Introduction

Captive chinchillas should be maintained on a high-fibre diet. Commercial mixes for chinchillas may be low in fibre – often resulting in dental disease – and other constituents may vary significantly from the wild diet (Box 6.1). In these diminutive animals, treats should be quantified, as a small amount may be a considerable portion of the diet and result in nutritional imbalance. This case describes a condition that likely developed in response to an aberration of mineral content from the ideal diet.

Husbandry

The owner had another chinchilla, but they were housed separately and allowed to mix daily only under direct supervision. The chinchilla’s enclosure was constructed of wire mesh and measured approximately 1 m wide × 1 m deep × 1.5 m high. Two wooden shelves were provided along with a small wooden nest box. He had access to a dust bath daily for 15 minutes.

The diet mainly comprised Timothy grass hay and proprietary grass-based chinchilla pellets. A small amount of treats including apples, rosehips and green vegetables was given twice weekly. Water provided was human-grade mineral water. The owner weighed the chinchilla weekly.

Case History

The chinchilla had previously been seen at the clinic after trauma resulted in a superficial leg wound. This healed uneventfully. The companion chinchilla had no previous medical history. Both animals had been in the owner’s possession for more than 1 year.

The owner reported that the chinchilla (Fig. 6.1) had clinical signs for 3 days prior to presentation:

Figure 6.1 The chinchilla was behaving relatively normally on presentation.

Clinical Examination

The chinchilla was well habituated to restraint and a full clinical examination was possible. Findings included:

Case Work-Up

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