Lab Animals in Research

• AALAC– http://www.aaalac.org/

• IACUC– http://www.iacuc.org/

Lab Animal & Small Mammal

Husbandry

Rabbitsveterinarypartner.com

www.rabbit.org

CHAPTER

Rabbits

9

Oryctolagus cuniculus

• Rabbit - not rodent but lagomorph

• Size range 3 lbs to 20 lbs

• About 45 different breeds

• Uses: Meat, fur, research & pets

History of Rabbits• Fossils date back 30 to 37 million years• Domestic breeds developed from European

wild rabbit– First reports during 1100 BC– Domesticated by French monks in

Middle Ages

• Became pests in latter 19th century– European wilds now flourish– Cottontail common in North America– http://www.rabbitfreeaustralia.org.au/rabbit_problem.html

An initial introduction of 24 wild European rabbits in 1859 produced an astounding 10 billion rabbits by the 1920’s.

Uses for Rabbits

• Meat

• Research

• Fur/wool (rex, angora)

• 4H / FFA Project animals

• Pets

Five Rabbit Weight Categories

• Dwarf or miniature

• Small

• Medium

• Large

• Giant

http://www.arba.net/breeds.htm

Dwarf or Miniature Rabbits

• Britannia Petite• Netherland Dwarf• Himalayan• Dwarf Hotot• Polish• Jersey Wooly• Holland Lop• American Fuzzy Lop• Mini Rex

Small Rabbits

• Dutch

• Tan

• Florida White

• Silver

• Havana• Mini Lop (mini refers to ear length, not body size)

Medium Rabbits

• English Spot• Standard Chinchilla• English Angora• Satin Angora• French Angora• Lilac

• Silver Martin• Belgian Hare• Rhinelander• Harlequin• Sable• Shorthaired Rex

Large Rabbits

• Beveren• Californian • Hotot• Palomino• Satin• Cinnamon• Creme d’Argent

• Champagne d’Argent

• American• American Chinchilla• English Lop• New Zealand• Silver Fox

Giant Rabbits

• Giant Angora

• French Lop

• Checkered Giant

• Giant Chinchilla

• Flemish Giant

Breeding

• Male – buck; Female – doe; young – kit

Process of giving birth – kindling

• Life span: 5 to 8+ years

• Sexual maturity: 4-10 months

• Induced ovulators (like cats)

• Sexual dimorphism

Breeding & Gestation

• ALWAYS take the female to the male’s cage for breeding (does cage protective)

• Gestation 29-35 days (4-10 typical litter size)• Nesting box necessary• Extremely rich milk, fed 1-2x/day (if not wrinkled, if

warm & if bunched together it’s being fed)

• Do not disturb doe and kits first 10-14 days• Weaned at 4-6 weeks

Anatomy

• Nictitating membrane

(Third eyelid)

• Highly vascular ears

• Fragile spine

• Continuously growing teeth. Two pairs of incisors.

• Cecum, like horses: hind gut fermenters

• Cecotrope (a type of dropping that is eaten by the rabbit directly from the anus and then digested to give aa’s, FAs, vitamins from low energy foods)

Rabbit Housing & Equipment• Rabbit houses called “hutches”

– Determined by breed, bigger is better– Partial solid floors prevent irritation (pododermatitis

2nd to poor sanitation / 100% wire flooring)– SECURE LID, DOORS

– Absorbent materials best for litter: pelleted paper, pelleted grass (NOT corn cob, walnut shell, clay litter)

• Other equipment– For feeding: Galvanized-metal self-feeders– For water: Ceramic bowls or vacuum-type bottles

http://www.radil.missouri.edu/info/dora/RABBPAGE/mis.htm

Rabbit Feeding• FREE CHOICE grass, oat or timothy hay

• Alfalfa is too high in Ca++ & calories• Vegetables: 3+ different types daily of dark green / dark

yellow veggies – kale, dandelion greens, broccoli leaves, collard greens, green/yellow peppers

