Can you get pink-eye from your chinchilla?

I hadn't even thought about it, since our dog's vet had told us doggie pink-eye is not contagious to humans.
But I've been treating Rescue Girl for it, and although I've been washing my hands after giving her meds, I seem to have gotten it in one eye. Is it even possible for it to jump from chins to people?
Thanks!
Lee

Yes, you can get pink eye (or give it) in equal measure. Pink eye is highly contagious and all sanitary precautions need to be taken.

*sigh*
Thank you. I should've been more careful.

Yes pink eye is one thing that is transmisable between animals and people, it is a bacteria, not a virus

pink eye can easily be transmitted. i have a family friend who had a pet that gave the whole family pink eye. it took a long time for all of them to clear up.
sanitation is key when pinkeye is a possibility.

When treating for pinkeye it is best to use latex gloves. Don't excessively handle the animal in question for a few days and keep everything sterile. It can be passed as easily as touching a door knob and rubbing your eye. In horse barns it gets passed by flies.

1/4 of the vet school at WSU got it one spring while I was there, likely from sharing writing utensils. It was crazy. It is no fun to deal with when you have contacts, not to mention you can give it to every other living thing in your household.

With chins I use terramycin and it clears up in a couple days.

)

You can also get and transmit herpes, so no handling chinchillas with a cold sore either.

Follow-up question...

Well, I've certainly learned a lot from this experience! I'm on meds now as well. My kids won't come near me, lol, they're terrified of catching it.
Is there any way to disinfect the chins' play area and toys? I've been taking my other chins to a separate play space in the basement which is a major hassle. I don't want them catching either pinkeye or the URI that Rescue Girl is getting over. But I would like to be able to go back to using the same space at some point...not sure if the toys can be saved? I have big cardboard mazes and tunnels, etc.

Yep, I had the doctor laughing when they asked me what was wrong, why was I there I said I have kitten eye!

well, considering how you're in constant contact with chinchilla poop...as they are continually pooping...i'm sure if you forget to wash your hands after handling one you could for sure get pink eye

There's a light you can get that goes on your central air or there's a plug in version that kills pink eye and some other stuff. I'm one of those people that gets sick very easily (i almost didn't get though high school simply due to absences, we had to appeal a few times) so my dad got one for us. It works wonders. I forget what they're called. It's some acronym, but the main brand is Guardian Air. It's a sort of UV light that ionizes the air into killing certain bacterias. I think the room plug in version was $300. I dont know how much the ones that actually hook up to a central air system are. Maybe something to look into for those with a bunch of chins, just in case one gets pink eye and BAM a whole lot of not fun.