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lovemychinchilla · 4 years

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Are There Health Conditions That Only Affect Female Chinchillas?

If your female chinchilla is sick, there are a host of health issues that can be to blame. But are there any health issues that solely affect females? What are they?

Are there health conditions that only affect female chinchillas? There are, and they relate to the female's reproductive system, the way females give birth, or the way females raise their offspring. Bacterial mastitis is where the female's nipples become infected during breastfeeding, while agalactia is the inability to produce milk. Miscarriage and dystocia are problems with giving birth, while a retained fetus is where offspring remains inside the uterus after birth fails. Metritis and pyometra are infections of the uterus (womb). If your female chinchilla is unwell for any reason, whether due to its reproductive system or otherwise, take it to the vet.

On top of all these issues, your female chinchilla can also get sick with conditions that affect any chinchilla, including respiratory infection and malocclusion. Issues can also occur alongside each other. The guide below explains what these issues are in depth, detailing what causes each of them, the symptoms you can expect to see, and how each is cured.

Note: this guide is not intended to replace the healthcare advice of a vet. If you suspect your chinchilla has any health issue, whether one described in the list below or not, you should take it to the vet as soon as possible. The point of the article below is to learn more about these conditions when your chinchilla's health isn't at risk.

Are There Health Conditions That Only Affect Female Chinchillas?

There are a couple of health issues that occur in females, but not in males. There aren't as many as there are in people (and vice versa, there aren't as many that affect males that don't affect females). But there are some.

The two most common are bacterial mastitis and agalactia. As you may have guessed, these are related to the female raising her kits. Bacterial mastitis is where the female's nipples/breast tissue become infected, usually in the context of feeding her young (although not necessary). Agalactia is where the female is unable to produce milk at all.

Chinchillas can also experience miscarriage, retained fetuses, dystocia, metritis and pyometra. These are all issues related directly to giving birth which is, of course, only something that females experience.

Let's explore what each of these issues is in more depth.

What Is Bacterial Mastitis?

Bacterial mastitis is a condition where the breast tissue gets infected. It typically occurs when the female has young to feed, but it can occur outside of this context, too. This condition is characterized by the mammary glands becoming swollen, firm, discolored and painful. Bacterial mastitis has several known-on effects: it makes the affected female lethargic, gives her a temperature, makes her uninterested in eating, and makes her uninterested in her pups.

What Causes Bacterial Mastitis in Chinchillas?

Bacterial mastitis is caused by bacteria infecting the female's breast tissue. This most commonly occurs in the context of breastfeeding: bacteria from her offspring's mouth enters her body through cracking in the skin of the nipple. The infection becomes progressively worse until the symptoms described above are apparent.

How Do You Cure Bacterial Mastitis in Chinchillas?

As is the case with all health conditions, you should take your chinchilla to see a vet. The vet can identify what the problem is: bacterial mastitis or something else. They can then recommend whatever cure is relevant.

The cure for any kind of infection, be it bacterial mastitis, bumblefoot or sepsis, is for your chinchilla to take antibiotics. You administer these either by injection or through squirting the antibiotics into your chinchilla's mouth. The vet will administer the first of these, but you will be expected to give your chinchilla the rest. Follow your vet's guidance on how to do this.

In the meantime, you may have to hand-feed the chinchilla kits yourself. This isn't a problem as chinchillas can be raised perfectly fine being hand-fed milk. Take a small dropper or syringe, the same kind as you find in children's medicine (the plastic ones without a needle). Drip the milk slowly onto the kit's lips rather than squirting it directly into its mouth, allowing it to eat/drink at its own pace. Use either goat's milk or kitten milk solution.

What Is Agalactia?

Agalactia is the failure of the female to produce milk. This could be due to an issue with her teats, her breast tissue, or because of a problem with her young.

What Causes Agalactia in Chinchillas?

Agalactia is a general term that may have many different underlying causes.

The chinchilla was bred at too young an age. Chinchillas begin showing interest in breeding before they have fully weaned. If the female is bred at too young an age, not only can birth be difficult, but she may not produce enough milk.

The female is in general poor condition. Whether because she has an underlying disease, had a difficult pregnancy, or isn't eating the right food, her health stops her from producing enough or any milk.

The female's teats are damaged. This could be because of bacterial mastitis as described above, physical trauma, or something else.

The female had too many kits. Chinchillas are used to small litter sizes of one or two. If she has too many kits, the female won't be able to produce milk for them all.

The cause of agalactia may or may not be clear. It may be because of one of these reasons, some of them, or all of them.

How Do You Cure Agalactia in Chinchillas?

Again, the first step in curing any health condition is to take your chinchilla to the vet. They can identify what the issue is and recommend the relevant fix.

