Health

Health

Make sure when getting your first Chin, that you have an exotic veterinarian on hand. Chins can get many health issues and you will want a vet close by incase anything happens.

MALOCCLUSION
Because chinchillas have continuously growing molars, they need to be worn down continuously. Malocclusion is a condition where the teeth do not fit correctly, it can be hereditary, environmental, or both. Signs of unhealthy teeth include:

Drooling
Pawing at the mouth
Not Eating/ Half eaten pellets
Anorexia/ Unexplained weight loss
Eye Problems, Runny eyes

Treatment involves general anesthesia and filing of the affected teeth, this being done by a vet of course, however this is only considered as a temporary solution and unless changes are made, the problem can reoccur. A chin should have a chewing block in their cage at all times, wood, pumice stones, cuttlebones or even a pressed hay cube.

TEETH
Teeth issues. A healthy chinchillas teeth should be a yellowish/orange color. Should you see white teeth, chances are you have a calcium deficiency in your chinchilla. Chinchillas teeth are constantly growing, so they constantly need to chew on wood and pumice to wear their teeth down. If a chinchilla is not provided with enough to chew on, their teeth will continue growing and they will suffer from an infliction called malocclusion(see above).

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HEAT STROKE
Chins are prone to heat strokes because they cannot regulate their temperatures which is why they prefer and we recommend that they be kept in temperatures no less than 50F and no more 80F. A good range is between 50 and 68F. Some signs of heat stroke include:

Flushed/Pink ears
Lethargy/ Laying on side
Increase in respiratory rate
Appetite change/ Not eating
and biggest clue of all Seizures!

To help keep a chin cool, use slabs of granite, marble, or frozen water bottles(placed in a sock or towel) and place them in the cage with the chin. They will lay or sit on the slabs of granite to keep cool and snuggle up to the water bottles. These may need changing often if it is warm out, they will melt fast. You can use a fan and aim it slightly above the chins (not directly at them) then place a tray of ice cubes under the fan and allow it to blow across the ice and circulate cool air. I have heard of using wet towels to drape around the chin, but only in extreme cases, where it has gotten to the point of seizures and you are on your way to the vets office.

ENTERITIS
Problems with your chins bowels should be brought right to your vet. I have had a chin die from enteritis, her intestines were impacted and had twisted on themselves. The symptoms included, lethargy, not eating, diarrhea, mucus discharge from rectum, weight loss and overall sick look. The cause can be bacterial, viral, or protozoal. Fecal floats and smears may help the diagnosis, but if the intestines are manipulated, even surgery wouldn't help. Instead of changing the diet to right the loose stool, or trying something that may make the stool harder (shredded wheat squares), just take him or her to the vet and get an x-ray. We had her on antibiotics, drugs to help move her bowels (Reglan or Metoclopramide), and oral supplements. I was also giving her Subcutaneous fluids twice a day. She started to look better after a few days, gaining weight and looked brighter. But within hours instantly crashed. I came home from work and found her lying on the bottom of the cage. Broke my heart especially since I had thought we were improving. So when in doubt about your chins bowels, call your vet. I really have no other advice about this subject other than that.

CALCIUM DEFICIENCY
Chinchillas need calcium as all living things do. They usually get this from a real high quality pellet diet. Occasionally a chin will need a little extra calcium like when they litter or if their teeth are light yellow instead of orange. Chins can have Calcium Deficiency seizures, which look like they are having tremors, cant quite get their balance, stumble around, and then they snap out of it and seem back to normal. I have seen this and when it happens I offer them cuttlebones to help replace any lost calcium. You shouldn't give too many though, too much calcium can cause bladder stones and you will notice white deposits in their urine. I have read in places that it is ok to give chinchillas Tums, (Calcium tablets) but I have not heard of the results or if this is the way to go. I just stick to my cuttlebones and make sure my diet is high quality.

HAIR RINGS
This only affects Male chinchillas. It can be a result of mating or mounting their partners. Hair will actually wrap around the penis while it is extended and when the penis returns to its sheath, will cause irritation. It is a good idea to check your males at least once monthly. Signs to look for in your males, the penis will be red, swollen and in extreme cases, possible dripping urine. In order to fix the problem, you can take him to a vet. If you are brave enough to try on your own, you will need a water based lubricant. You should press the sheath back and the penis will extend out. If you see hair rings, gently pull them off. A vet would be the best bet if you cannot succeed. You don't want to cause more damage to his genitals.

BUMBLE FOOT
Chinchillas develop calluses on the bottom of their feet. This is normal, however if an infection grows underneath these calluses, this is called Bumble foot. When the calluses are dry and crack, it allows bacteria and germs into their skin and this causes irritation and is horribly uncomfortable for the chins. They can break open and bleed and this will be a tell tale sign of bumble foot. You can use Vitamin E oil to rub on their feet and help moisturize the skin. A chin should have plenty of flat surfaces to sit, wood ledge, flat bottom. Its the wire bottom cages that tend to create this problem if they have no other surface to stand on. You can clean the feet if you suspect bumble foot with an antibacterial cleanser that you can get from you vet, that will be safe for chins. They may give you an ointment to apply to the feet as well, an antibiotic or antibacterial ointment. I keep some on hand that I got from my vet. But if you are unsure about how to clean or treat, definitely see your vet. You don't want to play guessing games with your chins health.

HEART MURMURS
Heart mummers have been on the rise lately. It is a problem that has gone unnoticed and a lot of breeders do not test for this defect. Heart mummers or other defects can usually be discovered by a simple vet trip. Should a mummer be found, the vet can recommend any needed course of treatment, will recommend to keep an eye on the chin, get regular vet checks and exclude this chin from any breeding program. Most chinchillas can live long lives with this defect.

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