PRACTICE Exotics

exotic avians, reptiles, fish, SA exotics

Why are male ferrets have a higher risk for obesity compared to females

males are typically larger w more adipose tissue

What diet fed by ferret owners can lead to increased risk of obesity in ferrets

• ad-libitum

• mixed commercial pelleted diet w canned cat food

• excessive administration of high fat supplements/treats

What are diet and activity methods to manage obesity in ferrets (and why)

• “meal feeding” is preferred allowing for intake restriction and adjustment

• eliminating/reducing high fat treats

• encouraging exercise

What is the most diagnosed neoplasm in ferrets w incidence percentage

ferret pancreatic beta-islet cell neoplasia

22-25% incidence reported

What are the three main signs of hypoglycemia due to insulinomas in ferrets

• lethargy

• ptylism (hypersalivation)

• weakness

  • (seizures uncommon)

With ferret insulinoma, in an emergency, what could you do to stabilize blood sugar

glucose or corn syrup on the gums (not a good option long term due to stimulation of additional insulin secretion)

What is the long-term tx for ferret insulinoma

• high protein, high fat diet

• food should be available 24/7

• Ferrets should be encouraged to eat every 2-4 hrs

• surgical tx/glucocorticoids

True or false: ferrets experience rare signs of inflammatory bowel disease that is caused by diet change

False: IBD is common and idiopathic

In ferret urolithiasis, what amino acid is the predominant cause of urolithiasis in ferrets

cystine

In the cause of urolithiasis, cystine is what type of AA and is transported at what part of the kidney

Cystine is a disulfide AA

renal PCT

True or False: Cystine is more soluble in alkaline urine

true: Cystine is more soluble in alkaline urine

What are recommended for cystine urolithiasis management

• urine dilution

• reduced methionine and cysteine intake

What is the most common disease in sugar gliders

nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism

What is the cause of nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism in sugar gliders

fed a high sugar/fruit diet

What is the best tx for nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism in sugar gliders

calcitonin may be provided, if blood calcium is normal

True or false: hedgehogs can eat mealworms, crickets and other insects

true (as long as they are not wild insects)

True or false: hedgehogs can eat wild insects and slugs

false

True or false: hedgehogs can eat eggs and cooked meat

true

True or false: hedgehogs can eat uncooked meat and eggs

false

True or false: hedgehogs can eat hard nuts/seeds

false

True or false: hedgehogs can eat raisins

false

True or false: hedgehogs can eat dairy

false

True or false: hedgehogs cannot eat avocado

true

True or false: hedgehogs can eat garlic/onions

false

True or false: hedgehogs cannot eat fruits and vegs

false (in small amounts)

True or false: hedgehogs can eat crickets and wild slugs

false no wild slugs or wild insects

Why can’t hedgehogs have milk

hedgehogs are lactose intolerant

What macronutrients do adult honey bees eat

• carbohydrates

• protein

• lipids

• micronutrients

What is the main source of carbohydrates for honey bees

nectar

What is main sugar component of carbohydrates that honey bees eat

sucrose

What is the main source of proteins, lipids, and micronutrients

pollen

What is the difference of the food source of pollen vs nectar for honey bee nutrition

• pollen - proteins, lipids, micronutrients

• nectar - carbohydrate

What three types of honey bees rely on high protein (aka pollen)

• queen

• nurse

• larvae

How does the Queen’s nutrition relate to the colony

Queen’s nutrition mimics the signs of worker/colony nutrition

What type of honey bee in a colony needs carbohydrates

foragers

Why do foragers need a lot of carbohydrates

they do a shit ton of running and regurgitating

they do a lot of activity

Where does bees get their diet

100% from flowers

What are the contents that make up bee bread

• pollen

• honey

• bee salivary secretion that contain bee GI bacteria

Why are honey bees as a genus been able to survive so long (relates to nutrition)

success of storing foods

What are the four seasons’ food availability amongst honey bees

• winter - food is scarce

• spring - food becomes available

• summer - variable

• fall - preparation time for winter w/o food

In winter nutrition of honey bees, what do most bees do in terms of nutrition

• rely on food storage

In winter nutrition, bees use muscles to generate heat causing what loss of macronutrient

carbohydrates

In winter nutrition of honey bees, what is the major risk of starvation/freeze

if there is insufficient honey in the hive (carbohydrates)

To reduce amount of heat and energy needed during winter nutrition, what do bees stop

stop brood production in winter

Why is protein w high fibers bad during winter nutrition

creates more waste in rectum; therefore, bees would need to empty their rectums but cant because of winter causing problems

During spring, if a rainy week occurs, what can occur to small colonies

small colonies starve in spring

What is vital for wax production

enormous amount of nectar

What is a big mistake with summer food in honey nutrition involving combs/wax

not enough carbs ∴ must supplement w carbs

During summer, a dearth can occur which is what

no flowers available for forage

What is a consequence of dearth in honey bee nutrition

other colonies will perform robbing and rob resources from other hives

What is a major consequence of robbing in honey bee nutrition in the summer

disease spread

What are important actions in the autumn for honey bee nutrition

1. store food in hive

2. store food in bodies (fats/proteins)

