possible eye infection???

[FLINTSTONESKID]

this morning i woke up and went into my chinch room to say hello like i do most mornings and when i took a look at my baby gurl, her one eye was swollen. i cant see any type of discharge from it or anything and she seems to be in good spirits and she isnt displaying any further symptoms of a cold but i am very worried. can anyone give me some suggestions or tell me if this type of thing happens some times? i would certainly take her to a vet but so far, the places i have checked around here dont see chinchillas. maybe someone knows of a site where i could find a chinchilla friendly vet. i am very concerned so if anyone has any ideas please email me at BAMBAML19@AOL.COM
Thanks

Josh

[chinchillagrl06]

Your girl probably got some bedding or dust in her eye. If it doesn't look too bad, I would just flush her eye with drops (easier said than done). When my chin had a swollen eye that's what my vet advised me to be. Just be careful you don't soak your chinny. They only thing I can suggest is keep calling vets and ask for advice. If you notice it get any worse head out to a vet.

[null]

Here's a listing of Vets that will take chinchillas in PA. I think you said you were in Reading.

http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42375

A lot of time eye infections are caused by some irritant in the eye. See if you can flush out the eye with sterile saline drops.

[FLINTSTONESKID]

thanks for the suggestion but i think i found a way easier and cuter solution. i just left her and he the big guy out for a romp and instead of humping her for once, he actually tenderly cleaned her and her eye, it seems to be much better!!! a true testament to letting nature take its course!!! he cleans her often but this time he seemed to know her eye was sore. after i put her back in her cage, it looked alot better. ill keep monitoring her and if it gets worse ill take her to a vet, i just didnt want to stress her out unless it was absolutly neccesary. Thanks for the info!!!

Im not sure if this is the proper place to post this but i have been having a different, behavioral problem with both chins, when i let them out, it is next to impossible to get them back in their cages without scaring them half to death and i dont like to do that but they dont respond to treats, they dont respond to toys, they dont respond to anything, though i guess i am partly to blame for this since all of the play houses and things i have made for them outside of the cage, they dont wanna leave them. Does anyone have any ideas or alternatives to chasing them around? Oh and any suggestion of picking them up is out, they are very loving and play on me and let me pet them and rub them but i dare not grab them, i have tried with all of the tail suggestions but to no avail. I also dont want to resort to the ol towel over the head thing, that is barbaric and inhuman and i dont want to do it. Anyway, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Keep those play structure ideas comin guys and gals!!!

[null]

Get a large carboard tube, like from a carpet, something they can crawl through. When they crawl into the pipe, pick it up and put the end that they're facing into their cage. Sort of like that Bugs Bunny cartoon with the hollow log on the end of the cliff.

[chinchillagrl06]

If they are running, you can throw a towel over them. It usually stops them in their tracks and you can pick them up. 

[chinclub]

Back to the eye thing...If you boil some Lipton tea then let it sit until it cools to a comfortable temperature you can dip a Cotton ball into the tea and place it over the eye.  Ideally, you want to leave it there for 5 mins. but good luck with that!  Do it a few times today and it should be fine by morning if its just a minor problem.