Assessment 3 - Small animal - Diseases - ALTERNATIVE Flashcards
Chinchillas - common ailments (3)
Heat stroke
Fur slip
Conjunctivitis
Chipmunk common ailments (3)
Respiratory infections
Cheek pouch problems
Stereotypical behaviours - due to stress
Degu common ailment
Diabetes
Ferrets Common ailments
Persistent oestrus
Guinea pigs - Common ailment (3)
Hypovitaminosis C
Pneumonia
Bladder stones
Hamster - Common ailment
Pyometra
Rabbits - Common ailments
Gut stasis - Ileus
Fly strike
Ear mites
Rats, mice and gerbils - Common ailment
Respiratory disease
Sugar gliders - Common ailment (2)
Metabolic bone disease
Issues/ poor husbandry
Chinchilla - Heat stroke - Clinical signs (3+3)
Red ears
Panting
Salivation
Restlessness
Lethargy
Collapse
Chinchilla - Heat stroke - Immediate first aid (5)
Move 2 cool place
Cool water: ears & paws
Cool water bath
Encourage drinking
Call vet
Chinchilla - Heat stroke - Ongoing treatment (4)
Fluids
Assisted feeding
Drugs to keep guts working
Monitor temp
Chinchilla - Heat stroke - Prevention (7)
Well ventilated cage
Away from direct sunlight
Access to water
Access to shade
AC
Limit play in hot weather
Cooling slabs/ packs
Chinchilla - Fur slip - General (4)
Natural defence mechanism
Release tufts to get away if trapped
Different to shedding
Not painful
Chinchilla - Fur slip - Signs (2
Visible fur slipping
Patch of fur missing (clean skin under)
Chinchilla - Fur slip - Prevention (4)
Remove stressors
Careful handling
Dust baths
Enrichment
Chinchilla - Conjunctivitis - General info (1) and causes (2)
Inflammation of conjunctiva
Irritation from dust baths
Poor ventilation/hygiene
Chinchilla - Conjunctivitis - Clinical signs (4)
Weeping eyes
Red conjunctiva
Eyes partially claused
Rubbing face
Chinchilla - Conjunctivities - Vet may use…(3)
Ophthalmoscope
Dye - cornea damage
Swab - infection
Chinchilla - Conjunctivitis - Treatment (3)
Saline solution
Abx
Eye drops
Remove dust baths until healed
Chinchilla - Conjunctivitis - Prevention (4)
Only use chinchilla dust
Remove dust baths when not in use
Ensure good cleaning practice
Ventilation
Chipmunk - Respiratory infections - Causes (3)
Overgrown incisors
Dusty environment
Influenza
Chipmunk - Respiratory infections - Clinical signs (3)
Nasal discharge
Noisy & fast breathing
Chipmunk - Respiratory infections - Treatments (3)
Antiobiotics
Treat dental disease
Supportive care (oxygen, warm environment, fluids, assisted feeding, rest)
Chipmunk - Respiratory infections - Prevention (3)
No dusty substrates
Ventilation
Stuff to gnaw
Chipmunk - Cheek pouch problems (4)
Abscess
Tumour
Impaction
Prolapse
Chipmunk - Cheek pouch - Clinical signs (6)
Cheek pouches appear full (long periods)
One cheek appears full
Salivation
Pawing at mouth
Anorexia
Pink tissue visible to corner of mouth (prolapse)
Chipmunk - Cheek pouch - Prevention (3)
Check enclosure for sharp objects
Avoid food with sharp edges
Avoid cotton wool
Chipmunk - Stereotypical behaviours (4)
Keep wild instincts in captivity
& Easily stressed
Circling
Aggression
Identify issue + remove potential stressors
Degu - Clinical signs of diabetes (4)
Weight loss
PUPD
Cataracts (after 4 weeks)
Weak immune system - infections
Degu - Prevention and treatment of diabetes (7)
**Low sugar diet (check for molasses)
Test urine for BSL
**Weigh them regularly **
Exercise wheel**
Water
Comfy room temp
Clean substrate
Ferret - Persistent oestrus - General info (2)
Sexually mature +/- 9 monts
Induced ovulators
Stages of persistent oestrus (ferrets) 6
Not mated
No ovulation
Oestrogen levels remain high
Bone marrow suppression
Pancytopaenia
Potentially fatal
Clinical signs of oestrus in ferrets (8)
Swollen vulva
**Abdominal distension **
Lethargy
Increased respiratory rate**
Pale mucous membrane
Bruising
Petechia
