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1

Health / Re: Malocclusion

« on: April 30, 2013, 12:05:53 PM »

Hello,

I find this advice very helpful, thank you.  I spoke with a vet today that does teeth filing on rabbits and some chinchillas and they quoted me $65 for the consultation and $490 for the dental exam and x-rays.  I don't think this even covered the filing.  It's horrible to have to look at your loved animal of 12 years according to money but geez.... Ninja is so old already and he's been getting more and more inactive over the years.  He doesn't seem happy anymore.  The fact he hasn't pooped in probably 2 weeks means he is suffering, even if he doesn't show it.  I read that rodents and animals usually preyed upon will try to hide their illness for survival.

Rough times.

thank you

2

Health / Malocclusion

« on: April 30, 2013, 07:41:18 AM »

Hello,

My chinchilla Ninja is about 13 years old now.  He's always been completely healthy except for some fur biting and even that stopped in the last year. 

However to my complete shock he's stopped eating.  Even raisins!  He takes a raisin in his paws and then drops it.  He hasn't been eating pellets, just leaving them kinda maimed around his bowl.  He hasn't pooped properly in over a week.  Like, some days I don't think he poops at all.  And the fur under his chin is matted and I've read that's cause he's drooling.

I'm quite sure it's his teeth.  Reading up on this malocclusion, I see a vet and file down his teeth but only a very experienced chinchilla vet.  He's always had chew toys but he's lost the interest he once had.  He's just getting old and tired.

My question is this:  He's getting old, I don't want to put him through a surgery that will scare him to death anyways, I don't want to risk something so invasive, and I likely can't afford to spend the money that will require at this point.

I'm looking for feedback if anyone has gone through this with their chinchilla and what their thoughts are.  I'll call a vet today to ask about their experience and the costs but my Ninja is so old already....

Putting him down would be so hard but I can't let him starve in his cage.  He's drinking water and probably managing to get a tiny bit of food down but he's lost weight so there's no doubt he's not eating properly.

Sad times.  Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated.

Leslie