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[tinabeana]

Seizures


I was just wondering what anyone thought of this…

Last week we noticed Stoli was standing crouched and trembling. Her hands drawn in close her body and one of her ears pulled flat against her head in a strange way… I really can’t think of a better way to describe it, if it happens again I’ll try to take a picture of it.

When we tried to touch her she was able to run away sorta, but still with one arm still drawn close to her body and one ear flattened against her head. We waited till she calmed down and her ears perked up. I picked her up and examined her legs, they looked fine and she didn’t freak out when I touched them.

She’s going to the vet today, but does this sound like a seizure? She wasn’t shaking violently but trembling a little like the first day we brought her home (she sat in her house an trembled a little but after a few minutes she was fine.)

[chinclub]

If it weren't for the shaking I would have said she sounded fine.  Every once in awhile a chinchilla's ear will droop down. In pink eared chinchillas you will usually notice it turn really red when it does this.  There have been several discusions on the topic.  It seems to be a pretty common thing although as of yet I haven't heard why.  However that doesn't explain the shaking. 
California Chins has a great secion on the different types of chinchilla seizures, what they look like, what causes them, and any known treatments. Thier website is here: http://www.cachins.org/ Click on Health and then on Seizures.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Could be what we used to call mild seizures, petite mal?
I have one who does seize from a head injury, but he has full blown convulsions.
His front legs go out straight, he kind of sits back on his bum, with his head on the floor, with his tail whipping around in circles very fast. His eyes flicker and he straightens right out.
Do let us know what the vet says.

[Jo Ann]

Know what you mean there, Debbie.  "Evil Knievel" had a head injury from a fall (that's how he got the name) ... I caught him the first two times (the day he was born) when he came flying out of the cage 5' off the floor, but he made it past me on the third go around (the day after he was born) ... he had a grand mall seizure ... actually died on me ... I got him breathing again, then the seizure went full blown ... his head drew backward, his legs stiffened and his tail twirled round and round as his back seemed to spasm.  I just kept him safe in my lap and gently rubbed him as he began to come out of it ... he walked in circles counter clock wise off and on for about 15 minutes, drug the last half of his body for about a day and a half, then, drug his hind leg for another day, the third day it was as if nothing ever happened ... he never had another one.  He's 5 now.   

The ear flopping is normal.     The shaking could have been a chill or something could have scared him ... they tend to smell and hear things much better than we do.

Do let us know what the vet says!

 
Jo Ann

[null]

Was the shaking noticable to the eye or was it more like a vibration that you could feel? I've got a chin that will do that. It's usually right after I take him out for play time. He sits real still for a while and vibrates. Then he runs off and there's a big pile of poo where he was sitting.

[Jo Ann]

Null

It's usually right after I take him out for play time. He sits real still for a while and vibrates. Then he runs off and there's a big pile of poo where he was sitting.

Sounds like he wants "Throne Time" outside of his cage.   

Now, on the more serious side ... Tinabena, what did the vet say?

   
Jo Ann

[tinabeana]

Sorry! I've tried to post a few times and was interrupted.

So basically the vet said the same thing that you all have said. He said it's possible she had a mild seizure but he said from what I described didn't sound like it. I could sort of see her tremble and when I touched her she was vibrating but her body wasn't rigid, even though one ear was flattened completely against her head and she held her arm close she still scurried away and threw some fur.

Joanne he also mentioned that he believes animals sense, hear and smell things we do not and something may have spooked her. We also talked about the temperature and her diet. He said it may be possible that she is diabetic because of her poor diet in the pet store, so we're keeping an eye on her food and water intake.

Given that we know nothing about her past it could be anything or it could be nothing. He told me to keep a close watch on her and note any thing of concern and follow up with him. He said chinchilla are just like people and they all react to things different. He suggested we just might need to get to know her better. Other then that she appears to be in good shape - good looking teeth, good weight, no ghardia.

He did tell me if she did have a seizure to use my best judgment in making her comfortable. He said he believed some animals would most definitely prefer human contact when going through something like a seizure. Of course Stoli is new to us still and is still sometimes easily frightened so he said it might be best if we just tried to let her "ride it out" so as not to exacerbate the situation.

Since then she has been just fine, we've tried to let her be on her own for the most part.

She seems to have gotten more skittish since we've had her and I'm not sure why. Before she would run up to the bars for a scratch on the head and hop in our hands. Now you can't try to hold her and you have to get down to business and scratch that one spot on her chin if you don't want her to run away. Though it you do get to that spot she'll spread her arms out and lean forward with her eye's half closed forever.

Part of me wonders if it's because she has Maggie now for companionship. They are still getting along wonderfully, they sleep all day together, groom each other and eat together.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Could she have just been doing the shake or shiver I call it.
I have one , my first male, and a few of his off spring that when you hold out in front of you they'll quiver.
Some say it's nervousness, but he's over 9 now, and that's just not it.
I've always felt some do it to ward off predators if they can't get to spray.
I mean if you picked up something to eat and it started vibrating you'd hesitate right!
So I believe it's there other way of making a break for it.All they need is a second of a released grip and they are gone.
Pokie does it when ever I pass him to someone new , and only when you hold him out from your body.
Some could be scared and do it, but I'm sure Pokie is not scared, he's just trying to let me know, he wants to be left alone.
So I would say they would do it out of fear, or protest, or just plain uncertainty.