Diseases and Veterinary Care
This chapter describes the diseases prevalence in chinchillas, which are usually related to the pet trade. Diseases in chinchillas that are housed within well-managed research facilities are less. The most abnormal health conditions in chinchillas are due to husbandry or diet deficiencies. Diseases resulting from bacteria in chinchillas usually relate to agents of commensal bacterial residents that cause overt disease, either localized to one organ or as septicemia. Organisms, such as Listeria may lead to disease through contamination of feed. Other conditions in chinchillas that require veterinary care are typically secondary to metabolic, nutritional, traumatic, reproductive disorders, and a limited number of age-related and miscellaneous conditions. A comprehensive review of normative clinical data and supportive therapy for chinchillas is described.
