Posted: April 27, 2009, 5:00 a.m. EDT
Q: My chinchilla is breathing very heavily, sitting around and goes into shaking fits while squeaking. Can you tell me what's wrong?
A: Unfortunately no, there is no way to tell you what is wrong with your chinchilla based on the information you provided. However, I can tell you this is not normal and your chinchilla needs to be seen as soon as possible by a veterinarian. Any time a chinchilla or other pet experiences labored breathing and lethargy, it is a cause for concern. Labored breathing and lethargy could be signs of a heart problem, a lung problem or an overall sick chinchilla.
There are no home remedies to help your chinchilla, so see a veterinarian right away. Likely, the veterinarian will tell you that you need radiographs of the chest and abdomen, and probably blood work to try to figure out what is going on.
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