Small Mammals Flashcards
Which species sand bathe?**
Gerbils
Which species has larger maxillary incisors than mandibular ***
Ferrets
Which disease of rabbits is usually latent but can present with convulsions, tremors, torticollis, coma, kidney failure? Whats a characteristic lesion of this disease? **
Encephalitozoonosis (granulomatous encephalitis)
A client is considering buying her son a pet rabbit, but has heard about the possibility of the rabbit getting her son sick. Which diseases do you need to discuss with her?
EPEC/EHEC
Cheyletiella
Dermatophytosis
Encephalitozoonosis
A client brings in three pet mice. You notice they are chattering. Which disease is this c/s almost pathognomic for?*
Mycoplasma pulmonis
In which species are the adrenal glands intimately attached to the caudal VC? **
Ferrets
A ferret with a chin rash….******
Canine distemper virus!
Chronic respiratory disease in rats is usually caused by which disease? What are the key features of the lesions?**
Mycoplasma pulmonis
Progressive pulmonary lesons: pinpoint gray –> absecesses
Which small mammals are in the Muridae family?*
Mice
Rats
Gerbils
Which small mammal lacks a gall bladder? *
Rats
Which species exhibit estivation? What does this mean? **
Gerbils - reduced activity in extreme heat.
Which species experiences age related hearing loss?**
Chinchillas (presbycusis)
What should you always do when handling a rabbit? Why?
Support hindlimbs (weak lumbar spine)
Which two guinea pig diseases are zoonotic **
Dermatophytosis
LCMV
There are a bunch of herpesviruses that cause disease in rabbits. What are the subfamilies and which is most important?**
Gammaherpesviridae (3 types) - subclinical
Alphaherpesviridae (LH4) - domestic rabbits, severe disease in preweanlings
What is the gestation of a mouse*
19-21 days
A mouse has red tears… what could explain this?
Harderian gland - produces Porphyrin tears
Which species is anisognathic**
Chinchillas (teeth dont line up)
Most common neoplasm in ferrets
Insulinoma
A hamster is brought in with incisor abnormalities. What do you suspect?**
Parvovirus
Guinea pig cytomegalovirus is of which viral family**
Herpes
Whats the ‘masquerader’ disease of ferrets - often presenting with chronic and unspecific signs
Lymphoma
Which small mammals lack a Haversian system
Mice
Which persistent disease of ferrets cuases hypergammaglobulinemia, immume complex glomerulonephritis?**
Aleutian disease
A rat is brought in with a mass at the base of its pinna. What do you suspect?*
Zymbal’s Gland Tumor
A male chinchilla has been kept busy by his four chinchilla girlfriends. He is now excessively grooming his genital area and straining to urinate. These c/s are pathognomic for which condition
Penile fur ring
A rabbit is presented with a soiled perinum and has diarrhea while being examined. You also notice it is grinding its teeth. Which pathogen?
Clostridum spiroforme (Enterotoxemia)
What is your diagnostic of choice for S. oblevata*
Anal tape impression
Which small mammal has a vaginal plug
Mice
Which respiratory disease is common in pet and wild populations of mice and rats?
Mycoplasma pulmonis
Which disease is zoonotic, but also possible for humans to transmit to ferrets?
Influenza
You observe on a new little of mice light spots on their backs? Is this normal?
These are milk spots. They indicate pups are nursing. NO milk spots indicates the litter is not nursing
Which species has 34 teeth and no diastema?**
Ferrets
On necropsy, you observe fibropurulent pleuritis. Which pathogen should come to mind?
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Which species is a model of hypercholesterolemia
Rabbits
In which small mammal is it routine to handle by the tail?
Mice
Which species has two cervixes?**
Rabbits
Whats the risk of ferrets have a small litter?
No induction of pregnancy - if they stay in past day 42 the kits will die
In which small mammal may an ectopic thymus be a potential research complication
Mice
A chinchilla presents with hypersalivation, pawing at the mouth and nasal discharge. These c/s are pathognomic for which disease
Malocclusion (‘slobbers’)
Which small mammal species are obligate carnivores and require high protein and fat content in their diet
Ferrets
There is an outbreak of meningitis at a hamster breeding facility. Which pathogen to you suspect?**
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis virus (Arenaviridae)
What are rabbits SPF for? What does SPF even mean?
Bordatella and Pasturella (specific pathogen free)
Which parasite of hamsters has both direct and indirect life cycles?**
Rodentolepis nana (direct = 14-16d)
Where do you collect blood in a mouse? *
Submandibular v.
Which disease of rabbits causes lymphopenia and coagulopathy?**
Rabbit Hemorrhage Disease (Calicivirus)
A gerbil breeder enquires about an acute disease in which gerbils have watery diarrhea and die within 5 days. Which disease and which lesions do you suspect?**
Tyzzers (C. piliforme)
Lesions: Warthin Starry-baccili present in hepatocytes at periphery of lesion. Infiltration of ileum and myocardium
A client asks if her pet mouse is male or female. How do you check?
Anogenital distance (increased with males)
Ulcerative dermatitis is common in which specific mice breeds?
