Health
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New Respiratory Threat Found in Pet Chinchillas: What to Know
When a veterinary journal uses the phrase “first reported case,” I pay attention. That language means something nobody has seen before just got documented, and in the world of exotic animal medicine, that matters. A recently published case report has identified Streptococcus canis as the cause of both pneumonia and pyothorax in a pet chinchilla.…
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When Chinchilla Diseases Hit Hard, Knowledge Matters More Than Ever
A glimpse inside GCA’s December research focus Over the past year, many people who care deeply about chinchillas have faced something unsettling. Bacterial infections like Strep zoo and Pseudomonas have appeared with little warning, progressed quickly, and in some cases resisted standard treatment. For a prey species that hides illness until it cannot anymore, this…
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The Importance Of Hay For Healthy Chinchillas
Hay plays a very important role in the health of chinchillas and should be the foundation of their diets. Chinchillas are herbivores and need to have food constantly moving through their digestive systems. The fiber in hay aids in this process. Frequency to Feed Hay ~ A handful of hay keeps the veterinarian away ~…
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Quarantining A New Chinchilla
Fungus, Conjunctivitis, Coccidiosis, Pseudomonas Aeuruginosa, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are just a few of the illnesses that an exposed or sick chinchilla could be bringing home to your current chinchilla pet. What is Quarantine? Quite simply, quarantine is an isolation to prevent the spread of disease. Quarantine should always be deemed necessary when bringing in any new…