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Author Topic: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?  (Read 17882 times)

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GrayRodent

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #30 on: April 01, 2012, 05:02:12 PM »

That is very strange. I wonder if the itradrops are causing them to drink more water which would cause softer poo.
Having a culture done on the eyes is a good idea. The fact they are all showing the same thing at the same time could mean a couple of possible things. It is possible that this is contagious and spread from animal to animal. It is possible that something in their cages is irritating them. It is possible something is wrong with their food since they all have that in common.

Are the cages being rinsed well after you disinfect them?
When the chins started getting their appetites back was it right after you used a new bag of food or hay?

I wish I could remark about how fast you'll see results. I do not know. I hope someone will comment on that.
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duny

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #31 on: April 01, 2012, 06:45:28 PM »

I use the same hay for six months and the same food for 2 years. So no really a change in that. The cages rinsed very well, and because of the weather, which is mainly cloudy this month, I put the woods in the oven for more than 30min. Every day I am more desperate as they look more ill. The good is that they eat and drink. The bad is that they are more lethargic every day...

Their droppings are not soft, they are hard and more rough than they should. However, I will not continue to through disinfection things on the cages from now on, I will only clean them with hot water to see how it will go.
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GrayRodent

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #32 on: April 01, 2012, 07:57:42 PM »

I recommend you continue disinfecting your cages. If you're rinsing them well it's okay. Some people don't have enough a lot of sense and might not think to rinse good. It sounds like you are doing everything right. By not disinfecting the cages regularly you cannot cure the fungus. Just make sure your chins are getting fresh food and hay that does not have mold or water in it.

The fact the poo is harder is another strange sign especially if they are drinking more. I think when you talk to to your vet you might want to ask about the possibilities of mycotoxicosis and giardia. Both of these can be tested and you may only need to bring in samples instead of having to bring in your animals. These are not chin-specific tests either.

I feel very bad for you. I hope you will see improvement soon. Your animals are stressed because of the treatment and change in routine and that may be part of the problem. I'm sure you are doing your best to keep them as comfortable as possible.
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duny

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #33 on: April 02, 2012, 12:02:01 PM »

Thank you GrayRodent for your help and support!

I will do that about mycotoxicosis and giardia.

Today I cleaned two cages with water only, but I left them at sun for more than 6 hours, next time I will disinfect them again. Sun is killing fungus as far as I know.

The hay is quite fresh, no mold or water in it, it was the first thing I checked before I open this thread.

Thanks again!
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lilchinchilla

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #34 on: April 02, 2012, 01:11:08 PM »

 How is their fur looking? As for eye infections, fungus can cause that too. I've seen it happen before for others, but it is not common. I wouldn't completely discount it as not being from fungus. The droppings being harder could just be what happens from taking the meds.

Sometimes certain antibiotics or treatments can cause diarrhea or the opposite effect (constipation), with chinchillas. It usually goes away after treatment is over. Have you ever given them acidophilus while treating them? Just a little with their food, may make a difference. It is possible their digestive tract is just a little irritated, whether from meds or from stress. Acidophilus can help soothe their digestive tract while using the meds. Just don't give it when you give the medication (give it like 4 hours after meds - so then it will not affect what the meds are doing.).

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #35 on: April 03, 2012, 09:58:41 AM »

Only one has fur missing above nose and a very tiny spot to his forehead. The missing fur doesn't spread one week now, and there is no redness or dry skin. The other one has one watery eye and the fur every day seems to be less from his eye to the nose. But not around his eye. This happens one week now to this chin.

Another one started 3 weeks ago (when the symptoms started, and the one with the fur missing from nose and above started to happen) to have a watery eye but more serious with white liquid that made his eye completely shut. I read and asked about this symptoms, the first conclusion was that it may be conjunctivitis and it is almost two weeks now that I use antibiotic drops to his eye and from the third day that I use this treatment he has no longer white liquid running from his eye.

However, this chin, the other one with the eye missing fur and two others, not the one with the missing fur above his nose, continue to have ONLY one watery eye, not both, no white liquid, only watery eye, one week now, and they seem not to be able to open it completely and something disturbs their eye because they close it and open it many times. Like we humans do when something goes in our eyes and try to clean it.

I hope to understand, because English is not my native language.

All these symptoms seem very strange to me. From what I have read and discuss they look like fungus but not sure that is really fungus... The vet that saw the one with the fur missing above nose, said it is fungus. But when I asked her about the fungus symptoms she told me that she can't find another explanation. Finally the four of the six chins have flakes, like dry skin, behind and low at their ears. I have posted photos for this.

As for acidophilus you are right and I was thinking about today morning. I will start to give them every night acidophilus as the treatment is only every morning.
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GrayRodent

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #36 on: April 03, 2012, 12:15:18 PM »

Using the names of these animals might help make this less confusing, but I think I can understand what you are saying.
It sounds like the antibiotic eye drops are working.

The fact the fur loss isn't spreading is a sign indicates you are using the right kind of antifungal medicine. It also means fungus is still the best explanation for the fur loss. It's possible the one still loosing fur was exposed later than the others. This is because it takes time for the immune system to prepare itself to fight the infection which is why it gets worse before it gets better.

I don't know what is causing the watery eyes. Chinchillas do catch bacterial eye infections (conjunctivitis) easily. The fact they are stressed because of the fungus could be making it harder for them to fight the bacterial infection. If they are rubbing their eyes against the cage or on objects this can slow healing.
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lilchinchilla

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #37 on: April 05, 2012, 10:52:29 AM »

The fur should grow back in. You'll see the skin turn from a pink or red to a grey or black color, as the fur grows back in(which means the fungus is going away.). I'm pretty sure it is fungus. The photos you posted and what you describe, sounds like it and looks like it.

 As for the eyes, I don't know. I know conjunctivitis can happen from/with fungus in chinchillas. If you're treating it and it is not working out, perhaps the vet can do a culture on the eye, to find the strain and figure out exactly what best would help with the eye problems?

duny

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #38 on: April 05, 2012, 11:53:11 AM »

Well the skin is becoming grey to the chinchilla that misses fur above his nose!  :) This chinchilla is taking oral treatment 9 days now.
The other two males that have one watery eye are taking the treatment 6 days, so I hope that at nine or ten days to show better results at their eyes if fungus provoke this as the other.

Thanks for the replies!
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GrayRodent

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Re: Chinchilla ears problem! Fungus...?
« Reply #39 on: April 05, 2012, 12:42:19 PM »

I'm very glad to hear things are improving for you. Sounds like you are taking very good care of your pets and it shows.
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