C57BL/6
C57BL/10
A rabbit breeder is concerned of high mortality in her recent litters. She describes the kits as having profuse diarrhea, listlessness and then dying within three days of the onset of these signs. What do you suspect?
Tyzzers (C. piliforme)
On a mouse fecal exam, you notice parasitc eggs that are ellipsoidal and asymmetrical. What do you suspect?**
Aspiculara tetraptera
Which mammals require little water to function. How do they do this?**
Gerbils. Kidneys have massive LOH and produce little urine.
A rabbit comes in with conjunctivitis, coughing, and a genital tract infection. What do you suspect?
Pasturella multocida (‘snuffles’)
A ferret collector recently added a young ferret to her 20+ collection. It began to lose weight and produce green diarrhea. Which pathogen do you suspect?
Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis (Coronavirus)
What is a common site for FBs in rabbits, and also has immunological properties?**
Sacculus rotundus (jnct of ileum, cecum, prox colon)
On necropsy of a rabbit, you observe an enlarged liver with multifocal yellow-white lesions in the biliary tree. Which condition do you suspect? **
Hepatic coccidiosis
Lack of which enzymes accounts for guinea pigs risk of scurvy**
L-gulonolcatone oxidase
If you dont induce ovulation in a ferret, what may happen?
Aplastic anemia due to estrogen toxicosis
T/F - only high burdens of heartworm cause c/s in ferrets
False - a single worm can cause c/s
Which small mammal has big adrenal glands? Whats the purpose?**
Gerbils. To conserve water
The eggs of Aspiculara tetraptera are deposited where? When are they infective?
Deposited at night, in a mucus layer covering feces
Infective in 6-7 days
If you breed a guinea pig older than ____, ____ can happen**
> 6 months, ossification of pelvic symphis (dysocia)
Recommended to breed before six months to prevent this from happening
Rabbit kits are brought in weak with periocular swellings, conjunctivitis and keratitis. Which condition do you suspect?**
Leproid herpesvirus: alphaherpesviridae (LHV-4)
When do you vaccinate for ferret distemper?
8, 10, 12 weeks
Which species is often used in allergy and cough studies
Guinea pigs (model of lung function impairment and bronchial secretions)
Which species has 26-28 teeth? Why the range?**
Rabbits - peg teeth
Which species have cheek pouches? What is the important feature of these pouches?**
Hamsters
Immunologically privileged (lack lymphatic draining)
Which small mammals dont vomit
Mice
Pine bedding is not recommended for which species? **
Gerbils - matting/greasy fur, induction of hepatic drug enzymes
Chinchillas - resp problems, hepatic drug enzymes
Which species have Foa-Kurloff cells? What are they?
Guinea pigs. Estradiol dependent mononuclear WBC.
You suspect your mouse patient has a mixed GI parasitic infection of A. tetraptera and S. oblevis. Which one do you have more time to treat?
Aspiculara tertraptera - 23-25 day lifecycle
(S. oblevis - 11-15 day lifecyle)
Proper handling of chinchillas is important. Which two conditions can occur due to improper handling?**
Fur slip, tail degloving
During rotations, a clinicians drills you on a common mouse pinworm - S. obvelata. What is its life cycle? When is it infective? How it is disseminated? ***
11-15 days
Infective in 6 hours
Airborne dissemination
Which species requires vitamin C**
Guinea pigs
What are the two possible phases of distemper virus in ferrets?**
1) Cattarhal phase (7-10 days post infection: rash on chin, pyrexia, photosensitivity…etc)
2) CNS phase (12-16 days post infection: ataxia, tremors, paralysis) - doesnt have to follow catarrhal phase
Which disease of rats causes rat-bite fever in humans?
Streptobacillus moniliformes
A ferret presents with alopecia
Adrenal gland disease (tumor)
Which species dust bathe?**
Chinchillas
A mouse comes in with rectal prolapse, intussception and fecal impaction. You suspect a parasite. Where would you expect to find the eggs of this parasite and how will they appear? *
Deposited on perianal region
Thin-shelled, crescent shaped, flat on one side
(S. oblevata)
Which spp have precocious offspring?**
Guinuea pigs, chinchillas
Which two mites often occur together on mice and rats? How are their lifecycles different? Which occupies a larger region? **
- Myocoptes musculinus - 8-14 days; larger area (inguinal, abdominal, dorsum)
- Myobia musculi - 23 days
T/F - hyperkeratosis of footpads is a consistent finding of distemper in ferrets
False
Which small mammal lacks T-cells and thymus
Nude mice
If you suspect a mixed Aspiculara tetraptera and S. obvelata infection, can you use the same diagnostic test?**
No!
S. oblevata = anal tape impression (eggs laid perinanal region)
A. tetraptera = fecal float (eggs cover feces)
How do you give oral medications in small mammals
Gabage needle
Bumblefoot is caused by which pathogen**
Staph aureus
Compare/Contrast: lifecycle, time to infectivity, deposition and diagnosis of S. oblevata and A. tetraptera
S. oblevata__A. teraptera
Lifecycle 11-15 d 23-25 d
Infectivity 6 hr 6-7 d
Deposition Perianal region In mucus on feces
Dx Anal tape impression Fecal float
