eye infection? skin infection? i don't know what to call it!

[SarahAllison]

My chin is about 6 now his name is theo and recently he has gotten really thin. problem number 1:
not eating anything hard like pellets or nuts. loves goats milk x baby rice cereal but its giving him the runs. when he tries to eat a nut, it looks painful and just ends spitting it out and its just all soggy. he wipes his mouth alot with his hands. i can manage to see his front teeth and they look normal and not long at all. but i can't seem to open his mouth enough to see his molars (not that i know what they should look like). he has never bitten me before and i don't want him to start now.
good things to know: he was getting skinny a while back like in the summer time (may, june) and wasn't taking any treats so i starting putting a little bowl of dry oatmeal in his cage and he seemed to like that so a few months and plumped back up again but now is completely turned off.
i've got some supplement from a horse farm that helps horses gain weight that a professional told me to give to him but hes not eating hard stuff anyways.

problem number 2:
i have never had a problem with this in his whole life but all of a sudden his male reproductive organ will not stay in. at first i thought he had a fur ring but no fur to be found. so i lubricate it with jelly and are able to get it back in but it is just out the next day. its been about a week now for this problem.

problem number 3:
i don't know what to call this one because its right by his eye but its not affecting his eye. it is a red bump, so its swelling, fur loss section on his skin. it started out like the size of a little grain of rice but now its the size of a raisin maybe bigger in the span of just a few days. i have taken a picture to help describe whats going on. please see attached picture.
my family had thought my brother had caught ring worm from a farm this summer, bailing hay. he went to the doctor and to this day i don't know if it actually was ring worm or not. could a chin catch ring worm from a human, for future references cuz i don't think this is ring worm. my brother had never touched my chinchilla and we have sooo many other animals in the house and on the farm and none of the other animals have seem to have caught it.

since yesterday i've cleaned out his cage, disinfected it and put a towel down instead of shavings. i've taken his wooden house away and apple twigs and haven't given him a dust bath for a few days now (which he is digging on the towel and rolling around just like he would in a bath, so i feel bad)

i live in canada, ontario to be exact so please give advice that i can use here in canada.
I really hope someone can help, i don't want my chin to suffer. unfortunately bringing him to the vet is not an option. if worse comes to worse my dad will just put him down himself.

 

[EMSChins]

Sounds like this chin is in need of a vet visit. Unfortunately no one here can diagnose or cure your chinchilla. Seems like there are several issues, possibly malocclusion with his teeth (which if the roots are growing into his eye sockets could be the cause of his eye issue), sounds like he is getting unhealthy treats (I see you posted he is having trouble eating nuts - nuts should not be given to a chin).

It would help if you post exactly what he is eating, including pellets, hay and treats. Don't take our advice as attacks but we need to see the whole picture to help.

There are others on here with more experience regarding sick chinchillas and I am sure that they will chime in soon.

 

[Shahna]

There is no way to know why your chinchilla is losing weight and why he won't eat without taking him to the vet. If he doesn't want to eat hard pellets, I tend to suspect teeth problems. Any watery eyes or drooling observed?

Obviously something is seriously wrong. I would recommend hand feeding him with Critical Care at least 4 times a day (try and get him to take at least 20mL per feeding). If you don't have CC, then mush up some of his pellets and syringe feed.

As far as his eye, I have had that issue here. The small abscess had to be drained and treated with antibiotics, and the chinchilla healed up just fine.

Chinchillas get fungal infections, but I don't see that in your picture. Typically it starts on the face and the result is fur loss with a reddened area of the skin.

I know you said you couldn't take him to the vet, but you would be doing him a great disservice if you at least didn't have a vet determine the need to put him down. A vet visit is typically only around $50. If the vet determines at that time that treatment will be long, drawn out and painful, then you would be equipped to make the decision to have him humanely put down.

