Health

Chinchillas in general do not have many serious diseases that they contract. Most of their problems are related to husbandry issues. On this page you can find more information about the below-listed diseases:

    • Trauma

    • Malocclusion

    • Heat Stroke

    • Ringworm

    • Enteritis

    • Heart Disease

TRAUMA

Far and away, the most common reason for a chinchilla to go to the vet is trauma. Fractured legs, usually tibia-fibula, are the most common injuries. Intramedullary pinning has been shown to be of value in some chinchilla fractures, however most do relatively well with simple stabilization and confinement while they heal. If the fracture is open, then amputation is the best treatment option and most chins do very well with 3 legs.

MALOCCLUSION

Poor breeding or lack of proper diet can result in overgrowth of molars and lead to "slobbers" and anorexia. Because chinchillas have continuously growing molars, they need to be worn down with a rough diet, so that these problems do not occur. Treatment involves general anesthesia and filing of the affected teeth, however this is only considered as a temporary solution and unless changes are made, the problem can reoccur.

HEAT STROKE

Chinchillas do not tolerate high temperatures and high humidity. An air conditioner is a must if you are going to own a chinchilla. These animals have no good way to release heat from their bodies and so even in a temperature that we think is comfortable, they can have significant elevations in body temperature. Affected animals will lay on their sides and increase their respiratory rate significantly. Initial treatment for heat stroke should involve bathing in cold water or applying rubbing alcohol to their paws and ears.

RINGWORM

Most chinchillas can carry the agent that causes ringworm outbreaks without actually having outbreaks themselves. Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum canis are 2 of the strains that chinchillas can carry. Some chinchillas will break out with ringworm when debilatated or stressed. This can be treated topically by giving a dust bath once a day that has a tablespoon of Miconazole powder added or it can be treated orally with Itraconazole given @ 5mg/kg once a day.

ENTERITIS

There are many causes of eneteritis in chinchillas. The end result is usually a very soft stool. Bacterial, viral, and protozoal infections can occur. The feces should be examined for all of the agents with fecal floats, smears, and cultures. Proper diet, antibitotics, and supportive care may clear infections, however this can be a very fatal illness.

HEART DISEASE

This is one of the most common reasons for a chinchilla to be perfectly fine one day and dead the next. Chins usually get a disease known as dilated cardiomyopathy. Heart murmurs may be present early in life, but usually no symptoms occur prior to death. Research is on-going to try and determine if there is recognizable cause and if viable treament options exist.