Pet Rodents Flashcards
1
Q
What is the life expectancy of common pet rodents
A
- Hamsters 2-4yrs
- Rat 2-3yrs
- Mouse 1-2yrs
2
Q
What are common risk factors for pet rodents?
A
- Caged - poor monitoring
- Not handles often - missed lesions
- Mask illness
- Small body size = higher exposure
- Higher metabolism
- Kids as primary caretakers
- No regular preventative medicine
2
Q
What are common risk factors for pet rodents?
A
- Caged - poor monitoring
- Not handles often - missed lesions
- Mask illness
- Small body size = higher exposure
- Higher metabolism
- Kids as primary caretakers
- No regular preventative medicine
3
Q
describe the GI tract of pet rodents
A
- Hindgut fermenter with large cecum where bacterial digestion of plant fibers occur
- guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus, prairie dogs
- Simple GI tract
- mice, rats, hamsters
4
Q
What are some anatomical features of rodents? what does scruffing do?
A
5
Q
How much blood can be taken from rodents?
A
0.5 - 1% of BW
6
Q
Where are IM injections done in rodents?
A
- Hindleg muscles recommended
- avoid sciatic nerve
7
Q
What diseases affect the cheek pouch?
A
- Impaction
- Neoplasia
- Eversion
8
Q
What are the causes of dermal lesions in rodents
A
- Ectoparasites
- bacterial infection - stahpylococcus
- Cushing’s disease
- lymphoma
9
Q
How can you tell a rodent has diarrhea?
A
- Wet tail
- Lawsonia intracellularis
10
Q
What is the treatment for diarrhea in hamsters
A
- Antibiotics
- Enrofloxacin (baytril)
- Trimetoprim sulfa
- Chloramphenicol
- Supportive:
- Fluids SQ
- feeding
- Heat
- Prognosis - guarded
11
Q
Why is antibiotic selection in hamsters important
A
- Clostridium difficile (GI commensul) can cause enterotoxemia
- Avoid:
- penicillins
- lincomycin
- bacitracin
- cephalosporins
12
Q
What is Murine Respiratory Syndrome?
A
- Pathogens:
- Mycoplasma, Cornyebacterium, Streptococcus
- Several viruses, fungal
- Dx - presumptive
- Tx:
- symptomatic - O2, nebulization
- Supportive - fluids, feeding
- Antibacterial
- Doxycycine, Enrogloxacin
- Prognosis guarded
- Recurrence high
13
Q
What is mammary gland neoplasia in rats
A
- Very common (males too)
- Fibroadenoma 90%
- Some may relate to pituitary prolactinomas
- Treatment:
- surgical resection + OVH + histopath
14
Q
What diseases are common to gerbils?
A
- Diarrhea
- Aural cholesteatoma
- Trauma
- Tail slip
- Seizures (inherited trait)
- Renal disease
- Scent gland conditions
- infection or neoplasia
- Red/sore nose
- nasal dermatitis
- Parasitic infections - uncommon
