Weight loss and heart murmur

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danakscully64

danakscully64

Chinchilla Mommy
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
351
Location
California
I just dropped my chinchilla, Shadow, off at the vet for an x-ray and blood work. He has lost a lot of weight recently (he's 14 years old). There have been no changes to his diet/environment and he's been eating and drinking normal. During the examination, they said they heard a heart murmur and a little bit of something in one side of his lungs. They think it may be heart disease, possibly cancer. I won't know anything for a few hours, but I'd like some personal opinions/experience from people who have had chinchillas go through this. If it's heart disease, the vet said it can be treated with oral medication. If it's cancer, there's little he can do.

His back feet also had a tiny bit of oozing. What causes this?

Thank you.
 
Shadow has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. The vet sounds optimistic with treatment for relieving the fluid in his chest. Hopefully it helps and we can get some weight put on him soon. I'll have more details when I go to pick him up in 30 minutes.
 
You can treat it with meds, lasix for the water retention and something like Prinivil or Zestril which are the animal version of lisinopril. Diet modification also may be needed. I have ALOT of experience with congestive heart failure in chins along with murmurs, I am not a vet just a experienced owner.
 
ticklechin said:
You can treat it with meds, lasix for the water retention and something like Prinivil or Zestril which are the animal version of lisinopril. Diet modification also may be needed. I have ALOT of experience with congestive heart failure in chins along with murmurs, I am not a vet just a experienced owner.
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What kind of diet modifications? Do they respond pretty well to treatment typically? Thank you!
 
I have attached a picture of his X-Ray (not the best quality, I took it with my phone).

These are the medications he was given:

1. FUROSEMIDE (5 mg/ml): Please give 0.20 ml by mouth every 12 hours (twice daily). This is a diureticmedication used to decrease fluid accumulation in the lungs. It will cause increased urination. Possible side effects include dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities, and kidney dysfunction. It is important to make sure water consumption is normal while on this medication.
2. ENALAPRIL (3 mg/ml) − Give 0.09ml by mouth once daily. Enalapril is used to reduce the work of the heart. It is an ACE−inhibitor that also causes vasodilation (relaxation of the blood vessels) and can lower blood pressure. Enalapril can also help delay the clinical onset heart failure. Adverse side effects include hypotension, intestinal upset, and potential damage to kidney function. This medication should not be stopped without the recommendation of a veterinarian.


I ordered a scale to weigh my chinchillas. I'm also supposed to be tracking his breathing.
 

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He's acting very normal and LOVES the medicine. I am SO happy he doesn't have to be held and forced to take them. He is still eating a ton of hay and hops around. I don't think he's drinking as much water as he normally does. Is this expected?
 
The furosemide is the lasix, and the enalapril is a ace inhibitor like the Prinivil, both are standard treatments for congestive heart failure and have little side effects. Keep track of the water intake, it needs to be close to normal or he will dehydrate.
 
You may also consider using Advanced Formula Herbal Heart Remedy formulated for herbivores. I’ve got excellent feedback on this product, and one of the reviews is posted on the webpage.

In general, it is important to offer a good herbal supplement (especially the one that contains dandelion, hawthorn and rose hips) to help satisfy the cardiovascular system’s nutritional requirements (“maintenance” commercial pellets can not provide all needed nutrients and secondary compounds that possess medicinal properties).

Also, you can try mixing in some loose alfalfa (about 25%) with grass hays. I hope Shadow feels better soon :)
 
ticklechin said:
The furosemide is the lasix, and the enalapril is a ace inhibitor like the Prinivil, both are standard treatments for congestive heart failure and have little side effects. Keep track of the water intake, it needs to be close to normal or he will dehydrate.
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Good, I'm glad they have little side effects. He shares a cage with his brother, so it's hard to tell how much water he's drinking. I just gave him a little water in the syringe I gave him his medicine with and he drank it fine. I'll do that numerous times a day to make sure he'd getting enough water. Thank you :)

Tanya said:
You may also consider using Advanced Formula Herbal Heart Remedy formulated for herbivores. I’ve got excellent feedback on this product, and one of the reviews is posted on the webpage.

In general, it is important to offer a good herbal supplement (especially the one that contains dandelion, hawthorn and rose hips) to help satisfy the cardiovascular system’s nutritional requirements (“maintenance” commercial pellets can not provide all needed nutrients and secondary compounds that possess medicinal properties).

Also, you can try mixing in some loose alfalfa (about 25%) with grass hays. I hope Shadow feels better soon :)
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I actually got this website when I did a Google search about chinchilla heart disease. I was wondering how good it was. I'll order it tomorrow.

My chinchillas get crushed rosehips daily, Oxbow orchard and alfalfa hay, Oxbow pellets, a wheat square, and numerous times a week a mix of flowers (ordered a bunch from Ronda's Chins). I sometimes give them Ronda's Herbal Oat Supplement, but they don't love it as much as the rosehips by themselves.

Thank you!!
 
Photo of Shadow the day he came back from the vet (they put something in his eyes). That's him in my avatar, but over 10 years ago. I love my old man.


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Thank you :D

So I got a scale and he's lost about 40 grams in a week. He went from 535 to 495. The vet said that was expected because he was going to lose the water weight in his lungs. I hope this means it's working!
 
My chinchilla Cotton is undergoing the same problems as well. Vet diagnosed him with murmur and some fluid in his lungs and prescribed Furosemide and Benazipril.
He is going through appetite loss and is currently at 500g. I hand feed him every 4 hours which he eats gladly but he is not pooping at all and I'm worried sick. Is no poop normal?
Also he emits a popping sound every now and then when he tries to catch his breath..
 
starstone said:
My chinchilla Cotton is undergoing the same problems as well. Vet diagnosed him with murmur and some fluid in his lungs and prescribed Furosemide and Benazipril.
He is going through appetite loss and is currently at 500g. I hand feed him every 4 hours which he eats gladly but he is not pooping at all and I'm worried sick. Is no poop normal?
Also he emits a popping sound every now and then when he tries to catch his breath..
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Correction.. he has small pieces of poop and is still not eating on his own after 5 days of hand feeding.
 
How long since he has produced poo? How is the water intake? The furosemide can lead to dehydration which in turn can cause constipation. You should let your vet know about the problem. They might give sub-q fluids and prescribe a motility drug.
 
He produced alot more poop today compared to most days but still very tiny pieces. He is drinking water as per normal and the feeds i give him always have water in them.
Not going to hijack this thread, I started another new one.
 
UPDATE ON SHADOW: Still eating just fine, moving around a ton. He's still low on his weight. He's about 480g (after taking his meds and drinking water). I know he needs to gain more weight, I just don't know how to do this.

Starstone - I replied on your thread. Poor baby :(
 
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