deck_3375652 Flashcards
Diagnosis of rabbit snuffles
- Deep nasal culture- Oral exam+/- Skull radiographs, chest rads+/- CT scan
Treatment of rabbit snuffles
- Antibiotics - enrofloaxacin, TMS, chloramphenicol, penicillin- Nebulization- Improving husbandry, housing, diet*May be a long-term problem
What do these signs indicate in a rabbit? = shaking head, scratching ears, discharge, head tilt (torticollis)
Ear disease
Diagnosis of ear disease in rabbits
- Full PE and otic exam- Ear swab - to find mites- Anesthesia and deep culture+/- Skull radiographs+/- CT scan
Treatment of ear disorders (parasites, otitis)
- Mites = ivermectin or selamectin, DON’T peel crusts off- Otitis = sedation + ear flushes with sterile saline, topical and oral/injectable antibiotics for 4-8 weeks- Analgesia = buprenorphine, meloxicam
Treatment of epiphora and conjunctivitis in rabbits
Treat it like bacterial with antibiotics (cipro, chloramphenicol), then try nasolacrimal duct flush if it doesn’t work
Common cause for corneal ulcers in rabbits
Other medical conditions that cause torticollis, conjunctivitis, nasolacrimal duct = DO AN EXAM
Treatment for rabbit corneal ulcers
Topical antibiotics + debridement, rarely grid keratotomy or surgical intervention (non-healing cases)
Causes of rabbit cataracts
- Often idiopathic and clinically insignificant - May be associated with E. cuniculi
Treatment of rabbit cataracts
- If E. cuniculi positive = treat it- Control inflammation
Treatment of rabbit glaucoma
- Decreased intra-ocular P drugs = may be ineffective- ENUCLEATION
Causes of unilateral and bilateral rabbit exophthalmia
- Unilateral = orbital or retrobulbar abscesses- Bilateral = thymic mass (cranial thoracic mass) or compromised heart function = impaired venous drainage from external jugular- Dx = radiographs or CT scan
Treatment of rabbit pseudoptygerium
Immune-mediated - cyclosporine or prednisolone (sx is rarely successful)
Treatment of rabbit exophthalmos
- Radiation of thymic masses- Surgery- Palliative management
Diagnosis of rabbit neurologic disorders
- Good PE and neuro exam (can be hard)- First observations of the rabbit in the exam room- Good questions = history of trauma, change in ambulation (less hopping), head tilt, general response?- E. cuniculi titers- Full otic exam, skull rads, ear flush, ear culture
What does torticollis in rabbits most commonly indicate?
Otitis media
True or false - E. cuniculi can be senescent
True - carried for months or years before clinical signs
What tissue does E. cuniculi go to? Clinical signs?
1) Neural = seizures, paralysis, head tilt2) Renal = AKI3) Ocular = cataracts
Diagnosis of E. cuniculi
> U. of Miami titers - IgG, IgM, APP = helpful in determining active infection*Combine with clinical signs
Treatment of E. cuniculi
- Fenbendazole (some anti-inflammatory effects), causes myelosuppression- Ponazuril *Variable response, neuro issues may persist
What do you suspect when you see rabbits with hindimb paresis/paralysis or intracranial signs?
Head or spinal cord trauma, poor handling
Are simple UTI’s common in rabbits?
No - requires a full diagnostic work-up
What is the most common cysto/renolith in rabbits?
Ca++ carbonate
Treatment of rabbit bladder sludge
- Diuresis = fluids, grass hay with watery veggies- Eliminate high Ca++ foods- Bladder flushing can carry bladder rupture risk
Diagnosis of rabbit bladder sludge or uroliths
- Radiographs = of the perineum and both kidneys- U/A = hematuria, pyuria, bacturia
Treatment of rabbit uroliths
- Surgical removal of cystic calculi- Manipulate urethroliths in females- MANAGEMENT = increased water intake, moderately restricted Ca++, control UTI’s
Most common cause of urinary incontinence in rabbits
Secondary to neurologic conditions
What drug should you never use to treat fleas in rabbits?
Fipronil - 100% fatal
What should you suspect in a rabbit with mild flaking (seborrhea) or severe, pruritic dermatitis?
Cheyletiella, find with skin scrape (may be difficult)
Treatment of Cuterebra
- Remove or extend the incision to remove- Flush cavity with sterile saline or chlorhex- Oral antibiotics for 7-10 days
Treatment for maggots
- Sedation, clipping, clean area, remove maggots- Analgesia and antibiotics
Predisposing factors for rabbit pododermatitis (5)
- Obesity- Wire floors- Lack of exercise- Soiled bedding- Incontinence
Diagnosis of rabbit pododermatitis
Visualization + radiographs (may extend to osteomyelitis)
Treatment of rabbit pododermatitis
- Clean affected areas and debride+/- Culture- Bandage with donuts to alleviate pressure - Antibiotics- Analgesia- Change environment- Diet change and weight loss
Clinical signs of guinea pig vit-C deficiency
> > Vitamin-C = involved in collagen synthesis+ Lameness+ Swollen joints (knee)+ Dental disease + Poor fur condition+ Immunosuppression = delayed wound healing, secondary bacterial infections
Are pellets or water supplements a good source of vitamin-C for guinea pigs?
