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[Heather]

One of my chinchillas, Toby, had to have 10cm amputated off his tail after cutting it on something in the cage and then nibbling it until he got through to the bone. The op went fine and he now has no dressing on the wound. It has scabbed over nicely, but on Friday night he had nibbled at the area just above the wound, and now there is a pinkish semi-circle there. He seems fine, and we put him back into the same cage as his brother last night, which they are v pleased about! I have been spraying his tail with bitter spray that does the trick most of the time but obviously failed me that one time! Does anybody know whether this could just be a bruise, or do I need to take him back to the vet (AGAIN!)? They have both been unsettled over the last couple of weeks as his brother became constipated due to a hair ball (sorted now, thanks to a genius new vet), so if possible I'd like to avoid anymore upset!! Thanks xx

[Jo Ann]

   We're not veterinarians and we can't see his tail, that makes it hare to give advice.  So, to be on the extra safe side, you may want to get him rechecked by the vet. 
Having said that ... here are a few suggestions you may also want to consider in the meantime:

(1)  Being scabbed over, is nature's way to protect the open wound from debris and germs ... but ... a wound also needs fresh air to heal.  As the scab dries and the skin and wound heals, mother nature guides animals in how to how to care for themselves.  An animal will tend to nibble off the scab ever so often, removing the hard scab that is pushing against the tender skin as it heals, giving it a bit of fresh air and allowing drainage of the wound, if needed, then it will scab over again.   As the sore heals it causes the skin to itch ... a triple antibiotic ointment can help keep it soft, kill the germs and help keep it from itching so much.

(2)  Often a mate or cage mate will help in removing the scab, licking away drainage and removing dead skin, helping the wound to heal ... BUT ... sometimes a chin can be a little over zealest and carry it a bit to the extreme and can make the situation worse ... OR ... the mate or cagemate, while trying to help, may cause a little more pain than the injured chin is willing to tolerated, which can result in a fight ... making a bad situation worse and possibly having to treat two injured chins instead of just one.  I tend to keep mine separated until healed completely.  Cages close, but at least 4" apart, will usually help keep them in communication with one another.  Playtime outside of the cage for both of them at the same time is permissible, as long as they are very, very, very closely supervised, of course.

(3)  While a wound is healing, I tend to keep white paper towels or white butcher paper in the bottom of the cage instead of litter and change it a few times during the day ... this will help you more easily see any drainage and/or blood, which would be a signal that you may have more problems in the near future.   The sooner you catch a problem, the easier it is to correct.

(4) If Toby is on any antibiotics, he will also need yogurt halfway between the doses of antibiotic, but not at the same time, to help replace the flora in it's digestive tract and keep him from stopping up. 

his brother became constipated due to a hair ball

CAUTION:  Constipation/impaction/blockage of  a chinchilla's digestive system, can mean the death of a chinchilla ... a chinchilla's digestive system MUST continue to work properly, once it can not function properly the chinchilla can go down quickly ... so ...
Petramalt, in the dog and cat section of the pet store, is a good preventative for hair/fur balls.  A small amount, about the size of a corneal of corn, once or twice a month is good for them.  It comes in a tube.

The signs of constipation and/or dehydration are (1) loss of weight, (2) small dryer poops and fewer of them, (3) loss of appetite and decrease of amount of liquid intake, are all signs to watch for.  As it progresses, the outline of the spine is visible.  If a chin's system stops or slows, everything backs up and the chinchilla does not eat because he is so full of it that  he/she is  does not feel hungry. If he is not hungry, he will not eat .. it's a vicious cycle that can kill a chin within a mater of hours

   Jo Ann

[Heather]

Thanks for that. I think I will keep an eye on it for a few days and if the 'bruised' area increases in size I will take him to the vets. Toby and Sammy have been separated for about 3 weeks, but have been let out together every night. When I put Toby back in yesterday I sat with them for several hours to look out for any fighting, and they had a very thorough grooming session together! When Sammy shows an interest in Toby's tail, he just moves away and Sammy generally leaves him alone. I checked this morning and they both seem happy enough. I wanted to put them back together because Sammy has been making noises that I believe mean that he is looking for Toby and is lonely (I went on the chin sounds website you recommended), and also because I know that stress can contribute towards constipation - I think he has been grooming himself too much because his brother wasn't there to do it - he looks even scruffier than usual! We are their 4th home (they are approx. 6 yrs old), and we got them from a rescue centre, so I think they have a strong bond. In addition to his meds, on vets recommendation I gave him a couple mls of pineapple or papaya juice every day, which worked almost immediately (apparently it breaks down the fur in the stomach), and will now give 1ml twice a week to prevent it from reoccurring. I was handfeeding him liquid food for a while but he's fine now - greedy in fact! We've had them for 2 1/2 years and they both got sick for the first time within days of each other! It's been a stressful time but has made me (& hubby) appreciate them more than before, if that's possible!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I have chin with an amputated tail and I have to keep a sock on it or she will chew at it. She only has an inch or so left and it's a wonder she can even get at it.
I have tried many times over the years to leave it unwrapped and had to give up on the idea.It's been about 10 years now, just a month ago I tried again and she still chewed it.
I make all kinds of socks for her and find the fingers of those cheap stretchy gloves the best. I secure it with a bit of medical tape to the fur on her rump.She never bothers it as long as it is wrapped.

