Exotic Companion Mammals Research Articles

Identification of Aichivirus in a Pet Rat (Rattus norvegicus) in Italy

We investigated the occurrence of eight potential zoonotic viruses in 91 exotic companion mammals from pet shops in southern Italy via real-time PCR and end-point PCR. The animals were screened for aichivirus, sapovirus, astrovirus, hepatitis A, noroviruses (GI and GII), rotavirus, circovirus, and SARS-CoV-2. Among the nine species of exotic pets studied, only one rat tested positive for aichivirus. The high sequence similarity to a murine kobuvirus-1 strain previously identified in China suggests that the virus may have been introduced into Italy through the importation of animals from Asia. Since exotic companion mammals live in close contact with humans, continuous sanitary monitoring is crucial to prevent the spread of new pathogens among domestic animals and humans. Further investigations on detecting and typing zoonotic viruses are needed to identify emerging and re-emerging viruses to safeguard public health.

Problem-Oriented Approach in Exotic Companion Mammals.

Dermatologic disorders are some of the most common conditions affecting exotic companion mammals. This article provides a clinical approach of the conditions presenting with alopecia, pruritus, scaling/crusting, erosion/ulceration, and nodules in order to select and interpret the appropriate diagnostic tests to achieve a diagnosis for a successful treatment.

Zoonotic Dermatoses of Exotic Companion Mammals.

Integumentary disorders caused by zoonotic agents are very common in exotic companion mammals. This article provides an understanding of the main zoonotic dermatoses including parasitic, fungal, bacterial, and viral diseases to provide the most updated information on their epidemiology, diagnosis, reported clinical signs, and therapies.

Acupuncture for Hindlimb Lameness in a Ferret

A geriatric ferret with a complicated medical history (adrenal disease, kidney disease, hindlimb lameness/weakness, chronic diarrhea, urinary incontinence) was presented for traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (TCVM) evaluation. A thorough conventional medical work-up had been performed but financial resources were unavailable for specialty referral. The owner, however, still wanted her pet to have a good quality of life for as long as reasonably possible. The ferret was a good candidate for acupuncture given that TCVM theory explained many of the clinical abnormalities. The owner’s most significant concern was the patient’s mobility and pain; therefore, the TCVM Patterns of Kidney Qi Deficiency and local Qi Stagnation were the focus of the initial TCVM visits. Aside from the deslorelin implant, the owner elected to discontinue all traditional medications. Improvements noted in the patient’s quality of life correlated with the acupuncture therapy received. Over a 2-month period and 5 acupuncture sessions, the patient’s mobility and urinary incontinence improved and complete resolution of the diarrhea occurred. At the conclusion of care for this patient, a recommendation for continuing TCVM was made with acupuncture treatments every 1-2 months along with disease monitoring with conventional diagnostics. This case is an excellent example of the medical benefits of acupuncture in an exotic companion mammal.

Small mammal herbivores part 3: taking a dietary history and providing nutritional support

The unique dietary needs of exotic companion mammal herbivores has been thoroughly explored in this series of articles. The veterinary nurse can be well-equipped and is in an excellent position to take a detailed husbandry and nutritional history, which can help to identify nutritional disease and problems with dietary management that may contribute to future pathogenesis. Providing nutritional support in the hindgut fermenter inpatient or outpatient is centred around both restoring the negative energy balance (as the target species will rapidly enter a catabolic state) and providing enough fibre to stimulate gastrointestinal motility.

Small mammal herbivores part 1: digestive system adaptations to a herbivorous diet

Nutritional disease is common in exotic companion mammals, and the unique dietary adaptations of herbivorous species only compounds this issue. The target species (including lagomorphs, and hystricomorph or caviomorph rodents) exhibit anatomical and physiological adaptations to a plant-based diet that is low in calories and protein, and high in fibre. Digestive tract adaptations such as hypselodont dentition to hindgut fermentation will be reviewed. Veterinary nurses are in an excellent position to counsel pet owners on the appropriate nutrition of their companion animals, and understanding these unique adaptations provides the necessary baseline knowledge to make recommendations.

Urolithiasis in a captive Siberian chipmunk (Eutamias sibiricus).

This clinical case describes struvite urolithiasis in a pet chipmunk. Physical examination revealed the presence of two ovoid palpable masses in the caudal part of the abdomen, which were later confirmed by radiography as urinary bladder stone. The animal underwent ventral midline laparotomy and uroliths were successfully removed. Uroliths analysis revealed the presence of struvite and bacteriology showed the presence of Proteus mirabilis. Little is known about aetiology and incidence of urolithiasis in chipmunks. Client education about husbandry, dietary needs, and animal behaviour is necessary, especially when dealing with less commonly kept exotic companion mammals. This is the first report of struvite urolithiasis in a pet chipmunk.

Publication rate of exotic companion mammal conference abstracts and influencing factors: 2011–2015

Background: Abstracts presented during scientific conferences enable the early dissemination of scientific and evidence-based information. The expected outcome of the data presented in these abstracts is publication in peer-reviewed journals. However, numerous studies evaluated publication rates in human and veterinary medicine, and showed more than half of the abstracts did not reach publication. Methods: Conferences abstracts regarding exotic companion mammals from the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians Conference and the International Conference on Avian Herpetological and Exotic Mammal Medicine of the years 2011 to 2015 were included and searched in scientific databases for peer-reviewed publication. The time course of subsequent full publication and factors affecting publication probability were analyzed. Results: The results showed that 34.3% of abstracts were published in peer-reviewed journals. Several factors were associated with increased publication rate: presence of academic, PhD holder or board-certified authors, and experimental or observational prospective studies. The median time of publication from the date of the conference was 14.6 months. Differences in results between abstract and peer-reviewed publication were rare. Conclusions: This study revealed a low abstract-to-publication ratio in exotic companion mammal medicine, similar to most studies in other veterinary disciplines. Factors associated with higher publication rates did not differ from those identified in other fields, and may help to evaluate to probability of subsequent publication of abstracts. Nonpublication and differences in outcomes between abstracts and publications encourage to take precautions when using data presented during conferences.

