Successful Management of a Case of Pregnancy Failure in a Degu (Octodon degus)

A 3-month-old female degu (Octodon degus) was presented because blood was noticed in its cage. On physical examination, firm masses were palpable within the caudal abdomen and traces of blood appeared to be coming from the patient’s vaginal opening. Radiographic images showed areas of ill-defined mineralization within the uterus, consistent with fetus formation. Three fetuses could be identified. Ultrasound examination of the degu failed to confirm viable fetal heartbeats. Pregnancy failure with fetal death was suspected. Overnight 1 fetus was passed, but medical therapy with oxytocin failed to induce delivery of the 2 remaining fetuses by the following morning. The degu was therefore anesthetized, an ovariohysterectomy was performed, and the patient made an uncomplicated recovery. Histopathological examination of the fetuses failed to identify any abnormalities. In the uterus, histology confirmed a minimal to mild diffuse, chronic active endometritis. The definitive cause of fetal death was not identified.     

Dental eruption chronology in degus (Octodon degus)

The purpose of this study was to gain information concerning chronology of postnatal dental eruption in degus (Octodon degu). Specific findings pertain to the estimation of postnatal age at tooth emergence through the gingiva and to the age when a particular tooth is in functional occlusion. Fifty newborn degu pups were included in this study. The oral cavity endoscopy was carried out under isoflurane anesthesia in all animals 3 to 4 and 24-hours after birth, then at 1-day intervals until the age of 40-days, and subsequently at 2-day intervals until 75-days of age. Tooth emergence was considered to have occurred when any portion of the crown had penetrated the gingiva. The stage when the teeth come into occlusion was defined as the functional occlusion. The degus were born with completely erupted permanent incisors that were already in functional occlusion. All the premolar teeth and all the first molar teeth erupted on days 2 - 3 and 4 - 5 of life, respectively. The first signs offunctional occlusion ofall the first 2 cheek teeth were observed on days 9 - 11. Maxillary and mandibular second molar teeth emerged between days 17 - 19 and 18 - 20, respectively. First signs of functional occlusion were observed on days 30 - 31 and 31 - 33for maxillary and mandibular second molar teeth, respectively. Maxillary third molar teeth emerged on days 38 - 44 and erupted into occlusion on days 48 - 58. Mandibular third molar teeth emerged on days 39 - 46 and erupted into occlusion on days 58 - 72.     

Selected haematological and plasma chemistry parameters in juvenile and adult degus (Octodon degus)

Thirty-five juvenile (mean age 6.3 weeks) and 35 adult (mean age 2.0 years) healthy degus (Octodon degus) were studied to investigate selected haematological and plasma biochemistry parameters. Animals were anaesthetised with isoflurane, and blood was withdrawn from the cranial vena cava. Erythrocyte, haematocrit and neutrophil counts (including the percentage of neutrophils) were significantly higher in the adult degus than in the juveniles. In contrast, the reticulocyte count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, number of platelets and percentage of lymphocytes were significantly lower in the adult animals. Total protein and globulin levels were significantly higher in the adult degus. The albumin:globulin ratio and plasma levels of urea nitrogen, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, potassium, total calcium and inorganic phosphorus were significantly lower in adults than in juveniles.     

Drinking preferences in chinchillas (Chinchilla laniger), degus (Octodon degu) and guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger), degus (Octodon degus) and guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) are South American rodents living in a semi‐arid habitat with varying, species‐specific adaptations to water deprivation. Nonetheless, several diseases have been linked to insufficient water intake when these species are kept as pets, such as urolithiasis or obstipation. This study evaluated preferences for drinking systems. Six animals of each species were given a choice between an open dish and a nipple drinker. Food intake and water intake were measured daily for 13 days. Chinchillas in this study had significantly lower water intakes than the other two species, indicating particular species‐specific adaptations to aridity. All chinchillas favoured open dishes, whereas the degus and guinea pigs had variable individual preferences. Water intake of chinchillas was similar or higher in this study than in previous studies where nipple drinkers were used. The results indicate that degus and guinea pigs can meet their drinking water needs with nipple drinkers; for chinchillas, other drinking systems may be more adequate.     

