Exotics: Common Problems in Pet Rodents

Question 1

What are the main risk factors for guniea pigs with diarrhoea?

Answer 1

• Uncommon in adults
• Young
• Immunosupressed

Question 2

What are the common and less common causes of diarrhoea in guinea pigs?

Answer 2

Common:
* Diet- inadequate fibre/high simple carbohydrates
* Bacterial infections- tyzzer’s disease
* Dysbiosis/enterotoxaemia- after incorrect use of ABs, clostridial overgrowth
Less Common:
* Bacterial- salmonella
* Other bacteria through food- E.coli, yersinia
* Cryptosporidium wrari
* Eimeria caviae
* Hepatopathies
* Dental disease

Question 3

What is the clinical approach to diarrhoea of guinea pigs?

Answer 3

1. Full clinical history- diet, weight, hydration, temperature
2. Supportive care- supplemental heat, fluids, maropitant
3. Faecal testing, culture, bloods ± abdominal scan

Question 4

1. What are most calculi in guinea pigs?
2. Which locations are more and less common?

Answer 4

1. 90% are calcium carbonate
2. Bladder, urethra (most common), Ureters, kidneys (less common)

Question 5

What are the clinical signs of urolithiasis in guinea pigs?

Answer 5

• Haematuria
• Dysuria
• Pain/vocalizing during urination
• Non-specific
• Depends on urolith location

Question 6

What can be used for diagnosis of urolithiasis in guinea pigs?

Answer 6

• Plain radiography- Most uroliths are calcium-based and easily detectable, required sedation/GA
• Abdominal US- can be done conscious, allows for other problems to be checked

Question 7

What are the treatment options for urolithiasis?

What supportive medication can be given?

Answer 7

• Very small uroluths <5mm diameter can pass unaided- analgesia
• Bladder- GA and cytostomy
• Urethra- GA and flush
• Ureters- GA and hydropropulsion into bladder then cystotomy
• Kidneys- usually not possible- palliative?

Supportive
* Analgesia- meloxicam, buprenorphine, gabapentine, maropitant
* Fluids
* Reduce Ca intake
* Increase water intake

Question 8

1. What are the two types of cystitis?
2. How is it diagnosed?
3. What can be given?

Answer 8

Often secondary to urolithiasis
1. Sterile or bacterial
2. Urinalysis ± C&S, US scan
3. ABs based on results- merbofloxacin, TMP and Sulfa, Sterile- Meloxicam ± maropitant

Question 9

1. What is the normal signalment for a guinea pig with ovarian cysts?
2. What are the 2 main types of cysts and how do they differ?

Answer 9

1. Older, intact females
2. Serous and follicular
   Serous:
   * Non-functional
   * Develop spontaneously during oestrus cycle
   * Don’t respond to LH
   * Clinical signs if too large
   Follicular
   * Follicles that failed to ovulate
   * Hormonally active
   * Respond to LH
   * Variable clinical signs

Question 10

What are the clinical signs of ovarian cysts?

Answer 10

• Serous can be completly asymptomatic
• Non-specific
• Abdominal distension and discomfort
• Palpable soft tissue mass
  Follicular cysts:
• Non-pruritic flank alopecia
• Mammary gland hyperkeratosis

Question 11

How are ovarian cysts diagnosed?

Answer 11

Ultrasonography
* Doesn’t differentiate between serous and follicular cysts
* Allows to check for other problems

Question 12

Guinea Pigs

What are the treatment options for ovarian cysts?

Answer 12

Medical treatment
* Only effective in follicular cysts
* Human chorionic gonadotrophin
* 2 injections 14 days apart
* Doesn’t prevent recurrence
Surgery
* Surgery- GA and spay
* Percutaneous US guided drainage of cysts: temporary relief, refill quickly

Question 13

1. What is the most common neoplasia of guinea pigs repro?
2. What can be the best treatment for guinea pigs with dystocia?
3. When are guinea pigs typically affected by pregnancy toxaemia?

