Stress-induced Cushing's syndrome in fur-chewing chinchillas.
One of the most serious problems in the chinchilla industry is 'fur-chewing', when the chinchilla bites off areas of its own or some other animal's fur. The condition generally develops in both genders at the age of 6-8 months. In chinchilla farms in Croatia an incidence of 15-20% has been observed. A pathomorphological, microbiological and parasitological investigation was conducted on eleven 6- to 11-month-old chinchillas of both sexes with clinical symptoms of 'fur-chewing' and three chinchillas without such signs. Histopathology of the adrenal glands and of the chewed skin revealed changes typical of Cushing's syndrome in 'fur-chewed' chinchillas, such as hyperkeratinisation of the epidermis, epidermal atrophy, pronounced follicular and sebaceous gland atrophy, hyperkeratinisation of the follicles with comedo formations and the presence of calcium salts in subcutis.
Poultry Center, Croatian Veterinary Institute, 10000 Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, Croatia. czp-hvi@zg.tel.hr
Marina
M
Tisljar
D
D
Janić
Z
Z
Grabarević
Borka
B
Simpraga
A
A
Marinculić
Ljiljana
L
Pinter
Z
Z
Janicki
Ankica
A
Nemanic
D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000473:pathology; D000308:Adrenocortical Hyperfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002682:Chinchilla; D003480:Cushing Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair; D008297:Male; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*