Exotics

Question 1

General approach to exotic species

Answer 1

Allow adjustment period before examining
Provide adequate husbandry particularly if to be hospitalised
Consider if predator or prey species
Can be triaged and resuscitated mostly like dogs and cats
Alot of their illness is related to poor husbandry

Question 2

History of exotic patients

Answer 2

Husbandry (enclosure, substrate etc)
Diet
Cage environment (light source, substrate, humidity and temp)
Last shed
Wild/captive etc
Parasite history
Faecal consistency

Question 3

Rabbits

Answer 3

Gentle prey species but can be reactive
Nasal breathers
Utilise chemical restraint
Don’t restrain by ears
Take gentle, slow movements

Question 4

Common illnesses of Rabbits & treatment

Answer 4

Iatrogenic spinal fractures (handling)
Nutritonal deficits and GI stasis (cisapride, metoclopramide, crit care)
Heat exhaustion (overcrowding, overweight, environ temp >85)
Urolithiasis (CaCarb, trip P)
“Snuffles” URT disease complex (pastuerella etc)(AM’s and b-glucans)
Adenosarcoma (recc speying)
Abscesses (req surgery)
Protozoal enceph (NSAIDs/steroids/fenbendazole)

Question 5

Nutritional requirements of rabbits

Answer 5

Herbivores
Tough leafy foods
High fibre
Extract nutrtients from caecum ‘cecotropes’ (amino acids, vitamins, FA etc)
Avoid too much grains and starches

Question 6

Antimicrobials to avoid in rabbits (‘PLACE’)

Answer 6

Penicillins
Lincomycins
Amoxicillin/ampicillin
Clindamycin
Erythromycin

Question 7

Acceptable AM’s in rabbits

Answer 7

chloramphenicol, azithromycin, parenteral penicillin’s

Question 8

Guinea pigs

Answer 8

Prey species
Cover eyes and support hindquarters
No pressure on abdomen
Use chemical restraint
Herbivores (similar diet to rabbits)
Require exogenous vitamin C from diet

Question 9

Common Vitamin C source for guinea pigs and other herbivores

Answer 9

Dark, leafy greens
1 cup kale =250mg
req = 10-30mg/kg

• if in hospital give 50-100mg ascorbic acid per day SQ until eating

Question 10

Common illnesses in guinea pigs and treatment

Answer 10

Malocclusion (surgery, adjust husbandry)
Dystocia due to fusion of pelvic symphysis if not bred young (surgery)
GI stasis and enterotox from clostridium (prokinetics like rabbits, IVFT, pain relief, reduce anxiety)
Urolithiasis - increased calcium (surgery)
Bacterial infections inc. pneumonia (become permanent carriers despite treatment)
Pododermatitis (bumble foot)(adjust husbandry, analgesia, AM’s)
Heat exhaustion (avoid temp >80, low humidity, prevent obesity and overcorwding)

Question 11

Chinchilla

Answer 11

Prey species
Rarely bite
Never scruff, obscure vision, support at tail base
Hing gut fermenters (high fibre diet with grass and hay, prot 15%)

Question 12

Common illnesses in chinchillas & treatment

Answer 12

Dental #1
Bacterial enteritis (IVFT, nutritional support, AM’s, analgesia)
Oesophageal choke and bloat usually from large pieces of food (GA removal)
Fur ring @ penis leading to paraphimosis and urinary signs
Heat exhaustion (keep temp <80 ideal 65-75)

Question 13

Mice, rats, gerbils

Answer 13

Rodents
Firm but gentle grip, never hold by tails
Fingers around neck
Add Vit A to diet

Question 14

Mice, rat and gerbil diseases & treatment

Answer 14

Parasites: demodex & mites, giardia, TW (antihelmintics)
Tyzzers (gerbils & hamsters): lower GI dz, high mortality, tetracycline in water
Proliferative ileitis: bacterial intestinal dz > GI signs > aggressive IVFT, AB, supportive care
Epilepsy (gerbils): induced seizures, treat with benzo’s, unlikely to die just reduce stress
Mycoplasma: respiratory dz and treat like other respiratory dz
“red tears”: prophyrin and treated with atropine topical

Question 15

Ferrets

Answer 15

Predators and obligate carnivores
Generally friendly, distract with food
Wrap meds in something sweet and likely to eat
GIT time 3h - ad lib diet, 35-40% protein req
Poorly digest fibre, don’t utilise carbs well (raw diet pref)

Question 16

Common illnesses of ferrets and treatment

Answer 16

Helicobacter (almost 100% carriers) - IVFT, analgesia, nutritional support, +- AM’s
Canine distemper - neuro, GI and optho signs, vaccinate, mostly supportive care
DCM, 3AVHB, valvular dz
#1 emergent presentation = insulinoma

Question 17

Insulinoma in ferrets

Answer 17

Probably most common emergent presentation
Weakness, ptylism, seizures
b-cell tumor of the pancreatic islet cells resulting in profound hypoglycaemia, release of glucagon, ACTH, GH and cortisol
Treat with enough IV dextrose to imrpove clinical signs but avoid hyperglycaemia
Nutritional supoort and prednisone (blocks cellular glucose uptake)

Question 18

Tumors in ferrets

Answer 18

Adrenal tumors and lymphomma

Question 19

Psittacines

Answer 19

Parrots, cockatiels etc
Prey animals that generally hide their illness
Hands off and allow to acclimatise first
Be prepared when handling, handle for the shortest amount of time possible and avoid pressing on sternum

Question 20

Psittacines diet

Answer 20

Usually a grain diet that lacks fat soluble vitamins like A, D3, E, K and several B vitamins, amino acids etc so require supplementation

<2000g 70(BW)^0.75
>2000g 30XBW+70

Can tube approx 5% or 50ml/kg each feed

Question 21

Wounds in birds

Answer 21

If puncture than allow second intention healing otherwise normal wound principles apply and stabilisation of wounds the same
* should be treated as emergent and given AM’s rapidly
* Stabilise F# like with dogs and cats

Question 22

Reptiles

Answer 22

All potential carriers of salmonella so wear gloves
Slow, subtle changes when sick
Most urinate when stressed so need to collect urine right away if needed

Question 23

Herbivore reptile diets

Answer 23

They need 75% high-fibre and well balanced with Ca, Vit A, Vit B (only 5% diet should be fruit)

Question 24

Snakes

Answer 24

All carnivores
Short but simple GIT (needs increased proteins and fats, low carbs)
Feed every few weeks to a month
Keep at optimal temperature

Question 25

Reptile metabolic rate

Answer 25

32(BW^0.75)
approx. 5.69kcal/day/100g

Question 26

Metabolic bone disease

Answer 26

Common in reptiles related to poor husbandry and imbalanced Ca:P (low Ca and too high P)
Ensure adeq UVB light source
Some diseases of the liver, kidney and thyroid may induce
Correct husbandry, remove causative problem and supplement

Question 27

Blood draw sites for reptiles

Answer 27

Turtles: jugular, coccygeal, brachial, interdigit
Snakes: caudal ventral tail
Lizards: caudal tail vein, ventral abdomen, jugular

• reptiles have nRBC so need to have manual count as machines inaccurate

Question 28

Dehydrated reptiles

Answer 28

PCV >40, TP >8mg/dL, Na >160-180mEq, Cl >120mEq

• normal USG 1.008-1.012 and sometimes unchanged when dehydrated
• maint reptile = 10-30ml/kg/day (replace over 72-96h)