Lab Animal Husbandry

Rabbit

• Oryctolagus cuniculus

• Rabbit  - not rodent but a lagomorph

• Size range: 3lbs to 20lbs

• About 45 different breeds

• Uses:  Meat, fur, research & pets

Anatomy

• Nictitating membrane

  • (Third eyelid)

• Highly vascular ears

• Fragile spine

• Continuously growing teeth (Hypsodontic – continuously erupting like horse).

• Two pairs of upper incisors

• One way digestive tract- need high fiber, long stem fiber

• Large cecum

• Antibiotic sensitivity

Behavior

• Can be housebroken – good pets

• Chewers

• Not heat tolerant

• Not typically aggressive

• Coprophagic = eat feces especially while young but throughout adulthood too

Nutrition

• Need roughage:  Timothy or oat hay

  • Ad lib

• Commercial pellets

• Veggies & fruits – no more than 20%

• Young free feed pellets; adults measure intake

• Salt addition not necessary

Determining Sex of a Rabbit 

Breeding

• Male – buck

• Female – doe

• young – kit

• Process of giving birth – kindling

• Life span- 5 to 6 years

• Sexual maturity ~ 5.5 months

• Induced ovulators – no estrous cycle unless in the presence of a male; they ovulate during breeding

Breeding Continued…

• Gestation 29-35 days

• Nesting box

• Extremely rich milk

• Do not disturb doe and kits first two weeks

• Weaned at about 4 weeks

Restraint

• Never pick up by the ears

• Ok to scruff but always support the hindquarters

• Return to cage hind end first

Pasteurella/Pasteurellosis
(Snuffles)

•Clinical Signs:

    - Discharge from eyes and/or nose

    - Squinting or redness of eyes

   - Ears infection – resulting in head tilt

   - Abscesses

•Treatment:

–Antibiotics  - injections preferred over oral

–Eye and/or nose drops

–Easy to treat – hard to cure

–Many rabbits are chronically infected

Pasteurella

•Prevention:

–Quarantine new rabbits for 30 days

–Reduce stress 

–Avoid overcrowding

–Avoid dietary changes

–Keep litter clean

Uterine pyometra

•Unspayed female rabbits

•Uterine bacterial infection

•Clinical signs: Older female, listless, not eating

•Diagnostics: radiographs, ultrasound exploratory surgery

•Treatment: surgery

•Prevention – spay early;  If breeding the

      rabbit, spay when breeding life is over.

Trichobezoars
(Hairballs)

•Rabbits are clean and groom frequently

•Clinical signs:  Not eaten in 24 hrs,

•Diagnostics: radiographs may be helpful

•Treatment:  Drugs early on to change gut motility, or surgery (50% mortality rate)

•Prevention:  High fiber diet;  hair ball medication;  frequent brushing, enzymes

Skin Diseases

•Bacterial Infections:  Treat with Antibiotics

–Live active culture yogurt

•Ringworm: Treat with topical medication, oral medication or medicated shampoos

•Fleas:  Can use products safe for cats

Cystic Calculi
(Bladder Stones)

•Clinical Signs:

    Frequent urination, straining to urinate

    Blood in the urine.

•Treatment:  Surgical Removal

•Prevention:  Less pellets, more fiber in the diet.

Parasites

•Mange (walking dandruff) – seen as hair loss and dandruff   Diagnosis by skin scraping   Treatment- medicated shampoo

•Ear mites:  Dark crusty material in ears, scratching and shaking head – injectable or topical medication

•Coccidia (intestinal):  Fecal testing to find - medication

Guinea Pig

• Cavia porcellus

•Rodent -  More closely related to porcupines and chinchillas

•Average weight 750 grams

Anatomy Guinea Pig

•No tail

•One pair of mammary glands

•Only pocket pet with premolar teeth

•Herbivore

•Open rooted continuously growing teeth (hypsodont)

•Born precocious:

–Born with teeth

–Born with eyes open

–Born with fur

•Heavy body weight for size

•Susceptible to Bordetella -respiratory disease

Behavior

•Seldom bite or scratch

•Respond well to attention

•Can be messy!

•Can’t climb – burrowing animals

•Can cause allergies in people

•Can be housed together

Nutrition

•Quality guinea pig pellets with Vit C

•Ad lib Timothy Hay

•Supplement with kale, cabbage, cilantro, etc and citrus daily

•Vitamin C required

–Scurvy otherwise

•Prone to obesity

Determining the Sex of Guinea Pig

Breeding

•Average life span 5+ years

•Males are boars;  Females are sows

•Puberty: very early in life

•Females need to be bred early in life, before 6-8 months of age – pelvic symphysis fuses

•Gestation ~ 59-73 days

Young are “precocious”

Restraint

•Do not scruff

•Support entire body

•Use towel if needed

Diseases: Scurvy

•Vitamin C deficiency

•Clinical Signs:

–anorexia; swollen, painful joints; bleeding from gums

•Treatment:

–Supplement with Vitamin C injections

–Improve diet

–Add Vitamin C to water

G.Pig Diseases: Dystocia and Pregnancy Toxemia

•Dystocia (difficulty birthing)

–Must be bred before 6-9 months of age

•Pregnancy Toxemia

–Toxemia seen in obese guinea pigs during late pregnancy. 

