Exotics: Dental Disease In Rabbits and Rodents Flashcards
What do the following terms mean?:
1. Elodont
2. Hypsodont
- Elodont- open root
- Hypsodont long crowns
All of rabits teeth are elodont hypsodont
What is a rabbits dental formula?
I 2/1, C 0/0, P 3/2, M 3/3
=28
What is the normal dental anatomy in rodents?
How do sciuromorphs, myomorphs and hystricomorphs differ?
- 1 pair of upper incisors that grow continuously
- 3 different groups depending on dental and masticatory muscles anatomy:
Sciuromorphs- only incisors grow continuously (squirrels
Myomorphs- only incisors grow continuously (rat, mice, hamsters)
Hystricomorphs- all teeth grow continuously (guinea pigs, chinchillas)
- What is the dental formula of hystricomorphs?
- What dental differences are only in guinea pigs?
- Describe the specific dental anatomy of chinchillas
- I1/1, C0/0, PM 1/1, M 3/3
- Molars reserve crowns are curved, oblique occlusion
- Molar crowns straight, incisor enamel normally orange (iron deposits)
What are risk factors for dental disease?
- Diet- lack of fibre
- Congenital malocclusion
- Reduced chewing time/cycles
- Trauma
- Metabolic demands
- Hypovitaminosis
What are the different stages of dental disease in rabbits and rodents?
- Normal dentition and occlusion
- Root elongation
- Malocclusion- loss of bone density and abnormal dental growth
- Cessation of dental growth- loss of germinal tissue
- Abscess formation and osteomyelitis
How do rabbits/rodents clinically present with dental disease?
- Anorexia, selective appetite
- Weight loss, low bcs, unkept coat
- Gut stasis
- Excessive salivation
- Contact dermatitis on chin, lower neck and front paws
Typical of molar overgrowth:
1. Epiphora and dacryocystitis
2. Abscesses
Typical of incisors
1. Overgrown
2. Abrasions, wounds around lips
What is done when investigating dental disease?
Oral examination:
* Every consult
* Otoscope
* Rigid endoscope
* Some patient require sedation/GA
Skull radiographs
* Under sedation/GA
* Views: lateral, DV, oblique and antero-posterior
* Consider other specific views
How is dental disease managed?
Review husbandry- cage design, materials, sources of trauma
Review diet- species dependent
* Hay and grasses, controlled pellets, remove seeds
Regular health checks: 4-6 months
Medical managment
Surgical/dental procedures
Analgesia
What analgesia should be given for dental disease?
Provide excellent and multimodal analgesia
NSAIDs- meloxicam
Opioids- methadone, buprenorphine
When extracting rabbits/rodents teeth what cranial nerve blocks should be used?
Rostral infraorbital- upper incisors and lips, infraorbital foramen
Mental nerve block- ventral and lateral aspect of mandible and lower lip, mental foramen
DO NOT BLOCK MANDIBULAR NERVE
What are treatments for incisor malocclusion in rabbits and rodents?
Rabbits:
1. Crown reduction- under sedation/GA with burr
* Can grow 3mm/week
* Repeat every 4-6 weeks
2. Incisor extraction under GA- always radiograph first
Rodents
* Only crown reduction under GA
- What is dacryocystitis?
- What are signs?
- How is it confirmed?
- How is it used?
- Occlusion of lacrimal duct by overgrown upper molars/inflammation
- Contact periocular dermatitis, recurrent/chronic eye discharge
- Confirm with radiographs
- Long term use of meloxiam, AB eyedrops, lacrimal duct flush under sedation
What are the treatment options for molar malocclusion in rabbits and hystricomorphs?
- Crown and spurs reduction under GA
- Long term medical managment with Meloxicam- chronic periapical pain
- Periapical abscesses
* Abscess marsupialization
* Extraction of affected molars
* Enucleation in case of retrobular abscess
* ABs minimum of 6-8 weeks
* Lance and flush
Describe the steps to abscess marsupialization surgery?
- Circumferential skin incision over abscess
- Remove as much of the abscess capsule as possible- send a sample for C&S
- Suture the abscess capsule to surrounding skin
- Debide/remove abnormal bone
- Extract any affected molars
- Pack cavity with bactericidal material
- Healing be second intention
