How to treat inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye, conjunctivitis in a chinchilla

Types of Eye Problems in Chinchillas

• Corneal ulcers - Sometimes a chinchilla's eyes will become itchy or irritated by hay, hair, dust, or even after wrestling with another chinchilla. These scratches or irritations can cause a defect in the clear surface of the eye, called the cornea. This defect is known as a corneal ulcer. The ulcer is painful and may cause the eyes to become slightly cloudy or red. Your chinchilla may paw at the bruised eye, hold it closed, or even rub it on the ground.
• Eye infections. If your chinchilla's eye becomes irritated for any reason or exposed to excessive bacteria or fungal spores, it can become infected. Bacterial and fungal infections can affect one or both of your chinchilla's eyes and must be treated with appropriate antibacterial or antifungal medications. Your chinchilla may have hair loss around the eyes, redness (conjunctivitis), discharge, swelling, and even if it hurts, keep your eyes closed.
• Overgrown Teeth – Chinchilla teeth are technically rootless, but the portion of the incisors (front teeth) above the gum line that are usually considered roots in other species may take too long to grow. The teeth grow into the nasolacrimal duct under the eye and cause excessive tearing in the chinchilla's eye. Normal nasal and tear ducts flow through the nose and allow drainage from the eye, but if this duct is blocked or clogged, the eye will drain excessively, like a clogged pipe.
• Tumors. Sometimes tumors develop behind the eyes of chinchillas. These tumors can cause the eye to bulge, swell, and cause discomfort. Sometimes radiographs (x-rays) show a suspected tumor on the skull, and your veterinarian may want to send the radiographs to have a radiologist confirm this. If nothing is detected on the x-ray, an MRI may be recommended if the veterinarian still suspects a tumor

Causes of purulent discharge from the eyes

The most common cause of purulent discharge is conjunctivitis. This is one of the most common eye diseases that can affect not only chinchillas, but also pets in general. During this disease, inflammation of the conjunctiva (mucous membrane of the eyes) occurs, symptomatically this is manifested by swelling of the mucous membrane, lacrimation, souring and suppuration.

In most cases, conjunctivitis occurs due to unsanitary conditions for keeping chinchillas (dirty bedding or cage). But there may also be other reasons. For example, purulent discharge from the eyes may be due to a cold or viral infection. In this case, the root cause of poor health should be eliminated. This is especially dangerous, because a cold in a chinchilla can quickly develop into bronchopneumonia. Pay attention to any difficulty breathing or wheezing. Another fairly common culprit of this chinchilla disease is the damaged cornea of ​​the chinchilla's eye. Sometimes dripping eyes can also be a symptom of a very serious condition caused by a malocclusion, hooks, or tooth root growing into the tear duct or eyeball. In this case, surgery is necessary.

Eye diseases and methods of their treatment

Diseases can be identified by visual examination and first aid provided. Immediately you need to rinse the animal’s eyes with warm boiled water using cotton pads or gauze swabs. The corners are softened and dried secretions are removed. The eyelids are carefully spread with your fingers and the mucous membrane is examined so that there are no foreign bodies on it. If any deposits are found, they must be carefully removed. It is allowed to use drops that relieve inflammation as prescribed by a veterinarian.

Video: How to put drops into the eyes of a chinchilla

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the organs of vision, accompanied by lacrimation and suppuration.

Associated symptoms appear:

• swelling of the eyelids;
• photophobia;
• pus collects in the corners;
• reddened eyelid skin.

Important! After first aid, you must immediately transport the rodent to a veterinary clinic. The specialist will prescribe antibacterial drugs that may solve the problem.

The disease occurs as a result of injuries, falls, or during planting of individuals, exposure to smoke or dust on the mucous membrane, or unsanitary conditions in the cage. Complications may arise as a result of which the eye stops opening altogether. Initially, you need to find the cause - this will help you choose the right course of therapy. If left untreated, ulcers may form on the cornea and the animal may go blind.