The first thing the vet will do is manually check that the female is producing milk. It will be immediately obvious if doing so is difficult or painful for her. If the female isn't comfortable producing milk within 72 hours of having offspring, the vet will administer oxytocin. This is a hormone related to pregnancy and childbirth that stimulates milk production, so if anything will work, it's this. If suckling her young remains painful and difficult for her, you must either give the young to a compatible female or hand rear them.

What Is Miscarriage?

Miscarriage/abortion can occur in chinchillas. This is where the young is lost before it's fully developed. It can either be caused directly by owner action, or by ill health in the female chinchilla. Since male chinchillas can't become pregnant, this isn't an issue that affects them.

What Causes Miscarriage/Abortion in Chinchillas?

Miscarriage can occur spontaneously at any point of pregnancy. It can be caused by:

Improper handling. If you pick up your female by its belly, or press down on its belly, it will miscarry.

Nutritional deficiencies. If the female doesn't get enough nutrients in its diet, the fetuses won't either, which can cause miscarriage too.

Lack of blood flow to the fetus. The fetus is connected to the mother through the umbilical cord. Through the umbilical cord the mother provides the offspring with oxygen and nutrients. If this gets cut off, the fetus can quickly die (in the same way that 'grown up' animals pass away if they don't get oxygen).

Genetic problems in the offspring. A genetic issue can mean that the offspring isn't viable; if that's the case, it may be naturally miscarried. This is made worse since chinchillas come from limited original breeding stock.

Health issues. Health issues can affect the offspring as well as the mother.

No obvious reason. Sometimes chinchillas develop health issues for no reason, and it's possible for them to miscarry for what seems like no reason, too. In truth, the cause will be one of the issues above, it just wasn't obvious.

The cause may also be a number of these issues all presenting at once. So, for example, nutritional deficiencies make it more likely that a chinchilla gets sick. If the mother has both nutritional deficiencies and some kind of illness like a respiratory infection, it may not be strong enough to carry the offspring to term, and so miscarries. Or, it may be capable of dealing with being sick, but improper handling may make miscarriage more likely.

How Can You Avoid Miscarriage in Chinchillas?

You must ensure that your female chinchilla is kept in fully suitable conditions, and that the care you directly provide is exemplary.

Not only should you take steps to prevent miscarriage in your chinchillas, but you should provide medical care for the female, too. Complications can occur after miscarriage, including infection, retained fetuses, and more. The vet can gently flush the female's reproductive tract to prevent both of these issues. Ensure also that she is eating correctly and behaving normally, as miscarriage can be caused by underlying health issues.

What Is Dystocia?

Dystocia is the medical term for difficulty giving birth. This is exceptionally rare in chinchillas.

It's caused either by the chinchilla being too young to easily birth a kit, or by the kit being misplaced in the uterus (like a breech birth). As is the case for most of these conditions, dystocia can also be caused by general poor condition i.e. nutritional deficiencies, low weight, and so on. This can make uterine contractions end too early, meaning the offspring gets stuck.

Symptoms of Dystocia in Chinchillas

When dystocia occurs, the female will continue trying to give birth for an extended period of time. She will appear in distress and pain. These symptoms will not go away until the issue is resolved.

How to Fix Dystocia in Chinchillas

If your chinchilla has been trying to birth its kits for longer than four hours, it needs veterinary assistance. Vets can administer a special medicine that makes uterine contractions stronger, or restarts them if they've stopped. They may also need to flush the uterus out to get rid of the placenta if it doesn't come out.

What Are Retained Fetuses?

A retained fetus is a fetus that isn't born when it should be. This is distinct to the idea of the kit being born late; rather, in this case, the fetus has passed away but hasn't yet/won't miscarry.

When a fetus passes away shortly before birth, it is typically delivered alongside any still-living young. And if the fetus passes away early during pregnancy, it is normally reabsorbed into the female's body.

But on occasion, the fetus will not be reabsorbed and will not be delivered. If the fluids in the uterus are drained away and reabsorbed, the retained fetus will go through a mummification process. This can make the mother sick and stressed, prevent future pregnancies, and make her neglect any young she did successfully birth.

What Causes Retained Fetuses in Chinchillas?

Anything that might make an unborn kit pass away can cause a retained fetus. Causative factors include:

General poor health or nutritional deficiencies

The mother is too young to give birth and raise young

The kit had a genetic issue that prevented it from developing

Seizures, trauma, fever or other major health issues during pregnancy

Interruption of the blood supply to the fetus during development

Fetuses can be retained for an indefinite amount of time. As such, your chinchilla does not need to have been recently pregnant for this to be an issue. If the fetus is not recovered, it will undergo a mummification process and could make the mother sick.