Prevalence and zoonotic risk of tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) in exotic companion mammals in southern Italy

Exotic companion mammals are popular pets worldwide. They are a potential source of zoonotic infections transmissible to their owners. To determine the prevalence and zoonotic risks of tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) in exotic companion mammals in Italy. The records of 782 exotic pet mammals seen in multiple veterinary clinics (n=20), pet shops (n=10) and private breeders (n=2) around Naples (Italy) were searched. The isolation of O.bacoti was the only inclusion criterion. Relative (in the subgroups) and absolute prevalence (in the entire population sampled) of clinical signs in pets and owners were calculated. The prevalence of clinical signs in pets and their owners was also calculated based on their housing (pet shops versus private housing) using Fisher's exact test. A P-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Seventy seven records (9.8%) of animals infested were identified. Of those, 33.8% (26 of 77) were hamsters, 25.9% (20 of 77) gerbils, 11.7% (nine of 77) guinea pigs, 7.8% (six of 77) rabbits, 7.8% (six of 77) degus, 5.2% (four of 77) kangaroo mice, 2.6% (two of 77) hedgehogs, 2.6% (two of 77) squirrels and 2.6% (two of 77) were sugar gliders. The frequency of owners affected by the rat mite dermatitis was very high in gerbils (20 of 20), hamsters (21 of 26) and guinea pigs (seven of nine). The results of the present survey indicate that exotic pet mammals may serve as an active reservoir for O.bacoti infestation. The results of this study also suggest a lack of species specificity for O.bacoti when favourable conditions are present (overcrowding).

Paradoxical Vestibular Syndrome Secondary to Temporal Bone Osteomyelitis and Chronic Otitis Interna in a Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus)

A 3-year-old female intact guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) was presented for torticollis and ocular discharge. On examination, the guinea pig had a left head tilt with corneal ulceration and absent palpebral response of the right eye. Computed tomography showed a soft tissue attenuating mass with multifocal mineralization compressing the caudal cerebellum with moderate lysis of the calvarium. On recheck, the disease had progressed to include ataxia and proprioceptive deficits. Systemic antibiotic therapy was initiated but the guinea pig only exhibited a marginal treatment response. Due to poor quality of life, the guinea pig was euthanized. A necropsy was performed and a bony lesion was found within the skull compressing the right cerebellum and temporal lobe. Histopathology revealed suppurative osteomyelitis consistent with severe chronic bacterial otitis interna. Vestibular signs in small exotic companion mammals are a common sequela to otitis interna, often noted ipsilateral to an affected inner ear, however, in this case rare paradoxical vestibular signs were observed. Severe chronic otitis interna may result in bony lysis and proliferation capable of expanding from the inner ear resulting in neurological deficits.

Safe Sedation and Immobilization of Unusual Exotic Species Encountered in Practice

Safe handling techniques for traditional exotic companion mammals (e.g., ferrets, rabbits, and rodents) have been well described. However, some uncommon species, including various wild animals maintained as pets, should not be manually restrained because of the nature of the animal and the potential for injury to both the pet and the handler. Sedation and immobilization techniques are useful to enhance safety and to facilitate diagnostic and treatment procedures. Sedatives are best administered to these animals with the aid of a squeeze cage.

Critical Care of the Exotic Companion Mammal (With a Focus on Herbivorous Species): The First Twenty-Four Hours

The number of pet herbivorous exotic mammals is increasing, and their owners are demanding quality medical care. Successful treatment of the critical herbivorous exotic mammal patient is complicated by small patient size, physiological diversity, and a lack of research and clinical data regarding therapeutic response to disease conditions. Despite these impediments, the same principles and techniques used in other domestic animals, such as dogs and cats, can be applied to the herbivorous exotic mammal patient.

Clinical Technique: Small Exotic Companion Mammal Dentistry—Anesthetic Considerations

Abstract Dentistry naturally invokes images of procedures that can and often do produce at least some level of discomfort. Many procedures regularly performed in exotic companion mammals are by nature likely to be at least moderately painful. Modern anesthetic and analgesic agents provide a wide range of choices for protocols chosen to enhance exotic companion mammal patient safety and comfort, and include modalities such as injectable induction and anesthetic agents, and local anesthesia and analgesia.

Clinical Technique: Application of Computed Tomography for Diagnosis of Dental Disease in the Rabbit, Guinea Pig, and Chinchilla

Abstract Computed tomography (CT) is a well-recognized diagnostic tool in human and traditional companion animal medicine, and is beginning to find application in exotic companion mammals as well. In particular, CT is useful for evaluation of patients with dental disease, and aids diagnosis, determination of a more accurate prognosis, and planning of treatment. Although axial slices provide the most useful information, new reconstruction software allows images to be converted to virtual 3-dimensional forms, providing yet another imaging tool for the practitioner.