Dried purulent accumulations should be removed with a damp cotton swab. Then rinse the eyes with a sterile saline solution of 3% boric acid, a decoction of black tea or chamomile. The cage needs to be cleaned and disinfected.

Cataract

A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye that reduces the ability to transmit light. The disease can affect the organ either partially or completely. The bottom line is that a healthy lens is completely transparent. Rays of light are refracted through it and directed to the retina of the organ of vision. When he is struck by cataracts, the pet partially loses his vision and sees the surrounding space as if through streams of water, which is why the name of the disease means “waterfall.”

Important! Cataracts are treated only under the strict supervision of a veterinarian. Unfortunately, with this disease the rodent often loses its vision.

The most common reasons why this disease develops are the following:

• pathologies of the organs of vision;
• impaired metabolism;
• avitaminosis;
• mechanical damage;
• age;
• diabetes;
• heredity and congenital anomaly;
• radiation.

Keratitis

The cornea can become inflamed during mechanical damage, after an animal fight, grains of sand, or during bathing, which provokes keratitis.

Characteristic symptoms:

• unnatural eye color;
• cloudy red shell;
• purulent discharge;
• ulcers.

Find out also how much a chinchilla costs.

For treatment, purchase an ointment that contains antibiotics and fluorescein drops. The consequences of self-medication can cause the progression of a corneal ulcer, so it is necessary to consult a specialist.

Belmo

One of the pathologies of the visual organ, in which persistent clouding of the cornea is observed, is called a cataract.

Appears as a consequence:

• infectious disease;
• injury;
• complications of conjunctivitis.

A white spot appears on the cornea. If you delay in solving the problem, the animal may go blind. The cataract is incurable, so veterinarians have to perform surgery to remove it.

Pay attention to the information on how to properly care for chinchillas at home.

Inflammation and suppuration due to eye injury

In situations where the visual organ is injured, a white spot quickly (literally within a day) appears on the surface of the cornea, which is often confused with a cataract. Such damage occurs due to bruises or the impact of sand crumbs on the mucous membrane of the eye. It is necessary to use Taufon drops or Korneregel ointment.

Complex injuries are accompanied by suppuration and whitening of the iris, as well as inflammation of the eyelids, which causes infection. After preventive measures, you should definitely show the animal to a specialist.

Important! Most products intended for use on people and other pets are not suitable for chinchillas. Rodents have a different sensitivity to medications, so only a veterinarian can determine the correct remedy and dose.

Comprehensive treatment is carried out at home. First, Tetracycline ointment is applied for three days to relieve inflammation. For healing, Korneregel is used for five days. After this, the three-day procedure with Tetracycline is repeated again to treat relapses.

Do I need to rinse my eyes?

Of course it is necessary. Another question - with what?

Quite often, owners use decoctions of medicinal herbs to wash their pets - strong tea, chamomile or calendula decoction. Veterinarians do not advise doing this for a number of reasons: they dry out the mucous membrane, it is impossible to maintain the normal concentration of the solution, such decoctions quickly become unusable, becoming a source of secondary bacterial infection.

To wash the eyes of a chinchilla, it is advisable to use special lotions - Lakrimin, Lakrikan, Ofto-lavas.

In the absence of special means, you can wash your chinchilla’s eyes with simple freshly boiled and cooled water or sterile saline solution.

Cataract

One of the eye diseases common to both humans and animals is cataracts. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye and a decrease in its ability to transmit light. The name “cataract” itself translates as “waterfall”. Even the ancients noted that with the development of cataracts, a person begins to see as if through water falling from above. Unfortunately, the causes of the development of this disease have not been studied even in humans, not to mention animals. One thing is certain - heredity plays a significant role in the occurrence of cataracts. You won’t be able to cope with cataracts in an animal yourself; you need timely and qualified help from a specialist.

In this regard, when purchasing a pet, be sure to inquire about the health of its parents; it is better if you can see the pet’s mother and father yourself. Individuals with cataracts are removed from reproduction.

