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[cadillactaste]

We've always known that the one cage door you have to push on to make sure it latches. Well...someone forgot to listen and the chins got out!

We didn't even KNOW this. Pizza delivered...and were eating when my husband came home to see the bulldog chase something into the furnace room. [Thinking a squirrel got into the house]

Ran to find flashlights. Cole keeps on beside his bed. And noticed the door to the cage open! I freaked...for the sliding door had been open when I came in from the backyard. Thinking...could one have gotten outside...I actually vomitted from fear one got outside.

Luckily...Fluffy never left the bedroom. And we found Nibbles in the furnace room petrified hiding among the crib that's torn down and stored there. He wasn't "chewed" but the tips of fur was like dried from being wet. It was less than 15 minutes to locate him...And he wasn't wet when I picked him up. We have central air. So maybe the condensation of the furnace from that running? Anyways...I called the Emergency vet. And told them what happened.

They didn't seem concerned in the least. No he's not bleeding.No he's not breathing heavy... Yes he ate food once placed in his crate. Offered him a dust bath and he used it. But he's favoring his one back foot. They said he may have taken a tumble down the stairs to the basement...and possibly bruised it.

 I can't see where the dog actually caught him. [Sarge doesn't move exactly fast] It isn't hanging limp...And he did scratch his ear with the foot in question earlier today. He also was chewing on a wooden chew as well today and standing on his back feet.

 I  did closed off the top of his cage and have both the chins together up on top so he doesnt' attempt to jump to the top part of the cage. Since they cuddle a lot I kept them together. Our vet is out until Monday. So he has less area to move around and doesn't have access to the opening that allows him to jump  from the top part to the lower section. So he can have more rest. I offered him another bath today. Just to see if he could use it. And he did...he tossed around more than he did last night while in the bath. And...used his litter box and perched on the edge with his back feet. And ate some food from the feeder on the  side of the cage. And did seem to use it a little more than last night. He was up hopping around while I cleaned my son's room but slower than normal. [Wiped walls down due to the dust baths in there] But ever so often...I notice him lifting his back foot while he hops. I'm frustrated that I can't seem to locate a vet that will look at him. 

I'm thinking...I doubt the flying saucer will make it to the cage next weekend. When I give it to my son for his birthday. I cried off and on last night...thinking "He can't die the week before my son's birthday". I was so distressed. My husband offered to sleep on the floor in front of the cage to check on him through out the night.

[chinclub]

I am so sorry you had such an awful night!  I think he will be fine.  If he was traumatized by the outing he wouldn't be eating and dusting. Those are both great signs that he took it all in stride.  If he is using the back foot for hopping and scratching it isn't broken or dislocated.  I agree with the vet that it is probably just a minor problem.  Did you look at the foot to see if there might be a scratch.

If it were my chinchilla and he seemed to be getting better with the foot I wouldn't stress him with a vet visit on top of everything else.

[cadillactaste]

I am so sorry you had such an awful night!  I think he will be fine.  If he was traumatized by the outing he wouldn't be eating and dusting. Those are both great signs that he took it all in stride.  If he is using the back foot for hopping and scratching it isn't broken or dislocated.  I agree with the vet that it is probably just a minor problem.  Did you look at the foot to see if there might be a scratch.

If it were my chinchilla and he seemed to be getting better with the foot I wouldn't stress him with a vet visit on top of everything else.

Reading what you posted...has helped me...calm down a bit. For...I couldn't understand...why the vet didn't want to inicially see him. And I can see where stressing him when he's recovering would be foolish. Thanks for your opinion on the matter...and I'm relieved that you feel he'll be fine. He beat Fluffy to the bath this morning.  ...And he's been eating and chewing on the wood carrot sticks.

I just got him out to look at his leg to see if it looked a weird shape. I didn't notice his foot being scratched. But in all honesty I was just comparing it to the other one to see if it was swollen. Which it wasn't. He did push away from me using both feet. And applied good pressure with both. Without making any noise as if in discomfort. To the point I couldn't feel him favoring the one over the other as he pushed off me. So that also gave me hope. 

I'm wondering if he could be bruised if he jumped down the carpeted stairs to the basement and didn't make it and tumbled the remainder of the way.

As for his foot...he's hopping with it then he'll pick it up and hop. He will perch on his back feet to eat though.  I think your right...he may become more stressed on the hour car ride and having the vet handle him. And he's definately showing signs of improvement. He's more active today. Still occassionally lifting the back foot. But using it occassionally as well.

This morning while I was petting him...he lifted his back leg [The one in question] And looked at it and then put it back down on the cage floor. Like..."Look my foot/leg hurts momma] But he's moving it. It's not being dragged around in the cage. [Which gives me hope as well]

It was the worst night imaginable...though...my husband reminds me...it could have been far worse. He's alive...and showing signs of improvement.