Reproduction control in exotic pets

Question 1

External Urogenital Anatomy of the Rabbit - Male vs. Female

Answer 1

V.difficult to differentiate between male + female
male - preputial orifice
female - vulval orifice

Question 2

mammalian uterine anatomy

Answer 2

simplex - humans, single cervix, uterine horns fused
duplex - rabbits, two cervixes, uterine horns not fused
Bipartite/Bicornuate - cats + dogs, single cervix, larger uterine body

Question 3

Rabbit Urogenital Anatomy - Male

Answer 3

numerous accessory sex glands

testes quite mobile - open inguinal ring - hard to find sometimes

Question 4

Guinea Pig Urogenital Anatomy - Male

Answer 4

well developed accessory sex glands

Question 5

mammary gland neoplasia - rats

Answer 5

common

surgical removal - normally benign

Question 6

External Urogenital Anatomy of the

Hamster - Male vs. Female

Answer 6

distance between urinary orifice and anus in the male is much larger than female

Question 7

Reproduction – Rabbit Female

Answer 7

Gestation period (28-33d, usually 31-32)
Give birth underground
Altricial young
Postpartum oestrus within 24 hours of kindling
Induced ovulators – 10-13 hours postcoitus
No regular oestrus cycle

Question 8

reproduction - rodents

Answer 8

Myomorphs 
altricial young 
Large litters (16-18 in hamsters) 
Weaned 6-10 weeks)  
Hystricomorphs – precoccial young

Question 9

common reproductive disease

Answer 9

Neoplasia - Uterine Adenocarcinoma - v.common in unspayed female rabbits
Pyometra 
Rabbit syphilis - Treponema cuniculi 
Mastitis 
Cystic ovaries 
Pregnancy toxaemia 
guinea pigs presented for being too fat

Question 10

uterine adenocarcinoma

Answer 10

PCs - weight loss, vulval discharge, haematuria
Dx - PEx - abdominal palpation, Urinalysis (not v.useful), radiography, FNA/cytology
Rx - ovariohysterectomy
often too late for surgery upon discovery

Question 11

ferret reproductive disease

Answer 11

Female - Hyperoestrogenism / Oestrogen Toxicity - severe anaemia - common
Male - Prosatatic hypertrophy - associated with hyperadrenocorticism

Question 12

rabbit surgery - considerations

Answer 12

Food and Water 
Analgesia 
Body temperature 
Positioning 
Stress 
Suture material

Question 13

rabbit surgery - food + water

Answer 13

rabbits cannot vomit
no overnight withholding of food
fast for only a couple of hours prior to surgery
do not withhold water
encourage to eat as soon as possible post surgery

Question 14

rabbit surgery - analgesia

Answer 14

opiods

NSAIDS

Question 15

rabbit surgery - body temp, positioning + stress

Answer 15

extra heating
raise head + thorax
minimise stress - keep from cats + dogs

Question 16

rabbit surgery - suture material

Answer 16

degradable - not catgut
suture pattern - subcuticular not simple or mattress as rabbits nibble
staples - quick + rabbits don’t mind

Question 17

common reasons for reproductive surgery

Answer 17

ovariohysterectomy (including adenocarcimona) castration
vasectomy
caesarian

Question 18

reasons for spaying female rabbits

Answer 18

uterine adenocarcinoma
behaviour
pyometra
population control

Question 19

rabbit spay

Answer 19

abundant adipose tissue
friable uterus
long oviduct

Question 20

rabbit castrations

Answer 20

behaviour + population control

Prescrotal, Scrotal*, Open or Closed