Small Mammal Dentistry

Question 1

Fill in the blanks

——- = toward the nose
——- = toward the throat
——- = surface of the tooth facing the first incisor
——- = opposite surface of the tooth from mesial
——- and —— = toward the midline
——- and —— = toward the cheeks or lips

Answer 1

• Rostral
• Caudal
• Mesial
• Distal
• Lingual and Palatal
• Buccal and Labial

Question 2

This is a tooth with a limited period of growth

Answer 2

Anelodont

Question 3

These are teeth that are continuously growing

Answer 3

Elodont

Question 4

This is the portion of tooth covered by enamel

Answer 4

Anatomical crown

Question 5

This is the portion of the crown above the gingiva

Answer 5

Clinical crown

Question 6

This is the crown portion of hypsodont teeth that is below the gingival margin

Answer 6

Reserve crown

Question 7

These are long crowned teeth

Answer 7

Hypsodont

Question 8

These are short crowned teeth

Answer 8

Brachyodont

Question 9

What are the incisor teeth defined in a small mammals?

Answer 9

Aradicular hypsodont

Question 10

This is the second set of maxillary incisors

Answer 10

Peg teeth

Question 11

These teeth are visually indistinguishable aradicular hypsodont premolar and molar teeth

Answer 11

Cheek Teeth

Question 12

This is the wide gap between incisor and cheek teeth in rabbits and rodents

Answer 12

Diastema

Question 13

What separates out rodent groups?

Answer 13

Masseter muscle placement NOT teeth

Question 14

If issues are seen during an awake oral exam, what should you do?

Answer 14

Do a complete sedated exam

Question 15

How many cheek teeth do rabbits have?

Answer 15

6 maxillary and 5 mandibular cheek teeth

Question 16

How do rabbit teeth wear?

Answer 16

By grinding against themselves

Question 17

What condition is described below?
- Anything causing uneven wear
- Incisors: congenital, trauma, or secondary to cheek teeth malocclusion
- Molar: acquired (Vit D deficiency or inadequate/improper chewing motion)
- CS: may not be noticed until condition is advanced, may see injury from teeth growing into the mouth

Answer 17

Rabbit Malocclusion

Question 18

What is the difference between rabbit cheek teeth malocclusion versus rabbit malocclusion?

Answer 18

You DO see clinical signs (slobbering, dropping food, weight loss)
- Secondary CSs: nasolacrimal duct blockage, exopthalmos, facial swellings from apical swellings/abscesses
- Lip and dewlap dermatitis from slobbering

Question 19

What are ways to prevent malocclusion?

Answer 19

• Don’t breed affected lines
• Feed Timothy or other hay
• Direct exposure to sunlight for Vitamin D

Question 20

Which pocket pets only have elodont front teeth?

Answer 20

Rats, Mice, Hamster, Gerbil, Prairie dog

Question 21

What pocket pets have all teeth as elodont?

Answer 21

Guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus

Question 22

In guinea pigs, what kind of clinical signs will you see in guinea pigs with malocclusion?

Answer 22

Weight loss, excess salivation, change in food choices and prehension, facial swelling, exophthalmos

Question 23

What are some physiological and anatomical considerations for anesthesia?

Answer 23

Small size, high metabolic rate, high surface area: volume ratio —> hypothermia, catecholamine-driven prey animals, underlying cardiovascular or respiratory dz, GI ileus, tympany, high O2 consumption rates, difficult intubation, difficult vascular access

Question 24

What routes can you go for vascular access?

Answer 24

IV, IO, SQ

Question 25

Blood volume is approximately how much of pocket pet BW?

Answer 25

~10%

Question 26

For pre-anesthetic preparation, what is not recommended?

Answer 26

Fasting

Question 27

Which veins do you access for blood collection?

Answer 27

- Jugular, Cephalic, saphenous, marginal ear vein - Rats: lateral coccygeal vein

Question 28

Where do you place IO catheters? What gauge?

Answer 28

Proximal femur, tibia, and humerus (18-22G)

Question 29

Injury of the auricular artery leads to thrombosis and ischemic necrosis in what species?

Answer 29

Rabbits

Question 30

This type of anesthetic induction requires minimal physical restraint, reduces injury to animal and handler, environmental contamination and difficult monitoring

Answer 30

Induction chamber

Question 31

What kind of anesthetic induction is not done in restrained un-premedicated animals?

Answer 31

Mask induction

Question 32

What should you consider for airway management in rodents?

Answer 32

Palatal Ostium

Question 33

How can you check anesthetic depth in pocket pets?

Answer 33

- Pedal withdrawal (toe/tail pinch) - Pinna reflex (pinch ear) - Corneal and palpebral reflexes