Conjunctivitis in a Chinchilla

Re: Conjunctivitis in a Chinchilla

Tamara Vela — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:16:19 GMT

Hi Pepe,

Thanks for your kind words.

Usually chinchillas as other herbivorous pet rodents have cheek teeth and incissor overgrowth problems, that could affect the lacrimal ducts. Does she have dacriocystitis?, you may try to do a flushing of both nasolacrimal ducts under sedation at least, and I recommend you to perform cranial Xrays, two laterals, craniocaudal and oblique views.

I am not sure if Encefalitozoon can affect chinchillas as well, it usually affect both eyes.

does any one have experience with Encefalitozoon in chinchillas?

My two cents,

Good luck!

PS: I would try with marbofloxacine or ciprofloxacine collire.

Re: Conjunctivitis in a Chinchilla

Claire Godfrey — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:14:15 GMT

thank you for your help. will try tiacil.

Has as good a look as I'm going to get at its teeth!

Re: Conjunctivitis in a Chinchilla

Ian Mostyn — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 22:18:23 GMT

Was the fucithalmic actually getting into the eye? I have found it difficult to use in the smaller patients and tends to end up slipping down the side of their face. Tiacil, being sticky, tends to stay on the eye better than most other eye preparations and is my first choice for animals under 1kg. Most eye drops are designed for a human or dog sized eye and just don't work well in the smaller animals.

Other than the practical differences, I would do most things the same as for a dog. Check for any ulceration and foreign bodies, hay/grass seeds are most likely. I would also check the cheek teeth, but that may require radiography to look at the tooth roots.

Ian

Re: Conjunctivitis in a Chinchilla

jose targa — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 10:42:23 GMT

Hi.

Tamara Vela is on vetsurgeon.org, i´m sure that she can help you whit this problem!. She´s an exotic animal specialist in my country.

Re: Conjunctivitis in a Chinchilla

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 01:14:36 GMT

[quote user="claire godfrey"]

Just wondering if anyone could give me any guidance on treating a chinchilla with conjunctivitis. It is bilateral and has not responded to fucithalmic or oral baytril.

Chinchilla is bright in itself and eating etc but owner has to prise eyes open every morning.

Thanks

claire

[/quote]

Have you examined teeth thoroughly? (But not entirely joking).

I've never found oral Baytril to make any difference to anything much except some respiratory infections.

If you've had a good look at the eyes and it is just conjunctivitis (I'm no ophthalmologist) try Tiacil. I suppose also you could leave them untreated for a day and then take a swab for bacteriology