How to Help a Chinchilla With Retained Fetuses

If your chinchilla has any problems during pregnancy or birth, it requires the assistance of a vet.

The vet will first identify what the problem is. If this problem occurred during birth, then the vet will help the mother continue birthing her kits. An injection of oxytocin can make the mother begin contractions, so this may be administered. If this is unsuccessful, surgery (a Caesarian section/C-section) may be necessary.

If the problem is a retained fetus from a long time ago, the vet may perform an X-ray to check whether the diagnosis is correct. If it is, they will gently flush the female's reproductive tract.

What Is Metritis?

Metritis is where a placenta or fetus is not delivered correctly, and then subsequently causes bacterial infections and inflammation of the uterus.

Signs of Metritis in Chinchillas

Metritis causes many symptoms. Chinchillas that develop metritis will have difficulty walking; they will also:

Stop producing milk (agalactia)

Develop a fever

Develop swollen and discolored genitals

Display vaginal discharge, a mixture of mucus and pus which has a foul odor

This health problem therefore has an effect on the kits that survived, as well as the fetus that wasn't delivered properly. Kits can become nutritionally deficient because of a lack of milk, or develop infections from the discharge the mother's uterus produces. Like other birth-related issues, metritis more commonly affects chinchillas that are unready to give birth for some reason: whether because they're too young to breed successfully, they're sick or nutritionally deficient, or have a genetic issue.

How to Help a Chinchilla with Metritis

This condition must be treated as a matter of urgency. That's because the bacterial infection in the chinchilla's uterus can very quickly spread to other organs, which can in turn quickly become fatal.

The vet will administer a kind of medicine that induces uterine contractions. The idea is to flush out the remaining fetus and/or placenta that is causing the issue. They can then fully clean the uterus with disinfectant fluid to get rid of any bacterial infection. They are also likely to administer general antibiotics to ensure that the initial infection doesn't develop into sepsis.

What Is Pyometra?

Pyometra is a condition where a large amount of pus accumulates in the uterus (the womb). This can occur after one of the other conditions described above, such as metritis or a retained placenta; but it has been observed even in previously healthy chinchillas. As male chinchillas don't have wombs, this is a condition that only affects females.

Signs of Pyometra in Chinchillas

This condition isn't necessarily easy to spot. The uterus is, of course, on the inside so the key symptom (production of pus) isn't immediately obvious. You may see a small amount of vaginal discharge and staining around the genital area. But aside from that, symptoms are generic (general poor condition, lethargy, etc.)

If you don't keep chinchillas for the purpose of breeding, this condition is highly unlikely to occur. So, if your chinchilla is displaying general symptoms of ill health and it hasn't been breeding, the problem is probably something else.

If you do keep chinchillas for breeding purposes, then you will notice that this female which presumably was fertile before is now no longer capable of successful breeding.

How to Treat Pyometra in Chinchillas

Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy treatment for pyometra. Vets typically reommend an ovariohysterectomy, which is a complete removal of the ovaries and uterus. This removes the problem but, of course, makes the female infertile. As such, if you are only interested in breeding, this would mean that the female is then of no use in your colony.

Whether the problem is pyometra, dystocia or something else, your first port of call should always be a vet. They can identify what the precise problem is, and help you fix it. You shouldn't try to treat these problems without a vet's help, as all of them are serious, and can threaten the life either of the female or of her surviving kits.

Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter!

#chinchillas #chinchillahealth

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hcsmca · 5 years

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Massive Science on Sarkis Mazmanian

Massive Science is a digital science media publication that brings together scientists and the science-curious public. The team at Massive joined us at TEDMED 2018 and covered talks by various speakers including Sarkis Mazmanian. Check out their coverage of Sarkis’ TEDMED 2018 talk below.

The jury’s still out on how the brain really works. But Sarkis Mazmanian, a medical microbiologist at Caltech, thinks the answers to many of the questions we still have about the brain may actually lie further south — in the gut, where trillions of bacteria live. There, these “good” bacteria live peacefully, helping us to break down fiber and absorb nutrients. They are referred to collectively as the gut microbiome. Despite the presence of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB), a tightly regulated border between the brain and circulating blood, the gut and the brain are in constant communication, either through incoming and outgoing nerves, or through small molecules that can pass through the BBB. Remarkably, many of these molecules are not produced by the human body — they’re made by the bacteria in our microbiome.

The composition of our gut microbiome is often thought to be established as we pass through the birth canal, and greatly modified through our immediate environment in the first few years of life. After that, the microbiome becomes largely resistant to new bacteria. Interpreting this “gut-brain” axis has been the focus of Mazmanian’s work, revealing complex interactions between the gut and the brain, which increasingly look connected to everything from thoughts and emotions, to potentially the onset of certain brain disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder and Parkinson’s disease.

