Chinchilla teeth problem

[vera]

Hello,
My chinchilla (Flippy 7 years old) has teeth problem for quite a while now. The Vet grinded his teeth down. After few months he was still not better and only eating pureed food. I realized that he lost a lot of weight now only 350g, when I took him to the Vet he realized that he has black discharge coming from his gums. He gave him antibiotics and the infection gone down, but he is not eating much and I have to fatten him up so he can withstand anesthetics. I have an x-ray picture which they taken a couple of months ago after grinding his teeth down.
I would really appreciate if someone can tell me what kind of teeth problem he might have. The problem is in his upper jaws on his left side. I am not sure which side it is on the x-ray picture, but I think might be the right side image. I am scared that he won't have a solution if this might be a root elongation. His eyes sometimes twitch so I am not sure if the root pressing on a nerve. Few days back he also got a seizure for a few moments, which scared me a lot. I don’t want him to suffer, if there is a hope I will try everything, but if there is none I have to let him go ?
Here in Gibraltar are very few Chinchillas, that is why I am hoping that I find someone in this forum with a lot of experience. I am extremely grateful for your time and help. All the best!!!

[Lrak]

Hi, really sorry to hear this, I don't know much about chinchillas as I only kept them as a kid a my dad delta with all health problems but I think there are a few people on here that keep them and I'm sure some of them will be able to help you out. They should be along soon. If not I'm sure someone will be able to help as everyone on here is very knowledgeable. Fingers crossed for you and hope you sort it soon.

[ilikedegus]

Vera

Where are you - country/town?

Someone may be able to recommend a specialist vet in your country/area who can read these X-rays properly.

If no-one local, I wonder if you can find a vet you could email these to for a minimal consultation fee?

It's great that you have them.

[moletteuk]

I'm sorry we have very few chinchilla people here, but I have PMd somebody for you who may be able to help.

Sometimes diet can have a big influence, and commercial food mixes often don't provide everything that degus and chinchillas need. Feeding fresh plants and paying attention to calcium levels are the advice we currently give for degus for helping with dental disease. I'm not sure if chinchilla diet is exactly the same as degu diet, but you will find general diet information and information on suitable safe plants in our degu diet area. Oil seeds and nuts are great for fattening up degus, you will find a list of safe seeds here deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15602/vegetable-seed-nut-nutrition-charts

[natnat899]

Hello, very sorry to hear about your chinchilla, a critical care formula such as oxbow may be good to help keep your chinchillas weight constant if he is not eating. It is very important to find a specialist vet, in the mean time chinchillaworld.com may be able to help you more, especially as you have your x-ray pictures to hand

[vera]

Hello,

Thank you all for your comments. I am really grateful for your time and help. I live in Gibraltar which is a small country 30,000 people so the best Vet is the one who I took my chichilla to, but I dont think he has experience with them although he is very good. Across the border I have Spain, but with the border queues of 4 hours it would be too much stress for Flippy. I was also thinking that I can find an experienced doctor online who can check the x-rays and pay him online. Anyone can recommend an experienced Vet with chichillas? I also posted on different forums so I have a better chance to find help for my little friend.
Thank you!

[ilikedegus]

Vera

I have PM's you with my vet's website link, not sure if it will be useful or not.

Clare

[moletteuk]

The way it normally works is that your standard vet would either refer you to a specialist vet or would phone or email the specialist for you. So if you can track down somebody who could look at the xrays, you would then speak to your current vet, tell them you found a specialist and they would usually send them off for you. That's my understanding of how it works, it's best to keep your standard vet in the loop.

[vera]

Thank you for your advice. Unfortunately my doctor when last time I took my research from the internet to him. he did not even want to look at the printouts. I sens that he is not willing to admit that he don't understand about chichillas otherwise he would have spotted that something is wrong on the x-ray moths back. Also when I took him back again he started to say that he must have a problem with his organs and after I was insisting that it is his teeth he had a better look and found that now the problem is visible. I think a good doctor would have seen this on the x-ray same as a dentist sees the problem before it gets severe. Locally it is only 1 veterinarian clinic so I can not have a second opinion here. Have to be online from somewhere. I am happy to pay for a doctor to check online and than I will provide my local vet with the facts.
Many thanks