Advice on kit with eyes closed please

[Amphy64]

Turns out my new girl Anna Maria was pregnant when I got her, so there was an unexpected arrival yesterday. Kit seems to be doing Ok and gaining (weight is 55g now) and is lively, but I'm worried about their eyes. Both were closed, I've been following the breeders' advice and trying to open them with a bit of warm water and gently opening the eyelids. I'm having difficulty though getting the eyes open, can't seem to open them fully, the eyelids seem quite small and they keep closing again pretty much right away, and I'm not sure they look right - they seem filmy. But I don't really have any experience with kits so I'm not sure.

Here's a picture, it's as clear as I could manage I'm afraid:

I think I'll take them to the vet tomorrow, if there's no improvement, but would appreciate any advice (not sure how well our local vets really know chins anyway, the specialists are further away).

 

[Amphy64]

Just been to the vet, the eyes are indeed small (micropthalmia). The vet thought they're probably blind in one eye, possibly some sight in the other but it's hard to say. Poor little thing. For now I just have to keep monitoring, and don't need to do anything further unless the eyes seem crusty or there's any discharge. Kit still seems Ok otherwise, weight is 56g, so I just hope they're healthy otherwise.

Obviously the female will not be bred again.

 

[Godofgods]

hope he does ok!

 

[Amphy64]

Thanks. They still seem Ok for now at least, and are lively (*wonders how to get them to stay on the scale*), so I guess I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and see how they go.



Spoke to the breeder again, who was surprised to hear about the diagnosis since microphthalmia is (fortunately) rare and something he'd not seen before. The vet did seem pretty sure about it and the eyes don't look right to me, and it's probably hard to tell from a photo, but would be interested to hear the opinion of anyone with experience with it.

Btw, can anyone help me sex them? (warning graphic pics of baby chinchilla bits, lol!) Vet thought maybe male but wasn't sure, I thought things looked closer together than I'd expect in a male though seemed larger than urethral cone in the 'how to sex kits' pics on here...anyway:

And here's a cuter pic:

 

[Cuddlebug]

I have not had any issues with microthamia so I can;t help you there. From your picture it could be a female, but it is hard to tell. Place the kit on a table facing away from you. Gently grab the tail and lift up until the rear feet are suspended and snap a picture. this is the best angle and does not hurt the baby.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

Female.

 

[seachin]

Definitely female.

 

[Amphy64]

Thanks!

Baby was a bit quiet yesterday but seems to be doing Ok and has been lively tonight (actually, her climbing is making me nervous, she even made it to the lowest shelf. I thought about removing it but mum is so skittish I think I'd rather mum ran on the shelves than on the floor of the cage), weight seems to be 60g though I didn't quite trust my scales so will try again, I think she's gained at least.

I noticed though that the mum was very wet underneath, which was also the case when the vet examined her, so he said to keep an eye on her (she hadn't been wet when I put her in the carrier that morning since I'd checked underneath then, so we thought perhaps it was just because she'd got wet when she'd done a wee in the carrier). He thought it was best to keep an eye on her in case it was cysitis. With pyometra, would there be pus? It doesn't look like there's pus as far as I can tell though it was hard to get a good look - she doesn't really trust me yet anyway and she's been very skittish tonight, didn't help that she broke the wicker nestbox so I had to put it back without the roof. I'm scared of stressing her in case in her panicked running around the baby might be accidentally hurt.

I'm not really sure what to do if she has to go on antibiotics (which one would be best in this situation?), do I have to pull baby and handfeed?

I'll likely take her to the vet tomorrow though again not sure of the local one's chin knowledge (I moved fairly recently, they said they see a few chins).

 

[Amphy64]

Vet said to wait and see when I rang, and she hasn't seemed wet since, so hopefully she's Ok. I'll continue keeping an eye on her. She does seem alright. She's been throwing a fair few temper tantrums, though! I'm not letting her out, but she keeps trying to escape and throwing stuff around, which is rather unnerving when baby keeps following so closely after her. She's not particularly even used to coming out for a run since I'd only had her out twice, and that was when she was in the cage in the other room.

Baby is doing well, weight is 70g, and she's very lively.

 

[Amphy64]

She's really really been getting mad, shoved baby out of the way with her paws just now during one of her wanting to be let out tantrums, and it didn't look accidental. Do they normally get fed up like this, or...? She's been a breeding female before I got her so it isn't as though she's used to runs (she's never even been let out in this room).

Not really sure what to do but concerned.

 

[EBB]

Did this baby survive?

 

[Earthlyrose]

I would love an update on mom and baby with photos!