Impact of pelleted diets with different mineral compositions on the crown size of mandibular cheek teeth and mandibular relative density in degus (Octodon degus)

The impact of pelleted diets with different mineral compositions on the crown size of the mandibular cheek teeth, as well as the mandibular bone and cheek teeth density, in degus (Octodon degus) was investigated. A total of 28 animals were randomly divided into four groups and fed different calcium or phosphorous dietary content, in the presence or absence of UV light, for 14 months. Dental radiographs and CT images of the head were taken, and the crown size of premolar and molar teeth was recorded. Apical and coronal crown elongation of all cheek teeth and significantly smaller relative cheek teeth and mandibular densities were recorded in degus fed a high-phosphorus diet with an improper calcium:phosphorus ratio. A diet with a calcium:phosphorus ratio of 1:1 was also responsible for the rapid development of dental disease with subsequent severe health impairment.     

Estudio Anatómico Comparado de las Arterias de la Base del Encéfalo del Pudú pudu (Molina, 1782) y del Bovino

A comparison using the corrosion method was made between Pudú pudu (Molina, 1782) ventral brain arteries and those of the cow. The Pudú's Rete mirabile epidurale rostrale (Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria, 1994) is ventrally formed by branches of the A. maxillaris, and caudally formed by the A. vertebralis. The Hypophysis is surrounded by the Rete mirabile rostrale. The lateral parts are rostrally joined to that gland by a thin vascular bridge and caudally by thick arteries. The Pudú's Circulus arteriosus cerebri is asymmetrical, that is, on the right side the A. cerebri rostralis ends in the A. cerebri media. The left-side A. cerebri rostralis irrigates every rostral portion of the encephalon. In the cow, practically the same arteries come out of the Circulus arteriosus cerebri, which is not asymmetrical. The A. cerebri caudalis comes first out of the A. communicans caudalis and then the branches for the Pons, and finally the A. cerebelli rostralis. In this species, there are arterial blocks that are not present in Pudú.     

Extrahepatic Biliary Tract in Chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger,Molina)

The aim of the study was the macromorphological analysis of extrahepatic biliary tract in chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger Molina). Bile ducts, the gall bladder and portal vein were injected with coloured latex. Using the technique of dissection, bile ducts were isolated from the liver lobes. It was found that the cystic duct in this species is rarely single. Hepatic ducts form a system of multiple anastomosing structures running in the hepatoduodenal ligament. Many bile duct openings were observed in the duodenal papilla. The results confirm wide variations of the biliary tract in mammals and may be important for comparative analysis of the morphological differentiation of these structures in small mammals.     

Die Frühentwicklung der Gonaden und die Ontogenese von Rete testis und Tubuli seminiferi recti beim Huhn (Gallus domesticus)1

The early development of the gonads, and the ontogenesis of the rete testis and tubuli seminiferi recti in the chicken (Gallus domesticus) The primordium of the gonads can be discerned in the 4-day chick embryo by the elevation of the celomic epithelium to form germinal epithelium, and by the arrival of the primordial germ cells. Already in the 4½ day chick embryo there appears on the left side of the body, as a result of the first proliferation of the germinal epithelium, a subepithelial mesenchymelike cell conglomeration, which has been erroneously labelled in the literature a “urogenital union”. In contrast to the opinion expressed in the literature such a union does not appear until the 10th day, when the mesenchymal cells change to forerunners of rete cells which after hatching differentiate into rete-epithelial cells. The rete testis consists of intra and extratesticular transverse cisterns and of an intercalated and partically subdivided longitudinal cistern. The tubuli seminiferi contori end on the intracapsular lingitudinal cisterns either directly, or indirectly by intercalated tubuli siminiferi recti or intratesticular transverse cisterns.     

Anzahl Spermien pro Besamungsdosis und Nonreturnrate beim Rind (2. Mitteilung)

In einem Split-Sample- Versuch wurde die Beeinflussung der Nonreturnrate durch unterschiedliche Spermienzahlen untersucht. Der Samen von 25 Stieren kam in Pailletten zu 0,25 ml zum Einsatz, die rund 15 bzw. 20 × 10 ⁶ Spermien total enthielten. Insgesamt wurden 15 763 Erstbesamungen ausgeführt. Bei den Rindern war die mit der höheren Spermienzahl erzielte Nonreturnrate (75 Tage) um 2,96% besser, bei den Kuhen um 2,68%. Diese Unterschiede sind signifikant .