Exotics: Exotic Mammal Medicine

Question 1

1. What order and sub-order are degus?
2. What GI system do they have?
3. What dentition do they have?
4. Life span?

Answer 1

1. Hystricomorph rodents
2. Hind gut fermenters and coprophagy
3. Elodont dentition- strict herbivbores
4. 5-6 years

Question 2

How should degus be clinically approached?

Answer 2

• Most difficult to restrain
• Tail slip
• Handling with towels or sedation for clinical exam and most clinical procedures
• Clinical exam similar to other rodents

Question 3

1. What is a common oral health problem for degus?
2. How do they present?
3. How are they treated?

Answer 3

1. Dental disease
2. Weight loss, excessive salivation, secondary dermatitis, gut stasis
3. Skull radiographs, dental crown reduction under GA, diet correction

Question 4

1. What are common complications is degus with gut stasis/hypomotility?
2. How are they approached?

Answer 4

1. Gastric tympanism, hepativ lipidosis, GIT dysbiosis
2. Fluids, analgesia (meloxicam, buprenorphine), gut motility meds (cisapride, metoclopramide)
   Syringe feeding

Question 5

1. When is diabetes caused in degus?
2. What happens secondary to it?
3. How can diagnosis be confirmed?
4. How is diabetes mellitus managed?

Answer 5

1. Degus fed seed based diets/rich in simple CHs and starch- hyperinsulinaemia
2. Cataract formation
3. Hyperglycaemia, glucosuria, ketonuria, required GA for collection
4. Correct diet: hay and grasses, remove any seeds, insulin SC BID

Question 6

1. What is the most common species of gerils kept?
2. What order are gerbils?

Answer 6

1. Mongolian gerbil
2. Myomorph rodents

3-5y lifespan, ventral scent gland, pelleted diet, can slip tails

Question 7

1. What causes facial eczema in gerbils?
2. What predisposes?
3. How is it treated?

Answer 7

1. Nasal dermatitis- excessive production of porphyrins by harderian gland
2. Stress related- overcrowding, high humidity/poor ventilation, no sand baths
3. Cleaning with saline or chlorohex, meloxiam if painful/prutitic

Question 8

1. What different ventral scent gland disease can affect gerbils?
2. How is it confirmed and treated?

Answer 8

1. Infection, neoplasia, Blockage w/gland secretion
2. Topical- antiseptics, Express gland under GA, Medical- meloxicam/ABs, Surgery- remove gland, lance/flush abscess

Question 9

1. What percentage of gerbils are affected by epilepsy?
2. When do seizures commonly occur?
3. What is the medical approach?

Answer 9

1. 20-40%
2. Clonic-tonic seizures, frequently after being handled
3. Rule out other conditions, DDXs heart disease, hepatic encephalopathy, meningo-encephalitis, hypoglycaemia, hypocalcaemia

Question 10

What are prairie dogs reservoirs of?

Answer 10

Zoonotic agents- Yersinia pestis

Question 11

What are common problems for squirrels and prarie dogs?

Answer 11

• Dental disease
• Heart disease
• Hepatobiliary disease

Question 12

1. What order are sugar gliders?
2. What is there lifespan?
3. What specific features doe sugar gliders have?

Answer 12

1. Marsupials
2. 10-20 yeats
3. Patagium- skin fold, males scent gland on forehead, cloaca

Question 13

How should sugar gliders be housed in captvitiy?

Answer 13

• Housed in groups
• Large with lots of branches, nest boxes, hammocks
• Diet- commerial, homemade, calcium supplements, insects, small amount of fresh fruit

Question 14

What is the clinical approach to sugar gliders?

Answer 14

• Handle with towels
• GA/Sedation for clinical exam, blood imaging, most treatments

Question 15

What are common health problems of sugar gliders?

Answer 15

Malnutrition
* Metabolic bone disease
* Obesity
* Anaemia and hypoproteinaemia

Dental disease
Enteritis
* Diet related, giardia, bacterial

Para-cloacal gland- infection, cysts, neoplasia
Pouch infection on females
Stress-related self mutilation
Toxoplasmosis

Question 16

1. What are the common signs of metabolic done disease in sugar gliders?
2. How is it managed?

Answer 16

1. Lethargy, weakness, lameness, muscle tremors, consipation
2. Managment: correct diet, calcium gluconate, review husbandry

Question 17

1. What diet do african pigmy hedgehogs have?
2. What is there temperature range?
3. What is their lifespan?

Answer 17

1. Insectivores
2. 22-32 degrees
3. 5-6 years

Question 18

How can hedgehogs be uncurled?

Answer 18

Light GA works well for stable patients

Question 19

What are hedgehogs common health problems?

Answer 19

• Skin disease
• Oral and dental disease
• Heart disease
• Neoplasia
• Enteritis and diarrhoea
• Wobbly hedgehog syndrome

Question 20

What can cause skin disease in hedgehogs?

Answer 20

External parasites- ticks, fleas, mites, maggots
Ringwom
Wounds, neoplasia

Same general approach applies

Question 21

1. What are common presentations for hedgehogs with oral disease?
2. Wht are common problems?

Answer 21

1. Weight loss, anorexia, selective appetite, excessive salivation, blood/pus discharge
2. Tartar, periodontal disease, oral neoplasia

Question 22

1. What causes wobbly hedgehog syndrome?
2. How do they present?
3. How is it managed?

Answer 22

1. Myelin loss/ spongy myelinopathy of CNS
2. Ataxia, paresis/paralysis, seizures
3. Rule out possible other causes: neuroexam, radiographs
   No effective treatment- palliative care vs euthanasia

Question 23

What are the main presentsations of wild hedgehogs?

Answer 23

1. Truama- bite wounds, RTAs
2. Orphaned- hoglets
3. Malnourishment- more commmon during Autumn/Winter
4. Unwell