Bacteroides fragilis. CDC.

You may be wondering a few things. How do trillions of bacteria establish themselves in our gut in the first place? How do our immune systems differentiate between the bacteria that make up our microbiome, and other harmful bacteria that makes us sick? Mazmanian says, “I think our microbiome, having evolved in the context of the immune system, have learnt to co-op with the immune system.” He adds, “Instead of trying to combat or invade the immune system, they actually engage it.” The good bacteria actually have a vested interest in their hosts being able to selectively attack dangerous bacteria, either because the “good” bacteria may also be harmed, either directly, or indirectly if their hosts perish. So, instead of avoiding immune cells, these beneficial bacteria have developed properties which redirects the immune response in a way that doesn’t cripple it. The “good” bacteria are spared, and the immune system is not prevented from attacking other pathogens. In this way, an amicable symbiosis is achieved, in which the gut microbiome is able to thrive in the warm, moist, nutrient-rich intestines. In fact, research carried out by graduate student Gregory Donaldson in Mazmanian’s lab suggests that one microbe in particular, called Bacteroides fragilis, might have even achieved long-term stability in the gut because of an immune response involving an antibody called IgA, which actually helps anchor it to the gut wall.

Mazmanian believes that our microbiome may influence many diseases. A few years ago, Mazmanian and his group noticed that children with autism — a neuropsychiatric disorder where children suffer from behavioral deficits, such as decreased vocalisation and social interaction, as well as repetitive behavior — also experience digestive issues, such as abdominal cramps and bloating. This was a clue that bacteria could be involved in the disease process. Other clues were that risk factors for autism include having a caesarean section, formula feeding, and taking antibiotics in childhood, all of which change the microbiome.

Mazmanian thinks the same may be true of Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder where neurons in the brain die, leading to motor symptoms like tremors, difficultly in walking, and rigidity. Like with autism, Parkinson’s patients often have gut symptoms. Strikingly, 80 percent of the three million people in the U.S. that suffer from Parkinson’s disease also suffer constipation—symptoms that sometimes precede the onset of motor symptoms. Interestingly, people who have had their vagus nerve, a potential highway between the gut and the brain, removed during surgery, are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.

To study how the gut may influence neurological diseases, Mazmanian completely removed the gut microbiome of mice that are genetically engineered to develop autism or Parkinson’s. He found these mice no longer exhibited symptoms of Parkinson’s or autism, suggesting that the microbiome is involved in both diseases. Mazmanian had stumbled on a remarkable discovery. “When we made these germ-free sterile mice, it gave us a research tool that we can now use for other purposes.” Next, he took fecal samples (which contain intact microbiomes of their donors), from both Parkinson’s patients and healthy controls. He put these samples into bacteria-free sterile mice genetically modified to over-express a protein called α-synuclein (αSyn, which is associated with Parkinson’s disease). The mice implanted with microbiomes from people who had Parkinson’s had much worse symptoms than the mice who received microbiomes from a healthy control. Similarly, when mice with autistic behaviors that had their microbiomes removed were given certain beneficial bacteria recovered from neurotypical humans , Mazmanian’s team were able to reduce their vocalisation deficits and repetitive behaviors.

By targeting the microbiome, in a personalized way, he hopes to develop a viable therapeutic.

Of course, these studies have only been carried out in mice, since there are ethical issues with replacing a healthy human’s microbiome with one from a Parkinson’s patient. However, Mazmanian says that dozens of papers have shown that the gut microbiome in autistic people and Parkinson’s patients are different. The cause of these differences — maybe ethnicity, geography, genetics or diet — is unclear, but Mazmanian’s mouse experiments have led him to a provocative hypothesis. He thinks some forms of autism and Parkinson’s may not arise in the brain at all, but in the gut. By targeting the microbiome, in a personalized way, he hopes to develop a viable therapeutic.

It’s not just the gut that sends signals to the brain. Weirdly, the brain also communicates with the gut, although understanding this process has been more challenging. Members of Mazmanian’s lab have been trying to better understand brain –> gut communication by working with neuroscientists using genetic engineering techniques, brain lesion studies, and studying the vagus nerve. Anecdotally, we rely on “gut-feelings” or “gut-instincts” to help us make decisions, sometimes we experience “gut-reactions” in response to an experience, and when we are overcome with anxiety or excitement, we often feel it in in our gut as a stomach-ache or “butterflies.” These turns of phrase suggest what these scientists suspect: that our brains send signals to our gut via our nervous system in response to queues in the environment.

“Someday, you and I may go to the doctor and be prescribed a pill with a live bacteria inside of it as the remedy.”

