Pocket Pets Flashcards
Types of hamsters typically seen in clinic
Golden/Syrian hamster
European hamster
Russian dwarf hamster
General anatomy of mice
Small, busy, long, hairless tail, 20-63g
General anatomy of rats
Large, intelligent, long hairless tails. 225-500g
General anatomy of gerbils
Desert adopted rodent but needs fresh water access, produce concentrated urine, long hairy tail, 46-131g
General anatomy of hamsters
Stocky, loose skinned, cheek pouches and short tail. 87-130g
Dental formula for rodents
2(I1/1, C0/0, P0/0, M3/3)
Dental anatomy of pocket rodents
Hamsters born with incisors
Incisors are open rooted and grow continuously, molars do not
Malocclusion can lead to starvation or death
T/F in pocket rodents both incisors and molars are open rooted and grow continuously
False. Only incisors are open rooted and grow continuously
General tail anatomy of pocket rodents
Rates, mice, gerbils possess long tails
Hamsters have short tails
Which pocket rodents can get tail slip?
Gerbils
What is the name of the gland located between each eye in pocket rodents and what does it do?
Harderian glands secretes a substance containing porphyrin, a reddish tinged substance
T/F mammary masses can occur well away from the teats
True. Mammary tissue is excessive and not always near the teats
What do the Harderian glands secrete?
porphyrin
What type of ovulator are pocket rodents?
Seasonlly polyestrous and spontaneous ovulators
What gland do hamsters have and what are they for?
Bilateral flank gland, sebaceous gland that play a part in mating, territorial behaviour, and marking pups
What are hamsters cheek pouches used for?
Extend back to scapulae, used to transfer food and bedding from one point to another
Why should you never disturb a mother and pups
Mothers will move pups in her mouth and can suffocate them
T/F rodents are monogastric
true
What type of pouches do hamsters have?
Cheek and esophageal
What is the esophageal pouch used for in hamsters?
Pre-gastric fermentation
What organ do rats not have?
Gall bladder
What is coprophagy and which animals do it?
Eating your own feces. Hamsters & chinchillas
What is necessary in small rodents housing?
Escape & chew proof. Easily cleaned with solid flooring. Metal or plastic cage. Adequate ventilation for ammonia buildup
What bedding is appropriate for pocket rodents?
Ash and pine shavings, corncob, paper products are safer
What bedding is not appropriate for pocket rodents?
Cedar shavings (aromatic oils are irritating and can cause pododermatitis) and wood shavings (too rough)
Which bedding can cause pododermatitis in small rodents?
Cedar shavings
Why should you never handle a small rodents young?
Mom will eat them :(
Are small rodents nocturnal or diurnal?
Nocturnal
What type of stomach do small rodents have
monogastric
What diet do small rodents have?
Omnivores. Fresh pellets daily better than seed mix. Small fresh food (carrots, apple, greens)
Why should small rodents not have plastic bowls?
Will chew on it
What are the common diseases of small rodents?
Acariasis, barbering, mechanical abrasions, mange, neoplasia, malocclusion, uterine cancer, moist dermatitis, wet tail, tyzzers disease, chronic respiratory disease, sialodacryoadenitis
What is barbering in small rodents?
chewing on each other’s hair. Most common in female mice, but can be seen in breeding pairs.
What endoparasites do small rodents most commonly get?
Pinworms and tapeworms
Signs of malocclusion in small rodents
Weight loss, drooling, oral trauma
What causes moist dermatitis in small rodents?
Exposed to wet environments.
What causes “wet tail” in hamsters?
Hamsters with diarrhea. Causes bacterial infection. Caused by improper diet or stress
What is Tyzzer’s disease?
Caused by clostridium (C.Diff) . Hepatoenteric infectious disease. Fatal in hamsters and gerbils. Rats and mice can overcome. Stress is major factor. Exposure in infected bedding
What bacteria causes Tyzzer’s disease?
Clostridium
Which rodents prefer to live alone?
Male rodents, hamsters
Which rodents are social and like to be housed together?
rats
Which rodents are cannibalistic
Mice and hamsters
How do you restrain hamsters
Scruff a lot more than you think
Which rodents can you lift by the base of the tail?
Rats and mice
How do you know if you scruffed a hamster enough?
Smile
How do you sex
Compare anogenital distance. Distance from anus to genital papilla greater in males.
Where can you give medications in small rodents
IV, IM, IP
Where can you give IV injection in small rodents?
Tail vein
Where can you give an IM injection in small rodents?
quadriceps
Where can you give IP injections in small rodents?
Rats - left quadrant
Rest - right quadrant
Why can’t you inject in the right quadrant in rats
Cecum
Where can you give SQ injections in small rodents
Skin tent behind neck
Where can you collect blood in small rodents?
Tail vein (except hamsters). Saphenous & venous sinus
