Gandalf Update! (Long)

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Gandalf Update! (Long)
21
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 6:30pm

I know this is off topic, but I wanted to post about my chinchilla's surgery here since my P2 friends are waiting to hear how he's doing. Sorry if it's too long or detailed. LOL ;-)

Well I called the vet's at 2pm yesterday because I couldn't concentrate on work and hadn't heard anything. The tech told me Gandalf was still sitting in an aquarium and that his surgery would start around 3pm. I decided to leave work at 2:30 and got to the vet's by 3. The tech told me Gandalf was just then "on the table" and asked if I'd like to come back in an hour or so. I said yes, as long as they called me on my cell phone if they needed to ask/tell me anything. I went home to spend a little time with Misha & Gracie. Then I returned to the vet's at 4pm. They said he was still in surgery. I think it was around 4:20 or so when he was finally finished. I kept myself busy playing with two kittens that were in a big cage in the waiting area. One was a tuxedo and the other an adorable tortie. If I didn't have 5 already I would have adopted the tortie in a nanosecond! LOL She kept talking to me and wanting me to pet her. It broke my heart when I finally had to leave and she looked at me with those pleading eyes.....but I digress.

The tech brought Gandalf out to me when he was groggy and just waking up from the anesthesia (they used gas so he'd come out of it easier. The other vet who'd done Gandalf's surgery last October used injectible anesthesia). She gave me a towel to cradle him in and let me sit in an exam room so he wouldn't be upset by the dogs in the waiting area. I held him and pet him for awhile until the vet came in. She told me she'd spent a great deal of time in the past couple days reading up on chinchillas and their dental problems. She said she wants to learn more since there still isn't that much known about such exotic animals in veterinary science compared to dogs & cats. She said she had online consulting that she does with other exotic specialists around the country. She said she'd forward his digital x-rays to a chinchilla dental expert for a second opinion as well as ask around about what diet & roughage would be best to help keep Gandalf's teeth naturally ground down. She had discovered there were no absesses or broken parts under the gumline (thank God) and she did remove a broken bit of tooth above the gumline and removed the points on the back teeth that are closest to the front since they weren't meeting properly. She trimmed his front tooth a little also, but she said the front teeth were in good shape are weren't really the problem.

The x-rays showed that the roots on his bottom teeth are growing too far into his jaw which no doubt must cause some pain. She did not see any obvious evidence of roots growing in the upper teeth towards his eye sockets (which is a relief, because that is what would make me consider euthanasia because that would be unbearably painful). She said she'll get a second opinion on that though just to be sure. She gave him an injection of some pain killer after surgery and at my prompting and insistence she agreed to send 5 days worth of liquid anti-inflammatory pain meds home with me to give him. If he is tender and won't eat pellets or hay for the next few days I can give him green bean baby food (which he loves).

His prognosis so far....he's not out of the woods, but there is hope. She said she'd read of vets removing teeth in chins where the roots were causing pain, but she said it could not be done all at once or the pain would be too much and the chin could die. She said they had found removing one tooth at a time is the best way to go. You have to put them under anesthesia and take one tooth, recover and they can deal with the pain if allowed at least a week before coming in for the next tooth to be pulled. It would involve 8 straight weeks for the bottom teeth to be removed. I am assuming you'd need to remove the top ones too? I will have to ask her when I talk to her again in about a week. I asked if the chins who'd had teeth removed were depressed since they couldn't chew anymore (which is such a big part of their natural instinct). She said no, that they've actually done well. She did say it should be a last resort though.

She said all the research she read indicated that his problem was likely dietary and not genetic. She said he needs to eat more hay and roughage to keep the teeth ground down and that pellets & raisins did not help grind teeth like hay would. (She said she wasn't sure the shredded wheat squares I gave him recently are good for chins since it is a grain. She will do more checking on that). I told her I'd gotten conflicting advice from the younger (less experienced) vet I'd first taken Gandalf to. She had said if a chin has malocclusion of the teeth at age 2 that it's likely hereditary (genetic). She said if they get it later in life it's not as likely to be genetic??? The vet I saw today said perhaps that other vet knew of something she didn't know, but that she had not seen any research that indicates this would be genetic and that I should be able to just let him live with Cocoa again and let them have babies if they want. I wish I knew which vet is right. It's so confusing!