Mazmanian’s lab are trying to not just identify the bacteria that inhabit our guts, but what these bacteria are doing. “We take a reductionist approach in the fact that we work with single organisms we can genetically manipulate,” he says. “I want to manipulate both the bacteria and the host,” isolting each on a molecular level to identify the mechanisms by which they work.

Conversely, Mazmanian likens many traditional drug treatments to pouring oil all over the engine of a car, in the hope that some might get into the right place. He thinks the future of medicine is in “drugs from bugs,” saying, “Someday, you and I may go to the doctor and be prescribed a pill with a live bacteria inside of it as the remedy.”

About the author: Yewande Pearse was born and bred in North London. She is now a Research Fellow based at LA Biomed, in affiliation with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She completed her PhD in Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry in 2016, which focused on the potential use of gene therapy for the treatment of Batten disease, a fatal neurological pediatric disease. She is now working on stem cell gene therapy using CRISPR-Cas9 to treat Sanfilippo Syndrome. Before completing her PhD, she worked in the areas of Stroke and Huntington’s disease research and also worked in a care capacity, with people living with Autism, suicidal ideation, dementia and HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorder.

The post Massive Science on Sarkis Mazmanian appeared first on TEDMED Blog.

Read more from TEDMED https://blog.tedmed.com/massive-science-on-sarkis-mazmanian/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

#TEDMED #California #HCSM #2016

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ilistentosongsoverandover · 8 years

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I want to have a baby so badly, but I don’t want to birth a baby. While pregnancy itself doesn’t frighten or discomfort me, the notion of being pregnant myself is horrifying and repulsive to me. A foreign entity residing in my body and stealing my nutrients to feed itself sounds like the plot to a gory horror film, and I know that labour ends in just as much blood and pain as said horror film.

Pregnancy is looked upon as the utmost someone with a vagina can do, a parent the greatest they can be, and I want to be a parent, just not to a child borne from my own body. I know that I am fertile; I’ve miscarried once before, and the experience was traumatizing. To consider myself being pregnant was to consider myself a host body.

I know so very little about what actual pregnancy is like. I’ve seen the gussied and glorified debacle, where all that is known is that “Yes, giving birth sucks and hurts, but then you get to cradle your baby in your arms, and everything is sunshine and rainbows.” Only very recently was I informed that after a baby is birthed, before you can cradle them in your arms, the parent must also birth the placenta. I’m 21 years old, and my sex education was so substandard that I only found this out a few months ago. No one told me that babies are often born purple, or covered in vernix, which is a “cheese-like substance that protects the baby’s delicate skin,” or that many women defecate on the delivery table, or that there is a reasonable chance of the skin between the vagina and anus ripping open during delivery and having to be stitched closed, lest a major infection occur. I was not told about all of the complications, about spina bifida and hydrocephalus to name only two from a list impossibly large, that can happen to just the baby, not to mention the complications that can occur to the parent.

I see ultrasound pictures of babies with markers pointing out hands and feet, grainy greys of what more often than not looks completely unrecognizable as a human in any way, and I am meant to coo over these, to place soft hands on the swollen and aching bodies of parents who cannot sleep, cannot move correctly, cannot use the bathroom, can sometimes barely breathe because of the thing growing inside of them, and I am meant to desire this for myself because I was born with a vagina and a functional set of reproductive organs.

I look at the babies of other people, tiny things with weak limbs and soft places in their skulls, and I want to be a parent, but when I imagine placing a hand on my own swollen body, I am repulsed by the idea. While I can certainly understand the desire to be a parent, I cannot understand the desire to become a host body.

My mother desires me to become a parent. She often talks about grandchildren, and has once told me that she doesn’t know how she would feel if I ever decided to fully transition and become her son, because she wants grandchildren from me, “from [my] belly.” I have not even begun to consider the dysphoria pregnancy would entail for me…

I have considered getting a hysterectomy, but have tabled it entirely because I know that my family would not accept the idea from someone so young, regardless of the fact that it is my own body, and my own future I would be modifying with such surgery, not only eliminating my chance for certain cancers at which I am at higher risk because of my family history, but ending the extremely painful and debilitating periods from which I suffer, and my risk of accidentally conceiving a child and having to consider either living my fear and birthing the child, or facing the moral dilemma of choosing abortion.

To this end, I feel it is necessary that we as a society begin to deem adoption as not simply a last-ditch effort for parents who cannot conceive, and instead view it as a viable option for people like me, who so desperately want a child, but do not want to go through the trauma of childbirth. I want to have a child that I planned and made ready for, not one that happened by accident. I want to have a child. I just don’t want to birth one.

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naturopathvancouverwa-blog · 4 years

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The Top 3 Supplements You Should Take and Why

by Dr. Neale, naturopath at nuHealth Clinic, vancouver , WA

For more information on Naturopathy in Vancouver, WA click here.

