Hamster Husbandry and Diseases Flashcards
What order and suborder are hamsters?
order: rodentia
suborder: myomorpha
(note this is the same as mice and rats; their family is criccetinae)
what is the most common hamster species you will see as a pet?
syrian / golden hamster
what is the lifespan of hamsters?
2-3 years short :(
what is the urine volume of hamsters?
5-8 mL (A LOT)
so ensure to provide them with absorbable bedding and clean it regularly.
T/F: hamsters do not have a large cecum as rats/mice do
false they do! and thus, are just as sensitive to antibiotics.
are hamsters cheek pouches evertable?
yes!
they are used to carry food and nest materials and can become impacted as a result. never evert them unless the animal is sedated.
they also serve as a immunopriveleged site.
T/F: flank sebaceous glands in hamsters are functional in both male and female hamsters
false – only males. they are involved in marking territory and mating behavior.
why is it so important that hamster owners provide their pets with plenty of cage room and bedding + toilet paper tubes, etc.?
hamsters are burrowers!
Why should you tell your client whose 4 year old just got a hamster that it is important NOT to wake the hamster when its sleeping?
they are deep sleepers and can be aggressive if woken up.
Hamsters are crepuscular. What does this mean?
They are most active at dawn/dusk
what is the hamsters diet?
omnivorous (veggies, seed, fruit, meat) ad libitum with water ad libitum too.
they are also coprophagous (like rabbits) meaning they eat their own droppings as a source of vit B and K.
what is the preferred restraint method for hamsters?
cup in hand or towel
or grip scruff of neck/back (tightly because if not, they have too much mobility and will be able to bite you)
how do you sex hamsters?
anogenital distance
greater in males than females
how long is the estrous cycle of hamsters?
4 days
she will exhibit lordosis when in heat
how long is gestation in hamsters?
15-18 days (shortest of lab animals)
Why should owners avoid stressing hamster females after parturition?
she will cannibalize her pups is disturbed / stressed.
when does weaning occur in hamsters?
~ 3 weeks
what is the MAXIMUM blood volume you can collect from a hamster?
0.8-1.0 mL
which 2 blood collection sites are preffered in hamsters?
saphenous
mandibular
what organism most commonly causes Proliferative Ileitis/enteritis (wet tail) in hamsters?
Clostridium difficile, but still do a c/s because others are campylobacter fetus jejuni and e. coli
A hamster presented to your clinic with typhlitis, diarrhea, and dehyrdation. You presumptively diagnose this hamster with Wet Tail. What is the tx?
gentamicin
cagemates likely will get it bc trans is fecal-oral
what are the. possible etiologies of pneumonia in hamsters causing respiratory distress and naso-ocular discharge?
- pasteurella pneumotropica
- streptococcus pneumoniae
- Sendai virus (murine parainfluenza virus 1)
what is the tx for pneumonia in hamsters?
antibiotics (safe for the cecum)
What is a viral induced malignant tumor of hamsters?
lymphosarcoma
can occur in skin, GI, or kidney
What is the primary cause of death in OLD hamsters causing anorexia, weight loss, PU/PD, and proteinuria?
amyloidosis (kidney is most common site of deposition)
Which of the following is FALSE about Tyzzers Disease in hamsters?
A. caused by clostridium piliforme
B. same clinical signs as wet tail except causes acute mortality
C. is associated with poor hygienic environments, not stress
C. is associated with poor hygienic environments, not stress
Tyzzers looks very similar to Wet Tail but the profuse diarrhea and dehydration causes ACUTE mortality (As in the animal will be fine the night before and then be extremely ill or dead the next morning)
what causes lymphocytic choriomeningitis in hamsters and is it zoonotic?
LCM virus (arenaviridae)
potentially zoonotic, so this is one potential reason why hamsters may not be the BEST recommendation for children.
T/F: You typically will not see hamsters presenting for parasites because most are bred in captive populations.
true
if you do, pinworms are most common.
