why mickey died...

[chinchillalover0927]

Well this morning we brought a few fecals to be done, all came up negative, so thank god mickey did NOT die of a parasite or something else that spread to the rest of the chins he was with.

The doctor told me today that when he did the neocropsy he found that mickeys heart was not formed correctly. He said it looked developed but it was very malformed and he believes that it may have very well been the cause of his death... Mickeys birthday was today, he was a year old.

I also asked my vet how he would have euthenized mickey and he told me due to the tiny vains and such he would have done a heart stick. Im sorry but you all can disagree with me all you want, I would have rathered held mickey and let him pass then to do a heart stick on him. I cant imagine that!! I have witnessed it on a ferret and I think it is the most horrible way to put an animal to sleep.

So to anyone that was interested, basically it seems that mickeys heart was the cause of his death. If this is in fact genetic I have an eagle out on my other two. I have his full sister and half sister. So im very worried now....

 

[tunes]

For future reference, the vet does not have to do a heart stick and it be painful. I'm not disagreeing with you holding him. I'm telling you ANY vet that's worth a d*mn will anesthetize with gas first, and then do a heart stick then, so the chin feels nothing.

 

[lauralynne]

I'm glad you had a necropsy done to find the cause.
Although, I have a question...How does a heart LOOK developed, but is deformed? Just an honest question that I don't understand. Nothing aimed at anyone, I'd just like some imput on that.

 

[ticklechin]

Did the vet give you a written report that you can post? More specific as to what was wrong? I had one that died from heart failure and I am curious if his condition was the same.

Small animals go into the gas tank first to go asleep then the heart stick is done, that is what my vet does.

 

[chinchillalover0927]

yes i know they still gas them down or give them a shot to make them woozy but i still couldnt bring myself to let them stick him in the heart.

He said it looked like it was a functional heart, but he said that it was just malformed. No he didnt give me a report, its my moms vet and she worked there so they know us very well, i didnt really need one, all i asked was that he tell me what happened.. Im just happy that it isnt anything contagious..

He told me that he'd like me to bring in his full sister to get her looked at, he wants to check her to make sure that she seems healthy. Which I am going to do, I dont want to risk it. He is concerned about her health.

 

[ticklechin]

That is too bad the vet did not tell you more as to what was wrong with the heart, malformed is a curious term so more info on that would have been good to know for future chins since heart issues are not common but do show up.

 

[Stackie]

Can you ask the vet specifically what part of the heart was malformed or what made him believe it was malformed? If you could get more detail it could help educate us on problems that chinchillas can face.

 

[chinchillalover0927]

ill find out, not sure how long it will take. Ill prob ask him when i bring boosie in to get a full exam done on her

 

[ticklechin]

You can call and a tech will get the message to him I am sure, especially since your Mom worked there are he appears to be good friends with your family according to your post. We really find heart issues interesting, I know when Gino had his issues I got all kinds of questions about his condition.

 

[Sandi]

It would be great if he does do a report as many have said, it would help educate us more on these creatures that we all love so dearly. I'm sorry about your Mickey.

 

[tunes]

I didn't even think of that - but everybody is right - this could be a learning experience for all of us. I'd also like to get the information to my vet as well.

Mickey would have been under anesthesia. Whether you are squeamish about the needle in the heart or not, it would not have hurt him, and it would have been a faster passing. You need to realize that you ARE going to have to euthanize a chin at some point. Everybody who owns a pet has to. At some point you will need to get over your squeamishness about this and put the animal first. That's not a lecture, that's a fact.

 

[AZChins]

Was the malformation something with the valves? Like a heart murmur type of thing?

 

[cindyv3737]

I had no idea chins could have heart deformities. I'm very intrested in this. My vet would love to see the report too.

I'm very sorry for your loss. Please keep us posted on your other chins. I really hope it is not genetic.

 

[eroomlorac]

For future reference, the vet does not have to do a heart stick and it be painful. I'm not disagreeing with you holding him. I'm telling you ANY vet that's worth a d*mn will anesthetize with gas first, and then do a heart stick then, so the chin feels nothing.

Tunes is right. I adopted a guinea pig from Craigslist that came to me sick. I noticed immediately the little piggie wasn't eating. I brought her to the vet the second day I had her. The vet gave me a plan of action and one of the choices was putting little piggie to sleep if she could not pass a blockage that showed on an x-ray. The vet assured me before they do a heart stick euthanasia, the animal is anesthetized with a mask to ensure it feels no pain. Unfortunately, even though I hand fed little piggie, she died at my home. But if I had needed to euthanize her, I would have stayed with her to ensure she was gassed before the heart stick.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Thank you for posting the results. I too would be interested in learning what was off about the heart. Heart conditions are not common in chinchillas, so anything we can learn and share with our vets is greatly appreciated.

 

[Peep_erz]

One of my chins Kuzu had a heart murmur that gave him a really bad arrhythmia when he was stressed. he also had a lung tumor and his health spiraled downhill. I would be really interested to hear more Mickey's heart condition.

 

[Laurie]

There is no use worrying as if it's genetic there isn't much you can do. Just live your life with Mickey's sisters and enjoy them and love them. And be thankful and grateful for each day you have with them. I hope they will bring you peace and a nice reminder of Mickey as part of him lives on in them.

 

[ticklechin]

It actually would be good to know if its genetic and if the living chins have issues, if some other chronic health issue crops up it could influence the treatment plan when dealing with heart issues.

 

[Riven]

He told me that he'd like me to bring in his full sister to get her looked at, he wants to check her to make sure that she seems healthy. Which I am going to do, I dont want to risk it. He is concerned about her health.

I don't understand unless it is a valve issue that can be heard via stethoscope what exactly a health check up will find...

 

[Brittany_Lynn]

This is off topic, but Riven, I have been trying to figure out the left half of your siggy for SO LONG. And I JUST got it. -headdesk-
I didn't realize they went in a row going DOWN. :rofl: Let's eat Grandma!!!