Small mammal GI disease - rabbits

Question 1

Can rodents and rabbits vomit?

Answer 1

No

Question 2

What are the 2 types of fibre?

Answer 2

INDIGESTIBLE - larger particles, stimulate GIT motility and dental wear
DIGESTIBLE - small particles, fermented by GI bacteria to produce FAs

Question 3

What is the fusus colis? Function?

Answer 3

The distal part of the proximal colon

Controls motility

Question 4

How is digestible fibre separated from indigestible fibre?

Answer 4

Contractions separate indigestible fibre which is passes on to produce >150 faecal pellets per day. Digestible fibre is washed back to the caecum for fermentation.

Question 5

When are caecotrophs produced?

Answer 5

3-8hours after eating, usually at night, covered in mucous

Question 6

Caecotrophs are eaten and redigested to provide what? 4

Answer 6

microbial protein, B and K vitamins and fatty acids. Rodents still need an additional source of B vitamins even if eating caecotrophs as their production of them is less effective than rabbits

Question 7

Which antibiotics cannot be given orally to rabbits or rodents? Why?

Answer 7

• PLACE RULE:
• PENICILLINS
• LINCOSAMIDES
• AMINOGLYCOSIDES
• CEPHALOSPORINS
• ERYTHROMYCIN

-when given orally, these ABs causes a reductionin some intestinal bacteria allowing overgrowth of others e.g. Clostridium and toxin production

Question 8

Causes of gut stasis - 7 (2 most common)

Answer 8

COMMONEST = stress and pain

ALSO - dehydration, anorexia, primary GI disease, toxin ingestion, insufficient fibre

Question 9

What is the logical approach to gut stasis?

Answer 9

Problem - complete or partial? +/- anorexia
System - primary or secondary GI disease
Location - proximal or distal GI system
Lesion ??? not always determined

Question 10

What are important aspects of history?

Answer 10

• Husbandry - indoor/outdoor? Companions? changes?, access to FBs or toxins?
• Diet - regular and treats
• Standard medical history - especially eating and faeces produciton

Question 11

What do you use to inspect rabbit teeth?

Answer 11

Otoscope

Question 12

Indicators of primary GI disease - 3

Answer 12

• History of poor diet/dietary change
• Palpable abnormality in gut
• onset of gut stasis precedes any signs of malaise

Question 13

When would you suspect secondary GI disease?

Answer 13

• History of stress

- Obvious source of pain

Question 14

Steps to stabilise rabbit with gut stasis - 5

Answer 14

Warmth, fluid, nutrition, gut stimulants, analgesia

Question 15

Normal temperature of a rabbit

Answer 15

38-39.5 degrees

n.b. high surface area to volume ratio so beware of rapid heat loss/gain

Question 16

What are the principles of rabbit fluid therapy?

Answer 16

• Maintenance <100ml/kg/day
• IV if possible but often divided between IV and SC (sometimes also oral)
• Warm SC fluids and add hyaluronidase (both increase speed of fluid absorption)

Question 17

How do you feed the rabbit with gut stasis?

Answer 17

50ml/kg/day (split between 3-5 meals if completly anorexic)

Nasogastric tube occasionally necessary

Question 18

When would you use METOCLOPRAMIDE?
Location of action?
Mechanism?

Answer 18

• Prokinetic (affects Ach release and dopamine/serotonin receptors)
• Works on oesophagus, stomach, proximal SI not colon

Question 19

Uses - RANITIDINE.
Location of action?
Mechanism?

Answer 19

• treat GI ulcers
• works on histamine H2 receptors
• Prokinetic (has effects on acetylcholinesterase inhibition)
• works on proximal GIT but may stimulate colonic motility too

Question 20

Uses - CISAPRIDE - location? Mechanism>

Answer 20

• more potent prokinetic than metoclopramide - works on serotonin receptors to indirectly stimualte Ach release
• Works on oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon

Question 21

In reality how do you use prokinetics?

Answer 21

Usually use 2 or 3 at the same time

Question 22

Which 2 options are the most common analgesics? Dose?

Answer 22

• NSAIDS - meloxicam (ensure animal is well-hydrated, consider simultaneous gastro-protectants)
• OPIODS - buprenorphine.
• Both require higher doses than dogs/cats due to higher metabolic rate.

Question 23

Indications of an obstruction - 4

Answer 23

• Visualisation of a FB
• gastric dilation
• gas shadows in SI cranial to an obstruction
• serial radiographs to check if gas is moving through the hindgut

Question 24

Indications for blood tests with gut stasis

Answer 24

• If systemic disease is suspected (renal/hepatic failure, lead/zinc levels))
• Elevated glucose levels can indicate severity of condition

Question 25

Why is it not always possible to define the lesion? 4 Risk of this?

Answer 25

• GA not always desirable in these cases
• Gastroscopy limited by full stomach
• Intestinal biopsies carry risk of dehiscence and infection -many cases resolve with symptomatic treatment only

MAY have recurrent episodes

Question 26

How do you approach diarrhoea cases in rabbits/rodents?

Answer 26

Same as dogs and cats:

• acute/chronic?
• if acute - with(out) systemic signs?
• SI/LI/mixed?

True diarrhoea or caecotrophs?

Question 27

Common causes of diarrhoea in rabbits/rodents - 6

Answer 27

Similar to dogs/cats:

Diet, ABs, post-weaning, bacterial enteritis, viral enteritis, coccidiosis

Question 28

Diagnosis - diarrhoea in rabbits/rodents - 4

Answer 28

• Faecal parasitology
• Faecal microbiology
• Abdominal imaging
• Bloods

Question 29

Stabilising rabbit with diarrhoea - 4

Answer 29

Same as gut stasis but without need for gut stimulants! (i.e. warmth, fluids, nutrition, analgesia)

Question 30

Specific treatments - rabbit/rodent diarrhoea - 4

Answer 30

• Treat any coccidia - Toltrazuril
• Colestryamine - to bind enterotoxins
• ABs if bacterial enteritis (metronidazole)
• Probiotics? (no evidence but not harmful)