Diseases of Small Domestic Rodents (eBook)

Virginia Richardson runs a small animal practice in partnership with her husband Ean, within which she has a specialist small pet rodent unit. Since a child she has always kept a variety of pet rodents, and this book is written from her experience as an owner, as well as a veterinary surgeon.

DISEASES OF SMALL DOMESTIC RODENTS 1
CONTENTS 7
Preface 13
CHINCHILLAS 15
1 Husbandry and nutrition 17
Environment 17
Housing 17
Stocking 18
Nutrition 18
2 Systems and diseases 22
The skin 22
The reproductive system 27
The urinary system 39
The digestive system 40
The respiratory system 51
The eye 53
The ear 54
The musculoskeletal system 55
The central nervous system 55
Miscellaneous conditions 57
3 Anaesthesia and drug treatments 59
Handling 59
Nursing 59
Pre-anaesthetic preparation 59
Anaesthesia 60
Analgesia 60
Post-operative care 61
Drug treatments 62
CHIPMUNKS 69
4 Husbandry and nutrition 71
Housing 71
Hibernation 71
Hygiene 72
Stocking 72
Nutrition 72
5 Systems and diseases 74
The skin 74
The reproductive system 75
The urinary system 78
The teeth 78
Stomach and intestines 79
The respiratory system 80
The eye 80
The musculoskeletal system 81
Miscellaneous conditions 81
6 Anaesthesia and drug treatments 82
Handling 82
Pre-anaesthetic preparation 82
Anaesthesia 83
Analgesia 84
Post-operative care 84
Drug treatments 85
DEGUS 89
7 Husbandry and nutrition 91
Environment 91
Housing 91
Stocking 92
Nutrition 92
8 Systems and diseases 94
The skin 94
The reproductive system 94
The digestive system 97
The respiratory system 99
The eye 99
The musculoskeletal system 99
Behaviour 100
9 Anaesthesia and drug treatments 101
Handling 101
Pre-anaesthetic preparation 101
Anaesthesia 102
Analgesia 102
Fluid therapy 102
Post-operative care 102
Drug treatments 102
GERBILS 105
10 Husbandry and nutrition 107
Housing 107
Environment 108
Stocking 108
Hygiene 108
Nutrition 109
11 Systems and diseases 111
The skin 111
The reproductive system 116
The urinary system 120
The respiratory system 120
The eye 122
The ear 122
The digestive system 123
The musculoskeletal system 126
Behaviour and the central nervous system 126
Miscellaneous conditions 127
12 Anaesthesia and drug treatments 129
Handling 129
Nursing 129
Pre-anaesthetic preparation 129
Premedication 130
Anaesthesia 130
Analgesia 132
Post-operative care 132
Injection procedures 133
Drug treatments 133
JIRDS 137
13 Husbandry and nutrition 139
Environment 139
Housing 139
Bedding 139
Stocking 140
Nutrition 140
14 Systems and diseases 141
The skin 141
The reproductive system 142
The respiratory system 143
The eye 144
HAMSTERS 147
15 Husbandry and nutrition 149
Housing and bedding 149
Environment 150
Stocking 151
Hygiene 151
Nutrition and feeding 152
16 Systems and diseases 155
The skin 155
The reproductive system 161
The urinary system 167
The digestive system 167
The respiratory system 175
The eye 176
The ear 178
The musculoskeletal system 178
Miscellaneous conditions 179
17 Anaesthesia and drug treatments 182
Handling 182
Nursing 182
Pre-anaesthetic preparation 182
Premedication 183
Anaesthesia 183
Analgesia 185
Post-operative care 185
Injection procedures 186
Drug treatments 186
MICE 191
18 Husbandry and nutrition 193
Environment 193
Housing and bedding 193
Stocking 194
Nutrition 7
19 Systems and diseases 197
The skin 197
The reproductive system 202
The digestive system 207
The respiratory system 210
The eye 212
The ear 213
The musculoskeletal system 213
Miscellaneous conditions 215
20 Anaesthesia and drug treatments 217
Handling 217
Pre-anaesthetic preparation 217
Premedication 218
Anaesthesia 218
Analgesia 220
Post-operative care 220
Injection procedures 221
Drug treatments 221
RATS 225
21 Husbandry and nutrition 227
Environment 227
Housing and bedding 227
Stocking 228
Nutrition 228
22 Systems and diseases 231
The skin 231
The reproductive system 235
The urinary system 240
The digestive system 241
The respiratory system 245
The eye 248
The ear 250
The musculoskeletal system 250
The central nervous system 252
23 Anaesthesia and drug treatments 253
Handling 253
Pre-anaesthetic preparation 253
Anaesthesia 253
Analgesia 255
Post-operative care 256
Injection procedures 256
Drug treatments 256
24 Zoonotic aspects 260
Introduction 260
Allergic responses to rodents 260
Zoonotic diseases 260
Disinfectants 263
Physiological data 265
References 267
Index 270