Download Small Mammal Husbandry and Basic Medical Care Len Donato

Small Mammal Husbandry and Basic Medical Care
Len Donato, VMD, Dipl. ABVP (avian)
Radnor Veterinary Hospital
Wayne, PA
The goal for the private practitioner starting to see exotic companion mammals in private
practice is to be able to understand these pets, how to care for them, and what goes wrong when
they are not cared for properly. Husbandry is a major cause of illness in these unique pets.
Husbandry
This is a basic husbandry review for exotic small mammal companions. This will review the
highlights for each group or species. Cleanliness is key for all pets so their environment should
be cleaned regularly. Nail trimmings are also part of routine maintenance. Many times their feet
are in bedding and owners do not see the nails becoming overlong. Many of these pets become
overweight from limited exercise and over feeding of a pelleted diet. Be sure to recommend
exercise and proper portions of food. Also, review safety. These pets should not be left
unattended when out of their cage or habitat. They can ingest foreign material and become ill.
Also other pets and humans can accidentally injure them. Electrical cords and staircases can be
dangers as well.
Ferrets
Housing
A typical ferret’s day is spent sleeping 15-20 hours, and being very active and inquisitive while
they are awake! Because of this lifestyle ferrets should have a large, well ventilated cage for
their protection; however, they should never be confined for an extended period of time. They
need exercise, affection, and human companionship to remain happy and healthy. Ferrets need a
minimum of 2-4 hours per day out of their cage. Since ferrets have a knack for being
mischievous and getting into things, it is important to monitor them at all times when they are
out of their cage. Ferrets are known to burrow inside of furniture and get into mischief in the
laundry basket and closets. Also keep electrical cords out of reach or properly covered.
We recommend a large, multi-level, wire cage that is a minimum of 24"x24"x36" high.
Aquariums are not sufficient as they don’t allow proper ventilation. Wire bottoms are not
appropriate for ferret feet, so the bottom of the cage should be covered in an easy to clean carpet.
The cage should have a secure latch and openings no wider than two inches as ferrets are skilled
escape artists! Ferrets are very temperature sensitive. The cage should be kept in a cool, shaded,
dry area away from direct sunlight. Ferrets have poorly developed sweat glands and cannot
tolerate temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Within the cage there should be a shallow litter box with pelleted or shredded bedding or litter
(such as Carefresh or Yesterdays News). Do not use clumping or clay kitty litter in the box.
Diet
Feed a specific ferret formulated diet that has more than 32% animal based protein and around
20% fat. Other diets, such as those for dogs, cats or rodents, are not appropriate for these special
species. Many companies produce ferret foods such as Oxbow and Marshall Farms. Occasional
treats specific for ferrets are fine. Ferrets also love fatty acid coat supplements such as Ferretone.
Please keep in mind that treats should never exceed 10% of their diet.
Water
Fresh water should be provided daily. Water should be provided in a water bottle or bowl. Make
sure water is clean at all times if you use a bowl. Disinfect the water bottle/bowl weekly and
check that the bottle is working properly daily.
Rabbits
Housing
A wire mesh cage is recommended for proper ventilation. Carefresh bedding or aspen shavings
should be used in both solid floor cages and wire bottom cages. If using a wire bottom cage, be
sure to cover with bedding so feet do not get sore. The cage should be at least 4 times the size of
the rabbit, larger if the rabbit is confined most of the day. Separate levels connected by ramps are
enjoyable for rabbits. The cage should contain plenty of toys. The toys should be rotated to keep
the rabbit interested.
Diet
Pellets – Fresh good quality pellets without extra additives (seeds or nuts) should be provided.
Don’t buy more than 6 weeks’ worth of pellets because the nutritional value declines. Pellets
should contain at least 18% fiber. Rabbits should be fed ¼ cup of pellets per 4lbs of body weight.
Vegetables – A variety of dark leafy greens (kale, collard greens broccoli, spring greens, carrot
tops) should be provided. Avoid beans and rhubarb. Wash all veggies thoroughly and introduce
new vegetables gradually and one at a time. Kale, mustard, and spinach are high in oxalates
which may lead to bladder stone formation so limit these greens to 1-3 meals per week.
Hay – Free choice timothy hay should be provided at all times. Timothy hay and orchard grass
are preferred over alfalfa hay since it is too high in calcium and protein. Alfalfa can be very rich
for rabbits which may cause dysbiosis.
Water
Fresh water should be provided daily. Water should be provided in a water bottle instead of a
bowl. Water in a bowl quickly becomes contaminated with food and feces. Disinfect the water
bottle weekly and check that the bottle is working properly daily.
Guinea Pigs
Housing – Similar to rabbits.
Diet
Pellets – Specific pellets for guinea pigs should be fed as they contain vitamin C. They are one
of the few creatures on earth that does not produce their own vitamin C. Guinea pigs should be
fed no more than 1/8 cup pellets per day.
Vegetables – Same rules as for rabbits. A half cup of vegetables is the proper amount per day for
guinea pigs.
Hay – Same as for rabbits
Vitamin C – Offer orange, grapefruit, other citrus fruit, different colored peppers, tomato or strawberry.
Vitamin C tablets or drops will lose Vitamin C potency so it is best not to use those products. Guinea pigs
will develop scurvy from lack of vitamin C.
Water– Same as for rabbits
Other Small Rodents
Chinchillas – Similar to guinea pigs minus the vitamin C. Use Chinchilla or rodent pellets. Also
they require dust bathing daily for about 10 minutes. Too much time in the dust bath can cause
conjunctivitis.