NO - oxidizes and breaks down
Most common urolith in guinea pigs
Ca++ carbonate
Problem and treatment with guinea pig serous cysts
- Space-occupying lesion = compress GI tract = anorexia- Tx = OHE if quality of life is impaired- Tx = U/S FNA, but will recur
Do serous or follicular cysts respond to hormonal treatment?
- Serous = No- Follicular = YES
Things you suspect with alopecia in a guinea pig (4)
1) Follicular ovarian cyst2) Vitamin-C deficiency3) Parasitic = mites (Trixacarus caviae)4) Infectious = dermatophytes
Treatment of follicular ovarian cysts
GnRH agonist or OHE
What problem do you have with breeding guinea pigs?
If done > 6 months = pelvic symphysis fuses = DYSTOCIA
Treatment of uterine prolapse in guinea pigs
OHE - don’ try and replace it
Cause and treatment of guinea pig pregnancy toxemia
- Cause = ketosis, anorexia, obesity- Tx = NOT GREAT, work on prevention
Do we house guinea pigs and rabbits together?
No - rabbits can give their normal respiratory flora (Bordetella, Strep) to the guinea pigs
What do you suspect in a guinea pig with severe pruritus?
Mites - Trixacarus caviae
Cause of pododermatitis in guinea pigs
> Pressure induced ischemia and inflammation of foot pad*Same as in rabbits, can also lead to osteomyelitis- Obesity- Coarse bedding- Poor sanitation- Wire or abrasive flooring
Most common cause of exophthalmos in guinea pigs
Tooth root abscesses
What is osseous choriostoma in guinea pigs?
Ciliary body mineralization –> bone formation and uveitis
What is pea eye in guinea pigs?
Protrusion of glandular tissue from inferior conjunctiva
Diagnosis of cervical lymphadenitis in guinea pigs
Strep zooepidemicus - like strangles in horses –> cytology and culture of lymph nodes
Differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenitis in guinea pigs
Lymphoma
What should you suspect in a guinea pig that is PU/PD, hyperactive, and weight loss despite a good appetite?
Hyperthyroidism
Diagnosis and treatment of guinea pig hyperthyroidism in guinea pigs
Like small animals - Dx = measure T4- Tx = methimazole, I-131, or surgery
Most common urolith in chinchillas
Ca++ carbonate
Is dystocia more common in chinchillas or guinea pigs
Guinea pigs
What organism do you suspect, in chinchillas, with localized conjunctivitis, enteritis, otitis, pneumonia?
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Common cause of epiphora in chinchillas
Cheek tooth elongation and nasolacrimal duct obstruction
How do we treat chinchilla epiphora and secondary conjunctivitis?
NSAIDS and antibiotics - can’t flush the nasolacrimal duct
What do we get concerned about, in chinchillas, if we see depression, lethargy, tachycardia, dyspnea, poor body condition, or pale MM?
Less benign heart murmurs
How do we diagnose heart murmurs and cardiac disease in chinchillas?
Echocardiography
Purpose of hamster cheek pouches
> Bilateral invaginations of buccal epithelium*For storage and transportation of epithelium
Treatment of hamster cheek pouch disease
- Reposition with moistened Q-tip- Place stay suture- Continually prolapses = resection
What aged hamsters do we see wet tail in most frequently? Tx?
+ Diarrhea- Young hamsters (
Causes of wet tail diarrhea in hamsters?
- Bacterial = Lawsonia, Campylobacter- Antibiotic induced (PLACE)- Protozoal
Common mites types in hamsters
- Demodex = immunosuppressed older animals- Sarcoptes = uncomon
Treatment of hamster demodex
Ivermectin > 30 d or selamectin topical
Common cause of hamster pyoderma
*Usually secondary (like trauma) - Staph aureus, Strep
Most common cause of hamster trauma and skin disorders
Cage mate aggression
Types of hamster neoplasia (2)
- Cutaneous lymphoma- Epitheliomas (hamster polyomavirus)
Types of hamster metabolic/endocrine skin disorders (2)
- Hyperadrenocorticism = adenoma or carcinoma- Chronic renal disease
What do we suspect, in hamsters, with tachypnea, dyspnea, cyanosis, lethargy, anorexia, etc?