 

[SarahAllison]

what causes malocclusion? he has had apple twigs and wood treats from the pet store to chew on his whole life. his house is made out of wood and he chews that too some times.
I've always read that chinchillas can eat nuts. hes had them his whole life.
He has full access to rabbit pellets i think purina from TSC stores, timothy hay, fresh water. the treats i give him which are not more than 3-5 a day are sometimes raisins, peanuts, almonds, walnut, dried pinapple, dried orange. its just a dried fruit and nut mixture i pick up at the grocery store. again hes had this his whole life.

there are no watery eyes or drooling going on. i just noticed i heard him this morning, he was grinding his teeth for a few secs but thats the first time i've heard him do that.

he is still very happy and mobile. like he doesn't look to be in destress at all. i hope thats a good sign?

What is critical care? is it like a milk? where can i get this?

did the vet drain it? how much did that cost? my dad drains abscess' all the time with sheep. same thing?

i would have to take him to an exotic vet right? i don't know any around me.

 

[ChinnyMom]

I would suggest getting ahold of Tagna on here. she is also in Ontario and is quite knowledgeable about chin people/vets/etc in your province.

 

[Claire D]

OK. I'm going to say right at the outset that forum members are going to react to your posts because of their content. Putting a chin to sleep is a vet's job, not your Dad's & Theo needs to see a vet ASAP for a proper assessment & treatment.

The problems he is experiencing are most likely due to tooth problems - the bump near his eye looks like an abscess to me & it is possible that it is caused by a tooth root infection or a foreign body (something has stabbed him & caused an abscess). I strongly suspect, however, that it is tooth related rather than trauma or a foreign body.

The ONLY way to know what is going on with your chinchilla is to take him to a chinchilla competent vet for dental xrays & full examination under anaesthetic.

Tooth root problems or infections are very painful - a chinchilla in pain will not eat & will lose weight. Grinding teeth can also be a sign of pain.
Chins hide pain & illness very well because they are prey animals - by the time one notices that a chin is ill, they are often very ill. Running about is not necessarily a sign of no distress & if he is losing weight then there is definitely something going on with him.

If his penis is constantly out & will not stay in it's sheath, it is probably because Theo is run down & in pain. If a chin is unwell they can often suffer with a prolapsed penis. It is also difficult for a chin with a sore mouth to keep himself 'in-check" (so to speak).

Critical Care can be bought from a vet or online - it is a proper chinchilla food replacement which can be soft fed (from a bowl or spoon) or syringe fed. Your chin needs food in his guts or they will stop functioning - If you cannot get critical care then you can crush up his normal pellets with water & feed that as a mush.
Another excellent food replacer is Tayna's Essentials for Life syringe food which you can buy online.

Cut all treats from his diet (most of those you have listed are not recommended for chins anyway) - he needs proper nutrition at the moment - high fibre, no sugar foods such as Critical Care, Essentials for Life, or crushed pellets.

I know you have said that you cannot go to a vet but, for the sake of your little chinchilla, he needs to be seen by a chinchilla competent vet. There are no ifs or buts: he needs to be taken to a vet for proper treatment.

 

[menagerie]

Since this thread has the potential for getting out of hand, I'd like to say now that jumping on this person will not be tolerated. They have come here for help and advice which is being given. Let's keep it that way.

 

[pants567]

There are a couple of treat problems going on here. First, chins shouldn't be getting that many treats. Some people even think 1 a day is too much, one every other day is usually safe. There is a lot of conflicting information about what is safe for chinchillas to eat, but it is generally accepted that chins should not have nuts (high fat content) or fruit/dried fruit (high sugar content), neither of which chin's digestive systems can handle very well. I saw that you were giving him dried oatmeal, what type of oatmeal? Steel cut oats are ok, but instant oatmeal isn't. Usually a pinch would be considered a treat. Rosehips and dried rosebuds are a good treat (again in moderation), you can get those as well as critical care from sellers on here, just look in the chin classified for sale section and there is a list of sellers.
I'm not sure if goat's milk and baby rice cereal are healthy for chins, hopefully someone else can give you an answer on that. I would assume it isn't healthy if it is giving him other issues, but again, I don't know for sure. Lifeline and Critical care are the best choices for weight gain and a couple sellers on here also sell supplements and things of that nature to assist in weight gain.
You also said that he wiping his mouth with his paws, that usually indicates a tooth problem. Is his chest wet at all? He really does need to get to a vet, I'd take chinnymom's advice and talk to Tagna and try to find one, it may require a bit of travel, but it is in your chin's best interest. He will probably need x-rays to see if there is a problem with the roots of his teeth. If it is indeed an abscess it will not only need to be drained, but he will also need some sort of antibiotic to keep him from getting an infection. I've never drained an abscess so I can't say whether it is the same in all animals, but since chinchillas are much smaller than sheep I'd say you would probably want a vet to do it especially to get the proper type and dose of antibiotics.
If you cannot take him to the vet, you may want to consider seeing if there is a rescue or shelter near you who could take him in. They may have the resources for getting him to an exotics vet if you do not know one in your area and it would keep him from being put down if he has a chance.
Hope this info helps.