Chinchilla eye drops

For eye inflammation, veterinarians usually prescribe special eye drops “Tsiprovet” or “human” drops “Tsipromed” sold in a regular pharmacy. Their effect is double: broad antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.

You can also use Iris or Tobrex drops. Application: for a diseased eye - 1-2 drops 3 times a day, for a healthy eye (as a mandatory prophylaxis) - 1 drop 1-2 times a day. Duration of treatment – ​​7 days. Also, in case of emergency, you can use 20% sodium sulfacyl solution, also known as Albucid or Levomycetin. However, remember that these drops cause a burning sensation. In addition, they only have an antibacterial effect.

In case of injury to the eyeball, it is recommended to use drops with taurine - this is a drug that accelerates tissue regeneration. Taurine-based drops – Taufon.

It is extremely important to properly store the opened bottle. Typically, the validity period of the drops after opening the bottle is 7 days. Store opened medicine in the refrigerator. Avoid touching the tip of the dropper - this will significantly reduce the shelf life of the medicine. Before using drops from the refrigerator, warm the bottle in your hand.

Diseases manifested by eye symptoms

Inflammation of the organs of vision in a rodent also signals infections and viral diseases. These include:

1. Lichen (trichophytia, microsporia). The disease is contagious to humans. The pet's skin becomes covered with pathogenic fungi, hair begins to fall out on the limbs, around the nose and eyelids. Areas without hair of a clear round shape appear on the skin, which peel off. The examination should be carried out by a doctor using skin scraping. During treatment, be sure to take antifungal agents.

2. Diseases of dentistry. Your pet may experience pathological ingrowth of teeth into soft tissue. Elongated roots affect the sinuses and eyes. As a result, discharge from the organs of vision, salivation occurs, and the rodent refuses food. The disease also occurs when the oral cavity is injured or due to an incorrect diet or genetic pathologies. They are treated under anesthesia in a veterinary clinic.

3. Tick. Affects animals in rare cases. Infection can occur through food, human hands or litter. The rodent itches more often than usual and tears out the fur around the eyelids and ears, and the fur falls off on the neck and red wounds appear. Veterinarians prescribe insecticidal sprays that are used to treat the pet.

4. Cold. When the conditions of detention are violated, the pet can simply catch a cold. There is swelling of the eyelids, runny nose, severe lacrimation, sneezing, rapid breathing, fever, and wheezing. They are treated under the supervision of a specialist.

5. Allergy. The reaction may occur to food, cage fillers, or indoor plants. Accompanied by sneezing, mucus discharge from the eye sockets, body itching and the appearance of baldness. It is necessary to eliminate the allergen and conduct a course of therapy with antihistamines.

If you find any unnatural discharge from the organs of vision, redness, swollen eyelids, or hair loss, this may be evidence of a serious viral disease.
Did you know? Chinchillas do not have a specific odor because they do not have sweat glands. Because of this, the animals quickly get wet in the water and cannot stay on its surface.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis in chinchillas appears as a consequence of injuries (received from falling, landing, playing), being kept in unsanitary conditions, or copious amounts of dirt and dust in the cage. Conjunctivitis sometimes occurs as a complication of viral and infectious diseases of the animal's body.

A similar disease manifests itself:

• Photophobia
• Swelling of the eye and formation of suppuration in the corners
• The eye starts to water

Sometimes chinchillas with conjunctivitis cannot open their eyes. If left untreated, your pet may experience complete loss of vision.

Treatment

At a veterinarian's appointment
The most accessible and harmless first aid method is rubbing the eyes with tincture of calendula or chamomile.

But this is not enough, and the veterinarian will tell you what else is needed for a complete recovery.

For mechanical damage to the eye shell, various steroid eye ointments will help.

But you can only purchase them after consulting a veterinarian, who can also teach you how to do this wiping yourself.

