Chinchilla Community Forums
Chinchillas => Health => Topic started by: WindWhisperBomb on October 15, 2013, 01:33:10 PM
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I have a standard gray chin that has slowly been getting dirtier and dirtier. He started chewing on himself recently and his fur is starting to look wet/damp. It started under his chin and has spread to the area around his arms and legs. He's starting to smell too. This is my first time experiencing this problem in the 8 years I've had him.
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I am sorry to say that your pet may be seriously ill. Wet fur is a sign of drooling and the smell is very likely from an infection caused by an abscess in the mouth from malocclusion of the teeth. Fur chewing could be caused by the pain. This set of symptoms usually means malo.
In older chinchillas sometimes they get lazy and do not chew on their wood and hay as they should and their teeth overgrow. This causes uneven wear on the teeth that causes the teeth to form spurs that grow into the side of the mouth since their teeth constantly grow. If this is the case the teeth will need to be filed on a regular basis. Make sure he is still eating and pooping normally. I recommend finding an exotic vet and getting an estimate for an exam and possible filing of the teeth. Your pet will need to be anesthetized and it won't be cheap. If it is caused by malocclusion he will die without treatment.