Infected toe?

[saurah]

I was hoping to get some opinions of my chinchillas toe. I'm not sure if I can do anything to help it heal, or if it needs veterinarian attention. I bought her a couple days ago from a breeder, and didn't notice her hurt toe. She doesn't seem to be in pain from it, besides when I touch it. I was wondering if there was anything I can do before taking her to the vet? If a triple antibiotic cream or something from the local feed store might help? I used to give pen shots to the rabbits I bred, but from what I gather pen kills chins?
Anyways, opinions would be nice.
Thanks.

 

[Stackie]

Somethings definitely going on there. I can't tell form the pictures, but is the tip of the toe missing or is it just swelled up so much that it looks like it is? She might have lost the tip of her toe and it is getting infected.

I wouldn't put any topical cream on it because the chin will probably just lick it off. You don't want her ingesting it and having it licked off isn't going to do any good for the toe.

Absolutely no penicillin- it is not safe for chins.

Most recommend applying blu-kote to wounds, but I have never seen this before. I would be inclined to take one of my chins to the vet if I saw something like this, but someone else may have some more insight.

 

[alli713]

I would take her to the vet if it were me.

 

[Gizmo24]

yeah I'd definelty take her to the vet. My chins toe had gotten infected and required it to be amputated. Hope the little girl gets better soon!!

 

[Tillygizmo]

My Freckles had this going on when she got too close to the cage of my other girl and got her toe nipped. I put blu kote on it for awhile and watched for any puss or whiteness. It was swollen just like that. After I noticed she stopped licking or biting it, I put some non medicated neosporin on it...it took a really long time to get back to normal size but never showed puss where the scab was and I definitely couldnt see the bone. She was eating and had the same energy so I didnt think it was infection.

It is up to you, this was just what I did. Looking back I definitely could have benefited from the vet if I wasnt sure it wasnt an infection (and really I couldnt have been sure) I just got lucky.

 

[Claire D]

The tip of the toe has exposed bone in it - the flesh is attempting to heal around the bone. It may or may nor be successful but I'd take her to the vets just to check that there is no infection travelling up the toe around the bone.

Personally I would not treat that topically - it needs a proper assessment.

Does she have a bit of her third toe missing from her front paw as well?

 

[Sesame]

I agree with Claire about the 3rd toe on the front left paw... it seems to be a nub of a toe that is pretty much healed (might look a tiny bit swollen?). Maybe your chin got in a fight with another chin or some accident? I would double check all of her toes to make sure that all of them are there. This way, if something else where to happen in the future, you would know already that x-amount of toes where already missing, etc.

I heard that chins might self-medicate their injuries (chew it off/ self-remove). I would jsut be worried about infection.

 

[Cuddlebug]

The swelling and the redness indicate infection to me. I would not risk it. take her to the vet. Have him check out the other toe, too.

 

[Carol~Anne]

Ouch. If one of my chins' toes looked like that I'd be calling the vet to tell her I'm on my way. I hope she gets better soon.

 

[Tillygizmo]

there is bone showing? I apologize I couldnt tell... i think the vet is a good call then.

When my girl had that her bone wasnt showing at all.

 

[brekai722]

I have a female that had the same problem. The vet told me to soak it for about a min in a mixture of warm water and betadine (should look like weak tea). Then I put a little bit of hemorroidal ointment on it like she indicated to help draw any infection out and help the skin pull around the tip. She is doing great and had no other complications. This was one of her fingers so she didn't have any reaction to the treatment.