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Author Topic: Food suppliment suggestions wanted  (Read 4065 times)

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GrayRodent

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Re: Food suppliment suggestions wanted
« Reply #15 on: December 15, 2012, 05:10:37 PM »

The calf manna was not working and then my chinchilla pretty much went off his food entirely for two days. I wanted to give him an extra couple of days to let the supplement do its job but I didn't expect him to go anorexic like this.

I think there is something more than relocation stress. His schedule and environment although not perfectly quiet is far more regular than it's ever been. Also he is acting calmer and more tame than ever and seems to want interaction so I'm thinking there's something more going on. I took him to the vet this morning and she didn't find anything on the initial exam other than he felt underweight/ bony when she held him. That and his weight has gone back to 390g which is what he weighed 9 days ago when I first put him on calf manna. When I first got him he weighed 470g. He is scheduled for a tooth exam on Monday since they were not fully staffed for the weekend to do the procedure. It is most likely a tooth abscess so he is now on Metacam for pain and oral Baytril as an antibiotic. He has also been prescribed Critical care 3 times a day which I had bought anticipating this could happen. Unfortunately Baytril is known to cause anorexia in chinchillas so I'm not sure when he'll be eating on his own again. I am still anticipating the worst but hoping for the best. I have taken him off the calf manna now. If he survives this I will give him time for the effects of the Baytril to wear off before starting him on it again.
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chinclub

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Re: Food suppliment suggestions wanted
« Reply #16 on: December 16, 2012, 09:31:45 AM »

I am so sorry.

Be sure to give him yogurt like Activia between antibiotic doses.
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GrayRodent

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Re: Food suppliment suggestions wanted
« Reply #17 on: December 16, 2012, 10:49:33 AM »

I'll start doing that. I have regular plain yogurt on hand but I'll see if I can get some Activia tomorrow when I drop him off at the vet. I'll syringe feed 2.5 ml (about half a teaspoon of yogurt) about 30 minutes after I give him today's dose of Baytril this afternoon. He is still anorexic though he crunches on hay and pellets on occasion. I think he plays with his food but does not eat more than a few little pieces.
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chinclub

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Re: Food suppliment suggestions wanted
« Reply #18 on: December 16, 2012, 02:36:33 PM »

Any yogurt will do as long as it has live cultures.  Give it right in the middle of does.  (So if you give meds every 6 hours give the yogurt 3 hours after the meds.)  Too soon and the meds might still be able to kill the yogurt cultures.
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GrayRodent

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Re: Food suppliment suggestions wanted
« Reply #19 on: December 16, 2012, 04:15:27 PM »

I found that my yogurt is way past its sell by date and is showing signs of souring so I've decided to throw it away. I plan on replacing it tomorrow when I am in town. The good news is that the critical care that I am feeding has probiotics in it and is now his main diet.
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Re: Food suppliment suggestions wanted
« Reply #20 on: December 17, 2012, 04:39:51 PM »

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. In my case it was not relocation stress but malocclusion of the incisors which was causing the weight loss. After I got a positive diagnosis I had him euthanized to prevent the morbid and wasting death that is associated with managing this disease long term. I plan on getting a chinchilla from a breeder soon. Thanks again.
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