Week Five: Small Mammals (Part 1)

Question 1

What is the type of ferret you should not see in a clinic?

Answer 1

Black Footed Ferrets (Mustela nigripes)

Question 2

Ferrets don’t have ____, so they are more prone to ______ during surgery.

Answer 2

Sweat glands; hyperthermia

Question 3

Reproduction of ferrets:

Females are what type of ovulators?

Answer 3

Seasonally polyestrous induced ovulators

Question 4

Explain a ferrets nutrition requirements/what you should be feeding them

Answer 4

Obligate carnivores, dry ferret foods, supplements only for specific health concerns, limit treats

Question 5

What are zoonotic concerns with ferrets?

Answer 5

Influenza is the most common

Potential concerns: leptospirosis, listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, tuberculosis, rabies

Question 6

Epizootic Catarrhal Enteritis in ferrets

Answer 6

AKA Green slime disease or ECE

Highly contagious within ferrets, green diarrhea, dehydration, anorexia, wasting

Question 7

Tumors in ferrets (include what is the most commonly occurred tumor)

Answer 7

Adrenal gland most common
Signs: hair loss, vulvar enlargement in spayed females, prostatic hyperplasia, behavioral change, muscle wasting
Other cancers in ferrets: lymphoma, insulinoma

Question 8

Myofascitis in ferrets

Answer 8

Inflammation of muscles and fascia, affects young animals, signs include pain, fever, reluctance to move, diarrhea, vomiting, anorexia, neutrophilic leukocytosis

Question 9

What are some preventative procedures for ferrets?

Answer 9

Distemper and rabies, heartworm prevention

Question 10

Restraint methods for ferrets

Answer 10

Scruffing, controlling head with fingers, light stretch of hind quarters, towel

Question 11

What is oryctolagus cuniculus?

Answer 11

Domestic lagomorphs

Question 12

Behavior of rabbits

Answer 12

Timid, submissive, chew and gnaw, not very playful with humans, naturally urinate and defecate in designated area, may spray to mark territory

Question 13

Rabbits digestive system

Answer 13

Herbivorous with open-rooted teeth, hind gut fermentation, cannot vomit, cecotrophy (night stool),

Question 14

Most common WBC in rabbits

Answer 14

Lymphocytes

Question 15

Rabbits have _____ instead of ______ (type of cells)

Answer 15

heterophils; neutrophils

Question 16

What can wire cage floors cause in rabbits?

Answer 16

Pododermatitis

Question 17

Nutrition of rabbits

Answer 17

Metered pelleted diets, free choice hay, fresh foods in small quantities, drink twice the volume of what they eat

Question 18

Snuffles of rabbits

Answer 18

Bacterial upper respiratory tract disease, typically caused by Pasteurella multocida or Bordetella bronchiseptica and Staphylococcal species
Signs: sneezing, mucopurulent nasal discharge, conjunctivitis
No prevention available, treatment is supportive

Question 19

GI diseases of rabbits

Answer 19

Caused by Coccidia, Rotaviruses and coronaviruses, E. coli, Lawsonia, and Clostridium, high fiber diets can help prevent many issues

Question 20

Otoacariasis in rabbits

Answer 20

Ear mite infestation by Psoroptes cuniculi
Signs: pruritus, head shaking, stress, ears painful to touch
Treatment: environmental cleaning, antiparasitic drugs

Question 21

Pododermatitis in rabbits

Answer 21

Decubital ulcers (bed sores)
Caused by: poor sanitation, environmental moisture, excessive rabbit size, wire bottomed caging
Treatment: Changing cage environment, debriding, treating, bandaging, and re bandaging wounds

Question 22

Blue fur disease of rabbits

Answer 22

Moist dermatitis with secondary pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, perineal urine or diarrhea scald (hutch burn), face, neck, and dewlap area (slobbers), Pseudomonas create a blue-green pigment
Treatment: dry the environemtn, clipping fur in lesion areas, treating lesions, offering water from a bottle

Question 23

Malocclusion of the incisors of rabbits

Answer 23

Causes: Incomplete or inadequate wearing of teeth, skull shape leading to malocclusion, trauma
Treatment: Tooth trimming