I am cautiously optimistic. I worry that he's in constant pain with the roots growing into his jaw real deeply. The vet said if he keeps his teeth ground properly the roots should not grow any more so the problem shouldn't get worse. She may have me bring him in monthly, as I'd done with the other vet, to be checked and have any minor points filed off the teeth as needed. If it comes to it then I will consider having teeth removed as long as that in itself doesn't cause him too much stress/pain. I would love to let him cuddle his friend Cocoa again. I wish I could figure out if it's a good idea or not. I really don't feel good about neutering him at this point since I know it's not something vets do every day on such small animals, and I can imagine it would cause pain as well as potential complications should the operation not go well.

Thank you for reading my novel here. LOL Thank you all for your friendship and support & prayers which I couldn't do without! Do you think this vet today is the one I should stick with? Even if she doesn't know everything about chins she seems willing to do the research/consulting. The first vet I saw (with only 2 years experience) was good at filing his teeth and handling him, but I don't think her clinic was as modern or clean as the one I took him to today.

Other than some head shaking and a few funny noises, Gandalf seemed to come out of anesthesia well. He's resting now in his spacious, multi-level cage and I'll be checking on him soon.

I am still discussing things with dh. I hope now he'll not be so quick to give up. It's not easy, but I want to give Gandalf every chance as long as he's not suffering and has some enjoyment of life left.

As for today, he's not eating except for the baby food and he's obviously still in some pain and just wants to sleep. When dh gets home in an hour I'll have him help me give Gandalf his liquid pain medicine.

Hugs from a very relieved (formerly stressed beyond belief) furmom!




 


Pages

Community Leader
Registered: 10-08-2002
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 7:06pm

(((Suzy))) & (((Gandalf)))


Glad to hear things went well.

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-06-2004
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 7:34pm
More hugs for you and Gandalf.

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 9:35pm

Thank you Kristin! He seemed to like his medicine tonight. A vet tech told me it tastes honey-like so I bet he enjoyed that! LOL He loves his baby food too! I hope in a few days he'll feel a bit more energetic and will start eating solid foods again.

Can you see why I've been preoccupied this week? ;-) I feel bad for not keeping up with posts. I normally like to respond to everyone.

Do you have fun plans for the weekend? :-)

((((Hugs))))





iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 11:05pm

Hi Suzy,


My thoughts are with you and Galdalf tonight.

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Fri, 01-28-2005 - 11:53pm

Thank you ((((Cathy))))! I am so touched by all the support & friendship here. :-) Our furkids mean so much to us all. I am sorry your puppy is having problems with his teeth. That's so sad! How old is your puppy? I sure hope they won't have to pull his teeth! Some of our older cats have to take medicine once a month for their teeth. Veterinary teeth cleaning sure can be expensive so we try to keep them in good condition. I have yet to get them used to tooth brushing. LOL! I have the kitty toothpaste & a brush but I just need to get one of them to sit still long enough for me to give it a try.

I'll keep you posted on Gandalf. I'm heading in to feed him some baby food right now.

Hugs,


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2004
Sat, 01-29-2005 - 8:43am

Our puppy, Coco, is a 7 year old Bichon.

Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Sat, 01-29-2005 - 9:14am

Suzy,


Hugs to you for YOU making it through his surgery. That can be really stressful, You are such a good Mommy!! Gandalf is so fortunate to have you! I am glad it looks like he will be okay. I can really understand how much you love your "kids."


I am a total animal lover, too. Even though I have 2 human kids my dogs are still my "babies." I currently have 2 Shelties, Toby and Eclipse. In the past I have had everything, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, gerbils, fish, etc. I have also volunteered for Wild Bird Rehab and I have been a foster mom for Sheltie Rescue.

Kathy


 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-06-2004
Sat, 01-29-2005 - 10:48am

Suzy,

(((HUGS for both you and Gandalf))) I am so glad to hear that he made it through his surgery ok and that there is hope for him. The fact that you have found a vet willing to go the extra mile sounds promising. I wish you both the best and I hope your little guy is feeling better soon.

Scully










Scully




iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sat, 01-29-2005 - 9:11pm
Wow Suzy - that's alot of surgeries...

Susan :)

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-2004
Sun, 01-30-2005 - 9:31am

More (((hugs))) for ya!

   

Pages