Exotics - rabbits Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two main aetiologies of rabbit dental disease?

A

Inadequate attrition - not getting worn down
Metabolic bone disease - jaw bone weakened

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2
Q

What is the correct diet for rabbits?

A

Lots of grass/hay
Some green leafy vegetation
Tiny amount of pellets

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3
Q

What indicates dental disease in rabbits on distant exam?

A

Epiphora - presence or absence
Obvious incisor elongation
Grossly evident abscessation
drooling
Eye globe position

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4
Q

What teeth are continuously growing in rabbits, hystricomorphs, scuriomorphs and rodents?

A

Rabbits - all
Chinchillas and cavies - all
Squirrels, chipmunks - only incisors
Rodents - only incisors

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5
Q

What do chincilla/cavies incisors look like?

A

Lower incisors longer than upper incisors
Slightly orange in chincillas

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6
Q

How do you do a concious intraoral examination on rodents/rabbits?

A

Otoscope - plastic cone
Little finger in diastema to palpate spurs

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7
Q

How do you examine intraorally under anaesthesia?

A

Head clamp/nurse positioning
Endoscopy
Radiography

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8
Q

How do you treat rodent/rabbit incisor overgrowth?

A

Regular trimming with dental burr
Removal

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9
Q

When do you remove incisors in rabbits?

A

When the teeth are never going to meet so arent functional and will just have to keep clipping them for the rest of the rabbits life

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10
Q

What is the name for dental problems causing blockage of the nasolacrimal duct?

A

Dacryocystitis

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11
Q

What are the essentials of cheek tooth treatment?

A

Take teeth out of traumatic occlusion with soft tissues
Allow normal anatomical closure of mouth
Remove loose/abscessated teeth
Will never restore normal anatomy though - jaw changes

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12
Q

How do you know how much of the cheek teeth to trim?

A

Image

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13
Q

When can you clip cheek teeth?

A

For removal of angled small spurs going into tongue ONLY

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14
Q

What are the issues with filing cheek teeth in rabbits?

A

Never do it - slow, jarring, inefficient method
Massive risk of hitting vessel at angle of jaw - fatal

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15
Q

What is the method of choice for crown reduction and shaping of cheek teeth in rabbits?

A

Burring

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16
Q

How do you treat rodent teeth overgrowth?

A

Trim - only incisors grow

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17
Q

In rabbits and chinchillas which is wider - maxilla or mandible?

A

Chinchillas - mandible is wider than the maxilla
Rabbits - maxilla is wider than the mandible
But both dont bring both sides into occlusion at the same time

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18
Q

How do chinchilla cheek teeth tend to overgrow?

A

Grow very long before getting noticed - grow forward into the diastema so dont hit anything for a while
Dont tend to form spurs which affect the tongue
Stab into buccal mucosa

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19
Q

What are the main GI diseases that rabbits get?

A

Hypomotility disorders - cant vomit
Hypermotility disorders and caecotrophs - diarrhoea

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20
Q

How do rabbits normally eat?

A

Lots of low nutritional value food (grass) continuously over long periods of time
Caecotrophs

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21
Q

What is the purpose of indigestible ‘long’ fibre in rabbit diets?

A

Dental attrition
Gut motility stimulation

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22
Q

What is the purpose of digestible ‘short’ fibre in rabbit diets?

A

Substrate for caecal fermentation (caecotroph formation)

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23
Q

What are the two phases of rabbit caecum motility?

A

1 - just gets rid of long fibre
2 - Soft faecal component phase - short fibre ferments to get extra nutrition out of grass

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24
Q

What are caecotrophs? How do they work?

A

Full of bacteria and covered in mucous
Carry on fermenting until stomach acids digest them, kill bacteria and absorb the nutrients that are left in SI

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25
Q

What does a high carb diet cause in rabbits?

A

Change in caecal flora/caecal pH
GI stasis, enteritis, caecotrophs not being eaten

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26
Q

What are the 5 causes of gut stasis?

A

Pain
Stress
Dehydration
Obesity
Abdominal lesions/obstruction/adhesion/neoplasia

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27
Q

What are two common causes of pain causing gut stasis?

A

Pain following surgery - pre-emptive analgesia needed
Urological pain - uroliths, sludgy urine

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28
Q

How do you tell it is obstructive and non GI stasis in rabbits?