Question 24

Traumatic vertebral subluxation and fracture of rabbits

Answer 24

Occurs secondary to struggling against restraint, improper handling, sudden jumping, starling a caged rabbit

Question 25

Zoonotic disease concerns of rabbits

Answer 25

Dermatophytosis (ringworm, trichophyton mentagrophytes, microsporum canis), salmonellosis, rabies

Question 26

Restraint of rabbits

Answer 26

Grasp scruff with one hand and support the body and hindquarters within the other arm, tuck head into the crook of the elbow When placing rabbit down: place back legs down first

Question 27

Blood collection and venous catheters of rabbits

Answer 27

Sites: ear arteries or veins (auricular artery is large and central- use 22-27 gauge needle/catheter) Jugular vein, saphenous vein, cephalic vein

Question 28

Sex determination of rabbit

Answer 28

Doe will have dewlap, vulva directly below anus, buck will have an ensheathed penis located below the anus

Question 29

Euthanasia of rabbits

Answer 29

Barbiturate overdose injected into lateral marginal ear vein

Question 30

What is mus musculus

Answer 30

Mouse

Question 31

What is rattus norvegicus

Answer 31

Domestic rat

Question 32

Rats have no _____ | They do have a ________ gland that produces red staining around eyes during times of stress

Answer 32

Gallbladder; Harderian gland

Question 33

What is meriones unguicaulatus

Answer 33

Gerbil

Question 34

What is unique about gerbils?

Answer 34

Some have seizures | Thymus does not atrophy in adulthood

Question 35

What are the types of hamsters we deal with? Which one is the most aggressive?

Answer 35

Golden and Syrian European Russian dwarf (most aggressive)

Question 36

What is diastema?

Answer 36

Gap between incisors and cheek teeth in hamsters

Question 37

What is a tail slip?

Answer 37

Degloving the tail

Question 38

What are harderian glands and where are they located?

Answer 38

Located behind both eyes, secrete porphyrin during stress (look like red tears or blood)

Question 39

What would make a good cage for rodents?

Answer 39

Escape proof, chew proof, easily cleaned, solid flooring

Question 40

You should remove uneaten food from rodents within...

Answer 40

4-6 hours

Question 41

What is acariasis?

Answer 41

Mite infestation (myobia, myocoptes, radfordia), spread through exposure, signs: alopecia, dermatitis, rough hair coat, skin lesions, excessive scratching

Question 42

What is barbering?

Answer 42

Dominant mice chew on the whiskers and hair of subordinate mice

Question 43

Ring tail in rodents

Answer 43

Avascular necrosis of the tail, occurs in mice and rats, Cause: low humidity Treatment: amputation before the necrotic area

Question 44

Commonly seen endoparasites in rodents

Answer 44

Pinworms, tapeworms | Treatment: antiparasitic medication, full environment clean up

Question 45

Moist dermatitis in rodents

Answer 45

Sore nose (accumulation of Harderian gland secretions), wet tail (diarrhea, severe enough to cause death)

Question 46

Zoonotic concerns with rodents

Answer 46

``` Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) (contact with infected tissue, urine or bite wounds. Headache, fever, muscle aches, malaise, and meningitis) Staphalococcus, streptococcus, pasturella, kelbsiella, salmonella ```

Question 47

Restraint for rodents

Answer 47

Scoop out of enclosure, tail lift in mice and rates, create grip surface

Question 48

Signs of aggression in rodents

Answer 48

Chattering, vocalizing, thumping feet, roll on back to kick and bite

Question 49

What is the most common cause of death related to surgical procedures in rodents?

Answer 49

Hypothermia

Question 50

Venous access in rodents

Answer 50

Lateral tail vein in mice, rates, gerbils

Question 51

Recommended blood volume limits in rodents

Answer 51

Mice: 0.14 mL Gerbil: 0.3 mL Hamster: 0.65 mL Rat: 1.3 mL

Question 52

Euthanasia for rodents

Answer 52

Isoflurane overdose in an induction chamber