Sudden loss of appetite - Please assist

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Zabby

Zabby

Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
19
One of my chinchillas has a sudden loss of appetite. My chins normally eat with gusto and clamor for an occasional mini wheat treat, but he won't touch any food today and just wants to sleep. I inspected him fully and there's no apparent injuries and was showing normal stool dropping earlier, but now it has slowed down and has me concerned. I'm not sure whether to rush him to the vet or rush to find someone in the area around Chicago fast who has Critical Care or Lifeline. I had some before, but never used it and got rid of it and now I'm stressing out and feeling awful that I didn't reorder more. He is caged with 3 other boys that are all doing absolutely fine and healthy, and I have not recently changed their diet, so I don't know what brought on this onset. Their normal diet is Oxbow pellet and timothy hay. If anyone could help I would really appreciate it.
 
A couple things come to mind.

1) What's the temperature where he's at?
2) Are the other chins keeping him from getting to the food bowl?
3) You say he's not eating. Just because he won't take a shreddie doesn't mean he's not eating. I have chins that sometimes won't take them too.
4) What do the stools look like? You said they are slowing down. Have they changed in size/consistency? What does his tummy feel like? Is it firm, is it squishy? How about his rectum? Is there any sign of a prolapse?
5) When you say "laying around", is he lethargic? Limp, unresponsive, unable to hold himself up? Is his breathing labored?

If he is lethargic, at all, he needs to be at a vet. Unless you have a pharmacy at home with subcu fluids and an x-ray machine, you can't help him.
 
I agree with Peggy. If your chin is lethargic, every second counts. Get yourself to a vet.
 
1) It's been 65-72 degrees in the room the last few days.
2) No, they all get along and have multiple bowls and hay bins in the cage to share. They've never fought over food. He isn't even trying to approach the food though.
3) He won't eat hay, pellets, anything. I put in fresh pellets last night and thought it odd that he didn't rush to eat with the other chins, so I watched him closely today and noticed this.
4) Size is the same for the stools, and they are still solid but are starting to look a little moist. His tummy and everything else look normal, or he'd be at the vet right now.
5) He's not lethargic, but just wants to hide in his pine house in the cage. I've taken him out a few things to hold him and all he wants to do is jump around and explore, although he's moving slower than he normally does. Breathing is normal. He's was irritated when I checked him over each time, nipped at me once which he's never done, but that's it.
 
Where near Chicago are you? there are some great vets and to treat GI issues in time you need to do something right away.
 
SW suburbs. My chins have always gone to the Midwest Exotic Animal Hospital. Does anyone know what could possible be going on with him?
 
It could be the beginnings of bloat. Not eating, not pooing as much as normal are signs of bloat; however, moist stools can be a sign of giardia.
 
I'm in Lockport - near you - and had unexplained problems in the past that seemed to disappear when I put a Britta filter on the kitchen faucet! Inexpensive insurance!
Dawnna's [chocolatechinchillas.com] in Bollingbrook/Naperville - if you e-mail her, she might meet you, if she's home! [holiday weekend]
I'm currently out of lifeline myself, sorry!
 
Ash is staying over night at the animal hospital. From his xrays and exam, he has end stage GI stasis with bad gas build up in his lower track, but we don't know what caused it. Vet said he was hiding it very well and gives him about a 60% chance of making it through the night.. started him on critical care, fluids, and pain meds... just need to get his digestive system working again. Please keep Ash in your thoughts.
 
Hope it works out, and he turns out fine - thoughts are with him!!
 
Ash made it through the night, but he's still in very bad shape. I've been calling the vet every few hours for updates. They said he's very lethargic and they've been able to force feed him a little bit but he won't eat on his own yet. He passed 7 stools last night with some difficulty and they've only seen 2 more since early this morning. I was told this morning that they should see some change this evening, and was told now that it won't be another 3-4 days before they expect to see anything. I've been so upset over this I haven't even asked what pain meds and fluids they have him on other than critical care. I've read up on GI stasis a lot before and I know it's supposed to be very painful for them, but having a chin go through it I suddenly feel helpless and still don't know what even caused it. Ash was my first chin so I've been crying on and off all day. He wasn't even showing signs of being lethargic at all until when we got to the vet and he's gone downhill so quickly. I need to call them tonight to discuss continued treatment and I'm unsure of the direction to go, whether another xray should be done, or they suggested blood work last night, just to keep him on the same track, or I'm worried that since GI stasis is supposed to be painful if he doesn't improve it may be best to let him go. If anyone has had a chin go through this or knows about the healing process and chances of making it through this some advice would be really appreciated.
 