 

[SarahAllison]

thank you chinnymom, i just sent Tagna a msg.
Claire D,
My dad can put down an animal if he has to. he won't let an animal suffer OK.
I'm sorry i don't have alot of money, i'm not rich, i am trying to get through college, get an education and having a huge vet bill on my hands is not something i need right now. if people are just going to act this way, then pet stores shouldn't sell animals without having a BANK sign off saying that this person has the financial abilities to have an animal to cover a vet bill if need be. its not like that!

believe me when i say this i am absolutely sadden by my chin getting sick. and i hate to see an animal suffer too, but by what everyone is saying on here, and i can't get to a vet, i dont want him to suffer anymore. animals are born and animals die. thats the way life works in this world.

from now on i will stop giving him treats. and crush up his pellets.

pants567,
having a chinchilla is very hard. all the stuff that i am doing everyone is saying is wrong. i guess the internet is going to be the last place i go for help anymore. i don't know any exotic pet stores around me, and just regular pet stores don't know anything about chinchillas, all i get are i don't knows.
i got instant oatmeal off the internet it said to feed him. but i won't anymore.
i also got goats milk and baby rice cereal off of the internet to.
I will have critical care on my list for now of things to pick up, but am i at the point of no return? with the teeth problems?
he isn't drooling at all, his mouth is dry. no wet chest nothing. thats why i never suspected tooth problems cuz he doesn't have the symptoms.
i will try and find a rescue shelter and look into that. i never thought of that.

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

Your chinchilla is in pain, clearly, he needs to been seen by a vet and soon. =)

Please get him to a vet!

 

[pants567]

I agree, the internet has a lot of conflicting information. Pet stores are rather unreliable with chin information as well as products for chins. Chinchillas aren't the easiest animal by any means, but the important thing is that you are learning what he needs. Vet bills can get expensive, but if you do end up finding one they may be able to set up payment plans so that you don't have to pay all at once. Also something that may help you is it seems that your father knows some things about animal care so if it ends up that you have to give any shots, you should be able to do it at home which will end up saving you a lot of money.
Hopefully Tagna will be able to help you find a vet close to you. I really hope you can figure something out because, while I suggested a rescue, it really is the last option. He would be happier and less stressed with you than in an entirely new environment. But if it comes down to it, it may end up being a good alternative. I really hope he is ok and it isn't serious.

 

[Claire D]

Claire D,
My dad can put down an animal if he has to. he won't let an animal suffer OK.

Your Dad should not be putting down a chinchilla (especially as no-one on here is a vet & we cannot diagnose your chinchilla) - he's not a vet & that is what your chinchilla needs. You need a proper diagnosis - to know what is going on with Theo & only a vet can do that for him.

I'm sorry i don't have alot of money, i'm not rich, i am trying to get through college, get an education and having a huge vet bill on my hands is not something i need right now. if people are just going to act this way, then pet stores shouldn't sell animals without having a BANK sign off saying that this person has the financial abilities to have an animal to cover a vet bill if need be. its not like that!

Personally I agree with the motto: If you can't afford a vet then don't get a pet.

There are many people in the same financial situation as yourself - none of us are rich or made of money but we all give our chinchillas the care they deserve. I don't accept not having money as an excuse not to take an animal which is clearly in need to a vet - get as defensive & argumentative with me as you like but the fact remains your father is not qualified to assess & treat your chinchilla - Theo needs a vet. Period. If you can't do that then please take on board the advice from others & take him to someone who can get him proper, qualified help - as a couple of other people have suggested, contacting Tagna is a good idea.