Alopecia
Treatment of persistent oestrus - ferrets (3)
Decrease oestrogen levels (drugs)
Transfusion (if needed)
Supportive care (Abx)
Prevention of persistent oestrus - ferrets (4)
Spaying (risk of Cushing)
Implant
Jill jab
Vasectomised hob
Guinea pigs - Hypovitaminosis General (2)
Can’t synthesise Vit C in their liver
Need adequate amounts of Vit C in their diets
Guinea pigs - Hypovitaminosis Clinical signs (4)
Swollen painful joints
Lameness or shuffling gait
Wound that struggle to heal
Poor quality coat
Pain on handling
Weakness/ lethargy/ depression
Diarrhoea
Guinea pigs - Hypovitaminosis Treatment (2)
Vitamin C injection (then supplements)
Pain relief
Check if cause is elsewhere
Comfy bedding
Guinea pigs - Hypovitaminosis Prevention (3)
Fresh greens high in Vit C
Don’t feed perishable pellets
In water/ regular change
Guinea pigs - Pneumonia - General (3)
Most commonly bacterial pneumonia (Bordetella bronchiseptica)
Infectious
Animals in poor condition more susceptible
Guinea pigs - Pneumonia - Clinical signs (3)
Abnormal respiratory sounds
Difficulty breathing
Discharge from eyes and nose
Anorexia
Lethargy
Can be fatal
Guinea pigs - Pneumonia - Treatments (4)
Abx
Oxygen in severe cases
Fluids & nutritional support
Pain relief if uncomfortable
Clean eyes and nose often
Ventilation & dust free
Vit C supplement
Guinea pigs - Pneumonia - Prevention (5)
Good husbandry
Good diet
Avoid overcrowding
Avoid contact with dogs with KC
Separate GP from others
Guinea pigs - Bladder stones - General
Urolithiasis
Stones can be anywhere in UT
Cause: excess calcium
Mostly: middle-aged/ older GPs
Guinea pigs - Bladder stones - Clinical signs (4+4)
Blood in urine
Strain to urinate
Not passing urine at all (very urgent)
Vocalisation during urination
Hunched posture
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Lethargy
Guinea pigs - Bladder stones - Treatments (3+3)
No meds exist to dissolve
Surgery is needed to remove stones
Pain relief
Antibiotics if underlying UTI
Supportive care
Recurrence = likely
Guinea pigs - Bladder stones - Prevention (4+3)
Fresh water
Diet needs grass or Timothy hay
Only minimal pellets
Don’t add calcium supplements to diet
Clean cage regularly
Avoid weight gain
Encourage exercise
Hamsters - Pyometra (4)
Life threatening
Infection in uterus
Open or closed
Can affect all ages -
Hamsters - Open Pyometra - Clinical signs (2+3)
Discharge & blood from vulva
Any blood needs checking (no mensies)
Irritable
Hunched posture
Anorexia
Hamsters - Closed Pyometra - Clinical signs (2+4)
No obvious early signs
**Abdomen distended **
Anorexia
Unrespsonsive
Loss of balance
Coma
Hamsters - Pyometra - Treatment (3)
Abx - Baytrill (temporary)
Surgical removal (spay)
Euthanasia optional
Hamsters - Pyometra - Prevention (2)
Spay not common for hamsters
Monitor water intake
Rabbits - Ileus/ Gut stasis - General (4)
Fatal if left untreated
Intestines stop moving food through
Food can ferment and produce gas
Nutrients/ fluids = not absorbed
Rabbits - Gut stasis - Clinical signs (3+3)
Bloating
Reduced/ no faecal output
Abdominal pain
Anorexia
Dehydration
Depression
Rabbits - Gut stasis - Treatment (4+2)
Fluids
Drugs to stimulate gut motility
High fibre (possibly syringe)
Pain relief
Good nursing care
Identify underlying cause
Rabbits - Gut stasis - Prevention (4+2)
Diet
Avoid food that can cause obstruction
Avoid weight gain
**Groom long-haired rabbits often **
Regular vet checks (esp. dental)
Prompt treatment if pain
Rabbits - Fly strike - General (5)
Common in summer months
Can be very quick
Flies come to sores, faeces, urine
Flies lay eggs - maggots
Maggots burrow + eat flesh of rabbit
Rabbits - Fly strike - Clinical signs (4+3)
Wounds, especially around back end
Bad smell
Visible maggots
Pain
Depression
Shock
Collapse
