gassy, but otherwise asymptomatic?

[lmw142]

It's been awhile since I've posted on here, but I I just took in another rescue chin.

This chin came to me in a tiny cage with a plastic hidey house, plastic shelves, plastic bowl, etc. She had never had a dust bath in her life, and she is 8 months old. The previous owners were feeding her mystery pellets, and had just run out. Since I didn't know what she was on before I had to switch her right to Oxbow, which is what I use for my other chinchillas.

She was fine for the first few days, but then she started frantically squeaking when I picked her up, when before she enjoyed being held. So I checked her out, and she did feel a little bloated, and I could hear/feel gas bubbles when I massaged her stomach. She is still eating, drinking, and pooping normally.

I've been giving her simethicone every 6 hours for 2 days now, and giving her belly rubs. She is not as bloated as she was when I first noticed, but there is definitely still some gas in there. Should I continue with the simethicone and see how she does, or should I take her to the vet to see if there is something else wrong?

 

[ticklechin]

Simethicone only works when the gas is up high in the digestive tract, once it moves down low its not effective. I would take the chin to the vet for motility drugs to get the gas moving again. Also, when I give simethicone its a full dropper every 3-4 hours or so, you can't overdose it since it stays in the digestive tract and is not absorbed. Exercise, get the chin moving around also helps, even if you have to chase it.

 

[lmw142]

Thanks! I didn't know that about simethicone. I have been getting her out to run around at least once a day. I'm going to call and schedule a vet appointment for her.