 

[Tillygizmo]

Many of us know what its like to struggle to pay a vet. Some of us use care credit card. Almost everyone gets approved and it can only be used for the vet with reasonable payment plans. Carecredit.com. is where u can apply and u can use it instantly. We all know you love your pet and don't want him to suffer so give it a shot and go from there.

I truly respect and love everyone on this forum including owners who have been misinformed and come for help. If you don't know, you can't fix it right? So let's be constructive. It would break my heart for this person to feel pushed away from the forum because of our responses. There's a nice way to say everything. I know we are all passionate about chin care and good health and we are easily upset by hearing a chin is suffering but we can really be of help by approaching gently and with understanding that the person is doing the best they knew how before finding us.

To the original poster please don't be put off we all have good intentions and we can really help. Good luck with finding a vet for your little one and honestly using care credit for funding is a good idea fo emergencies like this. Please keep us updated.

 

[Claire D]

I truly respect and love everyone on this forum including owners who have been misinformed and come for help. If you don't know, you can't fix it right? So let's be constructive. It would break my heart for this person to feel pushed away from the forum because of our responses. There's a nice way to say everything. I know we are all passionate about chin care and good health and we are easily upset by hearing a chin is suffering but we can really be of help by approaching gently and with understanding that the person is doing the best they knew how before finding us.

*sigh* Here we go again.

I'm sorry but I'm sick of people telling others to be "nice" & "gentle" when an OP is obviously not prepared to take a chinchilla to a vet for treatment (which the OP has repeatedly stated). You're right - we are passionate about chinchillas & I'm not here to stroke anyone's ego or pussy-foot around when a chinchilla needs professional veterinary assessment, diagnosis & treatment. Even more so a chinchilla which is obviously in pain & is losing weight.

There is nothing in either of my posts which is not constructive - just because I don't swaddle posts in niceties & am direct does not detract from the content of the posts. When you've spent a number of years posting advice, information & support for everyone else then you will, perhaps understand why people are sometimes a little direct.

 

[Tagna]

Just got on here. Where are you exactly? I can help you with a vet but it sounds like there is a lot going on. I know vets costs a lot, especially here in Canada but I think this chin needs to be diagnosed so you can see what you are dealing with.

 

[SarahAllison]

about 20-30 min from Mississauga.

 

[Jenn]

I know money is a factor for you. We have pets we love and don't expect them to get sick or hurt and it is quite the shock when something does happen. I know here in the states there are ways to help pay for treatment, like Care Credit, which is what we had to do to help us pay for our dog's emergency care for a broken jaw in 2 places. A lot of vets will help you as well, but the important thing is to get your chin to the vet, an exotic vet, so you can be sure what is going on. Weight loss is very serious, and a chin can die quickly, so a proper diagnosis - exam with x-rays - is the only way to find out why your chin is sick. You can always get the diagnosis, and then decide how to go forward with treatment. Or, if the only option is to put your chin down, then that would be the time to make that decision. But please get your chin to a vet by tomorrow.

 

[momenteller]

There are many cases where forum members can give practical advice on how to treat minor issues.

Unfortunately, your case isn't one of them.

Your chin's problems sound severe enough that he needs to be taken in to the vet. I'm sorry-- I know that isn't what you wanted to hear, and I'm sorry there isn't more people can do over the internet. If you aren't able to take him in, I would find a shelter or rescue, as others have said. It would be a kinder thing to give him a chance that way, rather than have your dad end his life.

 

[Tillygizmo]

Both OP and Tagna let us know if you find a vet this chinny will be in my wishes

 

[tunes]

Samantha, I know you think you're helping, but what you are doing is called "self-policing" which is clearly against forum policy. I had to delete your comments from another thread where you were lecturing, and you're doing it here again. I am going to ask you one time to refrain from doing this. If you feel you must say something, use the (!) button and bring it to the attention of the forum staff. WE will handle the situation if we feel it needs handled.