A

Obstructive - sudden onset, moderate to severe depression
Marked abdominal pain
Hunched
Shock/dehydration

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29
Q

What does obstructive gut stasis in rabbits look like on radiograph?

A

Gas proximal to site of obstruction
Bubbles of gas rather than halo in stomach

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30
Q

What are the signs of non-obstructive GI stasis in rabbits?

A

Slow insidious onset
Gradual decrease in size of faecal pellets
Craving high fibre items
Normal hydration to moderate dehydration
Normal demeanor progressing to depression

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31
Q

What is seen on radiograph in rabbits with non obstructive gut stasis/ilius?

A

Impacted material in stomach/caecum
Halo of gas around them

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32
Q

How does duration of ileus affect prognosis in rabbits?

A

Longer the rabbit is not eating, the more dehydrated and impacted
Permanent and irreversible ileus can develop

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33
Q

What can cause impaction in the caecum of rabbits?

A

Cat litter as bedding

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34
Q

What is the most important finding on biochem/haem of ileus in rabbits?

A

Gradual increase in blood glucose indicates blockage

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35
Q

How do you treat obstructive ileus in rabbits?

A

Aggressive fluid therapy
Analgesia
Surgery - ex lap

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36
Q

What are some common sites of GI obstruction in rabbits?

A

Ileocaecal valve
Sacculus rotundus
Pylorus

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37
Q

What are some common GI FBs in rabbits?

A

Locust bean pods
Fur mats

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38
Q

How do you treat non obstructive ileus in rabbits?

A

Abdominal massage
Exercise
Probiotics
GI prokinetics - ranitidine, metoclopramide
Laxative s
Enema
Enzymes

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39
Q

How can you encourage feeding in rabbits?

A

Direct feeding by mouth
Naso-gastric tubes

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40
Q

How quick can you make a rabbit lose weight?

A

No more than 1.5% bodyweight per week - go into ketotic crisis

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41
Q

What is a big cause of shock in rabbits?

A

Diarrhoea

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42
Q

What can cause diarrhoea in rabbits?

A

Dietary upset
Bacterial overgrowth
Viral infection - rota, coronavirus
Coccidiosis

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43
Q

What is massive dietary change likely to cause in rabbits?

A

Change in caecotroph nature
May cause diarrhoea also

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44
Q

What can cause bacterial overgrowth in rabbits?

A

Poor diet
Antibiotic use

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45
Q

What causes hair loss in rabbits?

A

Normal moulting - twice a year, from head and proceeding caudally
Females have dewlap - pull fur out to line nest when pregnant

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46
Q

What causes dermatological disease in guinea pigs?

A

Vitamin C deficiency - cant synthesise so need to get from the diet

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47
Q

How do guinea pigs maintain their fur?

A

Scent/grease gland over rump - greasy fur

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48
Q

How do chinchillas maintain their very dense fur?

A

Must have daily sand bath
Avoid humidity

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49
Q

What is a defence mechanism that chinchillas use?

A

Fur-slip

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50
Q

What are common rabbit derm conditions?

A

Cheyletiella mites
Fly strike
Pododermatitis
Pasteurellosis

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51
Q

What are common guinea pig derm conditions?

A

Sarcoptic mange
Dermatophytosis (ringworm)
Cystic ovarian disease
Vitamin C deficiency

52
Q

What is the most common ectoparasite seen in rabbits?

A

Cheyletiella parasitovorax mites - causes scurfy skin (white flakes in fur), scaling, hair loss

53
Q

What type of rabbits are cheyletiella mites most common in?

A

Immunocompromised rabbits
Not grooming

54
Q

How do you treat cheyletiella in rabbits?

A

Ivermectin

55
Q

What is the ear mite found in rabbits?

A

Psoroptes cuniculi - very pruritic

56
Q

How are psoroptes cuniculi mites spread?

A

Direct contact
Survive 3 weeks in the environment

57
Q

How do you treat psoroptes cuniculi ear mite in rabbits?

A

Ivermectin
Analgesia
Dont pull crusting off - very painful

58
Q

What is the main ectoparasite in guinea pigs?

A

Trixacarus caviae - sarcoptic mite

59
Q

What mites are zoonotic to humans in rabbits/hystricomorphs/rodents?

A

Cheyletiella - rabbits
Trixacarus caviae - sarcoptic mite in guinea pigs

60
Q

What is a vector for myxomatosis?

A

European rabbit flea

61
Q

What fleas do rabbits get?

