The vet and I are stumped

[Crazy]

My chinchilla has quite a bit of fur matting on her hips. She seems to have stopped grooming herself quite a while back. She's been constipated these last few weeks. Her droppings are really small, and because the vet appointment was a couple weeks ago I haven't weighed her since. It feels like she's losing weight. She's not as active either, but she's eating and drinking well. Her genitals have been really swollen this whole time too. More so than when she's usually in heat.

Iv'e taken her in two times now, but the vet can't find anything wrong with her. He said we could do blood work, but I feel like without an idea of where to start/look the tests could go on forever. I had a cat that had an emergency kidney removal this year. The total after everything was done with her was a few thousand. So, I don't really have the money to just toss around and see what I can find.

She should be around 9 years old now. She's not necessarily lethargic, but she seems to end her play sessions early herself by going back in her house and laying down. I lost my hamster a month ago, so I'm really on edge. So, if it sounds like she's not really in danger, or it's some sort of issue with her heat cycle please forgive me. I'm just totally terrified.

Anyone have an idea as to what could cause her to loose weight, have small droppings, and not groom herself? I've given her infant gas drops one day and it seemed to really have helped. She hasn't felt bloated at all though. I just don't know what to do, and I feel like maybe someone could give an opinion on what they think it could be. I want some place to start looking for answers on her...If I go and have a blood test done on her that is.

 

[Dreamlite]

With the swollen genitals and vague symptoms I would be worried about a closed pyo. A low grade infection could cause loss of appetite, grooming and weight loss. You really need to get a scale and start tracking her weight. I had 2 cases in the last yr of pyo, one open and one closed. Without the weight loss as a red flag I would have lost both of them.

 

[ticklechin]

IMO what goes in should come out, so with the small poo and weight loss it tells me she is not eating enough, the not grooming is a symptom of teeth issues, that with the weight loss and small poo if this was my chin I would be looking at teeth, being 9 years old she could have points-points as opposed to malo a chin can still appear to eat some, just not enough.

 

[Crazy]

Thank you, both of you. I lost a chinchilla to pyo so I'm always very careful about that. It was the first thing I considered as being wrong. I pushed on her tummy and nothing came out. She appears open to me. Also, her teeth have been checked both times and everything checked out good there. I will leave a message for my vet and question about the pyo, but I honestly don't think that's the case. She usually has some clear leakage during her heat, but the only I have noticed would be the crust around her opening. I have noticed since this begun some stained spots on the wood ledges, so obviously there is some going on that I haven't noticed. She's also not cleaning and picking at her crotch a bunch. Also, my other chinchilla that is in a separate cage is fine, so I would think it isn't a problem with the food.

Like I said this is very confusing. I could leave a message for my vet and ask about pyo, but he never mentioned anything about it being possible. Anyone have any ideas on a good scale I could get for her?

Also, her whole life I have never been able to get her to run on a wheel...Isn't that odd? I've tried SO many times. I tried a few things like spinning the wheel to show her, and apparently she thought it was a toy for...spinning. She copied me and would take the wheel with her little hands and spin it. /face palm
So incredibly cute, but still wrong.

Thanks for all your patience and help guys.

 

[Newt]

It definitely sounds like she is feeling some pain. With the swollen genitals, I'd be worried about closed pyo too, or maybe a bad urinary infection/bladder stones. Have you seen her pee lately?
It sounds like more tests are needed. X-rays and probs ultrasound.

 

[AZChins]

Have you tried making an appointment with Dr. Samuels at Central Animal Hospital? You could go see him to see if he has any ideas. 520-323-9912.

A gut motility drug may be a good idea at this point just to get things moving. It seems like this has been going on for years now.

Just a thought...but do you think she could be retaining fluid or having an issue with a heart murmur? Sometimes heart problems can cause that type of fluid retention that would occur in the lower parts of the body near the genitals. Did the vet mention anything about a possible heart murmur?

 

[Crazy]

I was told she does have a slight heart murmer, but I was also told that it hadn't gotten any worse.
She is not drinking as much the past few days, but it's really cooled down in the room with the window fan up at night.
I'll check again to see how she's urinating.
Her first droppings when waking up around 5 pm are usually very small, but then level out to an...acceptable size. Still not as big as usual though.

Edit: Ah, I forgot. The past few days I've noticed beside this whole time with her droppings being fairly light in color some of them have a dark line straight down the center. I don't know if that means anything, but I find it weird.

