Chinchillas
Non-Infectious Conditions

Malocclusion/Slobbers
This condition is characterized by drooling of saliva onto the fur under the chin. Other signs include inappetance, sores in the mouth and loss of fur under the chin. The underlying cause is overgrowth of the molars (cheek teeth). Mineral imbalances, as well as poor dental alignment, lead to overgrown and maloccluded teeth.
Temporary treatment involves clipping of the affected teeth and proper mineral supplementation. Providing wood or mineral blocks for the chinchilla to chew may aid in prevention, but many cases have a genetic basis.

Fur Slip
As mentioned in the section on HANDLING, chinchillas often lose patches of fur when roughly handled. Another common cause is fighting among the chinchillas. This condition does not injure the pet, but ruins the pelt of animals raised for fur.

Barbering/Fur Chewing
Barbering is the condition where a chinchilla chews on its own or another’s fur resulting in a rough, moth-eaten appearing coat. Some of the underlying causes of this behavior include boredom, dirty fur, dietary imbalances and hereditary factors. This condition is a serious problem in the pelt industry. Providing the animals with chew toys as well as selective breeding often aid in decreasing the incidence within a colony.

Heat Stroke
High temperatures and high humidity are not tolerated well by chinchillas. Most problems occur in situations where the cage is placed in direct sunlight and poorly ventilated. Affected animals will be lying on their sides and panting. They also feel hot to the touch because of elevated body temperature. Animals in high humidity will also exhibit unkempt, damp fur. Treatment involves misting or bathing them in cold water or applying rubbing alcohol to their foot pads. Veterinary assistance should be sought for further recommendations and treatment.

Infectious Diseases

Enteritis (Intestinal Infection)
One of the most common disease conditions of chinchillas is enteritis, or infection of the digestive tract. In many cases, the exact cause may not be determined. Bacterial, viral and protozoal agents have all been associated with the syndrome. A few specific agents include Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, E. coli and Giardia. Poor husbandry and management is often associated with an outbreak.

Clinical signs range from depression to death, with or without diarrhea. Other signs of illness include loss of appetite, partial paralysis and painful abdomen. Examination of the feces through fecal flotation, direct smears and cultures may reveal the causative agent.

Veterinary care and treatment must be sought at the first sign of illness. Treatment of enteritis involves appropriate antibiotic therapy and supportive care. This disease is often fatal despite aggressive therapy due to the severity of the illness.

Pneumonia (Respiratory Infection)
Pneumonia is another common condition observed in chinchillas, which is caused by a number of disease agents. Bordatella, Pasteurella, Pseudomonas and E. coli are a few of the bacterial species commonly associated with the syndrome. Damp, draughty housing often predisposes the pet to this condition. Clinical signs include discharge from the eyes and nose, loss of appetite and rough hair coat. Death may result from this respiratory disease. Treatment involves supportive care and antibiotics.

Ringworm
Trichophyton mentagrophytes is the typical agent in chinchilla’s with ringworm. It causes hair loss and scabby red lesions on the nose, feet and around the eyes. This is a very serious problem with fur ranchers due to the damage to the chinchilla’s hair coat. Treatment involves the use of griseofulvin as prescribed by your veterinarian.

Special thanks to J. Derrell Clark, Jean Coulton, Richard Webb and Christine Williams whose published information on this subject was compiled to produce this paper.
© 2008 Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital