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[rainbowrotties]

I just received a 5 year old standard male named "Chili" as a rescue today.  He was purchased as a 1 year old from a large breeder in Michigan (not sure where)and he has a metal ear tag with a 3 digit number on it. The girl has had him for about 4 years. She lived in an apartment until she got married. She said before her apartment they lived with her parents and their pets so he was used to that. Then in May 2009 she got married and moved out of her apartment and in with her husband and his cat and dogs.  But then "Chili" started missing fur and he has been chewing on his fur since. She had taken him to the vet and was given a clean bill of health (no teeth or eye issues) just missing fur.

She thought he was fur chewing because he was lonely since she doesn't give him playtime anymore or any of her time at all to be quite honest. So she contacted me about taking him in and I went and picked him up this morning.

He is pretty bad on the fur chewing but after getting the little guy home I did a physical check myself and I noticed under his right front paw(underarm area) a bare patch that was large, swelled up and very bright red, under his left front paw(underarm area) I noticed a smaller red bare patch not bumped up as much or as large. Could this be a tumor or an issue with the fur chewing. I need to know asap if I should take him in to a veterinarian or what? I've never seen anything like this before!! Here are some pictures of the red bump and chewed fur!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Well the poor baby.....
yes it looks like he is totally stressed out.
If he wasn't chewing for the first four years of his life, I would say it's emotional chewing. If it was hereditary you'd have seen it sooner I would think.
I sold one that I had kept for a year.He was a real Mama's boy. After he moved he started chewing.
His new owner got in undercontrol now and he hasn't chewed in quite a while.
Lots of love, a cage buddy, and lots of toys to play with.

The picture of the red blotch is pretty blurry, but could be fungus too.
Get some athletes foot powder to add to his dust bath just to make sure. It won't hurt and might help. He could be chewing because it's itchy.Just add a tablespoon to his bath. It would work over night, but you should see some improvement over a couple of weeks.I'd give him a bath every night for a week than start cutting back a bit.Hmmm maybe he won't chew so much full of dust.Just thinking out loud.
Do you see him chewing?

[rainbowrotties]

The first few minutes he was in his cage (which was given to me when I picked him up) he started chewing under his belly. He rolls and rolls and rolls in the bath like he can't get enough of it. All the others roll run around and come back to roll, he just won't leave the bath. I will try to get a better pic and I'm going to try the athlete's foot power and see what happens thanks for the help!

[Lori Ramsey Earle]

Because the first picture shows a fairly large swollen area, I think that you should definately get a vet's help with this. It could be an abcess, it could be a tumor, or a skin irritation that's out of control. It could be that he's chewing to try to remedy the matter. But get him some help on this; he's suffering.
Folks, correct me if I'm wrong, but I wasn't aware that fungus could cause such a defined swelling? Just curious.
Lori

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I think your right Lori, but looking at the pic it's hard to tell if it's swollen or just a roll.
If it is swelling yes get him to a vet. An abscess needs lancing and draining.

[rainbowrotties]

After having him for a couple days, I checked it again. it seems to be more like raw skin, not much swelling more skin rolls I think. He seems to be doing ok with the dust baths, and doesn't seem to be chewing much. He is very active and out going, loves attention. He hasn't got much attenetion since may 2009 before I got him! I'm trying to get him an appointment but the only vet in our area is 45 minutes away from me and she seems to be the only one in the lower east side of Michigan! grr!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

If it's chewing you should see new growth rather quickly.

[Jo Ann]

   I would definitely get him checked at the vet.  It looks like a abscess/infection of sorts.   It could be any number of things, but my first thoughts are that of an abscess ... especially if there is any fever at all.  It is ALWAYS best to be safe, rather than sorry.

Are you positive it is a male chinchilla ... that almost looks like an abscessed mammary gland.

Are you keeping him isolated from your other chins?  If not now, please do so and give him lots of attention ... after you have cared for your other ones.  