NUMBER 1: Probiotics

Not just any probiotics either. These bugs need to come from a host that is much like you, another human host! And a healthier human host at that! The bugs in our guts have co-evolved with humans over the millennia. They have been sharing genetic information with us and us with them since the “beginning.” What’s that, around 200,000 years ago? These “evolved” bugs are far more adept at living in and supporting a human host then any new plant based bugs on the block. We’ve been working on these relationshipsfor hundreds of thousands of years. Imagine being married to the same person for thousands of years, you’d know one another pretty darn well by now and that commensal relationship would be second nature.

Why do we need bugs?

For many reasons, and then even more reasons that we don’t yet fully appreciate. Research on the microbiome and its health as it relates to our health is cutting edge in medical literature conversation! To name a few, here are some well known reasons we need those evolved bugs in order to get through each day in the best way.

The good bugs outcrowd the living space (our tissue), they use the resources for their own “families.” This keeps the living space and resource pool to a minimum thereby selectively keeping around only good bugs and not allowing bad bugs (or pathogenic) the room and resource to grow. In short, they protect us from pathogenic microbes.

They actually manufacture vitamins and hormones that our body uses to maintain our weight, our cholesterol, our hormone balance.

3.They help us to keep our IMMUNE SYSTEMS in balance.

What specific bugs do I need to keep my microbiome in balance?

The research now shows just how diverse our ecosystem should and could be if we didn’t go around over sterilizing things with antibacterial products and medicines or stressing out the colonies with inflammation by eating and drinking toxic foods and drinks.

The best probiotic products on the market not only provide “human microflora” but also different genera (plural of genus) and species of bugs to give your ecosystem the best chance of balance and commensal efficacy with diversity. Pulling from strengths, expertise, and information of many different ancient bacterial colonies.

As consumers we need to be able to rely on sciencebacked “facts” when entrusting a substance we put in our body. Science is the “best we know right now that the scientific community et al mostly all currently agree on based on trials, many many trials, and many many arguments and counter arguments.”Again, like a thousand year old marriage, understanding between the couple is only made better by trial and error and the arguments that follow.

That said, back to the bugs, what bugs are good? In short, those that have been through the clinical trials and shown to be viable, safe, and efficacious. The list is too long and boring (to most) to put here. Here is a link for those whose interest has peaked.

For those who want the gist, I’ve done the research, and here is my top pick of product lines: Genestra by Seroyal.

The HMF product line series. HMF is short for Human Microflora. This indicates that these bugs have come from a human donor bacterial cell line and that ensures the proper genetic information. My top pick out of the HMF products is the “multi” product because it provides 17 different strains from two genera and that promotes the “all powerful diversity” our ecosystems thrive on.

How much should I take? What is a CFU?

CFU stands for colony forming unit. Meaning how many colonies the product promises to be able to promote when consumed by the average consumer. 15 billion CFU per dose is my preferred CFU starting dose for maintenance. What is SIBO?Too much bacterial growth in the small intestines.

What is SIFO?

Too much fungal growth in the small intestines.

What is GOS or FOS?

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS).Fructooligosaccharides (FOS).In short these are bug food, immediate sustenance, a prebiotic, that gives probiotics food to live upon arrival so they have enough sustenance to allow colonization.

What is normal flora?

The bugs (also known as microbes) that we live with in harmony (or iin a commensal relationship).

What is Dysbiosis?

Let’s break down the latin:

Dys = Imbalance of.

Bio = Life. Osis = A condition of.

Definition: An imbalance in normal flora.

What is the microbiome?

It is a broad term used to describe all the bugs (viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoan, etc.) that we coexist with, meaning they live on our body and we provide them room and board in return for their support and protection.

What about prebiotics? Do I need those? Do I want a probiotic that has prebiotic? Or do I want only prebiotic products?

In some cases we want prebiotic, in others we do not. In the case of pre-existing dysbiosis, ie. SIBO or SIFO, FOS or GOS can aggravate symptoms by promoting pre-existing dysbiosis. As a general rule of thumb when initiating a probiotic product I prescribeproducts that do not contain FOS or GOS to avoid aggravation.

Do I take my probiotics on an empty stomach?

I encourage that all probiotics be consumed with food as it’s best to have some type of soluble fiber alongside taking your probiotics. Soluble fiber is nature’s “prebiotic.” Taking probiotics with foods help to allow them to “grab” onto the intestinal tissue to compromise.

NUMBER 2: Multimineral

Complex Minerals act much like money does in the world.

Minerals are used transactionally in the body. As an example, one substrate (beginning material) needs to be catalyzed (initiated) by an enzyme which converts it into an end product. If the substrate is present and the enzyme is present you’d assume the transaction can be accomplished and the end product made.

