Mice And Rats

Question 1

Mice and rats belong to the class Mammalia, order ___ and family ___

Answer 1

Order rodentia

Family muridae

Question 2

Which are mice/rats closer to, hamsters or gerbils

Answer 2

Gerbils

Question 3

True or false rats and mice incisors and molars grow continuously through life

Answer 3

FALSE

Only their incisors do

Question 4

What are the harderian gland behind a rats eye

Answer 4

Secretes prophyrins (tears look red due to this substance)

Question 5

What is the average life span of a rat

Answer 5

2-3 years may be up to 5

Question 6

What is the average life span of a mouse

Answer 6

1-2 years

Question 7

Describe chronic respiratory disease seen in rats

Answer 7

Very common

Usually caused my mycoplasma pulmonis (may also involve streptococcus and corynebacterium)

Treat with antibiotics (may kill organism but the body’s response to mycoplasma causes respiratory damage -lungs fill with pus)

Antibiotics may decrease clinical signs but will not sure the disease

Question 8

Describe mammary tumors seen in rats

Answer 8

Usually benign (fibroadenoma)

Grow VERY quickly

Occurs in both sexes (mammary tissue present from neck to inguinal area)

Surgical removal usually curative and straight forward

Question 9

Describe lice/fur mites seen on rats

Answer 9

Common

Scratching and fur loss

Skin scrape/scotch tape test to diagnose

Question 10

Why would owners report bleeding from the eyes/nose in rats

Answer 10

Porphyrin secretion increases with stress and underlying diseases

Question 11

Describe mites seen on mice

Answer 11

Causes Alopecia

Pruritic with self trauma common (can scratch ears off) m

May also be an underlying skin condition and not mites??

Question 12

Describe mammary tumors seen in mice

Answer 12

Almost always malignant (different from rats) (adenocarcinoma) and metastatic

Poor prognosis

Question 13

What is the differences between housing rats and mice

Answer 13

Rats: easily socialized, good with others, rarely bite, make great pets, curious and intelligent

Mice: more active and nervous, quicker to bite, do not allow much handling/interaction, common to see aggression with others

Question 14

What is bruxism and boggling? What are these a sign of?

Answer 14

Grinding the teeth and frothing at the mouth

Common signs of contentment

Question 15

Describe general housing husbandry for mice and rats

Answer 15

Good ventilation is very important (ammonia fumes)

Solid floors be careful with wire siding (will probably escape)

Substrate: recycled paper or aspen shavings

Give hiding boxes, wheels, tubes, and wood blocks to chew on

Check and change water twice daily (rodents may cannibalize if they run out of water, often chew bottles so check for leaks)

Question 16

Describe handling rats

Answer 16

Pick up with one hand and then support with one hand around the shoulders and one underneath

Never pick up/hold by the tail (may bite)

For painful procedures hold in the same manner with thumb under the mandible and stretching them out slightly

Question 17

Describe handling mice

Answer 17

Will bite

Can pick up by the base of the tail and be placed into a hard surface (only use tail for quick transfer -they will bite off their tail to escape)

Can scruff if they try to run

Wrap tail around finger to control

Don’t wear gloves and “squish” (chance of injury, suffocation and dropping)

Question 18

Describe blood collection of rats and mice

Answer 18

Maximum 1% of body weight taken

Use warmed lateral tail vein (other vessels are small and difficult)

Use 23G needle with tuberculin syringe or heparin microhematocrit tube directly from needle

Can use syringe case with breathing holes in the end to help with restraint (60cc for rats, 3cc for mice)

Question 19

Where should injections be given to mice and rats

Answer 19

SQ or IP

Question 20

What is the max amount of fluids that can be given to mice/rats at a time

Answer 20

5mL

Question 21

Describe general anesthesia in mice/rats

Answer 21

Mask down, can use syringe case or place completely inside a K9 mask

Hypothermia is a concern, provide heat source during procedures

Question 22

Describe radiography of mice and rats

Answer 22

Need general anesthesia

May need to use a dental x ray machine

Use tape and positioning aids