Mice/Rats/Hamsters/Gerbils – Feed specific species pellet. Be sure the pellet does not contain
seeds, dried fruits, or dried vegetables. Hay is not needed and vegetables are fine in limited
quantities, but are not required. Housing follows rabbit care above. There are plastic habitats for
rodents in the pet stores that work very well. An exercise wheel for in the cage and an exercise
ball for out of the cage help maintain weight.
There are many other exotic companion mammals that you will encounter. Be sure to review
their care prior to the appointment, if possible.
Signs of Illness – It’s important for you to know what to expect and educate owners on what
they should monitor for their pet.
1. Anorexia with decrease stool production
2. Lethargy
3. Unwilling to move (pododermatitis)
4. Drooling (teeth, renal disease, insulinoma, nausea)
5. Discharge from nose or eyes (bordetella, pneumonia, conjunctivitis)
6. Lumps (abscess, neoplasia)
7. Vomit (only ferret/hedgehog)
8. Diarrhea (parasites, infectious)
9. Alopecia (adrenal disease, mites, lice, dermatophytosis)
10. Many, many others…
Restraint
Understanding how to care for our patient and instructing the owner is key to working with
exotic companion mammals. The next step is learning how to handle them for their safety and
yours.
Ferrets – It’s not common but ferrets can bite. Holding them by the scruff not only prevents them
from being too wiggly for the exam, but will prevent any bites a well. Nutritional supplements
can be very helpful as ferrets become very distracted with this kind of treat.
Rabbits – The main concern for rabbits is not that they will injure you, but that they can injure
themselves. Use of towels is all that is needed to restrain rabbits. If you are in a lab animal
setting, you may have access to restraint chambers to perform procedures. Occasionally there is
an aggressive rabbit and they will lunge and bite. Towel restraint helps with this. Do not scruff
rabbits. It will give them a stable point so if they kick the forces go up their back and end at your
scruff point. This could lead to spinal trauma.
Guinea Pigs/Chinchillas – See Rabbits
Mice/Rats/Hamsters/Gerbils – While rats and gerbils are nicer than mice and hamsters, you have
to be alert to bites from this group. They have long sharp incisors that will hurt you. For mice,
rats, and gerbils let them grab onto a stationary towel or top of their cage and hold them by the
base of the tail. That keeps them from running away and the rodent helps with the restraint. Do
not grab the tip of the tail as that may cause a de-gloving injury. Many rats do not need this much
restraint as they can just be held. The scruff is commonly needed for hamsters. Be mindful that if
you do not get enough scruff, the hamster can pull its head into the remaining scruff and make
you lose grip. Washcloths can also be used to hold these smaller pets. Be careful to work low and
over a table with these rodents. They can slip out of your hand easily and fall to the floor.
Procedures
After restraint and examination, you may want to run tests, administer medications, or perform
surgery.
Phlebotomy
Ferrets – The cranial vena cava gets the best blood sample. The jugular and cephalic veins work
too, but you can see collapse of the cephalic vein if getting a significant amount of blood. Also,
you may want to save the cephalic veins for catheter placement.
Rabbits – Cephalic vein – see ferrets although a better blood sample can be obtained since many
rabbits are larger than ferrets. The lateral saphenous is the preferred site for blood collection and
could even be used for catheter placement. The jugular vein works in rabbits, but some females
can be challenging since they can have a large dewlap. Ear veins should only be used as a last
resort. Many times a large hematoma will form and make the ear droop for a couple of weeks.
Guinea Pigs/ Chinchillas – The jugular vein is difficult to get on guinea pig because of their
thick neck, but it’s excellent in chinchillas. The cranial vena cava can be used, but it may be best
to use sedation.
Mice/Rats/Hamsters/Gerbils – The tail vein can be used in the rat to obtain a decent blood sample. The
cranial vena cava is the best for all of these rodents, but sedation will be needed. A toenail clip can be
used to make a blood smear or obtain a PCV/TS. In the lab setting, you may see the use of a hematocrit
tube in the corner of the eye to get a sample. This is not recommended for pets.
Fluid Therapy and Injections – The normal routes of fluid therapy and medication administration
should be used for all of these pets. Intravenous medications are able to be used for the species listed
above for catheter placement. For the smaller pet mammals intraosseus catheters should be placed.
Intramuscular, subcutaneous, and oral medications are used on a regular basis.
Other Laboratory Techniques – Similar to dogs and cats obtaining lab samples is a common
practice. Technique for exotic companion mammals is identical to their dog and cat counterparts.
We use skin scraping to commonly look for mites, lice, or cytology. Fungal cultures to look for
dermatophytoses is an important diagnostic. Fecal smears and flotation will find common parasites like
giardia, coccidian, eimeria, and helminthes. Methods for sterile collection, Gram stain, culture and
sensitivity are the same for these pets as they are for dogs and cats. We also obtain samples for cytology
to look for neoplasia, abscesses, and granulomas.
Anesthesia – This is very similar to dog and cat anesthesia. Make sure to have a plan before getting
started. The longer one of these pets are under anesthesia, the more risk there is for the patient. Start in a
quiet room. Use isoflurane or sevoflurane. Intubate and get IV access when possible. Thermal support is
crucial in these smaller creatures. They lose heat fast, particularly when a body cavity is open. Be careful
with ferrets and chinchillas that they do not overheat as they tend to be prone to that. Monitoring should
be done by a technician present 100% f the time. They are the best.
Many of these techniques you are already using and can continue to use with exotic companion mammals.