VET 126 - Ch 13-15 - Overview, Cardiovascular, & GI Diseases: Ferrets, Rabbits, & Rodents

Ferret scientific name?

Mustela putorious furo; which means mouse-killing smelly thief.

Why do ferrets only make good pets in houses without small children?

They bite very hard & are very fast.

Where is it illegal to own ferrets?

California & Hawaii.

What kind of stomach do ferrets have?

Monogastric.

When do ferrets molt?

Spring & Fall.

Are male ferrets larger or smaller than females?

Larger by about 2 times.

What glands don’t ferrets have, & what type do they have instead?

Don’t have sweat glands, & have sebaceous glands that produce their musky body odor & have well-developed anal glands.

Ferret diet?

Obligate carnivores, 30 to 35% protein & 15 to 20% fat, cannot process carbs well;

Dog & cat foods are too high in carbs & plant proteins.

Why can ferrets be picky about their food?

They imprint on their food, so it’s recommended to mix different brands of food.

How to restrain ferrets?

Scruff & hold in air so their legs aren’t touching the table or ground, may need to also hold hips.

What should ferrets be vaccinated for?

Rabies & canine distemper.

How do ferrets react to the canine distemper vaccine?

May be common to have anaphylactic reactions.

What are rodents prone to getting in regard to diet?

Obese.

Rodent diet?

Minimum 16% protein & 4 to 5% fat;

Pellet diets are preferred & seed based diets should be avoided as main diet, but can give as treats.

Rabbit diet?

Require a diet high in fiber to aid digestion, pelleted diet with 20 to 30% fiber plus high fiber hay such as timothy or grass hay;

Can also have fresh fruits & veggies in small amounts.

What are rabbits sensitive to?

Heat; shouldn’t be left in temps higher than 85 degrees.

How to restrain rabbits?

Careful to not cause injuries, must support rear end, may be placed on their back for exam, & can restrain with towels.

What can improper restraint of rabbits cause?

Spinal fractures & injuries to the restrainer.

What percent of rabbit body weight is bone?

8%.

Which species (ferrets, rodents, rabbits) is cardiomyopathy seen in?

Ferrets, hamsters, & rabbits.

What is dilated cardiomyopathy characterized by?

An enlarged left ventricle & systolic dysfunction.

What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy characterized by?

Hypertrophy of the left ventricular wall, decreased filling, & diastolic dysfunction.

Cardiomyopathy clinical signs in ferrets?

Lethargy, dyspnea, anorexia, weight loss, pale mm, tachycardia, hypothermia, & weakness.

Diagnosis for cardiomyopathies (ferrets, rodents, rabbits)?

PE, history, radiography, ultrasound, electrocardiogram (for ferrets & rabbits), echocardiogram (for rabbits), & culture & sensitivity (for bacterial infections).

Cardiomyopathy clinical signs in rabbits?

Dyspnea, weight loss, hypothermia, weakness, exercise intolerance, & hepatomegaly.

Which diagnosis of cardiomyopathy aren’t used in rodents?

ECG & Echo;

ECG = ferrets & rabbits, Echo = rabbits.

Which cardiomyopathy clinical sign is specific to ferrets only?

Pale mucous membranes.

Which cardiomyopathy clinical sign is specific to rodents only?

Cyanosis.

Which cardiomyopathy clinical sign is specific to rabbits only?

Exercise intolerance & hepatomegaly.

Cardiomyopathy clinical signs in rodents?

Lethargy, anorexia, cyanosis, tachycardia, & hypothermia.

Dilated cardiomyopathy treatment (ferrets, rodents, rabbits)?

Oxygen, diuretics, nitroglycerin, & pleurocentesis.

Long-term = low dose diuretics, Ace inhibitors, digoxin (rodents only), low-salt diet, & must be done with monitoring.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy treatment (ferrets, rodents, rabbits)?

Oxygen, B-blockers or calcium channel blockers, & diuretics as needed.

What are the most common causes of valvular disease (ferrets, rodents, rabbits)?

Mitral & tricuspid regurgitation.

Where can mitral regurgitation be heard?

Left apical thorax.

Where can tricuspid regurgitation be heard?

Right sternal region.

Which species is valvular disease seen in (ferrets, rodents, rabbits)?

Older ferrets & pet rabbits.

Valvular disease clinical signs?

Lethargy, weakness, dyspnea, weight loss, & pale mucous membranes.

Valvular disease diagnosis?

Audible murmur, radiographs, ECG, & echo;

Also physical exam, history, CBC, & chemistry.

Valvular disease treatment?

If congestive heart failure is present, digoxin, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, oxygen, & lifelong treatment & monitoring.

What disease of dogs & cats can ferrets also be infected by?

Heartworm disease; in infected ferrets 50 to 60% have microfilariae.

In ferrets with heartworms, what can cause signs?

A single parasite.

Ferret heartworm disease clinical signs?

