choking?

[Vcchinchilla]

I notice lately that da Vinci looks like he's choking on his pellets, it only happens when he eats pellets,
I took him to the vet had his check up and a oral check up
the only thing that came up is a heart murmur

he suggest that most likely he's eating to fast
he also has tendency to take his pellet away from his bowl and then face me and then eat it >_<... cute but I worry movements while eating he'd choke

 

[AZChins]

When he eats does he hold his head up almost like a bird would? (I know, strange question...)

He could be eating too fast for sure.

 

[Vcchinchilla]

like look up at cieling ?

 

[AZChins]

Yes, looking up and tilting the head back.

 

[Claire D]

Did the chin have dental xrays done? Mouth problems and tooth issues below the gum line cannot be assessed except under anasthetic and with full xrays being taken.

 

[ticklechin]

Malo chins choke on food due to the fact they cannot chew thoroughly and food gets stuck in the back of the throat. Also they do exibit choking motions when they hit a sore spot in the mouth. A oral exam is not enough when it comes to chin teeth, a oral exam under gas and x-rays is the starting point to say yay or nay to teeth issues. This symptom should not be ignored as just fast eating since it is one of the distinctive symptoms of malo.

 

[Vcchinchilla]

no he's not looking at the ceiling when eating ...
oh boy X-rays for both of them >_<...
I'll get them in asap

 

[AZChins]

Sometimes the molars in the back can overgrow and actually make it difficult for a chin to swallow. The chin with this problem sometimes stretch their necks out trying to get the food down more easily.

I had one a few years back that did that. She just had a few spurs that the vet fixed easily. Her owner told me she did this for three years when she was there. It was impeding her ability to get food swallowed.

 

[Vcchinchilla]

when I say oral exam he was under gas to have check to see if he had over grown teeth
I think my next step is X-rays
thanks for everyone input
I really hope it isn't malo