Blind chinchilla? Very lost

[Mandy]

I had a thread about housing for a blind chinchilla, but this is not about housing.
I just picked up the 'eyeless' chinchilla.

I can see there's probably no right eye. I think I MAY be seeing a left eye..but I have no idea.

This doesn't look too good.
. Her eyes have a discharge coming out of the slits. it looks like the slit is TRYING to open in the left (but there probably isn't one there either)

Looks like ill be visiting the vet. Any advise or insight until then?
Her cage had the dust bath in her hut so everything has dust. Might be a reason for the eyes.
Also she gave me the zupreem pellets and so she's eating my feed.
We're still in the car on the way home and I'm trying to figure thing out.
Will post pics.

 

[Mandy]

Here we go

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

Poor chinnie. I'm glad she's now with you.

 

[Mandy]

Here are some other photos.
I'm going to try cleaning a bit of the gunk out. (She's already jumped into my hands and seems to be a sweetie..bless her heart)
I went to ring the vet and realized they're closed on Sundays..so I will put a call in in the morning.
I'd also like him to check her teeth as she didn't have anything to chew on other than hay and a plastic tub that was sitting in her hut.:facepalm:

I think this may be her first taste of wood.

 

[JessieVictoria]

Definitely take her to a vet! That kind of goes without saying.

My hamster used to get a lot of colds where his eyes were all slitty and had discharge like you described. A damp warm paper towel could help relieve some of what is making the chinchilla's eyes sticky and closed. Just hold the paper towel on the eyes for a few seconds, that might help.

 

[Mandy]

That's what I'm going to try.
I have to be honest. I'm not looking forward to the slit/s opening and seeing what's behind them...but of course I will.

This obviously has been sitting for a year.
Thank god I started shadowing a vet yesterday. I've been DE-sensitized to quite a few graphic things in person already. ha

 

[Mandy]

She's being very protective of he eye area. (don't blame her)
Should I really stress her out and pick her up to clean them?

Going to keep trying.

 

[ArmyWife]

Wow... So heart breaking. She is very lucky to have a loving home now. Please keep us updated on the vet visit.

 

[Claire D]

It's been a stressful day for her already, especially given that she is blind - personally, I would leave her until she goes to the vets. Let her rest and settle over night.
When you do take her I would have xrays taken of her skull.

 

[Mandy]

What would the X-ray be for out of curiosity?

Ill leave her be for tonight.

 

[tunes]

X-ray the skull to be sure that the eyes aren't as a result of an injury - to check for injuries in the skull.

It's also possible she has what I have been told is called simply "small eye." The eye is there, it's either just really small or the lids never opened. I had a boy with small eye, but only on one side. Strangely, his female offspring never had it. It wasn't until many litters in when there was a male born (who is now named Pirate and lives with with my friend Nikki) and he had a small eye just like his dad. Silver (the dad) had discharge from that eye on and off his whole life. It would go away, then come back. Antibiotics and drops did nothing to help.

Definitely get her checked out and see what's going on. She looks pretty good overall, other than that her eyes aren't open.

 

[Claire D]

Xrays are needed to check for possible issues; not least of which are dental, whether there is any infection tracking into the skull, and/or whether there are other bony/tissue anomalies.
I would also want the chin sedated to check those eye sockets for anopthalmia or micropthalmia - if there is residual occular tissue left then it may need to be removed, the area thoroughly cleansed etc.

An ophthalmology specialist vet may be required.

 

[Mandy]

I'll pass this along to my vet and see what he says.
Thank you.
Will update.

I have a strong feeling the discharge may have been brought on by the 24/7 dust she was sitting in.
A tub of it in her hut and the cage had it everywhere after 'having it cleaned last night'

 

[Mandy]

Just got a call back. (He does surgery on Monday and doesn't take appointments unless it's a serious emergency.)

