GIT exotics

Question 1

What clinical signs are associated with gastro disease in exotics?

Answer 1

• Reduced appetite/anorexia/dysphagia
• Reduced faecal droppings/constipation
• Diarrhoea/Tenesmus/undigested faeces
• Pain (e.g. changed posture)
• Lethargy/depression
• Weight loss
• Dehydration
• Haematochezia

Question 2

Is vomiting or regurgitation common in exotics?

Answer 2

• Vomiting only common in ferrets.
• Vomiting and regurgitation are not a clinical signs seen in omnivorous rodents.
• Regurgitation in reptiles is often husbandry related.
• Regurgitation is very common in birds. It can be normal or indication of disease.

Question 3

What diagnostics can you undertake for GI diseases in exotics?

Answer 3

Radiology:
* Can see foreign bodies, organ enlargement, tumours etc.
* Contrast medium is very useful in birds and reptiles, can help identify obstructions and slow gastrointestinal motility.
◦ moves very slowly (days) in reptiles

**Haem and biochem:** * Can be used to detect some things e.g:
◦ Inflammatory process/infection
◦ Organ damage e.g. liver and kidney   * Can be ‘normal’ despite pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. * Can help determine severity and help stabilise e.g. dehydration  * Can detect what organs/systems are involved. * Pre-GA for imaging? * ALWAYS do a fresh blood smear. (as nucleated RBCs)

Faecal testing:
* Flotation parasitology to look for endoparasites.
* Grams stain +/- culture to look for bacterial causes (commensal?)
* Faecal PCR for specific pathogens such as bornavirus (PDD), chlamydophila (Psittacosis, 3 day pooled), cryptosporidium.

Question 4

What supportive care can we provide for exotics with GI disease?

Answer 4

• Pain relief e.g. NSAID (meloxicam) and opioids:
  ◦ Reptiles: Morphine (buprenorphine?)
  ◦ Birds: Butorphanol (more kappa receptors)
  ◦ Small mammals: Buprenorphine
• Fluids (oral, S/C, IC, IV, IO)
• Warmth for all species (specific POTZ if a reptile)
• Tube feeding birds and reptiles (high protein recovery diet)
• Liver supplements: Lactulose, thyroxin, SAM-e, sylmarin, L-carnitine (dog/cat liver supplements)

Question 5

What drugs do we need to be cautious with in exotics?

Answer 5

• Ivermectin will kill Chelonia. Safe for other species when used appropriately.
• Metronidazole is used frequently for protozoal and bacterial infections in snakes, but kingsnakes and indigo snakes appear very sensitive to it (use lower doses if no alternatives).

Question 6

What diseases don’t need specific treatments?

Answer 6

• Salmonella in reptiles
  ◦ is a commensal
  ◦ owners need to make sure to wash hands and good biosecurity
• Cryptosporidium in reptiles. - no treatment so PTS
• PDD in birds - not treatment, PTS
• With chickens where there isn’t a licensed treatment in a food producing animal (supportive treatment only)

Question 7

When would we consider starving exotic animals?

Answer 7

prior to a general anaesthesia, sometimes! (species differences):
* ferrets - 1- 4 hours
* rodents - can’t vomit so don’t starve
* Birds: only for crop emptying (budgie ~ 1 hr, parrot ~ 3 hrs)
* Reptiles: 24-72 hours but often not necessary (anorexic already)