Cardiac disease (> 1.5 yrs)- Dx = radiographs, echo- Tx = diuretics, ACE-i, anticoagulants
Common confounding factors for rat respiratory disease
- Crowding- Stress- Poor nutrition- Co-infections
Common microbe in chronic respiratory rat infections
Mycoplasma pulmonis - 100% of pet rats infected, see disease > 1-1.5 yrs old
Common microbe in acute respiratory rate infections
Strep pneumoniae - common in younger animals (normal nasal flora)
True or false - rat respiratory disease is multifactorial
YES - environmental and infectious interactions
Diagnostics for rat respiratory disease (do’s, don’ts)
- Imaging = differentiate between respiratory and cardiac disease- DON’T use BAL and C&S, serology (not helpful)
Antibiotic therapy (and other tx) of rat respiratory disease
- Amoxicillin/clavulenic acid = good for gram positives- Enrofloaxacin, doxy, azithromycin = good for Mycoplasma- Others = bronchodilators, mucolytics, NSAID’s, nebulization
Cause of porphyrin tears in rats
Stress or illness - not a disease in itself
What should you remember about rat mammary tumors?
Mammary glands are distributed abundantly along the body (in both males and females) = don’t rule out a mammary tumor based on its location
Most common type of mammary tumor in rats
Benign fibroadenomas
Treatment of rat mammary tumors
- Surgical excision ASAP to avoid large vascular tumors = BENIGN- Perform OHE if it recurs- Can try deslorelin implants = helpful in animals that can’t undergo sx
Differential in a rat with head tilt, anorexia, weakness
Pituitary tumor - can secrete prolactin (cystic proliferation or mammary tissue)
Treatment of rat pituitary tumor
- Anti-prolactin- Palliative with steroids and NSAID’s*Limited efficacy
What is the prognosis for hedgehog squamous cell carcinoma?
Poor, can attempt resection
Common cause and treatment of hedgehog ocular disease
Shallow orbits (proptosis, corneal perf, phthisis bulbi) - tx by enucleation
Cause, signs, diagnosis, and treatment of Wobbly hedgehog disease
- Cause = thought to be genetic+ Paraparesis and ataxia, progress to tetraplegia- Dx = at necropsy- Tx = none- DDx = IVD
What do you suspect, in a hedgehog, with seborrhea, quill loss, and crusts at quill bases?
Caparinia tripilis mites, often with concurrent dermatophytes
Clinical signs of hedgehog torpor
Depression, anorexia, obtundation, recumbency –> warm before determining prognosis
Common clin path findings in sugar gliders with fruit only (deficient diets)
- Hypoproteinemia- Anemia- Hypocalcemia = neuro signs
How much should a normal sugar glider weigh?
80-160 grams
Treatment of sugar glider nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism
- Ca+++/- Vitamin-D- Rest
Treatment of sugar glider self-mutilation
- Analgesia- Stress reduction and environmental change- E-jackets or e-collars- Anxiolytics- Put them in groups
Treatment for ferret heartworm
Moxidectin and imidacloprid - Advantix Multi
Treatment of ferret ear mites
- Treat all animals/ferrets in the home- Wash bedding- Tx w/ imidacloprid + moxidectin (Advantage Mutli), ivermectin injfections, selamectin topical
Clinical signs of adrenal associated endocrinopathy in ferrets
+ Alopecia+ Pruritus+ Change in behavior = hyperactive or lethargy+ Swollen vulva+ Stranguria due to prostatomegaly
Diagnosis of ferret adrenal associated endocrinopathy
- Blood test measuring sex hormones (NOT CORTISOL)- U/S- Definitive dx = surgical biopsy
Treatment for ferret adrenal associated endocrinopathy
- Sx = adrenalectomy- GnRH antagonist implant = deslorelin- Injection of GnRH antagonist- Meds = hormone inhibitors (flutamide, anastrazole)
Thought of pathogenesis of ferret insulinoma
Feeding too many carbs or treats
Clinical signs of ferret insulinomas
+ “Flat ferret syndrome”+ Hind end weakness+ Drooling+ Grinding teeth+ Acting “off”
Tx of ferret insulinomas
- Meds = prednisone, diazoxide- Sx = LONGEST SURVIVAL- Small and frequent meals (every 2 hrs)
Types of ferret lymphoma (3)
1) Juvenile lymphoblastic - aggressive2) Adult lymphocytic - less aggressive3) Cutaneous = very bad
Dx and tx of ferret lymphoma
- Dx = FNA, cytology, radiographs for staging- Tx = chemo, radiation, prednisone
Syringe feeding guideline for small mammal herbivores
50-80 mL/kg/day, over 3-4 feedings
Maintenance fluid for small mammals
60-100 mL/kg/day
What might a glucose of > 400 mg/dL mean in small mammals?
Intestinal obstruction
