Approaching the exotic patient Flashcards
What are some exotic species?
- Rabbit
- Guinea pigs
- Rats
- Hamsters
- Chinchillas
- Ferrets
- Bearded dragons
- Leopard Gecko
- Tortoise
- Budgies
- Chickens
- Fish
Things to know about rabbits?
- Lagomorphs (like hares)
- Strict herbivores, fiber-rich diet
- Caecotrophy
- Specialized dentition - continuously growing
- Hind-gut fermenters
- Lifespan = 8-10yrs
- Social - should live in pairs
Things to know about ferrets?
- Carnivore
- Sexual dimorphism
- Females are seasonal induced ovulators
- Lifespan = 6-8yrs
Things to know about guinea pigs?
- Rodents
- Strict herbivores
- Hystricomorphs:
- Dentition and masticatory muscles
- All teeth continuously growing
- Hind gut fermentation (caecum)
- Also do caecotrophy
- Lifespan = 5-6 yrs
- Very social, should live in groups
Thing to know about chinchillas?
- Hystricomorph Rodents
- Strict herbivores
- All teeth continuously growing
- Adapted to cold, dry environments
- Very dense haircoat
- Lifespan = 8-10 yrs
Things to know about rats?
- Myomorphs:
- Differences in dentition and masticatory muscles
- Only incisors grow continuously
- Omnivores
- Require relatively dry, well ventilated environments
- Very social, should live in same-sex groups
- Environmental enrichment
- Lifespan = 2-3yrs
Things to know about hamsters?
- Myomorph Rodents
- Omnivores
- 3 common species kept as pets:
- Syrian
- Roborovski
- Russian
- Solitary, non-social
- Frequently kept as a kid’s first pet
- Lifespan = 1-2 yrs
Things to know about bearded dragon?
- Medium size lizards (400-700g)
- Omnivores to herbivores as they mature
- Terrestrial/dry environment:
- Basking T = 33-40C
- Lower end T = 27C
- UV-B exposure essential
- Kept as single pet
- Lifespan = 8-12yrs
Things to know about leopard gecko?
- Small lizards (60-100g)
- Insectivores
- Terrestrial/dry environment:
- T = 22 – 33C
- UV-B exposure advised
- Hiding places w/ high humidity
- Kept as single pet
- Lifespan = 10-12yrs
Things to know about tortoises?
- Several species commonly kept:
- Greek (Testudo graeca)
- Hermann’s (T. hermanni)
- Horsfield’s (Agrionemys horsfieldii)
- All strict herbivores
- Small to medium sized
- Terrestrial temperate to dry environment:
- T = 24 – 38C
- UV-B exposure essential
- Very long lifespans (up to 80y)
- Some individuals routinely hibernate
- Can be kept in groups or single
Things to know about cornsnakes?
- Small to medium size snakes
- Strict carnivores (rodent prey)
- Terrestrial environment:
- T = 21 – 30C
- UV-B exposure?
- Lifespan = 15-20yrs
- Should be kept single
Things to know about budgies?
- Probably most commonly kept pet bird
- In the wild, feeds on a variety of seeds. As pets:
- Balanced seed mixes
- Pellets
- Some greens
- Very social and easy to breed
- Appropriate cage size/design
- Environmental enrichment
- Perches
- Toys
- Bathing
- Lifespan = 7-15 yrs
Things to know about African grey parrot?
- Most commonly kept parrot species
- Medium size (350-500g)
- Feeds on variety of fruits, seeds and berries
- Pellets
- Mix vegetables/fruit
- Calcium supplements + UV-B?
- Appropriate cage size/design
*nEnvironmental enrichment - Perches
- Toys
- Bathing
- Social interactions
- Lifespan = 20-30 yrs
Things to know about domestic chicken?
- Most are ex-battery egg-laying hens
- Mixed indoors (coop with perches + nesting boxes) and outdoors
- Diet:
- Commercial pellets
- Some grains/vegetables + insects/invertebrates
- Gritt
- Kept in all female groups +/- 1 male
- Lifespan = 5-12 yrs
What are husbandry needs of reptiles / amphibians?
- Temp
- Humidity
- UV-B exposure
- Substrate
- Enclosure size
What are husbandry needs of exotic mammals?
