Diseases of small mammals
Small mammals are a diverse group of our patients including ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, small rodents (rats, mice, degus, hamsters, dwarf hamsters, and gerbils), African pygmy hedgehogs, and sugar gliders.
Their wild relatives—hares, wild rabbits, squirrels, hedgehogs, and wild rodents—belong under the care of wildlife rescue centers. We provide first aid.
Common procedures in these patients requiring general anesthesia include dental treatments (especially in rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and degus), spays/neuters, C-sections, and removal of neoplasms (rats).
The safest method of anesthesia in small mammals is isoflurane inhalation anesthesia combined with analgesics (we often use a combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action). This allows us to minimize the side effects of anesthetics, and most patients wake up within 5 minutes after the procedure.
Ferrets We recommend vaccination against rabies and canine distemper, combined with an annual wellness exam in adult ferrets. For ferrets over 5 years old, we recommend wellness exams every 6 months due to the higher incidence of metabolic and neoplastic diseases. In non-breeding animals, we perform surgical spaying/neutering as well as hormonal neutering using the slow-release implant Suprelorin.
Rabbits We recommend vaccination against rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) and myxomatosis combined with a wellness exam every 6 months. Preventive fecal examination is important for newly acquired rabbits. Preventive dental examination. Preventive spay/neuter, often in connection with unwanted urine marking and dominant male behavior. In rabbits, we very frequently treat dental diseases: malocclusions, overgrown incisors and molars, complicated jaw infections, and abscesses.
Guinea Pigs We recommend preventive examinations for newly acquired guinea pigs, with an emphasis on early detection of common parasitic skin diseases. An annual exam combined with a dental check, early detection of pododermatitis (bumblefoot), and ovarian checks in females. We recommend regular monthly weigh-ins for owners to ensure early detection of illness.
Preventive neutering of males. In guinea pigs, we often treat dental disease, urinary tract infections associated with urolithiasis (urinary stones), very common ovarian cysts in females (sometimes associated with uterine disease), and dystocia (difficult labor).
Chinchillas We recommend regular monthly weigh-ins for owners to ensure early detection of illness. We frequently treat dental disease, digestive tract disorders, and skin conditions.
Mice Skin diseases, digestive tract disorders, and overgrown incisors are common.
Rats Preventive program for mammary tumor screening. Respiratory tract diseases, neoplastic diseases, and skin conditions are very common in rats.
Hamsters, Dwarf Hamsters, and Gerbils Common conditions include digestive tract diseases, skin disorders, neoplasms, and reproductive disorders.
Degus Common conditions include dental disease, skin disorders, and diabetes.