Nope! It’s never that easy, enzymes often require “co-factors” to unlock or catalyze the action. If the co-factor isn’t present, the transaction will not proceed. You may have guessed it, minerals often play a role as co-factors. Their importance in the biochemistry of our body cannot be overstated! The best multi-mineral product I have found is essentially ancient earthworm poop (decomposed plant matter)in liquid suspended form.

What do earthworms make as a byproduct of plant and manure consumption?

Worms feed on plant debris (dead roots, leaves, grasses, manure) and soil. Their digestive system concentrates the organic and mineral constituents in the food they eat, so their casts are richer in available nutrients than the soil around them. Nitrogen in the casts is readily available to plants. Worm bodies decompose rapidly, further contributing to the nitrogen content of soil.

What is the most coveted soil for growing nutrient dense vegetables in organic gardens?

Worm composted soil from organic plant matter. In an ideal world we’d get enough minerals from our vegetables, the plants that have assimilated the earthworm poop (mineral dense or decomposed plant matter or manure) into an edible food for homosapeans. However not much of our food is grown in earthworm poop AND not to mention humans have grown to dislike vegetables! Huh? Yup, you better believe it.

SO now instead of doing it the long and anciently ideal way, we can just bottle up ancient earthworm poop and drink it down. This is called Fulvic and Humic material. Humic powder (humate) can be harvested from the New Mexico San Juan Basin. Both Humic minerals and Fulvic minerals have specific actions in the body. Fulvic minerals support cellular transport, i.e. getting nutrition into the tissue cell. That’s BIG NEWS in the body. Humic minerals support lower digestive tract health and flora and support detoxification pathways of elimination. Also BIG NEWS in the body. All Humic materials contain some amount of Fulvic naturally. Fulvic is further extracted from Humic.

Why use ancient earthworm poop over newly produced earthworm poop?

Well, what does ancient plant matter have in common with modern plant matter? Sadly, not enough! Oy, we’ve greatly altered the nutritional content of our food and soil, and NOT for the better. Who makes “ancient earthworm poop in liquid”products?I’ve only found a couple companies that harvest ancient decomposed plant matter and suspend it in liquid form. I look for all the manufacturing quality assurance and quality control stamps on products: DNA tested, non-GMO, non-BPA, gluten free, pesticide free, sugar free, soy free, dairy free, yeast free, etc. My top pick for Humic and Fulvic minerals, which provides over 70 trace minerals, as well as some B vitamins and amino acids, is by Vital Earth Nutrients. It’s a company out of Golden, CO.

NUMBER 3: Vitamin C

I could write a thesis on the beneficial functions of vitamin C.

Did you know that at one point in time ancient Humans could make their own vitamin C?

We lost that function over time and that makes vitamin C now an “essential nutrient” meaning it is essential that we obtain vitamin C from our food since our bodies do not produce it endogenously (inside our body). If only we could selectively turn back on our GLO genes!

Since I cannot list all of the reasons I’d recommend you to take hearty doses of Vitamin C per day in this short blog I will list the top 6.

Vitamin C is found in high concentrations in the Adrenal Glands (stress responders), they produce a hormone called cortisol. Too much cortisol (or stress) can eat up and deplete Vitamin C stores AND suppress immune function.

Vitamin C is a POTENT antioxidant (free radical scavenger), antioxidants are basically the trash collectors in the body.

Supports various functions of both innate and adaptive immunity.

Endothelial barrier. Vitamin C makes your blood vessels and lymphatic vessels less vulnerable to infection.

Enhances chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and can generate reactive oxygen species, apoptosis, and clearing of spent neutrophils which decreases cell death/tissue damage.

It can both prevent and treat respiratory and systemic infections. Does vitamin C require other nutrients for best use in the body?Vitamin C like many (if not all) nutrient elements work synergistically with other nutrient elements, some commonly understood known pairs of synergistic nutrient elements include: Calcium with Vitamin D or Zinc with Copper, etc. Vitamin C has synergywith nutrients including, but not limited to: zinc, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin A, potassium, calcium, magnesium.

How often should I dose vitamin C? Is once a day sufficient?

No, once a day isn’t sufficient. Vitamin C has a relatively short “half-life” meaning it doesn’t stick around too long after consumed and brought into the blood. Regular dosing, ideally, every 4–6 hours ensures adequate saturation of Vitamin C all-the-metabolic-day-long.

What dose is good for me?

The best way to determine the dose of Vitamin C you need is through calibration. I’ll let Dr. Russell Jaffe MD, PhD (had dinner with him a couple years back, a really nice person, a talker, loves being asked good questions) explain Vitamin C calibration.

Which products do I recommend for Vitamin C supplementation?