- Cage size
- Temp
- Bedding material
- Hiding places
- Ventilation
- Environmental enrichment
- Social interactions
What are husbandry needs of Invertebrates?
- Enclosure size
- Temp
- Humidity
- Substrate
What are husbandry needs of Birds?
- Cage size
- Location
- Exercise
- Temp
- Perches
- Toys + environmental enrichment
- Drinking / bathing bowls
- UV-B?
- Social interactions
What are husbandry needs of Fish?
- Tank size
- Temp
- Water pH / hardness
- Water chemistry
- hiding places
- lighting
- Tank population
What can be used to monitor temp + keep animal withing POTZ (preferred optimal temp zone)?
- Ceramic bulbs
- Infrared bulbs
- Heat mats
- Thermometers
- Protection from heat
What do ultra-violet light provide? How often are bulbs changed?
- UV-A = important for behaviour
- UV-B = vitamin D/ calcium metabolism
- Important for reptiles, amphibians, some birds + mammals
- Bulbs need replacing every 12-18months due UV radiation lost through glass, plastic
What can be used to control humidity?
- Hygrometer
- Water bowls, regular misting, foggers
What does the exotics consult room need to be?
- Escape proof
- No cats / dogs
- Possibility to turn off / dim lights
- Avoid extreme temps
- Anti-slip floor and table
What should be done before handling the animal?
Check:
* General demeanour
* Signs of dyspnoea
* Signs of trauma, bleeding
* Obvious external lesions (lumps)
What should never be done when restraining rabbits?
NEVER:
* Hold a rabbit by their ears
* Hold a rabbit on their back - tonic immobility
* Let the hind limbs free to kick
- Some rabbits might need to be wrapped in a towel / sedation
What can chinchillas do if roughly handled?
- Fur / tail slip
What need to be careful when handling restraint?
- Can bite
What are 2 approaches to handling ferrets?
- Restrain by
- axillary area
- neck area
How should a clinical exam of an exotic mammal be carried out?
- Weight
- Rectal temperature - only in selected patients
- Check skin and haircoat
- Check eyes, nostrils and ears (rabbits + ferrets may need otoscopy)
- Oral exam - MM +/- CRT
- ferrets = check for gingivitis, tartar + damaged teeth
- rabbits + hystricomorph rodents = check incisors + molars
- myomorph rodents = check incisors - Chest auscultation - heart + lungs
- Abdominal exam - masses, gut sounds, perineum
- BCS
- Examine movement + gait
- Specific exams - ophthalmological, neurological
When examining chelonias what could go wrong?
- Bite
- Fingers trapped between shell
- Difficult to examine - consider sedation (large individuals)
What can go wrong with lizards?
- Bite / scratch
- Iguanas can whip with their tails
- Some can shed tails, scales + skin
What can go wrong with snake handling?
- All species can bite
- Some species (king snakes) can empty their cloacal glands
- can coil around your arm
- NEVER handle venomous species
How would you carry out clinical exam of a reptile?
- weight
- Examine skin - retained shed, wounds, lumps
- chelonias = check shell strength, discoloration - Oral examination - MM, teeth, saliva thickness
- HR - assessed w/ doppler, impossible to auscultate
- Coelomic palpation (thoracic + abdominal - no diaphragm)
- Cloacal probing - check for obstruction, eggs, sexing snakes
How should you handle different birds?
- Small birds - restrain neck, keep wings folded + do not compress chest
- Psittacines - care with bites, use towels, sedate? (midazolam / butorphanol)
- Cockerels - careful can peck / use spurs
- Birds of prey - control legs + talons w one hand control neck area with other (use towels + gauntlets)
- ducks = easy, keep wings folded
- Large geese + swans - restrain neck, keep wings folded, prone to capture myopathy
- Aquatic / marine birds - restrain neck, careful with ventilation and overheating
What should be done with clinical exam of birds?
- weight
- inspect dropping on cage / carrier
- Assess BCS - palpate pectoral muscles
- Check plumage - change in colorations, feather quality + moult
- Check eyes, nostrils + any swellings on face
- Check beak and mucus membranes
- Palpate crop
- Auscultate - HR, caudal abdominal air sacs
- Palpate coelomic cavity - distention + masses
- Check cloaca +/- preen gland
