Septicemia in Chinchillas

Do you have any idea about septicemia in chinchillas?

Chinchillas are cute and can make great pets. When something is wrong with your pet chinchilla you will probably become very worried. Something that does occur in chinchillas is septicemia. This article will discuss septicemia in chinchillas so chinchilla owners can be more informed.

First of all, what is septicemia? It's a disease caused when toxins and bacteria are in a chinchilla's blood. Different types of bacteria can cause septicemia, but in many causes it is the result of untreated bacterial gastroenteritis.

Symptoms of bacterial gastroenteritis are loss of appetite, abdomen pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Bacterial gastroenteritis can be caused by an infection, poor diet, or living in dirty conditions. If this is left untreated the bacteria can often spread to other parts of a chinchilla's body and toxins enter their bloodstream.

Septicemia can affect a chinchilla very quickly and in some causes the pet dies before the owner even notices symptoms. Therefore it important to pay attention to your chinchilla and notice any changes in their eating habits, behavior, appearance, or bowel movements. Things may seem like no big deal to humans, can be a serious symptom in a pet. For example diarrhea is not normal for chinchilla's it's usually an indication of some type of illness or infection.

If you notice something strange going on with your chinchilla call your veterinarian. They can recommend things that you can do or they may tell you to bring your chinchilla in for an examination. Veterinarians can runs tests and determine the exact issue your pet has. Having a proper diagnose allows your chinchilla to receive the best treatment and hopefully have a full recovery. Antibiotics are often prescribed with infections and septicemia.

The best way to treat septicemia is to first diagnose the specific organism that has caused the toxin to spread in the blood stream of the chinchilla. This is done through blood tests and culture and sensitivity tests. Antibiotics are given orally or through injections. If the chinchilla is dehydrated, the antibiotics may be given along with the intravenous saline treatment.

Give the best treatment and hopefully have a full recovery. Antibiotics are often prescribed with infections and septicemia.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.