Exotic Medicine Flashcards
Leading Cause of Illness
• Improper care is the leading cause of illness in exotic animas
o Environments, diets, substrate caging, lighting, temperatures
o Through history as to how these pets are kept is essential to diagnosing problems
Number of Species of Reptiles and Amphibians
6,800 rept and 4500 amph
Snakes have…
Snakes have one fully developed and functioning organ (lung, kidney)
Snakes and Lizards have
hemi-penes; two branching penises
Insectivores
Crickets, waxworms, mealworms, superworms, giant meal worms, silk worms, cockroaches, earthworms, ect.
Recommend that they be gutloaded, or fed nutrious food that is then passed to your pet, these products are commercially available or can be homemade
• Important nutrients to grow properly and sustain life
Herbivores
Green leaf, red leaf, spinach, dandelions, collard, kale, carrot tops, squash, carrots, peppers, ect.
Small percentage of fruit- peaches, pears, apples, grapes ect.
Hay (timothy orchard grass, Bermuda grass, alfalfa)
Flowers
Seeds (ie. Uromastyx
Carnivores
Mice, rats, rabbits, chicks, chickens ect.
• May be live, or frozen thawed
o Frozen and thawed is best because reduces risk of injury to pet, parasitic (bacterial or viral) infections, lower cost (multipacks)
• Some animals need to be trained to accept these food items
• Chicken and Beef may be given in small quantities
• NO dog or cat food
Commercially prepared diets
Pellets, gelatinous, freeze dried (fruits, veggies, insects)
Some are designed to be to sole source of food
Others should be mixed with the above options
Calcium supplementation
• In young and growing animals, or gravid (pregnant)
• Some species have higher requirements
o Leopard geckos should always have free choice calcium, especially babies
Preferred optimum temperature zone –
Preferred optimum temperature zone – required temperature to live, produce and use bodily functions, enzymes, digest, ect.
scientific name for ferrets
mustela putorius furo
ferrets were used for
hunting 2000 years ago, brought to US 300 years ago
Ferrets have a unique organ called the
j shaped Os penis
Ferrets need supervision when out of cage because
they can get into small places and consume foreign bodies
the best bedding for ferrets is
recycled paper
ferrets eat
commercially available diets, kitten food; strict carnivores
ferrets need the following at yearly examinations
heartworm prevention, distemper vacc, rabies vacc (imarab three is given every year)
Rabbits are also called
lagomorphs
Some types of rabbits include
mini lop-eared, netherlands dwarf, angora, lop eared, new zealand white
Outdoor rabbits should have
a proper enclosure to keep them out of the cold
What kind of pellets are good for rabbits/guinea pigs
alfalfa= bad, high in Ca and protein good for growing rabbits but not adults, obesity and urinary disease
timothy hay based are good
oxbow hay is a good brand
Papaya tablets
given as a hairball preventative to rabbits, contains papain, an enzyme that digests hair, should be given daily as a preventative
A hairball is also called
trichobezoar
Guinea Pig scientific name
cavia porcellus
three breeds of guinea pig
english/common: short straight, fine hair
abyssinian: rough and wiry hair in rosettes
peruvian: long straight, silky hair
Guinea pigs need this nutrient
Vitamin C - cannot synthrsize their own, needed for the proper development of many body tissues, deficiency can lead to illness, 6 mo shelf life, food should be supplemented daily
Hamster types
Golden or Syrian Hamster (3-4 years) teddy bear chinese dwarf (1-2 years) european dwarf hungarian dwarf
Gerbils
mongolian gerbil, native to dry environment, so drink very little and have little waste
Rats
white rat/hooded rat
General care of Rodents
Provide a wood chew and a hiding box
pelleted diets help to wear down overgrown teeth
exams should include a thorough oral exam to ensure that teeth aren’t overgrown
Two types of Hedgehog
african pygmy hedgehog and white bellied four toed african hedgehog
Hedgehogs should be kept in
aquariums
hedgehogs eat
a mix of cat/kitten food, fruit/veggie mix, mealworms/crickets, commercial diets are also available, which can be fed as a sole diet or in combination with above
Sugar gliders are from
new guinea/austrailia
Sugar glider toes
second and third digits are partially fused on the hind foot forming a hair comb for grooming
Male sugar gliders have
a bifuricated penis and three scent glands (one by top of head, one on ventral abdomen and one by genitals)
Female sugar gliders have
pouch
What sounds do sugar gliders make
barking or screeching
What should be in a sugar gliders cage
a hide box, and branches to climb on
a Sugar gliders diet should be
75% fruits and veggies and 25% protein
sunflower seeds, corn, cat food (dry/low fat), dog buscuits, baby food, cooked pasta, mealworms, crickets, waxworms
vitamin and mineral supplements
Two types of Chinchillas
Chinchilla lanigera (longer tail, most common) Chinchilla brevicaudata (shorter tail)
Where are chinchillas from
the semi-arid slopes of the andes mountains
what types of chinchillas can be housed together
one male with multiple females
chinchillas should eat
small amounts of pellets, a lot of hay (timothy, alfalfa, oat) and sugary treats should be avoided
snakes have this type of vision
blurry- they cannot see long distances
calcium deficiency in lizards may lead to
metabolic bone disease
types of reptiles that do not require uvb
snakes- noctural reptiles and amphibians
why no teflon?
gives off toxic gas when heated
a type of bird foot issue is
bumblefoot
gram stain
in adult sample there should be 90% gram positive bacteria
hamsters should be housed
separately
