Reproduction in Pocket Pets Flashcards
Ferret nomenclature
- jill: intact female
- sprite: spayed female
- hob: intact male
- gib: neutered male
Ferrets reach sexual maturity by _____
4-8 months (first spring after birth)
- seasonally polyestrous (march-august)
- induced to cycle year round with lighting
- induced ovulators!!
- litter size: 8-10
Gestation length of ferrets
41-42 days
Pet ferrets
Most are spayed/neutered early in life
- breeding is discouraged
Ferret - pregnancy toxemia
Negative energy balance in late gestation
- poor/insufficient diet to meet needs of gestation
- lethargy prior to due date, collapse
- dehydration with black tarry stools
- alopecia
- hypoglycemic, azotemic, ketonuric
- poor prognosis, immediate C section
Ferret - struvite urolithiasis
Diet with plant proteins produces alkaline urine –> struvite crystal formation and stones (urine pH >6.4)
- hobs have complete obstruction
- straining leads to rectal/vaginal prolapse
- straining in late gestation could be stones
- palpate/radiograph
- cystotomy and possible c section
- change diet to acidify urine
Ferret - dystocia
Often due to small litter size (1-2 kits)
- prolonged gestation in small litters
- insufficient hormonal stimulus to trigger delivery
- kits die after 43 days
- jills with small litters can be induced on day 41 with lutalyse followed by oxytocin in 1-4 hrs
Other causes of dystocia
- very large kits
- deformed fetuses
- anasarcous kits
Ferret normal parturition
Parturition occurs over 2-3 hours –> approx 5 kits per hour
Ferret - C section
When jill has been in labor for 24 hours or in distress for much shorter
- gas anesthesia is preferred
- jills recover well and nurse kits uneventfully
Poor mothering of kits
Common in primiparous jills
- provide privacy
- cannibalization is common
- confine the jill with her kits in very small space
- once kits are accepted she can be given more space
Ferret mastitis
Acute mastitis appears right after whelping or after the 3rd week of lactation
- high demand for milk and teeth that can damage the teats
- affected glands are swollen, firm, red/purple and painful
- staph and coliforms
- becomes gangrenous
- immediate aggressive treatment with antibiotics, hydration, flunixin
Ferret metritis
Excessive vaginal discharge following parturition, uterine distension
- treat with lutalyse and antibiotics (TMS/clavamox)
- improvement in kits seen in 24 hrs when milk production improves
Rabbits reach sexual maturity by _____
6-12 months dependent on breed/size (does earlier than bucks)
Rabbits - female basics
Induced ovulators!
- gestation length: 30-33 days
- copulation time is 2 sec
- repro tract lacks a uterine body
- nurse only once a day for 3-5 min
Rabbits - male basics
- lack an os penis
- testes descend around 12 weeks of age
- inguinal canals do not close
- initiate copulation within seconds or minutes after introduction
- exhibit enurination - emission of jet of urine at a partner during display of courtship
Rabbit - uterine adenocarcinoma
Most common neoplasia in female rabbits!
- age is common factor
- occur independent of breeding history
- 50-80% occur in breeds of rabbits when older than 4 yrs
- hematuria or serosanguinous vaginal discharge with concurrent cystic mammary glands is a common finding
- depression anorexia and dyspnea
- prevent with OHE before 2 years
Rabbits - pyometra
Vaginal discharge, anorexia, lethargy, weakness, enlarged abdomen
- doughy uterus on palpation, confirmed with rads or US
- typical CBC
- OHE with pre-op antibiotics is preferred
- pasurella multocida and staph aureus
Rabbits - pregnancy toxemia
Occurs during last week of gestation, common in obese rabbits
- signs progress over 1-5 days
- weakness, depression, incoordination, anorexia, convulsions, coma
- breath may have acetone odor
- urine will be acidic, proteinuria, ketonuria, hepatic lipidosis
- no treatment, avoid fasting and undernutrition in late gestation
Rabbits - mastitis
Occurs during lactation
- depression, fever, anorexia, polydipsia
- firm, hot, swollen glands with discolored skin
- staph, stre, pasturella
- systemic antibiotics (baytril, TMS, penicillins)
Guinea pigs reach sexual maturity by _____
2 months if female, 3 months if male
- nonseasonal polyestrous
- 15-17 day cycle with spontaneous ovulation
- gestation length 59-72 days (avg 68 days)
- hemochorial placentation
- litter size: 1-13
- weaned at 21 days
Guinea pigs - parturition
Pubic symphysis separates prior to parturition!
- 15mm separation 2 days prior with 25mm separation at time of delivery
- sows that are bred for 1st time after 7-8 months may have dystocia due to failure of separation
- depression or bloody vaginal discharge in gravid sow should be evaluated
- c section indicated in most dystocia
- precocious pups delivered
