Calpol 6+

[Debbie]

Calpol 6+ (for those who have not heard of it) - is a liquid paracetamol suspension that is manufactured for children. It is available in chemists. It also tastes very fruity and sweet - so should be palatable to chinchillas.

In a veterinary textbook it is recommended for pain relief and says it is particularly useful with cases of pneumonia in chinchillas.

Now - I am not saying you should treat your chinchillas yourself (especially with cases of pneumonia) - any illness should be referred to a vet as soon as possible!! Delays in professional treatment could cost a chinchilla its life!!

However, Calpol may be useful if you wish to give your chinchilla mild pain relief after surgery (such as dental surgery or castration). (Please note - most vets give pain relieving injections anyway (Rimadyl) but these are only effective for 24-48 hours in some cases).

The correct and safe dosage is as follows:

100mg per kilo of body weight.

Calpol 6+ contains 50mg per ml.

So, if my maths is up to scratch (probably not ) an "average" chinchilla weighing 500g would only need 1ml of Calpol and a larger chinchilla weighing in at 1 Kilo (1000g) would require 2ml of Calpol.

The book recommends giving this dosage of Calpol twice a day orally by syringe (DONT GUESS THE AMOUNT GIVEN!!!)

Once again - I cannot stress highly enough - the importance of taking a chinchilla to the vets if it is unwell - I am only recommending giving Calpol as a supportive treatment to professional veterinary care!!

**DOSAGES SHOULD NOT BE EXCEEDED**

**DO NOT GIVE FOR LONG DURATIONS**