Rodents

Question 1

What is the dental formula of rodents?

Answer 1

1013/1013

Question 2

Where can you blood sample a rat?

Answer 2

Lat tail vein

Femoral vein

Question 3

Where can you blood sample a mouse?

Answer 3

Lat tail vein

Femoral vein

Question 4

Where can you blood sample a chincilla?

Answer 4

Cranial vena cava
Jugular vein
Femoral vein

Question 5

Where can you blood sample a guinea pig?

Answer 5

Cranial vena cava
Femoral vein
Ear vein

Question 6

Where can you blood sample a hamster?

Answer 6

Femoral vein
Cardiac puncture (euthanasia)

Question 7

How do you sample the cranial vena cava (and from which animals)?

Answer 7

Guinea pigs and chincillas

Insert needle cranial to 1st rib and angle toward opposite hindleg.

Question 8

What is the pH of urine in i) a guinea pig, and ii) a chinchilla?

Answer 8

i) 9

ii) 8.5

Question 9

What is the specific gravity of rodent urine?

Answer 9

> 1.045

Question 10

Where can IM injections be given?

Answer 10

Quadriceps m. (but avoid- PAINFUL)

Question 11

What is the maintenance fluid therapy rate?

Answer 11

100ml/kg/day

Question 12

Which is the best site for intraosseous catheterisation?

Answer 12

Trochanteric fossa or tibial crest

Question 13

Why is nutritional support important in rodents?

Answer 13

Prone to hypoglycaemia and gastric stasis/hepatic lipidosis.

Question 14

What is a critical complication of diarrhoea in guinea pigs and hamsters?

Answer 14

Enterotoxaemia

Question 15

What agent causes proliferative ileitis in hamsters?

Answer 15

Lawsonia intracellularis

Question 16

What are the clinical signs of proliferative ileitis?

Answer 16

Lethargy
Anorexia
Weight loss
Abdominal pain
Watery foul smelling diarrhoea
DEATH within 24-48 hours!!

Question 17

How is proliferative ileitis treated?

Answer 17

Tetracycline orally + supportive therapy

Question 18

Which antibiotics are responsible for antibiotic associated diarrhoea in hamsters?

Answer 18

PLACE:
Penicillins
Lincosamides
Aminoglycosides
Cephalosporins
Erythromycin

Kills normal gut flora allowing Clostridium spiriforme to proliferate

Question 19

What are the most common respiratory diseases of rats?

Answer 19

Mycoplasma pulmonis

Question 20

What are the most common respiratory diseases of guinea pigs?

Answer 20

Bordatella bronchiseptica

Streptococcus pneumoniae

Question 21

What are the most common respiratory diseases of mice?

Answer 21

Cilia-associated respiratory bacillus

Sendai virus

Question 22

What is the cause of urolithiasis in guinea pigs?

Answer 22

Diets high in calcium/oxalate, bacterial infections

Question 23

What are the clinical signs of urolithiasis in guinea pigs?

Answer 23

Dysuria
Haematuria
Stranguria
General depression

Question 24

How is renal disease treated in rodents?

Answer 24

Reduce dietary protein intake (4-7%)

Question 25

What is the cause of flystrike in guinea pigs?

Answer 25

Older/obese guinea pigs can't reach anus to eat caecal pellets at night, so perineum becomes caked in faeces

Question 26

What is the cause of pregnancy toxaemia in guinea pigs?

Answer 26

Obese pregnant female Toxic form: foetal displacement causes impaired uterine blood supply, causing ischaemia, foetal death, DIC Metabolic form: stressor -> toxaemia

Question 27

What are the clinical signs of pregnancy toxaemia in the guinea pig?

Answer 27

``` Depression Anorexia Abortion Salivation Ketonuria + ketones on breath Convulsions Coma -> DEATH ```

Question 28

How is pregnancy toxaemia in the guinea pig treated?

Answer 28

Dextrose + fluids OR propylene glycol, steroids, calcium gluconate

Question 29

What are the Vitamin C daily requirements of guinea pigs?

Answer 29

10mg/kg (as like primates they can't synthesize it from glucose)- need 30mg/kg in pregnancy/illness

Question 30

What are the clinical signs of hypovitaminosis in guinea pigs?

Answer 30

``` Rough hair coat Scaling of pinnae Lethargy Weakness Wasting Hypersalivation Anorexia Unsteady gait Painful locomotion Gingival H+ Loose teeth Loose foul-smelling faeces ```

Question 31

How is hypovitaminosis C treated in the guinea pig?

Answer 31

50-100mg/kg daily of vitamin C (resolves within 7 days)

Question 32

What is the common species predilection and cause of conjunctivitis in rodents?

Answer 32

Chinchillas- dust baths causing ocular irritation

Question 33

What are the common mammary tumours in i) rats and ii) mice?

Answer 33

i) Benign fibroadenomas | ii) Malignant adenocarcinoma

Question 34

What is the cause of cavian leukaemia?

Answer 34

Lymphosarcoma- assoc w/ type C retroviral infection

Question 35

What is the most and second most common cancer in hamsters?

Answer 35

1. Melanomas | 2. Epitheliotropic lymphoma

Question 36

What are the common causes of torticollis in rodents?

Answer 36

Central lesions e.g. pituitary adenomas Bacterial infection (secondary to respiratory infection) Aural papillomas/polyps (GERBILS)

Question 37

What is the common cause of symmetrical alopecia in guinea pigs and gerbils?

Answer 37

Cystic ovarian disease

Question 38

When should food be removed pre-anaesthesia in rodents?

Answer 38

NEVER- DO NOT FAST as prone to hypoglycaemia and gut stasis. May remove 1 hour before in guinea pigs and chinchillas to ensure there is no food in the pharynx

Question 39

When do guinea pigs become sexually mature?

Answer 39

Female: 4-6 weeks Male: 9-10 weeks