Case Report
TREATMENT OF UNILATERAL PERINEAL HERNIAS IN 2 MALE CHINCHILLAS (CHINCHILLA LANIGERA)

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Abstract

Two sexually intact adult male chinchillas were presented with a swelling in the perineal region. Radiographically both masses had a soft tissue opacity. Ultrasonography confirmed the tentative diagnosis of perineal hernia. In the first case the ultrasonographic examination revealed a fluid-filled structure inside the swelling, which was determined to be the urinary bladder. In the second case the hernia sac was filled with homogeneous tissue, belived to be fat. Subsequently, unilateral perineal herniorrhaphies including an internal obturator muscle flap transposition technique were performed. Both chinchillas recovered well with subsequent uneventful healing of the surgical sites. No long-term complications or recurrences of the perineal hernias were reported. This clinical report shows that perineal hernias occur in chinchillas and can be surgically treated with success.

Section snippets

Case Description

In case 1 a 14-year-old, 650 gm, sexually intact male chinchilla was presented with a 2-week history of a left perineal swelling. In case 2 a 13-year-old, 493 gm, sexually intact male chinchilla was presented after a perineal mass on the right side developed 6 weeks after a fall in his enclosure. The owners of the second chinchilla reported a decline in liveliness, food intake, and weight. Both animals were in good physical condition, even though the chinchilla in case 2 was slightly underweight.

Discussion

The authors have only identified a single report of a diaphragmatic hernia in a female chinchilla.28 Perineal hernias seem to be unusual in small mammals, as there are only a few descriptions of this condition. Dziwok24 described a perineal hernia in a female dwarf rabbit and Summa et al.23 reported bilateral perineal hernias in a female striped skunk following bilateral anal sacculectomy.

The age and sex of the chinchillas described in this report were consistent with the occurrence of perineal

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  • Cited by (0)

    1

    Britta Schuhmann, DVM, present address: Tiermedizinzentrum Helmich & Oelke, Kufsteiner Str. 22, 10825 Berlin, Germany.

    2

    Helge Linzmann, DVM, present address: Fachtierarztpraxis für Kleintiere Am Erzberg, Erzberg 22, 38126 Braunschweig, Germany.

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