Wash and sanitize your hands and change clothes after handling your new little one and before handling your others again.  

It may or may not be contagious, but it's better to be safe rather than sorry.   I purchased a chin from a Michigan breeder that was 'selling off his herd' and ended up with one that could have killed my whole herd, had I put him in with them immediately.  I have a very strict rule on isolation with new chins.  He was with me two days, when I had to rush him to the vets.  It cost me over $800 in vet bills and he died within 5 days after purchase, 3 of which were spent at the vets.  What was wrong with him could be passed from one to another by contact or by air.  It was a stomach wart that is normally only found in goats and has an incubation period of 9 weeks to 9 months before you know it is there.  Even though he had never been in the same room with my herd, I quarantined my whole herd for one year ... just to play it safe.  I would not allow any to be adopted during the quarantine time.  I was very lucky ... it did not show up ... but it made for a very upsetting and tense year, not to mention an expensive lesson.

The fur chewing could come from irritability, due to what ever is wrong with the swollen area, or just a bit of stress being in a new home.  

Is the fur on the back half of his body heavily matted?  It looks like it to me.

I would have the vet check him out.   Please keep us posted.

   Jo Ann

[rainbowrotties]

He is quarentined. It is a male, but I think he was neutered because his "area" doesn't look like my other two males "area". I'm not sure though. His fur does look matted on the back and his belly but he has access to a bath everyday or every other day. His fur is getting a little longer around his shoulders growing back I believe. Making a vet appointment is harder then I thought it would be, my work hours and her open available hours are not working out for me. I wish I had more time to work with the little guy.

[Jo Ann]

  

It is a male, but I think he was neutered because his "area" doesn't look like my other two males "area". I'm not sure though.

Check out the picture below (click on it to enlarge it) ... does 'his area' look like this?  If it does ... he is a she.  A mammary gland infection (or any infection, especially one that is abscessed) can kill.  Is there any one that can take your little one to the vet for you?  
Have you checked to see if that vet could reccommend one closer to you or one that has more flexable hours?

   Jo Ann

[rainbowrotties]

I'm working on getting an appointment and to see if someone can take him for me. As far as a vet: Not that I can find, this one seems to be the only one in the area as in within 50miles or so! They have an opening Saturday morning so I'm going to see if my fiance can take him in.
It is defiantly a male. there is no slit, there is a large gap between the anus and penis and it is longer then the urethral cone on my females but there doesn't seem to be anything else like on the other males. He is very active, jumps around, climbs, eats, drinks, pees and poo is normal and is looking generally healthy though he seems underweight. His fur seems to be starting to grow back in places. the only thing that worries me is the red patch. I examined it myself today, because he is finally allowing me to hold him, before I could just scratch him or let him have free run there was no holding. The spot is kind of swollen, very dark red and kind of squishy, like there is liquid in it. It is also warm to the touch.

Also is there a way to take that metal ear tag out or is it alright to let him keep it. It's not affecting him in anyway is it?

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Get him to a vet asap, sounds like an abscess and needs treatment.

[Jo Ann]

   Glad to hear he (he's definitely a he) is going to the vet today ... keep us posted!

Sounds like a major infection.  He will probably lance it and put him on antibiotics. 

Antibiotics do not discriminate ... they kill all bacteria, even the good bacteria ... often referred to as "flora".  Be sure to replenish the tummy flora to keep his system going if he is put on an antibiotic.  Yogurt is good for doing this, but must be given about half way between doses (usually about 3 hours before or after meds) of antibiotics because yogurt in a milk product.  Acidophilous is also good ... if you go this way, be sure to keep it refrigerated after the bottle has been opened.  If his digestive system is not kept going properly, you will usually have a second problem develop, often worse and more deadly than the first one.  With chinchillas, keeping their digestive system working properly and constantly, is/can be as important as food and water to them.

Do keep us posted!

    Jo Ann