SMAMs

Question 1

What SMAMs are carnivores?

Answer 1

ferrets

Question 2

What SMAM are hystricomorph rodents?

Answer 2

guinea pigs and chinchillas

Question 3

What SMAM is a herbivore and hindgut fermenter?

Answer 3

rabbit

Question 4

What SMAM are myomorph rodents and omnivores?

Answer 4

rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters

Question 5

Clinical crown

Answer 5

part of tooth you can see in the oral cavity

Question 6

reserve crown

Answer 6

part of tooth you can’t see

Question 7

Herbivore SMAM teeth

Answer 7

elodont/hypsodont

Question 8

elodont

Answer 8

continuously growing and has no true root

Question 9

What do you see on skull rads of an herbivore if they don’t have teeth roots?

Answer 9

germinal tissue

Question 10

What are herbivores teeth adapted for?

Answer 10

grinding (hay)

Question 11

Is this a normal rabbit rad?

Answer 11

yes (fermenting vat of hay)

Question 12

What is the #1 component of a rabbit diet?

Answer 12

grass hay

Question 13

What are the four components of a rabbit diet?

Answer 13

1. Grass hay
2. Produce (dark leafy greens)
3. High-quality pellets
4. Healthy treats

Question 14

What is the only species that can absorb calcium without the presence of vitamin D?

Answer 14

rabbits

Question 15

What animal excretes excess calcium via the urinary tract? Where do other species get rid of it from?

Answer 15

Rabbits excrete excess Ca2+ via the urine

[other species get rid of it via bile salts]

Question 16

Why is alfalfa not a good hay for rabbits?

Answer 16

very high in protein and calcium

Question 17

When could you feed alfalfa to rabbits?

Answer 17

during certain life stages (growth/lactation/pregnancy)

Question 18

Consequence of feeding alfalfa to adult rabbits?

Answer 18

severe crystalluria

Question 19

Can chinchillas have produce?

Answer 19

NO (VERY LITTLE), sensitive to dysbiosis and gas distension

Question 20

What’s wrong with avocados?

Answer 20

they cause myocardial necrosis

Question 21

Produce to avoid?

Answer 21

things that cause gas

Question 22

Can you overfeed [dark] leafy greens?

Answer 22

not really (can examine on an individual basis but still not really)

Question 23

Answer 23

thumb = amount of vegetables
thumbnail = amount of fruit

Question 24

Best kind of pellet?

Answer 24

UNIFORM pellet (avoid choice)

Question 25

Purpose of pellets?

Answer 25

to add crucial vitamins and minerals for a complete diet

Question 26

Can chinchillas have alfalfa?

Answer 26

yeah but VERY little and probably just within the pellets

Question 27

What's wrong with seeds?

Answer 27

really high in fat

Question 28

What's wrong with yogurt drops?

Answer 28

#1 ingredient is usually dextrose

Question 29

Can rabbits have raisins or cherries?

Answer 29

SMALL amount as a treat

Question 30

What enzyme do guinea pigs not have?

Answer 30

L-gulonolactone oxidase

Question 31

What additional supplement do guinea pigs need in their diet?

Answer 31

Vitamin C (they can't make Vitamin C)

Question 32

Difference between rabbit and guinea pig pellets?

Answer 32

amount of Vitamin C

Question 33

Scurvy

Answer 33

lack of Vitamin C

Question 34

Urolithiasis in Guinea Pigs

Answer 34

likely due to oversupplementation of Vitamin C (but has not been proven yet)

Question 35

Worst way to supplement Vitamin C?

Answer 35

water-soluble

Question 36

Omnivore teeth are adapted for what?

Answer 36

crushing

Question 37

What kind of molars do omnivores have?

Answer 37

brachydont

Question 38

What kind of incisors do omnivore SMAMs have?

Answer 38

elodont

Question 39

2 Unique anatomic features of hamsters?

Answer 39

1. cheek pouch 2. ridge within the stomach to separate food storage and foregut fermentation

Question 40

Do omnivore SMAMs have a cecum?

Answer 40

Yes, but it is small

Question 41

Fermentation in omnivore SMAMs occurs where?

Answer 41

some hindgut, but elsewhere too

Question 42

#1 component of the diet for myomorph rodents?

Answer 42

PELLETS

Question 43

Components of Myomorph Rodent Diets

Answer 43

1. Pellets 2. Treats

Question 44

Possible treat options for myomorph rodents?

Answer 44

meat, oatmeal, egg, okra, rice, apples (understand everything in moderation)

Question 45

What kind of teeth do ferrets have?

Answer 45

brachydont (true roots)

Question 46

Transit time of ferret GI?

Answer 46

2 hours!

Question 47

Why is ferret GI transit time so short?

Answer 47

not a high fiber diet, no cecum, very short tract

Question 48

What diet component needs to be limited in ferrets?

Answer 48

carbohydrates (low digestive capacity)

Question 49

Components of a Ferret Diet

Answer 49

1. Carnivore formulated diet 2. Treats (5%)

Question 50

Consequences of High Carbs in Ferrets?

Answer 50

urolithiasis (mostly cysteine), pancreatic beta cell tumors, IBD/GI lymphoma, periodontal disease

Question 51

pea flower

Answer 51

a replacement of grains for grain free diets but there's carbs and it's stimulating insulin and causing pancreatic tumors

Question 52

High quality ferret diet?

Answer 52

ideally first six ingredients are meat

Question 53

Can you give ferrets cat food?

Answer 53

yes!

Question 54

Best treat for ferret?

Answer 54

freeze-dried meat