To make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to analyze other painful symptoms and changes in the behavior of the chinchilla. And only a doctor can prescribe the correct treatment with medications, which include not only ointments and drops, but possibly antibiotics.

From him you can learn that the animal does not receive enough vitamins and needs proper nutrition. The veterinarian will also advise you on what this diet should consist of.

Chinchillas have good resistance to various diseases. Animal owners need to pay attention to:

• timely cleaning of the cage
• temperature regime for keeping the animal
• proper nutrition

Causes of the disease

A large group of inflammatory processes in the conjunctiva, which have significant differences in causes, epidemiology, dynamics, prognosis, etc., is collectively called “conjunctivitis.” In ophthalmological practice, various classifications of conjunctivitis are used, but, as a rule, they emphasize the etiopathogenetic factor, i.e. causes and mechanisms of inflammation, for example:

• infectious conjunctivitis:
• viral;
• bacterial;
• fungal;
• allergic conjunctivitis;
• dystrophic conjunctivitis;
• chronic conjunctivitis (usually caused by prolonged mechanical, ultraviolet or chemical irritation, chronic gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine disorders, inadequate treatment or self-medication);
• parasitic conjunctivitis, etc.

The first two types are the most common; In general, conjunctivitis is considered the most common diagnosis in ophthalmology, and especially in children's.

Redness and itching in the eyes: what to do?

At the first signs of conjunctivitis, you should immediately consult an ophthalmologist. But the opportunity to visit a specialist “here and now” is not always possible. Since the disease can be contagious, precautions must be taken.

Hygiene rules before visiting a doctor:

1. Don't rub your eyes. Often, infectious and bacterial conjunctivitis first affects one eye and spreads through the hands to the other. If the itching is unbearable, scratch the eye through a bandage or clean cloth, throw it away and wash your hands.
2. Don't wash your face. Wipe your cheeks, neck and forehead with a damp cloth, and your eyes with a sterile gauze pad. There is a separate one for each eye.

The exception is contact with chemicals in the eyes. In this case, on the contrary, rinse your eyes generously with boiled water.

1. Avoid glasses and contact lenses until diagnosis.
2. Wash your face towel, otherwise you risk infecting your family.
3. If fluid flows from your eyes, wipe them with boiled water using a sterile bandage. Do not use cotton wool, as the lint from it can make the situation worse. You should wipe your eyes from the inner corners to the outer ones. A separate gauze swab for each eye; do not put it in a cup of water. Throw away after use.
4. Do not visit the pool, gym, avoid close contact with people.

Noticed redness, tearing and itching of your eyes? Do not wait for it to “go away on its own” and do not self-medicate.

Treatment of vision problems in chinchillas

Most vision problems require special eye medications, but sometimes surgery may be necessary. Treatment will vary depending on the type of vision problem and its severity.

Corneal ulcers are usually treated with special eye ointments from your veterinarian. Some of these ointments are antibiotics, and some are made specifically to treat ulcers. If the ulcer is really bad or hasn't healed after taking certain medications, your veterinarian may take some of your chinchilla's blood, centrifuge it to separate it into different parts, and use a serum that comes in the form of eye drops to help the ulcer heal. If the ulcer still hasn't healed after all this, a procedure called mesh keratotomy may be needed to stimulate healing. This procedure is done under anesthesia and basically draws a tic-tac-toe on the cornea itself with a sharp object, such as a needle, to encourage the body to heal a bunch of little squares instead of one big ulcer.

If your chinchilla has an eye infection, eye ointments or drops will also be used, but other tests may be needed if these medications do not work. This test is called a culture and uses a cotton swab to collect debris from the eye to see what type of bacteria or fungus is growing there. The results will allow your veterinarian to determine the right treatment for your chinchilla.

Overgrown teeth and tumors that affect the eyes usually require surgery to treat the problem. Tumors, unfortunately, cannot be completely removed, but teeth can be removed. Medicines are also often used to treat a variety of symptoms, including pain, pressure and infections.