Rabbits - Fly strike - Treatment (4+3)
Sedation & clip: remove all maggots
Clean wounds & keep clean (rearguard)
Abx
Pain relief
Fluids
Nutrition
Treat underlying cause
Rabbits - Fly strike - Prevention (5)
Rearguard
Twice daily checks in summer
Diet
Clean/dry rabbits and environment
Grooming
Rabbits - Ear mites - General (3)
Psoroptes cuniculi
Direct contact or via fomites
Mites can survive away from host up to 3 weeks
Rabbits - Ear mites - Clinical signs (3)
Crusty ears
Head shaking or tilt
Scratching of the ears
Head shyness
May affect one of both ears
Lesions may spread to face and body
Rabbits - Ear mites - Treatment (3)
Ear cleaning & ear drops
Pain relief
Antiparasitic treatment
Clip claws
Clean environment
Rabbits - Ear mites - Prevention (4)
Clean environments
Ivermectin spot on (antiparisitic)
Check new rabbits
Monitor early signs of mites
Rabbit vaccinations
Myxomatosis
Viral haemorrhagic disease
Rats & mice - Respiratory disease (3)
Common in rat and mice (rare in gerbils)
Bacterial or viral
If non-infectious - poor husbandry
Rats & mice - Respiratory disease - Clinical signs (5)
Open mouth breathing & noisy
Abdominal breathing patterns
Dyspnoea
Sneezing
Nose and eyes: red + discharge
Abormal posture
Poor coat condition
Lethargy
Reduced appetite/ anorexia
Rats & mice - Respiratory disease - Treatment (5)
Isolate individual
Oxygen
Meds
Fluids & nutritional support
Minimal stress and handling
Dust-free bedding
Euthanasia
Rats & mice - Respiratory disease - Prevention (6)
Ventilation
Dust free bedding/subsrate
Cleaning
Avoid overcrowding
Good quality diet
Monitor for early signs of disease and isolate if affected
Sugar gliders - Metabolic bone disease (2)
Bones lose density & become soft
Cause: low calcium & vitamin D
= rickets for ppl
Sugar gliders - Metabolic bone disease - Clinical signs (6)
Deformities
Thickening of bones
Lameness/ weakness
Fractures
Muscle tremors
Pain
Seizures
Underweight/ small for age
Sugar gliders - Metabolic bone disease - Treatment
X rays (diagnostics)
Pain relief
Calcium & Vit D supplements
Cage rest
Minimise handling
Changes to skeleton likely to be permanent
Sugar gliders - Metabolic bone disease - Prevention
Limit fruit intake
Diet: primarily insects or insectivore mix
Calcium & Vit D supplements or Gut-loaded insects
Rodents and rabbits - Dental disease
Causes (4)
Congenital/ acquired
Inability to gnaw
Incorrect nutrition
Trauma
Rodents and rabbits - Dental disease
Clinical signs (5)
Overgrown/ misaligned incisors
Salivation
Swelling/ abscesses
Eye discharge
Less grooming
Anorexia
Rodents and rabbits - Dental disease
Treatment (3)
Sedation/ GA (burring)
Further investigate root
Abx/ Painkillers (maybe)
Rodents and rabbits - Dental disease
Prevention (4)
Correct nutrients
Grass/hay
Chance to gnaw
Regular checks
Ferrets & Hedgehogs - Dental disease
Causes (4)
Trauma
Soft foods
Old age
Other diseases
Ferrets & Hedgehogs - Dental disease
Clinical signs (5)
Gingivitis
Smelly breath
Tartar
Broken teeth
Anorexia
Ferrets & Hedgehogs - Dental disease
Treatment (2)
Scale & polish (GA)
Possibly removal
Ferrets & Hedgehogs - Dental disease
Prevention (4)
Tooth brushing
Water additives
Dental chews
Hard food
Hedgehog - Wobbly hedgehog syndrome - General (4)
Degenerative neurolog. disease
Myelin of nerve fibres
Affects mostly african pygmy
Diet may play a role
Hedgehog - Wobbly hedgehog syndrome - Clinical signs (7)
Can’t ball up
Tremors
Falling to 1 side
Muscle weakness
Difficulty swallowing/eating
Complete paralysis
Seizures
Usually before 2yo
Hedgehog - Wobbly hedgehog syndrome - Treatment (2)
No successful treatments
Supportive care (Physiotherapy/ massage & Vitamin E)
Euthanasia when QOL deteriorates
Hedgehog - Wobbly hedgehog syndrome - Prevention
Careful & ethical breeding