What three factors drives bees to forage for food

1. amount of brood and genetics

2. nectar availablity

3. weather

What factors related to flowers must be right for bee nutrition

• flowers

  • must be w/in flight range

  • must be the right type (pollen or nectar)

  • must not be stressed

How is bee nutrition insufficient related to environment

not enough sufficient, clean forage

• abundance

• quality

• pesticides and other hazards

• weather

If a colony of bees does not have sufficient food, what are three actions that individual bees take that diminish their jobs

• bees withhold food from foragers

• nurse bees eat eggs and young larvae

• larvae that survive are stunded

In bee keeping, there always needs to be an abundant amount of what type of macronutrient

protein

How can you tell if a colony of bees has enough protein

by looking at brood food/larvae

• larvae floating in royal jelly GOOD

Why do you not feed bees honey/pollen from other hives

dz risk

How do we feed bees (manually)

protein patties

Can we use supplements with bee nutrition and why

generally no, not useful bc of sensitive digestion and scents

Guinea pigs secrete cecotrophs that are the products of what system

cecum, partially fermented

Cecotropes from guinea pigs are high what micronutrients

cecotropes are high in:

• vitamin B

• vitamin K

• amino acids

• short-chain FA

What is good standard of diet that provides rat’s their entire nutrition w no need to supplement

commerical pellet

In rat nutrition, what condition are rats prone to

obesity

Why do guinea pigs require roughage to prevent dental disease and malocclusion

continuously;

• GROWING MOLARS

• PREMOLAR

• INCISORS

WHat are the two types of stools of guinea pigs

1. regular feces

2. cecotrophs

What does cecotopes at the bottom of a guinea pig’s cage may indicate

• dz

• obese guina pigs

• arthritic guinea pigs

What is the main result of lack of L-gulonolactone oxidase in guinea pigs

cannot convert glucose to required dietary Vit C

What is the recommended guinea pig diet

• feed hay ad-lib

  • grass for adults

  • alfala/legume for juvenile

• formulated high quality pellets = 1 tbsp/g.pig/day

• Vitamin C supplement - minimum 2 mg/g.pig/day

Why is feed hay important in guinea pig diet

• important for GI motility, normal GI microflore, normal occlusion

What is tx for guinea pig scurvy

all sick GP should receive vitamin C parenterally 100 mg SQ/day

Why do rabbits require roughage for gnawing and mastication to wear teeth

continuously growing incisors, molars, and premolars

What does phosphorus absorption in rabbits require

vitamin D

What species has normally high blood calcium

rabbits

What type of hay should be fed to rabbits/juvenile rabbits

adults: grass hay - adlibitium

Juveline → alfalfa/legume hay

What antimicrobials can you not use in bunnys and why

beta-lactams

• causes GI dysbiosis

• leads to bacterial translocation

What are the causes of ileus

• illness

• pain

• heat/temperature

• dental disease

• diet (inadequate fiber)

What is the progression of ileus

progress to sever dysbiosis and impaction

When choosing a diet for rabbits, what type of fiber are we looking for

diet that provides long fibers that promote GI motility

Why should you not consider fine powdered fiber in rabbits

less likely stimulate GI motility causing fermentation in cecum, instead of reaching the colon

When feeding a rabbit, what are the do’s and don’t (in terms of physically feeding)

feeding w syringe should be done slowly (to allow patient chew and swallow)

do not feed a patient that is reluctant or struggling

What are the vast majority of uroliths composition in small rodents

calcium carbonate composition

What are the prevention/tx in diets of rabbit urinary dz

• surgical tx of uroliths

• review diet for any high calcium food items

  • alfalfa hay

  • high calcium greens

Small rodents fed a low roughage diet are much more prevalent to what type of dental dz

dental malocclusion

What can malocclusion in rabbits and rodents develop to

secondary abscessation

In guinea pigs, what vitamin deficiency leads to scurvy

hypovitaminosis C

What is the tx for dental malocclusion

often repeated procedures are required to evenly reduce crown height

What are diet changes for prevention of malocclusion

inc fiber to encourage proper teeth wear

Which teeth in small rodents are important to consider in malocclusion

molars, premolars, incisors

Why are fish energy requirements lower than terrestrial animals

low expenditure on supporting locomotion and heat production

When are protein requirements the highest for fish nutrition

growth

repro

What occurs during an excess protein in diet in fish

excess ammonia

→ dec water quality of tank

What are the pros and cons of medicated feed in fish nutrition

pros:

• inc weight

• inc growth rate

cons:

• antimicrobial resistance

What are the two dietary ions/nutrients that with excessiveness causes poor water quality

• excess protein

• excess phosphorus

How does algae plant growth in tanks cause fish death

reduced dissolved oxygen

With swimbladder dz, what type of diet can help tx

high fiber meal such as

cooked green pea

For pisttacine nutritional diet standards, what are the percentages and the feedstuff in the standard diet

• 70-80% main diet

  • pellet based (or homade diets)

• 20-30% remaining diet

  • vegetables

  • grains/nuts

  • fruit (in small amounts)

• seeds as treats

What are the advantages and disadvantages of formulated diets for parrots

advantages:

• nutritionally balance

• simple/clean

• no vitamin supplementation

disadvantages:

• cost

• acceptance

• boredom

What birds needs Ca supplementation in the food

1. African Grey Parrots

2. Actively laying birds