Emergency Presentations Associated with Cardiovascular Disease in Exotic Herbivores

Exotic animals, including small herbivores, are increasing in popularity as companion animals. Commonly owned exotic herbivores include guinea pigs, chinchillas, and rabbits. These animals fall into the category of prey species with an inherent instinct to hide their illness until severely affected by the disease process. Therefore, any of these animals presented as an emergency case must be carefully evaluated for chronic underlying illness. Cardiovascular emergency and critical care principles are similar across all mammalian species. However, specialized techniques and adaptations are occasionally required because of the unique physiology and natural behaviors of these animals. It is essential to evaluate and stabilize these patients before attempting definitive diagnostic plans. Emergency cardiovascular presentations, as in other mammals, consist of congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, pericardial effusion, and toxicities that can result in cardiac and pulmonary arrest. Cardiac disease is a relatively common finding in small exotic mammals, but there are few peer-reviewed reports regarding diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in these species. Diagnostic testing and treatment options are generally based on knowledge of small animal medicine.     

Emergency Presentations of the Exotic Small Mammalian Herbivore Trauma Patient

Trauma is a common complaint by owners of small exotic mammalian herbivores (e.g., rabbits, rodents) presented to veterinary hospitals. The term “trauma” is a broad disease category applied to patients with physical debilitation associated with injury often classified as “blunt,” “penetrating,” or “burn” in origin. Because many small exotic mammalian herbivores are prey animals, clinical signs of trauma may be masked until the effects of the injury outweigh the innate nature to survive. Small exotic mammalian herbivores are disproportionately sensitive to stress; thus, pain management and supportive care are extremely important during the initial stages of trauma management. Small exotic mammals differ slightly from other companion animals (e.g., dogs, cats) in regard to common trauma presentations. However, with a few therapeutic modifications (e.g., antibiotic selection, avoidance of corticosteroids, preventing self-trauma), treatment of small exotic mammalian herbivore trauma cases follows the same conventional guidelines used for other companion animals.     

Advances in Exotic Mammal Clinical Therapeutics

It is imperative that the veterinarian treating exotic companion mammals stay abreast of the latest developments relating to medications and drug delivery approaches for safety and efficacy. Sustained-release formulations of commonly used drugs, as well as newer routes for administration of therapeutic agents, allow the veterinarian treating exotic companion mammals to reduce the stress associated with drug administration. Interactions can occur between vehicle and drugs when formulations are compounded; therefore, research studies are warranted regarding potential problems associated with these formulations. However, newer studies have been published that provide the basis for exploring the use of different vehicles, frequency of dosing, and drug delivery techniques for various classes of drugs in exotic mammals. The goals of this review are to not only evaluate new medications or uses for medications in companion exotic mammal patients but also review new methods of drug delivery that might be useful to the veterinarian who treats these animals.     

Atherosclerosis: Comparative Pathogenesis,Lipoprotein Metabolism,and Avian and Exotic Companion Mammal Models

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial wall where the accumulation of foam cells, lipids, calcium, and cellular debris leads to large fibrofatty atheromatous plaques narrowing the arterial lumen. As the principal cause of human deaths in the world, the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis has been extensively studied, as well as lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, across species. Important aspects of the disease were first investigated experimentally in a wide array of animal models, including laboratory avian and mammalian species also kept as companion pets. Although the disease is primarily a significant clinical entity in avian patients, the wealth of information obtained from companion exotic mammals is of interest to understand the complex comparative pathogenesis of atherosclerotic lesions. This review presents the current concepts of atherogenesis and lipoprotein metabolism followed by a brief overview of species peculiarities as it relates to the experimental reproduction of the disease. This overview should provide interesting insight on atherosclerosis, which spontaneously or experimentally affects many zoological companion species commonly seen by veterinarians.     

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.