small mammals 1 pt 3 Flashcards
Guinea Pigs, Chinchillas (and Degus)
- taxonomy
- sleep schedule, where they live?
- NW Hystricomorph rodents
- Prey
- Mainly herbivorous
- Nocturnal / diurnal
- Terrestrial and fossorial
Guinea Pigs skin glands
- GP – androgen-dependent sebaceous gland, esp. dorsum
- GP – coccygeal gland; perineal sac, oily fluid, skin debris, hair
– a guinea pig’s coccygeal (grease) gland, about 1 cm dorsal to the anus, and is more developed in males. The fur surrounding it can appear matted and greasy.
Chinchillas skin and fur
– dense fur (up to 75 hairs/follicle), long, layered colors, “slip”
Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas footpads
– hairless foot pads, tactile vibrissae (esp. C)
if you want to breed your guinea pig when should you do it? why?
– pelvic symphysis may ossify by 6 months
* In guinea pigs, parturition is preceded by separation of the pubis; if pelvic symphysis has already occurred then dystocia may result. Therefore, it is recommended to breed females for the first time before 6 months of age.
Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas
- differences in their skeleton from others
– delicate skeleton, separate fibula and tibia, os penis
chinchillas - eyes and ears, why?
ear characteristic that is similar to guinea pig?
- C – large eyes (nocturnal), but vertical slit and heavily pigmented iris (high altitude)
- C – big ears (nocturnal)
- All – difficult to visualize the tympanic membrane
Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas
- diet, similarities and differences between them
- All – high fiber diet
- GP – no L-gulonolactone oxidase, require vitamin C
- C – also eat insects
what vitamin do guinea pigs need in their diet? why?
– no L-gulonolactone oxidase, require vitamin C
The guinea pig, humans, non-human primates, and specific bats are unable to produce the hepatic enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase. This enzyme catalyzes the terminal step for ascorbic acid biosynthesis and therefore endogenous vitamin C cannot be produced.
Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas
- oral cavity?
- teeth
- Small mouth opening
- Palatal ostium
<><> - Teeth:
- 2 x (I1/1 C0/0 PM1/1 M3/3) = 20
- Elodont
- Aradicular
- Hypsodont
why can guinea pigs and chinchillas be difficult to intubate?
In guinea pigs and chinchillas, orotracheal intubation is complicated by the fusion of the soft palate to the base of the tongue, creating the palatal ostium, which is highly vascular and easily traumatized.
Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas
- digestive system structure, how it works, components
- difference in functions?
- Hindgut fermenter
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Structure: - Simpler large intestine
- Relative cecal size – rabbit (57%) > GP (44%) > C (23%)
- Colonic separation mechanism – longitudinal furrow in the proximal colon, less efficient than in rabbits
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Function: - Fecal pellet
> C – night only - Cecotrophs/cecotropes
> All – day and night
Guinea Pigs and steroids
corticosteroid resistant
* Guinea pigs, like New World monkeys, ferrets, and people, are considered to be corticosteroid-resistant species because steroid administration is not associated with marked changes in thymic physiology or peripheral lymphocyte counts.
Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas - how they breathe
- Obligate nasal breather
chinchilla kidney structure
– elongated renal papilla (desert)