[Heather]

Well his tail is fine but had to take him to the vet because he has a lump on his back that he has been chewing. Vet thinks it's an enflamed gland so we are washing it out regularly and he's on antibiotics. He has a probiotic in his water too. So after one day of being back with his brother and having sand baths he's back on his own with no baths! He seems ok though but I feel terrible separating them again! Thanks for your advice. On the plus side he's leaving his tail alone now!!

[Jo Ann]

    It sounds like you are really working hard to keep them going.  People like you are rare and far in between in today's society.  It comes back to you in ways you may never realize, as everything does ... good or bad.  You have a love for animals and a big heart ... one that helps other's hearts be able to continue to beat.     

Well his tail is fine but had to take him to the vet because he has a lump on his back that he has been chewing. Vet thinks it's an enflamed gland so we are washing it out regularly and he's on antibiotics. He has a probiotic in his water too. So after one day of being back with his brother and having sand baths he's back on his own with no baths! He seems ok though but I feel terrible separating them again! Thanks for your advice. On the plus side he's leaving his tail alone now!!

   
Please, be very cautious when letting one have a dust bath when they have an open wound ... that's inviting infection.  This is the same reason females can not have a dust bath until day 10 after delivering a litter.  They have to have time to heal completely to avoid getting germs or any tiny germ-layden debris into their open wounds.

You also said "sand baths" ... if you are using sand instead of dust bath dust, do realize that sand is much more harsh on the fur.

   Jo Ann

[Heather]

I knew you'd pull me up on the sandbath! We use dust but call it sand for some reason. We haven't let him have a bath for nearly 3 weeks - sunday was the first time because his tail wound is now closed but he hasn't had another one since. The antibiotics are really working - the wound over the gland has all but closed up so I guess the vet was right thank goodness! Hopefully they can be together again on Saturday after our check up at the vets. 

[Heather]

I just thought I'd give a quick update. Took Toby back to the vet on Saturday, and he is pretty sure that the wound is a bite - Sammy must have bitten him during play time though, as they have been separate due to his tail. He said to have 1 more go at putting them together to see whether they can live together again, or if they'll fight. I put them together yesterday afternoon and sat with them for 4 hours. At first they were a bit wary but then had a great grooming session! They are now inseperable and sit together all the time! The only slight concern is that Sammy seems to focus on Toby's scab from the bite when grooming (I'm guessing this is how it occured int he first place), and this morning there was a little bit of blood - only a tiny bit though - Toby makes a noise and moves away if it hurts him. Toby is still on antibiotics and we have stuff off the vet to clean out the wound if neccessary. I don't want to seperate them again because it makes them so sad! Hopefully they'll be ok. They are brothers and have been together all their lives so it would be awful to have to seperate them.

[Jo Ann]

   Glad to hear Toby is doing better!   

Chinchillas will often act one way when you are in the room and a different way when you leave the room.  Yes, it would be sad to have to separate them, but you may have to consider it if there is another fight.  As a precaution, if you work, you may want to separate them while you are at work or anytime you are not at home.  (And at night if you are a heavy sleeper.)

Do you have only the two male chinchillas?  Are there any female chinchillas in your home?

The only slight concern is that Sammy seems to focus on Toby's scab from the bite when grooming (I'm guessing this is how it occurred int he first place), and this morning there was a little bit of blood - only a tiny bit though - Toby makes a noise and moves away if it hurts him.

Chinchillas, like most animals, will groom each other and even help keep a wound clean and help it heal by removing the scab and allowing any infection to drain. This is both good and bad.  Sometimes the "cleaning" can become to aggressive ... once it starts bleeding or if there is pain inflected while cleaning, this can result in a fight much worse than the one they had when he got the original bite.  They can fight to the death. 
Until the wound is completely healed, you might want to separate them any time you are away from home or at any time you might not be able to hear them fighting.  Just a precaution, taking the chance one way or the other will have to be your decision.   

   Jo Ann