My chipmunk has an ear wound from scratching. How do I treat it?

Hello. I do not think this requires a veterinary visit. Clean this once or twice a day with a skin antiseptic like Hibiclens ( available in all pharmacies ) & dab the wound with just a tiny bit of triple antibiotic. If this does not heal in 10-14 days, do see your vet. Rats are prone to developing tumors, so you should have a non-healing wound looked at. But if it appears to be healing with this treatment, it is very unlikely to be worrisome. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Although this seems like an easy question to answer, this might actually be complicated. This wound on an ear could be from many things- is he shaking his head because of an ear infection? Is he scratching because of allergies? Has he recently had a rabies vaccine or been ill? You may not be able to treat this wound without finding out about these possible problems. Also, you may need antibiotics, steroids or other special meds to get this to heal. At home, you can keep the area clean, use a warm washcloth to remove the crusting and apply something like Neosporin to the wound. Other than that, you need to see your vet for more diagnostics and treatment.

The main stay of treatment is to keep the wound clean and dry. Make sure the bedding is cleaned regularly. With rodents, I recommend a dust free bedding called Carefresh. Rodents are very sensitive to dust in the environment. Also make sure that you are feeding a balanced diet approved for rodents and supplementing with healthy fruits and vegetables. Especially the leafy greens. Most healthy animals will be able to heal wounds on their own. Watch it every day for redness, swelling or discharge. If your mouse begins to lick at it too much, you may need to create a small cone to keep her from doing that. This is not generally a problem however. If it gets infected, there are veterinarians who treat rodents and this will generally resolve with antibiotics. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Bite wounds are often worse under the surface of the skin than they appear externally. I'm glad to hear that Alfred does not appear to be forming a swollen abscess, but he probably should receive a course of antibiotics from his vet. You can try keeping the open wounds clean with an antiseptic soap (such as Betadine or Chlorhexidine), but avoid putting hydrogen peroxide on the wounds. Be sure to keep Alfred from scratching at the wound and put an e-collar on him if necessary. I hope that all goes well!

Thanks for reaching out about Midnight and including a photo. This is a wound and not something contagious from the cat. Could be a bite or scratch though. Neosporin can cause serious harm if ingested by the chinchilla, so DO NOT APPLY. Do not allow a dust bath. You can gently clean with warm water and a mild soap, but agree this needs veterinary attention tomorrow for at least minor wound care (shave to remove hair from contaminating the wound) and oral antibiotics. Good luck.

I suggest you get this wound spray and use it on the affected areas 3-4 times per day. If after a few days it is not looking better or it looks worse then you should have him to the vet for an exam. ( )

Peroxide is not recommended since it may sting and could cause microscopic damage which may delay healing. You can use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution once or twice daily. Thoroughly dry the area afterwards and prevent pawing or rubbing. Ideally, Chuey should be seen by your vet for diagnosis and treatment. She may need antibiotics and pain medications.