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[dozla]

 Hi, Has anyone had their chinchilla's tear ducts flushed? my 1 and a half year old tan male has got a slight white discharge which is being treated with eye drops, antibiotics, and metacam for the last two weeks.. to me it hasn't cleared it up so awaiting for vet to call me back. The vet said that it maybe his teeth roots pushing on bone near tear ducts or it could be a deep routed infection which they can clear out by flushing them??  I am waiting for phone call from vet as  I want him booked in for an xray to confirm.
Until he started his medication his weight was stable but now he has dropped 50 grams since being on it.
Anyone been through this? I lost a young chinchilla to malocclusion 2 years ago and he is my elderly chins new buddy.. after going through alot of treatments with the last one I am very reluctant to put this one through weeks of meds without the xray.
If xray confirms any root elongation I won't be letting them wake him up as I think its an awful thing to go through.. but just wondered if anyone else has had this and had a happy ending 

[GrayRodent]

I'm sorry to hear that. I had one diagnosed with malo from a visual exam and just had him euthanized about two years ago because I knew it would be a lot of expensive treatments.
I can understand that flushing the duct may be of use and may open the tear duct if it's clogged but as you know if there is an underlying problem such as malo it may not do anything.
It is suspicious to me that the problem has not responded after two weeks of antibiotics. Perhaps the antibiotic you are using is ineffective against this type of infection and a different type should be tried. A culture may be taken to verify the type of pathogen and what medication it may best respond to. An x-ray may also shed some additional light on the problem even if it is not malo.

50g is pretty steep. You may ask your vet about adjusting your syringe feeding dosages. If you are not syringe feeding you probably should be. Antibiotics can be quite hazardous to chinchillas because of the intestinal irritation they cause can cause them to stop eating. This results in serious complications. Their digestive system must keep flowing or it will fail completely.

[dozla]

yeah I am really worried about the weight drop  wish the vet would hurry up and call me back! he is eating but not alot at the moment so I have been filling his cage with every different type of hay product I can find for chinchilla so he has something new and interesting in there just to try and keep him ticking over.
Think I will go for the xray before I try more medication as I dont want him to be force fed more if there in something worse going on inside. It's breaking my heart to think I maybe losing another one so young.

[GrayRodent]

Yes, sadly, there are many chinchillas that are not bred properly. There is no attention to detail to prevent inbreeding or removing malocclusion from their lines. Also the chinchilla diet that is widely available is typically very poor. A reputable breeder will always be concerned whenever any of their animals develop malocclusion and the cause is determined to be genetic.

[dozla]

vet cancelled CT scan until he is putting on weight as now 595 from 675 when I first took him to the vets just under 3 weeks ago, he is on critical care 3 times a day but is just about holding him at weight.. don't know what else to do?? I have stopped the baytrail as he was eating fine until he was given this. he has had his metacam dose upped and has zantac syrup to help his tummy.
Feel so frustrated as he really needs the scan to check teeth but can't have scan until he is fattened up abit.
I am 99% sure its malo as his eye infection although never looked bad has not gone away and the fur is flat around his eyes, I just dont know wither to put him to sleep without the scan as if he is not eating properly something is obviously very wrong, but then what if I am wrong? I just want him to be well and happy or 'asleep' I am not selfishly dragging him through life for me.

[GrayRodent]

Considering the eye infection has not responded to antibiotics after 3 weeks that's pretty extreme. I think it's safe to say it is not a simple eye infection. If he will not eat on his own he cannot gain weight. You cannot exceed the safe limits of syringe feeding or you risk aspirating fluid into the lungs. I'm very sorry to say I don't think there is much hope for this one.
As I have said before animals are not people. People's needs should always take precedent. It is your pet and you should use your best judgment. If it were my pet I would set limits on how far I will go to save it, prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.

[dozla]

I am so confused as he went to the vets with stable weight and slight white gunk in corner of his eye.. been treated as blocked tear ducts, 3 weeks later he has lost 80 grams and looks bloody awful. I dont know weither to push for the CT scan even at a low weight as at least i will know I will have the answers I need to pursue weither to keep feeding him or not.
I just have a feeling in my gut that its his teeth.. 

[ABC Chinchillas]

only a small percentage of Malo is found to be genetic. most Malo is dietary related or from an injury. If it is the root rowing there is no amount of medical procedures that will make him ok. Before you go to that what are you feeding? everything including treats and does your chinchillas have ample access to hay some chinchillas  can get weepy eyes when not provided hay

[dozla]

he is being fed science selective pellets, loose hay, alfalfa with meadow hay in a ring you hang up, alfalfa bale and hay cookies.
For treats they have kale but only a small amount.
Before he started any treatments all he had was a small white discharge, he was eating fine with no weight changes through his life other than gaining as he has obviously  been growing as only young.
No he is 80 grams down and getting lower by the day.
He is pooing normally but only eating a small amount, I am feeding critical care 3 times a day but it is quite watery so I can get it into the syringe

[GrayRodent]

Make the mixture as thick as you can get it (although the volume must stay the same). See if he'll eat it off a spoon.

[BLS Chins]

Your best bet is to get.xrays done. Depending on your chin, they can sometimes to those wake. Without knowing for sure if the teeth are involved there really isnt much we can help you with. Good luck

[dozla]

He has been booked in for a CT scan on Friday to check teeth, have said if it is Malo and can't have a 100% fix then I would like him to go peacefully  I'm so scared for him and my other chinchilla who will potentially be all on his own again.
Even worse timing as I am due to go on holiday at the end of the month so he will just have the pet sitter feeding him.

[GrayRodent]

Please keep us posted. We would like to know the outcome as well.

[dozla]

  Loki went to heaven. It was his teeth roots, they said that they weren't that bad at the moment but he would get progressively worse and that it was more than just one tooth pushing on his tear ducts and other places.
They gave me the option of long term medicines but as he hates them so much and he was losing weight I didn't think it would be fair as he can't tell me when it is getting too much.
I am so sad. Heaven has gained the cutest fluffy angel.
RIP lil man xx love you xx

[GrayRodent]

I'm so sorry. Sounds like you've done your best.