I recommend Perque products by Dr. Russel Jaffe for “pharmacological” uses of Vitamin C. I recommend Cataplex ACP by Standard Process (Dr. Royal Lee) for everyday and maintenance needs.

What’s the difference between Dr. Jaffe’s product and Dr. Lee’s product?

Dr. Lee’s product contains all of the naturally occurring “parts” of the complete Vitamin C molecule (there are 8 parts!). Dr. Jaffe’s product is a concentrated form of one part of Vitamin C (albeit a very biochemically active part).

Taking these 3 supplements will improve your immune system and give you more vitality. Call us today for a free 15 minute consultation.

nuHealth Clinic

1801 D St. Ste. 5, Vancouver, WA 98663 360–836–5730

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lovemychinchilla · 4 years

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Are There Health Conditions That Only Affect Female Chinchillas?

If your female chinchilla is sick, there are a host of health issues that can be to blame. But are there any health issues that solely affect females? What are they?

Are There Health Conditions That Only Affect Female Chinchillas?

Let's explore what each of these issues is in more depth.

What Is Bacterial Mastitis?

What Causes Bacterial Mastitis in Chinchillas?

How Do You Cure Bacterial Mastitis in Chinchillas?

What Is Agalactia?

[caption id="attachment_1092" align="alignright" width="300"] Agalactia is where the mother can't produce milk for one reason or another. Unless you can help her produce milk again, you'll have to hand-rear the kits instead, or foster them out to other chinchilla mothers.[/caption]

Agalactia is the failure of the female to produce milk. This could be due to an issue with her teats, her breast tissue, or because of a problem with her young.

What Causes Agalactia in Chinchillas?

Agalactia is a general term that may have many different underlying causes.

The female's teats are damaged. This could be because of bacterial mastitis as described above, physical trauma, or something else.

The female had too many kits. Chinchillas are used to small litter sizes of one or two. If she has too many kits, the female won't be able to produce milk for them all.

The cause of agalactia may or may not be clear. It may be because of one of these reasons, some of them, or all of them.

How Do You Cure Agalactia in Chinchillas?

Again, the first step in curing any health condition is to take your chinchilla to the vet. They can identify what the issue is and recommend the relevant fix.

What Is Miscarriage?

What Causes Miscarriage/Abortion in Chinchillas?

Miscarriage can occur spontaneously at any point of pregnancy. It can be caused by:

Improper handling. If you pick up your female by its belly, or press down on its belly, it will miscarry.

Nutritional deficiencies. If the female doesn't get enough nutrients in its diet, the fetuses won't either, which can cause miscarriage too.

Health issues. Health issues can affect the offspring as well as the mother.

How Can You Avoid Miscarriage in Chinchillas?

You must ensure that your female chinchilla is kept in fully suitable conditions, and that the care you directly provide is exemplary.

What Is Dystocia?

Dystocia is the medical term for difficulty giving birth. This is exceptionally rare in chinchillas.

Symptoms of Dystocia in Chinchillas

When dystocia occurs, the female will continue trying to give birth for an extended period of time. She will appear in distress and pain. These symptoms will not go away until the issue is resolved.

How to Fix Dystocia in Chinchillas

What Are Retained Fetuses?

A retained fetus is a fetus that isn't born when it should be. This is distinct to the idea of the kit being born late; rather, in this case, the fetus has passed away but hasn't yet/won't miscarry.

What Causes Retained Fetuses in Chinchillas?

Anything that might make an unborn kit pass away can cause a retained fetus. Causative factors include:

General poor health or nutritional deficiencies

The mother is too young to give birth and raise young

The kit had a genetic issue that prevented it from developing

Seizures, trauma, fever or other major health issues during pregnancy

Interruption of the blood supply to the fetus during development

How to Help a Chinchilla With Retained Fetuses

If your chinchilla has any problems during pregnancy or birth, it requires the assistance of a vet.

If the problem is a retained fetus from a long time ago, the vet may perform an X-ray to check whether the diagnosis is correct. If it is, they will gently flush the female's reproductive tract.

What Is Metritis?

Metritis is where a placenta or fetus is not delivered correctly, and then subsequently causes bacterial infections and inflammation of the uterus.

Signs of Metritis in Chinchillas

Metritis causes many symptoms. Chinchillas that develop metritis will have difficulty walking; they will also:

Stop producing milk (agalactia)

Develop a fever

Develop swollen and discolored genitals

Display vaginal discharge, a mixture of mucus and pus which has a foul odor

How to Help a Chinchilla with Metritis

What Is Pyometra?

Signs of Pyometra in Chinchillas

If you do keep chinchillas for breeding purposes, then you will notice that this female which presumably was fertile before is now no longer capable of successful breeding.

How to Treat Pyometra in Chinchillas

Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter!

[ays_quiz id='9']