Parasitic Disease of Chinchillas
Chinchillas make a great pet and are generally not too hard to keep healthy. Infections and diseases however are possible and your chinchilla should be taken to the vet at the first sign of trouble. Due to the dense coat of the animal, chinchillas are relatively safe from most parasites and ticks. In fact, you will almost never find fleas, ticks, or other fur-dwelling parasites. However, one common affliction to chinchillas is “fungus”, which comes from a strain of ring worm that also affects dogs and cats. Ring worm is actually not a worm but a fungal infection that causes parasite-like symptoms. Ringworm is also known as Dermatophytosis and can also be transferred to humans so use caution when dealing with such circumstances.
Chinchilla face under microscope
Excrement probe from Chinchilla lanigera
Ready for microscopy
We examine regularly chinchilla the excrement after parasites. Internal parasites that affect chinchillas are Giardia, Coccidia, Cryptosporidium and Tapeworms, Hookworms and Nematodes such as Roundworms and Pinworms. All this parasites can be found under a good Microscope. It seems to be more of a problem for young Chinchillas than adults.
For Parasitic study we have some veterinary books about parasitic disease and over 325 chinchilla books.
We have since 2006 a own private Laboratory
Parasitic disease of chinchillas - With many pictures of Coccidia, Giardia and more in chinchilla feces
Internal parasites of chinchilla
Internal parasites that affect chinchillas are Giardia, Coccidia, Cryptosporidium and Tapeworms, Hookworms and Nematodes such as Roundworms and Pinworms.
Feces
Feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. from Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feces )
Found in chinchilla feces
- Candida albicans
- Cyniclomyces guttulatus ( old name: Saccharomyces Guttulatus )
- Escherichia coli (E. coli)
- Trichomonas sp.
- Entamoeba sp.
- Paraspidodera uncinata ( Nematodes )
- Giardia duodenalis
- Giardia Trophozoit
- Coccidia
- Roundworm
Parasitic pictures from chinchillas Giardia

Giardia under microscope
Giardia are also protozoal parasites that live in the small intestines. Giaridia are found every where in the world, Infection rates are variable, with younger animals having a higher rate of infection.
Giardia duodenalis
Giardia Trophozoit ( Active Giardia )
The Parasitic pictures make we with the DCM-500 Digital-Microscope Cam and the Laboratory Microscope MPL-135
Coccidia
Coccidia under microscope - Eimeria chinchillae
Worms
Worms under microscope - Roundworm infections are more common in warm climates than in cooler, temperate areas.
Sample picture make with MikrOkular from Bresser
We have the new DIGITAL MIKROSKOP VIDEO CAMERA 5.0 Mega-Pixel ( 2592X1944 pixels ) with Scope Photo 3.0 This is a brand new hightech Camera for Mikroskope ( from 2007 ) The older model with only 1.3 Mega-Pixel cost so $279.00
Parasitic disease Cryptosporidium - Eimeria - Flagellate protozoan - Cystic - Oocysts - Coccidia ( Coccidiosis ) -> A Cause of Diarrhea