Webexovet - Treating exotic animals

23/04/2025

🦒 The immobilization of wild giraffes.

-it is not only correctly selected anesthetics, it is also the coordinated work of the “capture ” team. For fast immobilization, opioids (theofentanil, etorphin) are used in mono mode or in combination, often with tranquilizers (azaperone, zuclopentixol).

🔸After the fall, it is necessarily to immobilize the neck and head, preventing attempts to stand up, cover their eyes with a lightproof mask and use earplugs for soundproofing and reverse opioids (diprenorphine, naltrexone).

🔸Using diprenorphine, one can “walk” a giraffe to a transport container, since partial reversion returns motor activity.

🔸If immobilization lasts a long time, the giraffe’s head must be lifted above the level of the heart, otherwise blood pressure that reaches 250 mmHg can cause brain hemorrhages.

Author: Vysokikh A. N. (https://www.instagram.com/anastasia_vysokikh?igsh=cHE4eG5qbGw0ZGY5)

17/04/2025

🔥 Free webinar about guinea pigs!

✅ Topic: Health Concerns in Geriatric Guinea pigs
✅ Organizer: The Webinar Vet
✅ Lecturer: Emma Keeble, BVSc (Hons), Dip ZooMed (Mammalian), FHEA, MRCVS
✅ Language: English
✅ When: 23 April

Link:

Guinea pigs are popular in the UK, with recent estimated numbers of approximately 0.7 million - 0.9 million being kept as pets. Despite these numbers there has historic

16/04/2025

❗️"Siamese twins" in a chinchilla. Cesarean section in rodents is rather simple procedure, cubs are born almost independently, and gas anesthesia in combination with analgesics allows you to get a minimum of complications.

This case was very interesting. The female chinchilla could not give birth, because 2 out of 4 fetuses were completely fused along the ventral line, as if they were hugging each other... This is possible if the egg divides very late. By this time, the cells of the embryo have specialized in such a way that the complete separation of embryos in the womb becomes impossible.

These "Siamese twins" got up in the birth canal, which made it impossible for the natural resolution of delivery. We performed a caesarean section, and the "twins" had to be euthanized. I felt very sorry for them, but we could not provide them a normal existence. This pathology is quite rare in animals, but it occurs in both mammals and reptiles.

Author: Polina Maratkanova (https://www.instagram.com/chipolina_vet?igsh=MWFxZnp2d2s1aDU4bw==)

11/04/2025

🔥 Free webinar about reptiles!

✅ Topic: Uncovering Cardiac Disease in Bearded Dragons
✅ Organizer: VETAHEAD.
✅ Lecturer: Laila Proenca.
✅ Language: English.

Link:

Get ahead with VETAHEAD and join Dr. Laila Proença™ on 15 minutes of ZooMed (exotic animal medicine) content. Think heart disease is just a mammal problem? ...

21/03/2025

🐰 When spaying rabbits, it is very important to remove both the ovaries and the uterus. Here is an example in this clinical case.Rabbit Ozzy (6 yo) was spayed in another clinic at an early age, with what kind of method the owners did not know exactly. She came to us with complaints of uncontrolled urination and a suspected intestinal tumor. Blood tests revealed anemia. Palpation revealed a mass in the area of ​​the uterine stump, which was confirmed by US, the surgery was performed to remove the neoplasia. According to histology, uterine adenocarcinoma was confirmed and adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin 150 mg/m2 was prescribed once every 3 weeks, 3 sessions. Ozzy did great. Now the bunny is doing well.Author: Polina Maratkanova (https://www.instagram.com/chipolina_vet?igsh=MWFxZnp2d2s1aDU4bw==)

20/03/2025

Aspiration pneumonia is a very common complication in young animals with force feeding. An incorrectly sized ni**le opening, feeding speed and milk temperature can cause aspiration and pneumonia. Anorexia, lethargy, cough, respiratory distress are the main symptoms of acute aspiration pneumonia.

The diagnosis is made on the basis of anamnesis, symptoms, X-ray, ultrasound of the lungs and bronchoscopy. It is important to evaluate oxygenation of tissues, an effective method is the analysis of blood gases, but pulse oximetry is a more accessible method for a practicing physician.

