Chronic URI

[ItsyBitsy]

Hello all,
I am posting/ asking this for Meg as she is not on this site and we can really use some feedback.
We have a chin being surrendered to us who has had reoccurring URI's and the person can no longer afford to keep her. She has been on several different antibiotics gotten better only for it to come back a month/s later. The owner is using recycled newspaper bedding, there are no vents, drafts, air fresheners etc around. The daughter has stopped wearing any perfume or using anything scented around the chin with no difference for months.
This first started happening when they noticed a lump on the chinchillas chin/neck area. The vet determined it to be an abscess. Drained abscess ( no x rays) and said chin had pneumonia and gave antibiotics. Its been an on going thing since.
The chin has recently went to Megs specialist in NY had blood work and x rays done. Only the left lung is diseased and X rays showed no malocclusion. Blood worked only showed slightly elevated liver enzymes and blood sugars which he thinks was from the diet, stress, and antibiotics. He believes this will be a reoccurring thing that will need to be treated when it happens. Gave a new antibiotic and waiting to go from here.
Looking for any ideas, further tests, etc that anyone experienced may have.
She is going to be looking into herbs to use as an immune booster and that support the lungs as well to help.
I know the vet wanted to keep her but the owner couldn't afford to. We are willing to get more tests done but can only afford so much on one chinchilla as we have many to care for and no other rescues around or taking any in, especially if they are sick! We are trying to give this poor girl a chance at a better quality life and figure this thing out.
Thanks

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Also forgot to mention that this has been going on to close to 2 years now.
Meds over the past 2 years from old vet include the following
Medications:
chloramphenical
primor
zeniquin
tribrissen injection
sulfatrim
vibramycin
baytril
baytril injection
dexamethasone injection

Neosynephrine saline drops
claratin/benadryl
robitussin

 

[Sycamore Chins]

Was a culture and sensitivity ever done? The chin needs to be off antibiotics for a period of time in order to do the C/S. The chin may have some type of resistant bacteria.

Also, what have the durations of these antibiotics been? You may need to do a long-term abx therapy (like 6 weeks). We are doing that with my foster rabbit right now. He has fluid in his left lung field for no apparent reason. No bacteria was cultured, not much else to try other than long term antibiotic therapy.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

I will find out. I know Meg is waiting to hear back from the vet on what the further tests he wanted done were. The owner didn't get them all done.
How do they get a culture of it? I am curious...
Anyway if that is not a test he wants done I will tell her to ask about it. She is currently on a new AB. I forgot the name, I will ask.

 

[Sycamore Chins]

If there is actually fluid in the lungs, they can do a thoracocentesis and take a needle and pull some of the fluid out then culture that. Or there is the option of a nasal swab, but that is less sterile (and harder).

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Thats what I was thinking, ouch!!

 

[ItsyBitsy]

She said a culture wasn't done. The chin is on azithromycin currently which she isn't to thrilled about but it was what was given.
When you say long term is there a specific AB you would recommend for that?
She doesn't want the chin on azithromycin again.


Sorry for not combining posts! Forgot I can

 

[Sycamore Chins]

From my limited experience/learning, a culture and sensitivity would be the best thing to start off with, in hopes you do find a bacteria and what it is susceptible to. I don't think it'd be wise to put an animal on a long-term antibiotic without doing that first (it's kind of a last ditch thing).
I have no idea which antibiotic would be best for your particular situation, but my foster rabbit is on baytril for the 6 weeks.

 

[ticklechin]

I would look to have the vet check for aspergillosis, which is a fungal infection in the lungs or maybe mycotoxins that have caused damage to the lung tissue, since the chin is clear of chronic infection from abscesses.

 

[ItsyBitsy]

Thank you both!! We will mention all of this!!