Answer 13

1. Uterine leiomyosarcoma
2. Poor prognosis- often C-section, medical treatment unrewarding
3. 2 weeks before and after parturition, supportive care, poor prognosis
   Generalised weakness, ketonuria, proteinuri, hypoglycaemia

Question 14

What 3 main forms of lymphoid neoplasia commonly affected guinea pigs?
What is used for diagnosis?

Answer 14

• Usually presents as multicentric and high-malignancy form
• Epitheliotropic T-cell lymphoma
• Leukaemia caused by a retrovirus

Diagnosis:
* Cytology of peripheral lymph glands/skin
* Haematology
* US scan

Question 15

How can lymphoma be treated in guinea pigs?

Answer 15

• Poor prognosis
• Prednisolone- SID- palliative care
• Lomustine- q 21d
• L-asparaginase
• Discuss euthanasia

Question 16

What common skin conditions can affect guinea pigs?

Answer 16

• External parasites- mites/lice
• Ringworm/dermatophytiasis
• Cervical lymphadenitis
• Sebaceous lumps
• Pododermatitis

Question 17

What is performed for guinea pigs skin conditions diagnosis?
What treatments can be given?

Answer 17

Perform:
* Skin strips
* Skin scrapes
* Hair plucks
* Dermatophyte culture
* FNA lumps
Treatment:
* Ivermectin injections for mites/lice
* Meloxicam for inflammation
* ABs for secondary infection
* Terbinafine for fungal infections

Question 18

What lice and mites can infect guinea pigs?

Answer 18

Question 19

Where is ringworm commonly found on guinea pigs?

Answer 19

Peri-ocular
Nostrils

Question 20

1. What causes cervical lymphadenitis in guinea pigs?
2. What does it cause?
3. What can it spread and further cause?
4. How is it treated?

Answer 20

1. Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus
2. Abscessation of cervical lymph nodes after oral abrasions
3. Pneumonia, otitis media, septicaemia
4. Surgical excision, lance/flush, ABs

Question 21

What are the possible DDXs for sebaceous lumps?
What is the best treatment option?

Answer 21

• Sebacous cyst
• Sebaceous adenoma
• Trichoepithelioma
• Trichofolliculoma
  Surgical removal

Question 22

What disease cannot affect guinea pigs?
1. Hyperthyroidism
2. Hyperadrenocortisim
3. Insulinoma
4. Fibrous osteodystrophy
5. Hypovitaminosis C
6. Mammary gland neoplasia and mastitis
7. Pneumonia
8. Heart Disease- pericardial effusion, DCM
9. Black leg

Answer 22

1. 9- Black leg

Yeh I didn’t really know how to ask that

Question 23

What are the differing clinical signs of URT and LRT infection?

Answer 23

URT
* Sneezing
* Nasal discharge
* Porphyrin staining around notrils
* ‘Noisy breathing’
LRT
* Increased RR and effort
* ‘noisy breathing’
* Crackles, muffled heart sounds

Question 24

1. What can increase risk of resp disease in rats?
2. What viral, bacterial and fungal agents can cause disease?

Answer 24

1. Stress/immunosupression, environment (cage ventilation)
2. Viral
   * Sendai virus
   * Paramyovirus
   Bacterial
   * Mycoplasma pulmonis
   * Streptococcus pneumonis
   * Corynebacterium kutscheri
   Fungal
   * Pneumocystitis carinii

Question 25

How is respiratory disease diagnosed in rats?

Answer 25

* Clinical exam: high level of suspicion * GA and radiography- assess nasal cavities and thorax * Culture and Sensitivity- not done routinely * Virus PCR- not routine

Question 26

How are resp diseases in rats treated?

Answer 26

Broad spectrum ABs- minimum of 3 weeks * Doxycyline * Marbofloxacin * Azithromycin NSAIDs- meloxicam Nebulization- saline or hypertonic saline Furosemide- secondary lung oedema

Question 27

What are the 2 most common mammary gland neoplasias in rats?

