Week 1 - Respiratory disease in small mammals and exotics Flashcards
What are some signs of respiratory disease in small mammals?
Lethargy
Poor coat
Anorexia
Audible clicking
Sneezing
Occular discharge
Dyspnoea/abdominal heaving
Head tilt if middle ear involved
What are some signs of respiratory disease in reptiles?
Lethargy
Anorexia
Weight loss
Difficulty breathing
Open mouth breathing
Wheezes or crackles
Occular and/or nasal discharge
Stomatitis (mouth inflammation)
What are some signs of respiratory disease in birds?
Lethargy
Anorexia
‘Fluffed up’
Crusting around nares
Periorbital swelling
Dyspnoea or ‘tail bobbing’
Voice change
Tachypnoe
What are the common causes of respiratory disease in small mammals?
URT infection
- Cause: rhinitis and also affect structures outside of the respiratory tract e.g. conjunctivitis, nasolacrimal duct infections, otitis media.
LRT bacterial infection
- Cause: tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia
Husbandry
- allergy, dust (from bedding). poor ventilation (and strong cleaning products), stress, poor diet
Dental disease
- overgrowth into nasal cavity and causing infection and inflammation
- does not affect ferrets as they do not continually grow
What are the less common causes of respiratory disease in small mammals?
Virsuses
Fungal (aspergillosis if outdoor)
Parasite (ferrets and lungworm)
Circulatory (pulmonary oedema)
Trauma (lung contusion)
Space occupying lesion (abscess, tumour)
Foreign bodies (outdoor pets)
What are common pathogens in guinea pigs?
Bordetella bronchiseptica Chlamydophila caviae
Adenovirus
What are common pathogens in rabbits?
Pasteurella multocida
Bordetella bronchiseptica
What are common pathogens in rats and mice?
Mycoplasma pulmonis
Pasteurella pneumotropica
Strep pneumoniae
Sendai virus (mice)
What are the common causes of respiratory disease in reptiles?
URT infection
- Cause: rhinitis and also affect structures outside of the respiratory tract e.g. conjunctivitis, stomatitis,
periorbital abscesse
Viruses
- Herpes virus (tortoises),
- adenovirus (lizards)
- ophidian paramyxovirus (snakes)
Husbandry
- High or low temperature
- High humidity levels
- Poor ventilation
Space occupying lesions
e.g.abscesses, tumours, reproductive
disease, coelomic effusions, granulomas.
What are the less common causes of respiratory disease in reptiles?
LRT bacterial infections
Fungal infections (e.g. candida, aspergillosis)
Parasiticn ( lungworm (snakes),
Rhabdias, Ascarid)
Dental disease
Circulatory (septic endocarditis, CHF)
Trauma
Foreign bodies
What are the common causes of respiratory disease in birds
LRT bacterial infections
- tracheitis, bronchitis, airsacculitis,
pneumonia e.g. Psittacosis
(Chlamydia psittaci)
Fungal infections
- e.g. Aspergillosi
- Common/predisposed due to deadspace around the lungs
Husbandry
- Allergy
- Stress
- Low humidity
- Poor hygeine/ventilation
- Hypovitaminosis A
Space occupying lesions
e.g. tumours, organomegaly, reproductive disease, obesity, rhinoliths, pulmonary fibrosis,
choanal atresia, occluding fungal
plaques
NOTE: birds have no diaphragm so a mass anywhere in the body could press on organ -> put pressure on air sacs -> respiratory signs BUT NOT a respiratory cause
What are the less common causes of respiratory disease in birds
URT bacterial infections
Viruses (laryngotracheitis - chickens)
Parasitic e.g. Syngamus trachea
(gapeworm in chickens)
Circulatory
Foreign body
What diagnostic options are available?
Imaging:
* Radiography (preferred when don’t know where to start e.g. lethargic and anorexic tortoise = pneumonia)
* CT
* Endoscopy
* Ultrasound
Bacteriology (culture and
sensitivity)
PCR testing -> recurrent infections
Blood testing
What does bloodworm show?
Inflammatory process/infection
Organ damage e.g. liver or kidney
Determine severity
Determine stability of animal
Used as pre-GA bloods for imaging
Why is imagine useful?
Identifies location for further testing (e.g. bacteriology)
Identify severity.
Radiographs/CT = abscesses, neoplasia, congestion/consolidation.
Endoscopy = biopsies and find foreign bodies
Ultrasound = heart scan, free fluid or to do FNA.