Female chinchilla bleeding

[robehickman]

Not sure what this is, my chinchilla is bleeding around her rear end. Never noticed anything like this before and she seems alright otherwise.

 

[Claire D]

Whereabouts in the UK are you based?

You need to get your chin to a vet if she is bleeding from her backside or her genitals - there are several possibilities, ranging from a prolapsed anus to a miscarriage. She really needs to see a vet.

Can you see where the blood is actually coming from? Is it bright red or dark red?

 

[AZChins]

Are you sure it's from her rear? Could it be a cut on her foot or something?

If she has blood coming from her vaginal opening or from her anus, she needs to see a vet right away. Is she in with a male?

 

[robehickman]

It's coming from the space between the anus and the pointy bit just in front of it (what is this called in female chinchillas?). The fluid is bright red.

After reading some other threads on here, I think it may be urine rather than blood, it shows up yellow on a tissue. Also found that no water was coming out her bottle, it's fixed now and will replace it ASAP. She drank a lot after I fixed it.

I'm in Chepstow, will get her to the vet if it's still like this in the morning.

I only have one chinchilla, and had her for 7+ years so there's no possibility of a miscarriage.

Thanks for your help.

 

[lilchinchilla]

It's possible you are seeing an orangey brown colored (not blood) urine from dehydration? The urine will be more concentrated from not getting enough fluids in there. It takes on a rusty color that can look like blood.

My suggestion is to monitor the chinchilla, and if it really does look like blood(if it is red), or your chinchilla is not acting normal, then please go to a vet. Have the vet culture the urine to test for any infection that may be present.

Good luck with her. :thumbsup:

 

[Claire D]

I agree with Lilchinchilla. It could well be dark urine from dehydration if the water bottle is not working properly.

If you've got the bottle working now (and it might be worth having a second bottle on standby just in case the first one is defunct) then the urine should change colour to a much lighter straw colour.

Good luck and please do keep us posted.

 

[AZChins]

It should lighten up very quickly. After drinking so much water the next time she urinates it should be light yellow.

Whew...I'm glad that it isn't something more serious. Definitely keep an eye on her.

 

[robehickman]

Thanks for the advice everyone, it was a bit of a scare.

It's too early to tell if the red will go, but she is now much happier in herself, and active again. Will keep you posted.

Annoying thing is, it isn't obvious when the water bottle isn't working; don't want this happening again.

 

[lilchinchilla]

What kind of bottle is it? Perhaps it just needs a good cleaning (maybe something is stuck in it.) or maybe you need a new one?

 

[smhluvsmh]

This is exactly why I now keep 2 clean full water bottles in both my cages. Gizmo, who lives alone, water bottle went from leaking to stopped working and she went without water and I didn't know it. I felt horrible. Never again will my girls only have 1 in their cages. They aren't that expensive and the piece of mind is so worth it!

 

[EMSChins]

Here is a useful tip: I use glass bottles and part of my nightly routine after feeding, changing bottles, checking on everyone and a general straightening up, I go up and down the line and mark the water line on each bottle with a dry erase marker, that way I can check at least every 24 hours that the water line is going down and that each chin is drinking, and how much. It is tedious but it assures me that my chins are indeed getting water as I have found that either not taking water or drinking an excessive amount is one of the first signs of illness. This is a great way for me to monitor my herd. If I can do it with 70 or so chins nightly then it should be fairly easy for a pet owner with one or only a few. The dry erase marker comes off in the dishwasher on a glass bottle, not 100% sure about plastic bottle.

 

[jess32247]

I was going to suggest that, seeing what color it is on a tissue. Glad to see it turned up yellow, though! I could keep a close eye on the water bottle and make sure it doesn't get clogged up again, if not change it completely and get a new one.

 

[robehickman]

My chinchilla is back to normal and the red blood/urine has now gone entirely.

@EMSChins, thats a lot of chinchillas, thanks for the tip