Similar to cats; coughing, lethargy, weakness, dyspnea, hypothermia, ± pleural effusion, ± ascites, & sudden death.

Ferret heartworm disease diagnosis?

Radiographs, echo, antigen tests, physical exam & history, & ± pleural effusion, ascites, or both.

Ferret heartworm disease treatment?

Animal dependent; may include diuretics & prevention meds;

Symptomatic animals with microfilariae = sub-q ivermectin or immiticide 2 stage protocol, then 4 to 6 weeks cage rest.

What can hamsters get secondary to heart disease?

Atrial thrombosis.

Atrial thrombosis can be seen in hamsters as young as?

1 year old.

Hamsters may die how soon after being diagnosed with atrial thrombosis?

1 week.

In hamsters, what procedure can increase the incidence of what condition?

Castration; thrombosis.

What heart diseases rabbits can have?

Congenital heart disease (such as ventricular septal defects or mitral & tricuspid valve insufficiencies), & arteriosclerosis of aorta and other arteries.

Rabbit heart disease clinical signs?

Similar to other animals with myocardial disease.

Which dental disease can ferrets have?

Gingivitis & periodontal disease.

Ferret dental disease clinical signs?

Discolored teeth, tartar, halitosis, ± loose or missing teeth, ± pain when chewing, & ± drooling.

Ferret dental disease treatment?

Dental cleaning, extract loose or diseased teeth, & analgesics for pain.

What products can be used to brush ferrets’ teeth?

Products designed for cats.

Halitosis?

Bad breath.

Which dental diseases can rabbits have

Dental trauma or injury, cancer, malformations of the jaw, & overgrown teeth.

Rabbit & rat dental disease clinical signs?

Can’t eat, dropping food, avoiding hard foods, increased drooling, excessive tearing, progressive weight loss, anorexia in rats, & ± nasal discharge in rats.

Which dental disease can rats have?

Overgrown incisors.

Rat dental disease treatment?

Trim teeth & extract disease teeth.

Rabbit dental disease treatment?

Grind or trim overgrown teeth, correct their diet, treat oral lesions from malocclusions, & remove misaligned teeth.

Which species is GI foreign bodies common in?

Ferrets, they love to chew & can also be caused by hairball obstruction.

Ferret GI foreign body clinical sings?

Lethargy, anorexia, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness that may be profound, slobbering, & face rubbing.

Ferret GI foreign body diagnosis?

Radiographs, physical exam & history, CBC, & chemistry.

Ferret GI foreign body treatment?

Surgical removal plus supportive IV fluids & antibiotics;

Laxatives formulated for cats can be used to help prevent hairball accumulation.

Causes of enteritis & diarrhea in ferrets?

Viral or bacterial in origin;

Viral = Epizootic catarrhal enteritis (from coronavirus), rotavirus, k9 distemper, & human flu virus;

Bacterial = Salmonella, mycobacteria (or Mycoplasma), & Campylobacter.

Ferret enteritis & diarrhea clinical signs?

Diarrhea, & ± dehydration, weight loss, or upper respiratory disease (for human flu).

Ferret enteritis & diarrhea viruses?

Epizootic catarrhal enteritis (from coronavirus), rotavirus, k9 distemper, & human flu virus.

Ferret enteritis & diarrhea bacteria?

Salmonella, Mycobacteria (or Mycoplasma), & Campylobacter.

Ferret enteritis & diarrhea diagnosis?

Fecal tests, fecal culture & sensitivity, physical exam & history, CBC, chemistry, biopsy of affected bowel (for IBD), & ± radiographs.

Ferret enteritis & diarrhea treatment?

Sub-q and/or oral fluids, antibiotics, Kaolin or Pectin to protect intestines, & cortisone for IBD or Epizootic catarrhal enteritis.

Ferret wasting disease?

Primarily caused by Helicobacter mustelae; but also proliferative bowel disease (from Lawsonia intracellularis) & eosinophilic gastroenteritis;

All cause diarrhea, occurs most commonly in fast growing juveniles, & is spread via fecal-oral route.

Which ferrets are most likely to get wasting disease?

Fast growing juveniles.

Ferret proliferative bowel disease?

Lawsonia intracellularis.

Ferret wasting disease clinical signs?

Diarrhea with or without blood or mucous, rapid & severe wasting, vomiting or nausea, pawing at the mouth, dehydration, lethargy, & ± anemia.

Sialodacryoadenitis in rats​?

Inflammation of the cervical salivary glands​; highly contagious & from coronavirus.

enteropathy in young hamsters caused by what bacteria?

Lawsonia intracellularis.

enteropathy in mature hamsters and gerbils?

clostridium piliforme (tyzzer disease).

intermittent diarrhea in rabbits?

must be fed with adequate amounts of fiber - high carb diet alters the bacterial flora- resulting in soft stool.

Trichobezoars- common in rabbits?

Hairballs.

intestinal stasis?

hairball obstruction- lack of intestinal motility- inappropriate diet.