Ear infections?

[BoundNoFtWaL]

Do Chins get them?
Day before yesterday Stitch was eating on the second level of his FN 142 and made a loud honking sound. It wasn't a kack. I listened to the chin sounds to find a similar one and the closest one was one of anoyance. He hadn't been out of his cage for a couple days as I had a frend in town for the weekend. Usually he doesn't vocalize his discontentment. He continued with the honking only quieter for a couple minutes that night. I got him out to look at him and he continued to grunt at me, but did not appear hurt when I checked him over. His breathing was normal except for the honking. You could see his nose move as he made the sound. He's eating, drinking, and releiving him self as normal.
I got up today and checked on him and his left ear appears to be irritated. The hair near his ear opening is matted a bit with yellowish drainage. I wrapped him in a towl to get a closer look and genlty pulled his ear aside a little to get a better look inside. I don't see any visable bugs. Are mites visable to the naked eye? The left ear intermally looks wet and red, but not bleeding. The right ear is normal colored, a bit dry around the edges. He doesn't wince or kack when I check the ear while I'm holding him, but doesn't want me to touch it if he's loose in his house. His left rear foot has some matting on a couple of the toes like maybe he scratched his ear and got some of the discarge on it. It's stuck in the hiar on the tips of his toes so I wasn't about to pull it.
Should I try to soak his feet in some epsome salt water to get the gunk off his foot and disinfect it? What about the hair around his ear? I called the vet and made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. I really hope this is not causing him pain. He's been pretty active today around his cage. I added another tube and more hay so he's been exploring and eating. He's usually pretty lazy laying in his tube, and his activity today makes me think maybe he's uncomfortable. If they give me meds what are the common ones and which ones should we avoid? Is there anyone out there who's had something similar with their chins? I know I've read about teeth problems and eye issues, but he's eating normally.

 

[Stackie]

Yes, chinchillas can get inner ear infections and they can be deadly..if not deadly then they can really cause some brain damage. He needs to get into the vet asap.

 

[ticklechin]

Ear infections are very serious business and very difficult to treat, the faster the chin gets to the vet the better.

 

[BoundNoFtWaL]

Back from the vet

Thanks guys. Went to the vet this afternoon. She was a stand in, the one we saw last time was out for the day. Stitch does have an ear infection. She did a swab in both ears, listened to his lungs, and did a fecal culture. The swab in the runny left ear is infected. She said she had never seen so many fungal/fecal organizams before. The right ear is clear, as is the fecal slide and his breathing. She gave us Douxo Micellar Solution to clean his ear with and Baytril Otic drops for the infection. Also checked his feet. He had bumblefoot, and his feet still have wide calouses around the edges. The vet said they look ok but, they probably won't get any better than they are, doesn't look like there's anything else that needs to be addressed. Going back in for a check up in 14 days.