Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[colorfulchinnies4]

few days ago, one of my chinnies had a mushy poop, but she was verrry active!! I still decided to take away the pellets and made sure hay was always available... the next day and the day after that, her poop was better and no behavior change...  so on the 3rd day, i gave her pellets...and now since yesterday she's been having a mushy poop... but not that mushy comparing to before.. just now i found a brownish red looking pus on the ends of her poop (i only found one).  i tried looking on the website, but I can't find anything... anyone know what it is??

[eddiing]

i have no idea what it is, but i do have a few questions..

pretty much as soon as you taken out the pellets as diet her poop has became better, but as soon as the pellets goes back in, the poop got worse? What kind of pellets are you using? i would suggest changing her pellets to a better brand if it already isn't (ex. Oxbow or Mazuri)

[Jo Ann]

    We are not veterinarians here, so we can only give you our opinions and/or what we would do under the same circumstances.  I would put her back on hay until an appointment with the vet can be made.

.. just now i found a brownish red looking pus on the ends of her poop (i only found one).  i tried looking on the website, but I can't find anything... anyone know what it is??

It could be one or more of a few different things, from an injury to Giardia, none are which are good. 

Please, place your little one on a hard, non porous surface and get a magnifying glass ready.  As soon as she drops a poop, LOOK ... DO NOT TOUCH, look at it with the magnifying glass.  IF there is what looks like raw eggwhite covering the poop, or part of it, she needs to see a vet a.s.a.p. (as in now, not Monday, if possible).  This is one of the signs of Giardia.  Only a vet will know for sure after he/she tests it under a microscope within in a very short period of time of her dropping it.  Return her to her cage and clean it up with a paper towel and use a hand sanitizer or alcohol on the spot where she dropped it.  For more detailed information, read this article entitled  "Giardia"  at: http://www.geocities.com/jobernstein1949/  This is on my second website and is not a site for children, some of the articles are to upsetting for children.

Please keep us posted.

   Jo Ann

[colorfulchinnies4]

Eddiing – when I gave her the pellets after taking it away for a couple of days, her poop was less mushy than it was the first time.  I am using Mazuri

JoAnn – yes, I did read your website earlier about Giardia, my chinny got diagnosed with it…she just finished her medicine.  She has a vet appointment in few hours.   My chinny remains very active and she’s always roaming for food!  She lovessss hay so much.  When I put back the pellets after she got better, she went straight for the pellets too.  She does drink water too.   As of her poop, it is shiny.  I think it does seem to look like a raw egg white. 

[Jo Ann]

   This may sound drastic, but if you have ever seen what it can do to healthy chinchillas, you would understand.

 When a chin is diagnosed with Giardia or any thing that is contagious, it is extremely important to ...
1) sanitize everything
2) dispose of those things that are porous and can not be sterilized properly (such as wood)
3) use a hand sanitizer every time you handle your little one and before you handle another chin
4) care for your chins that are healthy first, then the ones that are sick, then change your clothes before you do anything else
5) do not allow a healthy chin to remain in the same cage with one that is injured, ill and/or contagious (see the special note below)
6) do not allow a healthy chin to play in the same area where a sick chin has played until it has been properly sanitized
7) do not use the same dust bath containers, each chin/cage should have it's own dust bath container

Keep in mind that some things that are contagious between chinchillas can also be passed on to other pets and/or humans and visa verse.  Giardia and ring worm are just two of these.  Always use special care when an animal or human is sick ... it is much easier to care for one than it is to have to care for many.  Small children and/or infants should never be allowed near an animal that is contagious.  If in doubt ... check it out ... better safe than sorry.   

   Jo Ann


A special note:  Giardia is a parasite that often stays dormant until the opportunity arises to be able to take over and can litterally suck the life out of your chin.  If a chin has surgery, a broken leg, or is ill in way that is not contagious, it will still weaken it's system ... once the system has been weakened, the dormant parasite can multiply and can be much more dangerous than the original illness or injury.  This is why Giardia is known as the "opportunistic parasite".

[Harleychin]

Sometimes it can take several rounds of meds to clear it up.

[colorfulchinnies4]

I just got back from the vet... the doctor said all 4 of my chinchillas (even the one with the mushy poop) has a little trace of giardia left....but he does not want to prescribe me medicine, because he believes they are free of giardia.  THe information he was trying to explain is vague... but he said something about giardia has an antibody inside, so since I just finished giving my chinnies the medicine... they are pooping out the antibody.  so he wants me to come back next month and have their stool checked, by then all the antibody should be cleared up.

about the one that has mushy poop, he believes that its the pellets or the hay that is causing the mushiness.. i told him about the pus, he said since I only saw one...it is okay.  if I see more than 3 of that kind, then that's when we should be concerned.   

[Jo Ann]

   Glad to hear that. 

Often a parasite or a virus will build up an immunity to a particular antibody.  Methods of treatment often vary from case to case and doctor to doctor.  It's always good to know other options.  That information is always good to share.   

Please keep us posted and let us know the results of the next checkup.   

   Jo Ann

[colorfulchinnies4]

Sure I will keep you all updated!  I bumped into another vet and decided to ask him about the chinchillas, since he saw them before.  i explained everything that was going on, he said my chinny sounds good...and that I should not worry.  I just switched to a better quality hay yesterday, so I'll see what happens.   I took my chinnies to the bathroom yesterday to play, and the one that's having mushy poop was the most active out of all four!!  very adventrous, that one!