• Commercial pelleted rabbit food – free choice to young,

measured and limited amount to adults (no >20% of diet)• Fruit as a treat (no > 1-2 tbsp per 5#/day)

• Particularly when warm: clean, fresh water should be abundantly available

Rabbit Maintenance

• Regular (daily ideal) cleaning, sanitation of housing / environment

• Nail trimming

• Some require incisor trimming (malocclusion)

• Brushing (1-2x/week; daily if long hair)• May need flea/insect prevention (cat meds /

doses often used)

Bunny Behavior• Generally docile disposition• Noises: occasional panic scream, warning

growl• May spray urine if upset (males > females)• Can be housebroken, harness trained • Chewers! (make sure hutch is sturdy)• Not heat tolerant• Coprophagic

Handling of Rabbits• Rabbit’s size drives handling method

– Never pick a rabbit up by the ears

• Approach cage slowly, speaking to rabbit• Rub rabbit before attempting lifting

– Place one hand under belly, one behind– For large rabbits, use arm for cradling– Tuck head under elbow of supporting arm

• Put rabbit down slowly, hind end first– Allow rabbit to see where it is going

Restraint• Never pick up by the ears

• DO scruff behind ears

• Always support the hindquarters!!!– Can fracture spine if rear legs kick too hard

or in awkward position – Delicate!

• Restraint by hypnosis (cradle on its back, scruff in hand, rear end supported w/ back resting against handler)

• Return to cage hind end first

26

Injection Sites in Rabbits• Injection Sites

– IM: quadriceps– SQ, IP also may be used

• Venipuncture sites– Marginal ear vein– Cephalic vein– Lateral saphenous vein– Jugular vein

• May require anesthesia for catheter placement – delicate veins (delicate skin, too)

Rabbit Anesthesia• Withhold food?

– When fasting is not recommended in rabbits, it has to with exhausting glycogen stores which can lead to hypoglycemia which may cause post-operative ileus. When fasting is recommended, it is to decrease stomach volume compressing the diaphragm and respiratory space. The inability to vomit is also sometimes cited a reason to not require fasting in rabbits.

– rabbits are unlikely to vomit/regurgitate in the perianesthetic period. I usually take the animals off water 1-2 hrs before just in case they will passively reflux under anesthesia. Prolonged fasting in rabbits is likely to lead to ileus, a common problem in rabbits. 

• Must be free from respiratory disease

• Injectable agents– Ketamine + Midazolam/Diazepam + Xylazine + Butorphanol (healthy)– Midazolam/Diazepam + Butorphanol + Glycopyrrolate (ill/debilitated)– Ketamine + Acepromazine, Ketamine + Xylazine

Common Lagomorph Diseases / Conditions

Common Rabbit Ailments• Gastrointestinal (anorexia > 24-28h hepatic lipidosis,

diarrhea or ileus, no stool)– Trichobezoars– Bacterial (Tyzzer’s: Clostridium piliformis; other Cl. Sp.),

coccidia, – Dental Malocclusion, tooth root abscess

• Respiratory (Dyspnea, Pneumonia)– Heat stress / stroke– Bacterial (Pasturella, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Bordatella,

Staphylococcus…) rhinitis, pneumonia, pyothorax– Neoplasia (metastasis of uterine adenocarcinoma)

Trichobezoars(Hairballs)

• Rabbits are clean and groom frequently• Diagnosis: Not eaten in 24 hrs, and x-

rays show food in the stomach• Treatment: Drugs early on to change

gut motility, or surgery (50% mortality rate)

• Prevention: High fiber diet; hair ball medication; frequent brushing

Common Rabbit Ailments

• Neurologic – Otitis interna, torticollis (Pasturella, Staphylococcus)– Trauma– Fungal– Toxin (lead)

• Integument– Infection, wounds 2nd to poor housing/sanitation– Parasites – pruritis – fleas

