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[chinbaby]

I noticed an open wound near Taro's nose this morning.  It isn't wet, bleeding, no signs of discharge or infection.  He keeps wiping the area with his paws.  I'm giving him TMS that I have on hand to prevent any infection.  I tried wiping the area with saline water but he refuses to stay still.  I'm keeping an eye out for any infection.  Is there anything else I should do to help the area heal?

[GrayRodent]

I looked at this picture and also showed it my mom who has worked in healthcare. We both think this wound is gaping open based on the image. If it is gaping then it requires stitches or it will not heal. Chinchillas have very thin skin. It is also in an area that can be highly prone to infection because of its proximity to the mouth. Monitor it closely for discharge and swelling. It looks like you've had malocclusion and antibiotics in the past with this animal so you are likely familiar with hand feeding. If not you should be prepared and have a recovery diet such as critical care handy just in case he goes off his food. Antibiotics can be very bad about causing that.

Another thing you need to look into is the cause of this wound such as a sharp edge or wire in the cage. It looks like a laceration caused by something like that. You may need to get this checked out to make sure the teeth and inside of the mouth are okay.

[Snickerdoodlesmom]

Make sure he's eating, too. Stress can cause chinchillas to stop eating. I think pain can, too.