–Prevention includes reducing stress during pregnancy and correct diet.

Guinea Pig Medical Issue - Hyperthermia

•Hyperthermia

–Temperatures over 80 degrees and humidity over 70%.

–Signs:  panting, slobbering, lethargy, convulsions

–Treatment:  cool water spray or bath

Hamster

• Mesocricetus auratus

–desert animal originally from the middle east

•In general, can be the most aggressive of all pocket pets

Anatomy

•Well developed cheek pouches

•Flank glands

•Lots of loose skin

•Hibernate

•Fatal reaction to some antibiotics

•Blunt noses

•Concentrated urine

Behavior 

•Pugnacious (quick to quarrel)

•Nocturnal

•Escape artists

•Females cannot be housed with others (solitary animals)

•Nest builders

Hoard food

Nutrition

•Prone to obesity

•Hamster blocks

•Blunt nose, must put food in cage not in feeder troughs

•Need fresh water

Determining Sex of Hamsters

Breeding 

•Lifespan 18 - 24 months

•Puberty at 6 - 8 weeks

•Gestation ~ 16-18 days

•Litter size 6 - 8

•Weaned at 3 weeks

•Don’t disturb first 2 weeks – may cannibalize young

Restraint

•Scruff !

Hamster Common Diseases

•Pneumonia: 

–Caused by Streptococcus or Pasteurella

–Open mouth breathing, discharge from eyes and nose, wheezing.  Often die, even when treated.

•Proliferative Ileitis (wet tail) 

–Often seen between 3 and 6 weeks of age

–Clinical Signs: lethargy, anorexia, diarrhea, wet anal area

–Usually fatal

Common Diseases 

•Mange: 

–More susceptible to demodectic (demodex = mite)mange than any other pocket pet. 

–Clinical signs: alopecia, scaly skin and pruritic

–Treated with medicated shampoo

•Fractures: 

–Leg fractures are common from injuries on exercise wheels. 

–May heal on their own, or may need amputation

Rat

• Rattus norvegicus

–Rodent

–Quiet, intelligent, easily trained

–Nocturnal

–Burrow

Anatomy

•No gallbladder

•Open rooted incisors (hypsodont)

•Extensive mammary tissue

•Males have an os penis

•Harderian gland behind eyeball secretes porphyrin tears

•Average weight 350g

•Altricial

Nutrition 

•Commercial diets

–Rodent blocks

•Omnivores – will eat anything

•No supplements

•Water in sipper bottles

Determining Sex of Rats

Sexing Young Rats

Breeding 

•Life span 2 to 3 years

•Puberty at 50 to 60 days

•Gestation  21 days

•Litter size 7 to 11

•Wean at 21 days

•Pinkies/pups

Restraint

•Do not scruff

•Hold around neck and thorax, but do not squeeze too hard

•Can pick up by base of tail for short period

•Support the body

Common diseases
 Mycoplasmosis (respiratory disease)

•Highly contagious

•Clinical Signs:  Sneezing, nasal discharge, eye discharge, labored breathing

•Treatment:  Long term antibiotics

•Prevention:  Purchase from reputable breeder; Clean environment, good ventilation

Sialodacryoadenitis

•Clinical Signs: red tear staining around eyes and nose, facial swelling, exophthalmos (bulging eyes)

•Causes: coronavirus

•Treatment: supportive care, antibiotics

•Mammary Neoplasia:

–Frequently develop tumors.  Mammary tissue covers most of the body, so lumps can appear anywhere.

–Grow quite large , are uncomfortable and may ulcerate and become infected.

–Surgical removal is necessary

Mouse

• Mus musculus

•Mouse   

•Rodent – world wide, many varieties

Anatomy 

•Harderian gland

•Small size 25-40 grams

•Open rooted incisors - hypsodontic

•Extensive mammary tissue

•Fecundity – one pair plus one year equals one million

•Altricial

Behavior

•Timid

•Territorial

•Escape prone

•Social order poorly understood

•Will bite when handled roughly

•Nocturnal

Nutrition/Housing

•Metal or plastic cages with wire mesh

•Water bottles

•Bedding & nesting materials

•Enrichment

•Commercial diets

•No supplements

Anogenital Distance

Detrmining Sex of Mice

Breeding

•Life span 2 – 3 years

•Puberty at 28 to 40 days

•Gestation period 19-21 days

•Litter size  6 – 12

•Weaned at 21 days

Restraint 

•Scruff and stretch

Common Diseases

•Mammary Neoplasia – same as rats

•Mycoplasmosis – same as rats

•Viral Diseases:  more a problem is laboratory colonies than in pet mice

•Antibiotic toxicities:  Procaine and streptomycin are fatal to mice