A

Ctenocephalides felis - cat flea
Spillopsyllus cuniculi - european house flea

62
Q

How do you treat rabbit fleas?

A

Imidacloprid, permethrin
NOT fipronil (frontline) - will kill them

63
Q

What causes fly strike in rabbits?

A

Perineal faecal soiling
Urine soiling/scald
Dental disease, obesity, low fibre diet - cant clean
Attract flies - lucilia (greenbottle)
eggs hatch and L2 larvae digest tissue

64
Q

How do you treat shock from myiasis (fly strike)?

A

Fluids, analgesia, antibiotics
Feeding
Sedation, clip and clean
Ivermectin
Euthanase in severe cases

65
Q

What is pododermatitis?

A

Bacterial skin disease (staph, strep) on feet of rabbits, G pigs causing chronic ulcerative state

66
Q

What are the predisposing factors for pododermatitis?

A

Obesity
Vit C deficiency
Rough flooring
Wet/soiled bedding

67
Q

How do you treat pododermatitis in rabbits/G pigs?

A

Address husbandry
Antibiotics
Analgesia
Surgical debridement
Bandages

68
Q

What can chronic infection such a pododermatitis cause in G pigs?

A

Amyloidosis

69
Q

What causes ulcers and crusts around the mouth/philtrum of guinea pigs?

A

Cheilitis
Predisposed by Vit C deficiency, poxvirus

70
Q

What is rabbit syphilis called?

A

Treponema cuniculi

71
Q

How is rabbit syphilis (treponema) spread?

A

By direct/venereal contact
Commonly in young rabbits

72
Q

What are the clinical signs of rabbit syphilis (treponema)?

A

Reddness, oedema, ulcers, scabs in perineal/genital areas, lips and eyelids

73
Q

How is rabbit syphilis (treponema) treated?

A

Penicillin

74
Q

What is the equivalent of strangyles in guinea pigs?

A

Cervical lymphadenitis - strep zooepidemicus
Commensal in oropharynx - gains access to cervical lymph nodes due to abrasions in oral mucosa and causes abscesses

75
Q

WHat is moist dermatitis in rabbits?

A

Chronic salivation from dental disease causing secondary infection of dewlap with pseudomonas - blue fur disease

76
Q

What is dermatophytosis?

A

Ringworm

77
Q

What species/age is dermatophytosis common in?

A

G pigs and chinchillas
Young animals
Immunosuppression, stress

78
Q

Where is dermatophytosis found most commonly in G pigs and chinchillas?

A

Head/face

79
Q

How do you treat dermatophytosis?

A

Itraconazole

80
Q

What is myxomatosis? What does it cause?

A

Pox virus transmitted by arthropod vectors or direct contact
Causes facial and perineal skin lesions - thickened eyelids, conjunctivitis, anorexia, mucopurulent oculonasal discharge]
Death within 14 days

81
Q

How do you treat myxomatosis?

A

Prevention - vaccination (nobivac myxo annual)
Vector control

82
Q

What is atypical myxomatosis?

A

Benign fibromatous swellings

83
Q

What are the signs of hypovitaminosis C (scurvy) in G pigs?

A

Rough hair coat
Scaling of ears
Poor wound healing
Secondary bacterial skin infectoins

84
Q

How do you treat hypovitaminosis C in g pigs?

A

Correct diet
Supplement - degrades quickly so give in food, vegetables, add to drinking water (cant overdose)

85
Q

What is a common endocrine disease in guinea pigs?

A

Cystic ovarian syndrome

86
Q

What are the signs of cystic ovarian syndrome in guinea pigs?

A

Non-pruritic symmetrical alopecia over dorsum and flanks
Abdominal distention
More dominant

87
Q

How do you treat cystic ovarian disease in g pigs?

A

Ovariohysterectomy

88
Q

What are other causes of symmetrical non-pruritic flank alopecia in g pigs?

A

Late pregnancy - resolves after parturition

89
Q

What benign neoplasm do guinea pigs get on their dorsum - central pore with discharge?

A

Trichofolliculomas

90
Q

What non neoplastic mass do g pigs tend to get?

A

Sebaceous cysts - blocked sebaceous gland in skin

91
Q

What is a normal rabbit resp rate?

A

30-60bpm

92
Q

What is a very common cause of respiratory infection in rabbits?

A

Pasteurella multocida - URT bacterial infection

93
Q

What is pasteurellosis related to in rabbits?

