Stuffy Nose?

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Christina Noraas

Christina Noraas

Christina
Joined
Sep 28, 2010
Messages
537
Location
Mc Grath, Minnesota
Can they get stuffy noses? Rex seems like he has a stuffy nose, he can still breath and is still running around like crazy poops are good still drinking and eating regularly. It seems like it started when we started our wood stove. We've been burning mostly Oak and Birch. I know our cants get stuffy noses when we start it up, because the dust and ashes from the year before get blown up in to the air shafts, our wood stove is inside in the basement.
 
What makes you think he has a stuffy nose? Is he wheezing? Chinchillas don't get stuffy noses, they get URI's. A chin could easily get a URI from irritants in the air that they haven't encountered before. You'll have to be more specific on what exactly he's doing that's not normal.
 
It's not wheezing it just like a little squeak. Kinda what it sounds like sometimes when humans get stuffy noses, that's why I was curious if that's what it could be.
 
Like when he breathes you can hear squeaking/whistling noises? That's not a good sign.

IMO, anything respiratory needs to be seen by a vet asap. These kinds of things are not a "wait and see" situation because chinchillas are SO sensitive. I had a chin that sneezed in the morning, looked lethargic by 10am, wheezing by noon and on death's door at 1pm when we got to the vet. It only takes a few hours for something respiratory to take hold in a chinchilla and kill them. It could be that he has some irritant in his nose, one of mine had that but that still requires vet attention.
 
Like it was said, chins don't just get "stuffy noses." It may be slight at first but can quickly progress into a serious URI or pneumonia and requires veterinary treatment asap. The sooner treatment starts for a URI, the better their chances of survival. Chins can go down fast and hard with a URI just like Tab said- I personally have seen it first hand and despite all the best treatment, my chin did not make it.
 
When I went upstairs to check on him, I held him up and he sneezed and a whole bunch of boogers and gunk came out, he doesn't seem to be squeak breathing any more but I'm having a friend take him to the vet for me due to the fact that I don't have a vehicle at the moment.
 
I hope your friend is on their way now to take your chin to the vet. URI's are very, very serious in chin's and they can go downhill fast.
 
christin.a.bnormal said:
When I went upstairs to check on him, I held him up and he sneezed and a whole bunch of boogers and gunk came out, he doesn't seem to be squeak breathing any more but I'm having a friend take him to the vet for me due to the fact that I don't have a vehicle at the moment.
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The discharge is a definite sign of a URI. Like I said, he needs treatment ASAP.

I hope your friend knows what kind of treatment should be given for a URI and what kind of questions to ask the vet as well...

Be sure he gets Baytril for an antibiotic and gear up for the treatment. I had to nebulize my URI chin every hour just so he could breath. Also be prepared to handfeed with Critical Care.
 
I'm glad you're getting your chinnie to the vet. I'm crossing my fingers that he'll get better soon!
 
I'm glad this chin is going to see a vet. Antibiotics will have to be prescribed. Please let us know when you get from the vet and what the vet said. If you are new to giving antiobiotics and most likely it will Baytril as there was mucus present we can help you with this process.
 
Well, my friend just called me; apparently according to this vet there isn't a URI, just some dust build up. They checked the lungs and said that they are all clear, I told my friend to ask for Baytril as an antibiotic for over the night, until I go and see a couple other vets tomorrow and get second and third opinions. I have a feeling that Rex is not going to be happy with anyone within the next couple days so I'm hoping my order of rosehips will come in soon! I have my critical care next to his cage, just in case but he's still eating fine. When I put him in the carrier I put a couple of hay cubes in it and he immediatly started munching.
 
mucus does not occur from dust build up. Be prepared for your chin to go downhill fast. Baytril should not be given for overnight only. It is an antibiotic for more than one day to clear an infection.

At this point I would keep a very, very close eye on your chin. URI's are deadly for chins and as they mask their illness well it's hard to tell how far along they are.

When given baytril their appetite almost always ceases and it's important to keep them eating. Will you be giving this orally or injectible? Injectible is best as it does not disturb their gut flora. When given orally you must also administer acidiphilous to keep their gut flora healthy. You cannot give it directly after the baytril as the baytril kills any effects of the acidiphilous--acidiphilous must be given half way between each Baytril dose.
 
Laurie said:
mucus does not occur from dust build up. Be prepared for your chin to go downhill fast. Baytril should not be given for overnight only. It is an antibiotic for more than one day to clear an infection.
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I agree. It is not just "dust build up". I hope he doesn't get worse overnight and can make it to the vets tomorrow.
 
Rex is home finally, he seems sleepy but still rather alert and playful. He's currently chewing on a bunch of apple sticks, the squeak sound has stopped, there doesn't seem to be any labored breathing at this time, thank goodness.

But after he left Big momma found the need to escape; while I was making dinner I seen a flash of grey zip past me out of the corner of my eye. I scrambled to confine the cats down stairs while my dog sniffed her out for me. This just has not been my day. :[
 
And not dust from his dust bath, just to clear that up, they said it was from dust, pollen, and any ashes from wood stove. They said that he probably just has allergies, but still going to the vets tomorrow.

The Baytril is injectable, I'm having my step dad do it for me since he's more experienced at stuff along that line, I've moved Rex from the top part of the cage to the bottom and Big Momma vis versa. She on the other hand seems VERY happy that he's home, she's been barking ever since she noticed he was gone. I've been watching him, he's been gulping down water like a fish, and munching on may and wood. I put a few pine cones in his section of the cage as well, and he seems to like them. How long will it take for the Baytril to have an affect on his eating? Will it affect his drinking as well? It looks as if he's gonna go to sleep in the hammock at the moment, I'm setting an alarm for 1/2 hour intervals tonight to keep checking on him.
 
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Injectible baytril doesn't tend to effect their appetite. The reason many chins go off food on baytril is due to the nasty taste.
 
usually injectible baytril does not affect their eating. if he does stop eating though you need to be prepared to feed him critical care--do you have any critical care on hand? if not you can ask the vet you see tomorrow, they usually keep it on hand.
 
I'm going to say that will last you, seeing as his chance of losing his appetite is not huge anyways. If you run out, even if in the future, if you have a coffee grinder you can just grind their pellets up. Also, I got 6, 10 and 12 mL oral syringes for the feeding which worked a lot better than the 30mL one I had. I just popped into my vets and they gave me a handful of them in a bag. You might have to refill them during the feeding but they were easier and got stuck less.
 
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