They can get thru stasis if treated quickly, like you did. Is there someone at the vets office to keep an eye on him tonight and be able to massage his belly?
there is a whole sticky note under health that outlines what can be done for gi stasis.
he needs his belly massaged and its best for them to be able to run about to pass the gas & stools. and the vet should be giving him meds too.
 
IMO, Midwest Exotic Animal Hospital is very good, very expensive but very good with chins. I hope he makes it Zabby! I will keep Ash in thoughts. If you need immediate Lifeline and/or critical care, I have some and can meet you tomorrow morning in Westmont, or tonight if you want. The critical care bag is not opened and you can have it. I received the Lifeline 3 weeks ago and I take out what I use and stick it back in the fridge.
 
I'm wondering if it might be possible to bring him home tonight and continue to force feed, provide meds, and follow stasis protocol at home. I know how to towel wrap and handle chins properly and went through a long healing process with a rescue I took in last year. I just worry that he might be under stress at the vet and he's never been separate from his three cage mates before. I know Midwest Exotic Animal hospital is a very nice place and I've been to them before several times, but they seemed extremely busy and I just worry about how much personal attention my little guy is getting. I'm just a pet owner though and not sure how wise it would be. I hate to think about money at all when it comes to the care of my pets, but it's already been $500 for the treatment last night and a stay at the vet for a few more days would run over $1,500. I need to talk to them for awhile tonight and just worried about making the right choice.
 
this is only my personal opinion, but if it is only gi stasis than i honestly think he would be better off at home with you. you can take him out of his cage, administer meds and do the belly massage. under health & hygeine, Menagerie posted a great article titled Sparkys stasis saga that outlined what she did to get her chin out of stasis.
you would also be able to give more "play time" not so much to play but to get ash moving around and passing both gas & stool. you could also administer the infant gas drops. just make sure you leave the vets office with gut motility drugs and perhaps a bit of metacam for pain. he would also be less stressed in his home and you could keep a close eye. if he gets worse in the am, you could always bring him back.
plus, while i know it is not your main concern you would be able to save some money that you might need in the near future for additional testing or care.
 
Zabby - I'm sorry he's going through this, and you too. It's good that you got him to the vet right away.

Stasis is NOT an "if it's only stasis" situation. Stasis occurs after bloat and is much more severe. Chins go into stasis after their bloat hasn't been swiftly treated, which is not at all your fault. You saw he was ill, you took swift action. But he could have been building up to it and hiding the symptoms for a little while. Chins are oh so special that way.

Bringing him home is going to be a judgment call. If you feel you can administer subcu fluids and the other meds he will need via injection, that's the biggest part. You also have to get ahold of yourself. If you bring him home, he needs calm and assured, not hysterical and tearful. That isn't being judgemental. Animals have incredible radar and pick up on their humans emotions pretty quick. I know you're really, really worried about him, but if you bring him home, you need to be able to put a lot of that aside to focus on his care.

I always think if you can provide the medical care laid out by the vet, that chins do better at home. It's more calming for them to be in familiar surroundings. However, I would definitely not put him in with his cagemates. If you can separate one of them out, that would be one thing, but stasis is tremendously painful. If the three of them get to moving around at night, hopping and playing, he could get bounced on pretty hard and that's not going to help him. Maybe you could rotate one of the other boys out with him throughout the day and/or night. A different one each time, so they all stay "in touch" for when (we're going for when, not if) he gets to go home again. Keep everybody familiar to each other so there are no troubling reintroductions.

I don't know if you saw this link yet, but there is some really good info in it: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6553&highlight=stasis.
 
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