My little chin Penny has done somethings his eye and I don't know what to do. We have been on holiday and penny has been with a very trusted friend who owns chinchillas herself so he has had the best of care but he has managed to hurt his eye (see Attached photo). He got sand in his eye after a dust bath which she washed out for him but not his eye has went clouded over. When we went to pick him up he also had a bloody ear. It's on the same side of his bad eye which makes me think he has caught it on something as he still seems on good terms with his cagemate. He was diagnosed with a URI last month and seemed to have recovered. Could this be caused by this? I can't get to a vet who knows about chinchillas until next week and I'm worried it's going to get worse. Any idea what it could be?
Eye has clouded over and blood in his ear
- Thread starter niknoo76
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If his eye is clouded over, he has scratched it or damaged it with a poke or something similar. The other issue "could' be that is something to do with his teeth. The only way to know for sure is to get him to a vet and get x-rays done. With the bloody ear, are we talking about outside or coming from the inside?
Thank you for replying! He had his teeth checked last month and all was ok. I think he has scratched the eye too. It looks like an eye trauma rather than an infection. The bloody ear is inside but I can see a small scab on the inside So I don't think it's from inside the ear canal. His ear is floppy as if it its dislocated - I know it can't be - but that's how it looks. He gets very stressed out if we move him so taking him to the vet worries me as I'm always scared he won't make it.
If he was only with his cage mate, not loose anywhere, and you are sure there are no loose wires in the cage or anything that could page him - then I would be looking to the cage mate as the culprit. It would take something pretty long and pointy to get INside the ear and do the damage you describe. I cannot see the eye as your picture isn't opening for me, so I cannot comment on that for sure.
Was there any loose fur in the cage? Is any of his fur sticking up on his body anywhere? Are there any wet looking spots?
Was there any loose fur in the cage? Is any of his fur sticking up on his body anywhere? Are there any wet looking spots?
No loose fur or wet looking spots. As I said this happened whilst I was away so I can't be 100% on what happened with the eye. It has a small bit right in the centre that looks like it's been scratched. Would you say it's worth taking to the vet if it is a scratch or just letting it heal? The nearest vet to me that will treat chinchillas is 45mins away. The 2 of them are fully insured so money isn't an issue. My main worry is stressing him out. He is a frail little thing. 450g after losing weight with the URI. He is eating and drinking but refused a dust bath earlier which is worrying me
Got an appointment for the vet hospital tomorrow. I let penny have a dust bath earlier and so much sand stuck to his bad eye that I had to bathe it afterwards - as you can imagine he was not thrilled! Hopefully get some answers tomorrow
A corneal abrasion can be extremely painful. It is definitely worth going to the vet, if for nothing else, then to get antibiotics (in case it's infected) and some pain meds.
So it's an ulcer! Been given eye drops, isathal to give twice a day. Metacam for the pain and sulfatrim in case of infection. I have lifeline which I plan on giving once a day about 3-4 hours after the antibiotics to help limit any damage to his gut. Fingers crossed my little guy is ok xx
Don't be surprised if the eye stays cloudy. I've yet to have one "uncloud" after something like that.
So it's been a tough few weeks and on Friday Penny had his eye removed yesterday. We got him home today and unfortunately had to separate him and his cagemate as bubba was trying to chew the stitches on penny's eye. Got a long road to recovery but fingers crossed he gets there x
