

 

[ticklechin]

In 2011 I lost 5 chins in 6 months-heart attack, vet killed one, abscess, sudden death no diagnoses after necropsy and elongation, At one point I thought I would kill them all off and decided to not get anymore, it was just too much. Its been a year and a half since the last one passed and I have not had any issues or hand feeding since so I am feeling better and spoil the heck out of the three I have, it can be a rough road but those cute faces make it better.

 

[Sandi]

^ Wow! I agree, I would have gone bonkers in that situation. It seems like there is no end and everything happens at once when you are at your most vulnerable. I do know there is a light at the end of the tunnel as Dawn mentioned when their adorable faces peek out at you. I don't want to jinx myself and have been blessed with healthy boys since I had to put CJ down in October of 2010 . I hope Klinger will recover... sending good thoughts your way Michelle!

 

[obcsed]

I'm feeling the same way. I can't figure out what is going on here. I've been struggling with a malo chin who is not responding to filings like he used to since June. On top of that, since December I've had an amputee die after surgery, an emergency rescue die on me, another chin came down with pneumonia who somehow survived and now another is having wet eye issues. :hair:

Add in my ferrets and I feel like I'm living in the vet's office.

 

[Stackie]

As they say- when it rains, it pours. I have been in your shoes and lost multiple chins in close proximity to each other. It is hard not to blame yourself or criticize yourself, trying to figure out where you went wrong. It's easier said than done, but you just can not be hard on yourself for things you can not help.

Like Dawn said, your other babies are the key to helping you heal. Anytime I was feeling guilt or sadness about a chin I lost I would plop myself down in front of the cage, open the door and just sit with my chins. They are the best medicine.

 

[ticklechin]

Add in my ferrets and I feel like I'm living in the vet's office.

I thought the vet was going to put my name on a parking place and when the vet called and said "hey Dawn, this is Curt" I knew it was bad when we were on first name basis.

 

[Encantadora]

I thought the vet was going to put my name on a parking place and when the vet called and said "hey Dawn, this is Curt" I knew it was bad when we were on first name basis.

Oh wow! Lol but sad at the same time. I was about to shed a tear in commiseration from my own bad week last week (buried 2, saved 1). Then got a laugh.

 

[mishellyshel]

Thanks guys. I feel a little better knowing that others have gone thru something similar. I still really miss my Jackie Boy. I'm thinking Klinger needs another filing.....I'm feeling some moisture on his mouth. Just worried about him while I'm in the hospital. But I'm doing everything I can do and making sure I check on them and give extra love. I have some cool hanging toys all ready so they have some thing to do while I'm gone. Hoping hubby can handle doing their cages & praying they don't give him a hard time! A couple of my boys are spoiled and will try to get out & that freaks him out!