Poor Leo...

[CrazyForChinchillas]

My fiancé was feeding the chins for me while I was at work, and left Leo's cage open by mistake. He got out and was bit on his left paw. We took him to the vet and they kept him a few hours to clean and bandage him up. He is on baytril 0.1 mL twice a day and a pain med once a day.
We are trying to give him critical care and ground up tradition pellets with water, but he does not eat much.
He hasn't been eating much of his pellets either. He eats timothy hay.
The vet did a stool exam and it was normal.
He has lost weight since we got him and I don't know what we can do to get him to eat more critical care. Suggestions? Thoughts?

 

[saphire]

I would check out Lifeline, here is the link: http://chocolatechinchillas.com/id6.html

I have had great success with this. I mix it with the critical care.

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

I have considered ordering some. I just might soon. Thanks.

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

Also, the vet wants the bandage left on for 2 weeks. Does that sound okay?

He keeps trying to fight it and chew it off.
It is up his entire front leg, but he manages to hobble around and jump.
Also, he doesn't have a wheel, currently.

He can't dust for that time, either, I assume. I'm just wondering if this will be fine.

 

[Claire D]

It is not usual for a vet to bandage a paw bite. How much damage was done to the paw?

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

I am not sure if it was too bad. She didn't really say. It was bleeding and swollen. Should we take it off or leave it?

 

[ChinnyMom]

although i have no experience with chin injuries, i would think leaving the same bandage on for two weeks would be unsanitary when it comes to any pet or animal (or human for that matter). changing it frequently would be better, yes? and that would give you the chance to see how the wound is healing too.

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

That is true... not sure what to do. We may try to take it off or call the vet and ask.

 

[ChinnyMom]

if it is covered with that 'vet wrap' stuff, don't pull on it to take it off. that stuff will tighten around the leg when pulled.

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

Ok. Good to know. Thank you.

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

We haven't taken it off.
He doesn't eat through syringe or much on a spoon. He may eat hay, but not much of the pellets.

 

[Claire D]

Can you take a photograph of the bandaging & leg please?

I am very concerned about the bandage & your chin's lack of eating.
What pain relief is he on & have you seen him eat, drink, pee or poop today?

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

I will take a photo soon. I have not been watching him that closely, but I don't think he has eaten much, if anything. I try critical care, but he just fights it and will not take it. I ordered life line today.

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

He has been eating some pellets, my fiance said.
Photos:

His pain med is called meloxi.

 

[menagerie]

I would remove the bandaging. No wound should be left bandaged in the same dressing for two weeks. I'm not surprised he's not eating with that thing on.

 

[Claire D]

Umm...... without wishing to be rude.... WTH??

I am not sure what the rationale is behind that kind of splinting/bandaging but I would get it off right now!

Basic wound management is about being able to see the wound so that it can be monitored properly to spot signs of infection or lack of blood circulation - you cannot see anything through that lot.
That's a disaster waiting to happen & no wound should be left unchecked for 14 days.


I would take the dressing off & see how the foot/leg looks underneath. Check for signs of infection or lack of blood supply - have a look here for some wound management advice: http://www.davidson-chinchillas.co.uk/pages/basic_wound_management.php

If the wound looks infected, there is bone visible, the leg/foot is cold or looks blue then I would go back to the vet (or find a new one, chinchilla competent one) & ask them to review the treatment.

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

What is the best way to remove it since if we pull on it, it will only get tighter? Scissors might be risky, but we could try...

 

[Brittany]

When Latte's toe got bitten off I didn't use any bandage. Under vet care I washed it with novasan (spelling?) and applied blue kote daily. She was on Meloxicam and Bactrim (a sulfa drug) not baytril. Why does he need such a strong antibiotic for a bite?

 

[CrazyForChinchillas]

Okay.
I'm not sure why she put him on baytril, but I figured it was okay since it has been mentioned on here a lot.

 

[menagerie]

What is the best way to remove it since if we pull on it, it will only get tighter? Scissors might be risky, but we could try...

Personally, I would unwrap it. Start at the end of the vet wrap and slowly and gently unwrap.