Treatment of pneumonia is a complex exercise, the main methods are maintenance therapy with oxygen, for small animals it is most convenient to use boxes with oxygen, physiotherapy, nebulization with saline solutions, antibiotic therapy for suspected secondary bacterial infection and bronchodilators with caution.

Author: Anastasia Visokykh (https://www.instagram.com/anastasia_vysokikh?igsh=cHE4eG5qbGw0ZGY5)

19/03/2025

🩸OSTEOSARCOMA -is a malignant neoplasm of bone tissue. It occurs in rabbits of any breeds, quite rarely, at the age of 18 months - 7.5 years, more often over 6 years. Metastasizes to the lungs, pleura, peritoneum, heart, pericardium, liver, kidneys, intestinal wall, chest and abdominal muscles wall.Clinical signs: depend on the location of the tumor (ostesarcoma of the lower jaw, costal margin, extremities).Treatment: The biological behavior of osteosarcoma in rabbits is not well understood. Therefore, it is recommended to use treatment as in cats and dogs (radical surgical removal in combination with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, such as doxorubicin). A couple of weeks after the operation, it is necessary to make a control x-ray for metastases and monitor for 2 years.Our patient: a 7-year-old male with octeosarcoma in the metatarsal region and metastasis to the popliteal lymph node (on photo). Author: Polina Maratkanova (https://www.instagram.com/chipolina_vet?igsh=MWFxZnp2d2s1aDU4bw==)

19/03/2025

Sludge in guinea pigs Sludge is a sediment in the bladder that forms from increased concentration of salts in the urine. This is a type of urolithiasis. GP have a species predisposition to this condition, especially some breeds (Teddy, Self). The most commonly described crystals are calcium carbonates.

🔹Risk factors:
- insufficient water intake
- diets excessively high In Ca
- renal failure
- Lack of D3
- bladder infections and neoplasia
- inactivity
- Pain

🔹Treatment:
- diet correction
- weight management
- bacterial pathogen and antibiotic therapy
- antispasmodics
- uroseptics
- increased water intake
- potassium citrate
- bladder lavage
- vibration massage
- endoscopic and surgical flushing
- surgical removal.

But nevertheless, it can be ineffective. Especially in cases of genetic etiology. Our patient is only 6 months old and on ultrasound, such a dense sludge can be confused with a large urolith, since the sludge tends to "settle" on the bottom of the bladder and give an acoustic shadow. A week after the surgery, we can see that situation is much better but the salt level remains high.

Author: Polina Maratkanova (https://www.instagram.com/chipolina_vet?igsh=MWFxZnp2d2s1aDU4bw==)

18/03/2025

🔥 Free webinar about birds!

✅ Restoring Upland Nature: the successful return of golden eagles to Southern Scotland
✅ Organizer: The Webinar Vet
✅ Lecturer: Professor Anna Meredith

Link: https://thewebinarvet.com/videos/restoring-upland-nature-the-successful-return-of-golden-eagles-to-southern-scotland

13/03/2025

Pituitary adenoma is a common condition in rats and, until now, advanced diagnostic imaging, such as computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, was required to support a presumptive diagnosis of an intracranial mass based on anamnesis and clinical signs 🐀

Compared to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial ultrasound is a less expensive, less time consuming and more readily available diagnostic imaging technique that can be valuable to aid diagnosis of intracranial tumours in pet rats 🤗

Author: Darya Kuptil (https://www.instagram.com/darya_vet_ultrasound?igsh=MWZsM3VwcjgydXR2bg==)

07/03/2025

Ehler Danlos syndrome

•Associated disorder with the natural structure of collagen as a result of a mutation in the collagen-forming gene or collagen-synthesizing enzyme

• Occurs in young rabbits with thin, easily torn skin and slowly healing wounds

• The cause of occurrence is still not known exactly

• Electron microscopy of the affected tissues reveals unequal skin fibers and a high increase in the diameter of skin cells

• Treatment: not developed. Local ointments, suturing of soft tissues and subconscious tissue with large gaps

Our patient is a female rabbit older than 3 yo. Came on appointment with fleas. During the examination, it is felt that the skin is torn from almost any touch. Under anesthesia, skin was fixed with sutures were the treatment prescribed (skin healing with antiseptics and antibiotics). The skin has grown together, but remains the same brittle.