Answer 27

1. Mammary fibroadenoma- most common, benign, associated with repro changes 2. Mammary adenocarcinoma- less frequent, malignant

Question 28

How can mammary neoplasia in rats be treated?

Answer 28

Surgery: * Best option * Fibroadenomas- likely to recur * Some locations can be more challening * Effect of spay: redcues incidence Medical * Cabergoline- prolactin antagonist * Palliative care if surgery not possible * Euthanasia

Question 29

1. Where is the zymbal gland found in a rat? 2. What neoplasm often forms there? 3. What is the treatment?

Answer 29

1. Specialised sebaceous gland on rate ear canal 2. Locally invasive carcinomas 3. Surgical removment difficult, palliative care

Question 30

What are the signs of pituitary adenomas in rats? How is it treated?

Answer 30

Signs: Neurological * Paresis/paralysis on FLs * Loss of vision * Ataxia * Progressive Treatment Surgery not realistic Cabergoline q3 days NSAIDs | Confirm with MRI or CT

Question 30

What are the signs of pituitary adenomas in rats? How is it treated?

Answer 30

Signs: Neurological * Paresis/paralysis on FLs * Loss of vision * Ataxia * Progressive Treatment Surgery not realistic Cabergoline q3 days NSAIDs | Confirm with MRI or CT

Question 31

What are common presentations for hamsters with skin conditions?

Answer 31

* Alopecia * Pruritis * Skin masses * Skin ulcers and scabs * Inflammed skin

Question 32

What are common skin conditions in hamsters?

Answer 32

* **Demodecosis-** * **Hyperadrenocorticism** * Epitheliotropic lymphoma * Bacterial dermatitis * Hypothyroidism * Ringworm * Skin neoplasia

Question 33

How is skin disease in hamsters diagnosed?

Answer 33

* History/clinical exam * Skin samples * Skin imprints * Hair plucks * GA and US * Bloods * Biopsy * C&S

Question 34

1. How can hyperadrenocorticism be diagnosed in hamsters? 2. What species of hamster more commonly get epitheliotropic lymphoma, How is it diagnosed?

Answer 34

1. Plasma cortisol 0.5-1ud/dl. PUPD 2. More common in syrians, skin biopsies, prednisolone

Question 35

When would the following drugs be used for treatment of skin diseases in hamsters? Ivermectin SC Meloxicam PO Broad spectrum ABs

Answer 35

Ivermectin * Demodex, other mites, lice Meloxicam * history of pruritis, skin inflammed Broad spectrum ABs * TMP and Sulfa marbofloxacin

Question 36

1. What species more commonly evert cheek pouches? 2. What are possible causes? 3. What is the approach to managment/treatment?

Answer 36

1. Dwarf species 2. Food impaction, inflammation, abscess, neoplasia 3. GA, complete clinical exam, flush/clean, suture transcutaneously, remove in 7-10 days

Question 37

1. What causes 'wet tail' in hamsters? 2. What are common causes? 3. What can severe cases lead to?

Answer 37

1. Enteropathies with diarrhoea 2. Lawsonia intracellularis, enterotoxaemia (C. difficile), tyzzers (C. piliforme), diet, GI parasites (uncommon) 3. Prolapse and intussuception

Question 38

1. What supportive care can be given to hamsters with diarrhoea? 2. What can be used for diagnosis?

Answer 38

1. SC fluids, glucose, thermal support, ABs, supplemental feeding 2. Faecal wet mount, gram staining, culture

Question 39

1. What causes hepatic cysts? 2. What species of hamster is predisposed? 3. What are the progressive signs? 4. What is the diagnosis? 5. How is it treated?

Answer 39

1. Developmental defects of bile ducts 2. Syrian 3. Abdominal enlargment, dyspnoea, alopecia, lethargy, weight loss 4. US scan 5. Surgical removal, aspiration, palliative care