Harkness and Wagners Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents »

John E. Harkness, DVM, MS, DACLAM, is Professor Emeritus of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University.

Patricia V. Turner, BSc, MS, DVM, DVSc, DACLAM, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, at the University of Guelph.

Susan VandeWoude, DVM, DACLAM, is Professor of Comparative Medicine and Director of Laboratory Animal Resources at Colorado State University.

Colette Wheler, BSc, DVM, MVetSc, is Director of the Animal Resources Centre and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon.

Harkness and Wagner's Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents, Fifth Edition is a practical reference in small mammal husbandry and health, encompassing the fields of laboratory animal medicine and pet practice. Part of ACLAM's series of laboratory animal books, this text offers concise but complete coverage on rabbits and the most common rodent species, with an emphasis on biology, clinical procedures, clinical signs, and diseases and conditions. By providing useful, accessible assessment and diagnostic information, Harkness and Wagner's Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents aids the practitioner in diagnosing and treating conditions in small mammals.

Logically organized for easy reference, the book begins with general husbandry and procedures, followed by specific disease information. Harkness and Wagner's Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents is essential reading for clinical practitioners, laboratory animal personnel, and veterinary technicians.

Key features:

• Concise but complete coverage of small mammal husbandry and health

• Encompasses the fields of laboratory animal medicine, production medicine, and pet practice

• Logically organized for easy reference

• Provides assessment and diagnostic information to aid in quick diagnosis and treatment

• Includes clinical photographs and case studies

• Covers rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, hamsters, gerbils, mice, and rats

Randall L. Peper

This book provides a good overview of the basic biology and husbandry of rabbits and rodents. It also provides basic information on analgesia/anesthesia, clinical procedures, and common diseases. This is the fourth edition; the previous edition was published in 1989. The goal was to provide concise, up-to-date, reasonably comprehensive information on the husbandry, biology, and medicine of common rodents and rabbits. The authors intended to provide this information in a format that was accessible, useful, and less expensive than the hardcover reference books currently available. The authors intend this book for students, technicians, scientists with a basic knowledge of biology, and veterinarians. They did a reasonable job of not making it too advanced for one group or too basic for the other. The authors are well-known authorities in the field of laboratory animal medicine, with the necessary background and expertise. For the most part, the black-and-white line drawings that are used to illustrate anatomical features and various techniques are sufficiently large and easily understood. The tables provide compilations of much useful information. The references are current, but whether the book contains individual references or simply a section-ending compilation varies from chapter to chapter. The index is extensive and more than adequate. The case reports in Chapter 6 should be of interest to students and teachers. The earlier editions of the book provided one of the best softcover texts on basic biology, husbandry, and medicine of the common rodents and rabbits. This edition is a welcome update and expansion on the previous editions. Although the writing quality and contentvaries from section to section and there appear to be some inconsistencies and discrepancies, the book remains a valuable resource.

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xiii

Chapter 1 Introduction, General Husbandry, and Disease Prevention 3

Introduction 3

Sources of Information 5

Taxonomy, History, and Behavior 5

Regulatory Considerations 6

Genetically Modified Mice 7

Equipment Needs 9

Major Concerns in Husbandry 11

Factors Predisposing to Disease 14

Allergies to Rabbits and Rodents 17

References 19

Chapter 2 Biology and Husbandry 23

The Rabbit 23

The Guinea Pig 45

The Chinchilla 58

The Hamster 65

The Gerbil 74

The Mouse 83

The Rat 95

Chapter 3 Clinical Procedures 107

Sample Collection 107

Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, and Urinalysis 116

Medical Imaging 131

Ophthalmology 135

Administration of Drugs and Formulary 141

Anesthesia 147

Analgesia 167

Surgery 171

Dental Procedures in Rabbits and Rodents 180

Serologic Testing for Colony-Health Surveillance 184

Other Special Techniques 187

Euthanasia 190

Chapter 4 Clinical Signs and Differential Diagnoses 195

The Rabbit 195

The Guinea Pig 208

The Chinchilla 219

The Hamster 220

The Gerbil 228

The Mouse 231

The Rat 239

Chapter 5 Specific Diseases and Conditions 249

Acariasis (Mite Infections) 249

Anorexia and Reduced Food Intake 260

Bordetella bronchiseptica Infections 262

Buphthalmia in Rabbits 265

Cestodiasis (Tapeworm Infestations) 266

Cilia-Associated Respiratory Bacillus Infections 269

Coccidiosis (Hepatic) in Rabbits 272

Coccidiosis (Intestinal) 275

Coronavirus Infections 277

Corynebacterium kutscheri Infections 283

Cryptosporidiosis 285

Dermatophytosis (Ringworm) 287

Encephalitozoonosis 289

Enteropathies 292

Epilepsy in Gerbils 305

Gastric Stasis in Rabbits 306

Hantavirus Infections 308

Heat Prostration 310

Helicobacter Infections 311

Hematuria and Pigmented Urine 313

Hypovitaminosis C (Scurvy) in Guinea Pigs 316

Lawsonia Infections (Proliferative Ileitis of Hamsters) 319

Listeriosis 321

Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection 322

Malocclusion and Dental Disease 324

Mastitis 327

Mousepox (Ectromelia Virus) 327

Murine Encephalomyelitis 330

Murine Mycoplasmosis 331

Murine Norovirus Infections 334

Myiasis (Fly Strike)-Primary 335

Myiasis (Fly Strike)-Secondary 337

Myxomatosis 338

Nasal Dermatitis (Sore Nose) in Gerbils 339

Neoplasia 341

Nephrosis 348

Oxyuriasis (Pinworms) 350

Parvovirus Infections 353

Pasteurella multocida Infections 355

Pasteurella pneumotropica Infections 359

Pediculosis 361

Pneumocystosis 363

Pododermatitis 364

Pregnancy Toxemia 366

Rabies Virus Infection 367

Ringtail 368

Rotavirus Infections 369

Salmonellosis 371

Sendai Virus Infections 373

Spironucleosis 375

Splayleg in Rabbits 377

Staphylococcosis 378

Streptococcus pneumoniae Infections in Rodents 380

Streptococcus zooepidemicus Infections in Guinea Pigs 382

Transmissible Colonic Hyperplasia in Mice 383

Tularemia 385

Tyzzer's Disease 386

Ulcerative Dermatitis (Moist Dermatitis) 389

Urolithiasis 390

Venereal Spirochetosis (Treponematosis) 392

Viral Hemorrhagic Disease in Rabbits 394

Chapter 6 Case Reports 397

The Rabbit 397

The Guinea Pig 400

The Chinchilla 402

The Hamster 403

The Gerbil 404

The Mouse 405

The Rat 406

Suggested Solutions 407

Rabbits 407

Guinea Pigs 412

Chinchillas 415

Hamsters 416

Gerbils 418

Mice 419

Rats 421

Index 423