A

Stress related - overcrowding, aggression, concurrent disease

94
Q

What are the 4 manifestations of pasteurella in rabbits?

A

Upper resp tract disease
Otitis media/interna
Pneumonia
Abscesses in lungs/thorax

95
Q

How do you diagnose pasteurellosis?

A

Deep swabs from nares
Radiography
Usually just treat on suspicion

96
Q

How do you treat pasteurellosis in rabbits?

A

Difficult - 2-3 months of antibiotics by culture and sensitivity given by nebulisation
Supportive care - NSAIDs, oxygen

97
Q

What is a common cause of respiratory disease in guinea pigs?

A

Bordetella bronchiseptica

98
Q

What are the clinical signs of bordertella in g pigs?

A

Anorexia
Oculonasal discharge
Dyspnoea
Abortion
Pneumonia
Death

99
Q

What is the treatment/prognosis of bordertella in guinea pigs?

A

Antibiotics, nebulisation, supportive care
Guarded prognosis

100
Q

What are the 3 bacteria causing resp disease in guinea pigs?

A

Bordertella bronchiseptica
Strep pneumoniae
Chlamydophila caviae

101
Q

What can cause viral respiratory disease in rabbits?

A

Myxomatosis
Viral haemorrhagic disease - calicivirus

102
Q

What can cause non-infectious resp disease in rabbits?

A

Neoplasia
Allergic/irritant rhinitis/bronchitis

103
Q

What does high blood glucose suggest in a rabbit?

A

Exceeded renal threshold due to stress/pain

104
Q

What is sludge in a rabbits bladder? What is it due to?

A

Calcium carbonate - irritant
Low water intake - low fibre levels

105
Q

What do sludgy bladders cause?

A

Urinary overflow incontinence - sludge fills up bladder so there is less space for fluid
Scald - leads to flystrike

106
Q

How do you treat sludge bladder in rabbits?

A

Increase water intake - high fibre, soak hay, ad lib water
Encourage emptying of bladder - large cage to allow posturing, good access to litter areas, exercise

107
Q

What small animal tends to get urolithiasis?

A

Guinea pigs

108
Q

What is the most common neoplasia in a rabbit?

A

Uterine adenocarcinoma - neuter them

109
Q

What animal do you do a vasectomy in?

A

Ferrets

110
Q

What are the indications for neutering rabbits?

A

Population control
Behaviour modification - territorial aggression in does
Disease prevention - uterine adenocarcinoma

111
Q

How do you bring female ferrets out of oestrus?

A

Mate with a vasectomised ‘hobble’

112
Q

When is it easiest to vasectomise a ferret?

A

In early summer - much thinner so less fat

113
Q

What type of castration is best to do in which age of rabbit?

A

Open - older
Closed - younger

114
Q

When is it best to do a ovarohysterectomy in rabbits?

A

Between 5-7 months - less developed, less fat

115
Q

Why is rodent castration difficult?

A

Permanently open inguinal rings, large testes

116
Q

How do you spay rodents?

A

Ovariectomy
Dont have to worry about uterine neoplasia like in rabbits

117
Q

What is the most commonly used induction agent in rabbits?

A

Med/ket/butorphanol (DKT)
IM - short procedures
IV - long procedures

118
Q

What are the risks of intubation of rabbits?

A

Can traumatise larynx
Can push food into larync
Overinflation injuries possible
Difficult to visualise

119
Q

What are the different intubation methods in rabbits?

A

Blind intubation
Otoscope +/- stylet
Flecknell laryngoscope
V-gel

120
Q

What reflexes can you use to monitor anaesthetic?

A

Not eye reflexes - abolished with DKT
Jaw movements - light
Hindfeet withdrawal - abolished first, then fore as deepens

121
Q

How do you minimise stress in the vets for rabbits?

A

Avoid noise, smell of predators
Provide food, hay
Provided bonded pair rabbit
Relieve/avoid pain

122
Q

How do you give perioperative fluids?

A

IV - in ear vein, not too big cannula

123
Q

What is a common consequence of abdominal surgery in rabbits?

A

Adhesions

124
Q

What is the best way of stabilising a rabbit leg fracture?

A

External fixation

125
Q

What pathogen causes neuro problems eg. head tilt and hindlimb paralysis?

A

Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E. cuniculi)

126
Q

How do you treat E. cuniculi?

A

Fenbendazole