 

[AZChins]

I'd take her in to see Dr. Samuels. He can look at her teeth and see if she has some spurs that need to be buzzed down. Like Dawn said, if she has some points on her teeth it may keep her from eating enough. Older chins may not drool or have other symptoms until later on.

It could have something to do with a murmur. In that case you want to watch it very closely. Sometimes a diuretic is necessary to help balance a chin out if fluid retention is an issues.

The color of the droppings isn't much of an issue. I'd worry about the digestive issues so much more...and you definitely want her to be eating enough.

 

[ticklechin]

The not grooming thing bothers me, it means there is definitely something going on physically, you might just take the chin for a second opinion to the vet Susan is recommending. Since chins hide things really well, I would hate for this to go wrong quickly without a diagnosis.

 

[Crazy]

So..the plan is to make a vet appointment in a couple hours. I woke up worrying and couldn't sleep. She keeps going through these fazes while she's out playing where her droppings are 100% normal and then she goes back in the cage and a couple hours later they are small again. So, it's been really hard for me to tell whether she was better or not.

Here's one problem I've noticed. For starters I checked her again and she is closed. But the weird thing is that she has brown spots on her anus and there is white wiry hair growing all over the skin on the outside. Long white wiry hair!

I realize she should have been to the vet already, but it's been really hard since I have to go through my parents to do so since they are paying for them. We were hoping that she was better since her droppings looked normal, but obviously she's not. I hope to get in with Dr. Samuels later today.

It's been hard with her acting normal like I'm crazy and that everything is fine. On any other occasion I would have rushed to the vet, but since she was seen twice for it already it was getting problematic to rush her to the vet over and over again with no fix.
I was hoping it was just something I could fix myself. Sorry about all of this guys. I've felt like such a bad mommy sitting around waiting, but I've waited long enough. If my parents have a problem with it NOW they can just stick it /cough (no, they are great parents they are just trying not to go broke. I'm just joking around). But, I'll just take the heat for it, but since I gave it my hardest I think they won't be mad. They love that little twirp.

Before I get the questions that seem to come every time from people I'll throw it out there. I'm 25 years old, and yes I still live with my parents. I have eds and a ridiculous amount of other health issues linked to it such as spinal problems, so I have never been able to work. I sleep roughly 12 hours a day sometimes more. I haven't been able to get on social security for disability yet, so I'm doing the best I can.

This has been the worst year of my life (not an overstatement). It started in July when my cat at 2 years old had to have an emergency kidney removal because the person who spayed her nicked her kidney and destroyed it. We just caught it was a fluke during a a yearly check up. Apparently, if we didn't do it then we would have lost her. My grandma was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away 3 weeks later. A couple weeks later my hamster passed away. And now my other little girl is sick. So, I appreciate everyone's help an support so much.

Sorry about the last three paragraphs, but I wanted to explain the situation (probably just trying to make myself feel better), and express how thankful I am that you guys are helping me out during this really hard time.

Oh btw, as for the not grooming thing, she apparently hasn't been doing it for a very long time. I only noticed it because of the matted fur, and the matted fur keeps multiplying! It's horrifying!

 

[AZChins]

It's okay...we understand!

If you can get another opinion, do it! A lot of chins do that thing where they are fine one day and have weird droppings the next...or alternate from hour to hour. Older chins can have a lot of inflammation and irritation in their digestive tracts, it can accumulate over a lifetime. I hope she doesn't have anything really wrong with her, it sounds like it isn't something to worry about so much since it's been going on for soooo long.

 

[Crazy]

I was told I worry too much and she's old D:
He's a nice guy Thank you for the recommendation!

So, she's going to go on Reglan for a few days, and she's got a new foot cream. Poor baby, my skin is drying out and cracking too.

I called a bit after they opened and the only opening they had put me where I had to leave right then, so I took it. Oh dear, I was very tired and dizzy lol.

She's not pleased with me and she bit the vet. She is SO VERY happy to be home. When we got to the room she was kicking me trying to get to her house she was so excited.
Of course at the vet's she would have none of showing the vet how she was having digestive issues. Nope. Just perfect poos.

If she doesn't willingly take the reglan then I'll mix it into critical care. He said that was okay. She has taken critical care off a spoon and my hand after it dripped on me. My other girl will do that too. Goof balls really love critical care. When I use a syringe to feed them with it they have a tendency to rip the syringe to pieces cause I'm not squirting it out fast enough :'(
I don't think she'll pay attention to me for the rest of the day...She has a tendency to take it out on me later via flailing and biting.


Thank you everyone! I think I can rest easy..or I hope I can and am still not paranoid ;-;

 

[Claire D]

Has this chin had dental xrays done?