Author: Polina Maratkanova (https://www.instagram.com/chipolina_vet?igsh=MWFxZnp2d2s1aDU4bw==)

06/02/2025

Hemorrhagic cysts/ovarian neoplasia in a bearded dragon, mild dilatation of the oviduct.

Author: Darya Kuptil (https://www.instagram.com/darya_vet_ultrasound?igsh=MWZsM3VwcjgydXR2bg==)

05/02/2025

Surely, many, during the operation in rats and mice, paid attention to the clouding of the lens, which resolved some time after anesthesia. And I think everyone thought about why this happens) the issue is being studied, but the etiology is multifactorial and not fully understood.

The pathogenesis is based on the loss of the blinking reflex or the natural process of blinking, which leads to dehydration of the cornea and further dehydration of the anterior chamber of the lens, which leads to clouding.

Factors provoking dehydration include:

1. Anesthetics in high concentrations and high speed of their distribution

2. High intraocular pressure

3. Decreased secretion of meibomian glands and tears, changes in the composition and flow of tears

4. Dry room air and non-humidified gas mixture in the anesthesia machine

5. Direct flow of the gas mixture on the eyes when using masks

6. Using bright directional light in the eyes

7. Long operation time, etc.

What should be done to prevent corneal dehydration? The simplest methods are the use of semi-viscous corneal lubricants such as artificial tears and similar products and the regular application of these products, the use of eye protection devices (lenses, PVC films), and humidification of the operating room air and gas mixture in the anesthesia machine. In the article you can find interesting information regarding this problem and how to solve it) enjoy reading)
Article link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4173074/ #!po=25.0000

Author: Anastasia Visokykh (https://www.instagram.com/anastasia_vysokikh?igsh=cHE4eG5qbGw0ZGY5)

02/02/2025

🩸Blood sampling from the gingival vein in rat.

We occlude the gingival vein in the area of ​​the mandibular symphysis.
To take blood, we insert a 26-28 G needle at an angle of 30° to 60° into the gum below the middle of the lower jaw incisors.

Author: Polina Maratkanova (https://www.instagram.com/chipolina_vet?igsh=MWFxZnp2d2s1aDU4bw==)

27/01/2025

🔥 Free webinar about rabbits!

✅ Burrowing into Rabbit medicine
✅ Organizer: The Webinar Vet
✅ Lecturer: John Chitty
✅ When: 29/01/2025

Registration:

A question and answer session on rabbit medicine- please submit your question in advance of this talk on any aspect of rabbit medicine and surgery and we can include in t

15/01/2025

🌟 Big News: Exotic365 Goes Virtual! 🌟

We’re thrilled to announce that Exotic365, presented by the AEMV & the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, is going virtual this spring! 🌐 Mark your calendars for April 5-6, 2025, and get ready for an incredible 2-day event packed with cutting-edge exotic animal medicine education, interactive sessions, and opportunities to connect with professionals worldwide. 🐰🦎

📅 Registration opens February 3, 2025!

Stay tuned for more details—this is one event you won’t want to miss!

12/01/2025

Blood sampling from the cranial vena cava is a fairly common method in small and laboratory animals. This method requires constant practice. Some of the many contraindications to this method are anemia, thrombocytopenia, bleeding disorders, sepsis, vasculitis.

In African hedgehogs, this method is the main one, since the peripheral veins are fragile and small in diameter, and the jugular vein is poorly visualized and palpable on the short neck. A new method of blood sampling from the jugular vein without entering the chest cavity is described.

The patient should be sedated, dorsal recumbency, in perfect symmetry on the right and left sides. We find the point between the handle of the sternum (manubrium) and the adjacent clavicle, and at an angle of 90 degrees to the table, insert the needle and start aspiration, if you have gone deeper then slowly pull the syringe up until the blood is aspirated. I tried it and it seems to me this method is safer and more convenient.

Article about this method: Doss, Grayson A. (2020). Proximal jugular venipuncture in African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris). Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, 35(), 94–96. doi:10.1053/j.jepm.2020.08.013

Author: Anastasia Visokikh (https://www.instagram.com/anastasia_vysokikh?igsh=cHE4eG5qbGw0ZGY5)