Anyway,
He told me she would probably just need antibiotics, but to bring her in (we will schedule in the morning for WED)

He said she probably was born with eyes that got infected and no one did anything about it. He said the 24/7 dust obviously didn't help anything and by now the eyes have probably shrunk to nothing and have become infected again. That he deals with this more so in guinea pigs than he does with chinchillas.

He said he'll take a better look to see, but he hopes it can be treated with just medication....and he does not have to anesthetize her, remove whatever may be left, then sew the eyelids shut.
(That would be the next step if he thinks it's anything worse than just an infection brought on for whatever reason)

So, we will see then. He mentioned some other things on what he could do and would look into, but I was stepping out the shower and literally slipping all over the bathroom floor to grab the phone. ha
Told me it wouldn't stress her out to bring her in right away. (One of my concerns.. I worry.)

Also told me to try warm water on her eyes to clean it up for now..so I will try again.
I also told him about her teeth so he will have a look then.

(so a lot of what you all were saying)

He's our Dr.House of vets. Got SO lucky to have an amazing vet nearby!

Good news is now that her environment is clean, the clumps of junk by her eyes do not look as bad as they did yesterday. She obviously cleans it, but now it just looks like drainage. Can't wait to hear what's really going on.

She's going through chew sticks like she's never touched wood before.
Bless her heart. We just love her already.

Will update when I find out.

Thank you all.

 

[kerri101]

Just got a call back. (He does surgery on Monday and doesn't take appointments unless it's a serious emergency.)

Anyway,
He told me she would probably just need antibiotics, but to bring her in (we will schedule in the morning for WED)

He said she probably was born with eyes that got infected and no one did anything about it. He said the 24/7 dust obviously didn't help anything and by now the eyes have probably shrunk to nothing and have become infected again. That he deals with this more so in guinea pigs than he does with chinchillas.

He said he'll take a better look to see, but he hopes it can be treated with just medication....and he does not have to anesthetize her, remove whatever may be left, then sew the eyelids shut.
(That would be the next step if he thinks it's anything worse than just an infection brought on for whatever reason)

So, we will see then. He mentioned some other things on what he could do and would look into, but I was stepping out the shower and literally slipping all over the bathroom floor to grab the phone. ha
Told me it wouldn't stress her out to bring her in right away. (One of my concerns.. I worry.)

Also told me to try warm water on her eyes to clean it up for now..so I will try again.
I also told him about her teeth so he will have a look then.

(so a lot of what you all were saying)

He's our Dr.House of vets. Got SO lucky to have an amazing vet nearby!

Good news is now that her environment is clean, the clumps of junk by her eyes do not look as bad as they did yesterday. She obviously cleans it, but now it just looks like drainage. Can't wait to hear what's really going on.

She's going through chew sticks like she's never touched wood before.
Bless her heart. We just love her already.

Will update when I find out.

Thank you all.

so glad that she is in a new clean safe place with you Hope to hear how she makes out and wishing her well toward a recovery from whatever happened to her before in her life

 

[ArmyWife]

I was anxiously checking this post to read an update! So glad to hear she's settling in well

 

[Claire D]

Does your vet do a full examination & teeth check using sedation & skull xray?

 

[Mandy]

He can. He said he'll have to look at her better in person to see where she stands.
Of course we don't want to anestisize her if we don't have to. He usual does X-rays while they're awake. I of course trust him completely with putting them under if necessary. He's already done emergency surgery on one of my chins and often works with rats, guinea pigs and other small animals doing the same.

Like I mentioned, he's seen this before in guinea pigs. Chinchillas obviously are not guinea pigs, but at least he knows what route to take.
I will ask if we can get an X-ray of her head though. Im sure he'll want one anyway.

 

[Mandy]

Plus,
Everytime I bring a chin in they always need/leave with an X-ray.
Can't break that streak.
Lol

 

[Mandy]

Her appointment was set for tomorrow at 4:20pm, but I was able to get us in this evening at 5.

I figured with Thanksgiving coming up (and them possibly not being open), if she gets something done or is put on a medication..I will have tonight and tomorrow to see if I get a negative reaction.

Will update later.