• Urogenital – Uroliths, sludge– Dystocia, Mastitis

Pasturella(Snuffles)

• Clinical Signs:– Discharge from eyes and/or nose– Squinting or redness of eyes– Otitis torticollis– Abscesses

• Tx: Abx (injection, oral, IN, ocular)

• Many rabbits are chronically infected

Skin Diseases

• Bacterial Infections: Treat with Antibiotics

• Ringworm: Treat with topical medication, oral medication or medicated shampoos

• Fleas: Can use products safe on cats

Parasites

• Mange (walking dandruff) – seen as hair loss and dandruff Diagnosis by skin scraping Treatment- medicated shampoo

• Ear mites: Dark crusty material in ears, scratching and shaking head – injectable or topical medication

• Coccidia: Fecal testing to find - medication

Cystic Calculi(Bladder Stones)

• Clinical Signs:

Frequent urination, straining to urinate

Blood in the urine.• Treatment: Surgical Removal• Prevention: Increase activity level and

provide more space, Decrease/remove pellets and add fiber, leafy greens to diet, plenty of water

Uterine Adenocarcinoma and/or pyometra

• Intact (not spayed) female rabbits

• Clinical signs:

Older female, listless, not eating

• Treatment – exploratory surgery

• Prevention – spay early; If breeding the doe, spay when breeding life is done.

Disease Prevention

• Quarantine new rabbits for 30 days

• Reduce stress

• Avoid overcrowding

• Avoid dietary changes, provide appropriate & quality diet

• Keep litter clean

Guinea Pigs (cavy)

CHAPTER

Guinea Pigs

14

Cavia porcellus

• Guinea Pig Rodent - More closely related to porcupines and chinchillas

• Average weight 750 grams

• Eleven breeds for show

History of Guinea Pigs

• Exact history of domestic cavy unknown– May come from C. aperea, C. tschudii, or C. fulgida– Does not come from Guinea

• Bred for meat production in South America for at least 3,000 years

• Brought to Europe in 16th century• Since mid-1800s, used for pathology, nutrition,

genetics, and toxicology research, as well as serum development

Uses for Guinea Pigs

• Meat (S. America)

• Research

• 4H / FFA Project animals

• Pets

Common Guinea Pig Varieties

• Abyssinian

• American

• Peruvian

• Satin

• Silkie

• Teddy

• White Crested

Abyssinian Guinea Pig

• Rough, wiry hair coat– Hair made of rosettes (swirls or cowlicks)– More rosettes are desirable

• Found in all colors and color combinations

American Guinea Pig

• Most common variety

• Short, very glossy, fine hair– Short hair eases care

• Found in widely varied colors and color combinations

Peruvian Guinea Pig

• Longhaired variety– Hair length, evenness, and balance are

deciding features– Hair requires much upkeep (can be 20”

long)

• Lacks a tail

• Found in many of the colors and color combinations as American variety

Satin Guinea Pig

• Fur is distinguishing feature– Fine, dense, and soft– Luxurious and shiny

• Found in colors and color combinations of other varieties

Silky Guinea Pig

• Longhaired variety– Unlike Peruvian, no long frontal sweep

over head– Mane sweeps back from head, between

ears, over the back, and down the sides

• Sometimes called the Sheltie

• Found in colors and color combinations of other varieties

Teddy Guinea Pig

• Short, kinky hair– Short, resilient strands– Lies thick and close to the body– Whiskers also kinked

• Found in colors and color combinations of other varieties

White Crested

• Shorthaired variety– Resembles American shorthair except

for crest– Crest is white rosette that radiates evenly from

center of forehead

• Found mainly in self, solid, and agouti colors

Characteristics of Guinea Pigs

• Physical makeup– Adult length of 8 to 10”, weight of 1 to 2 pounds– Short, stocky build with short legs– Short, blunt, rounded nose– Short ears with little fur– Agouti, self, solid, and marked colors

• Skills– Very sensitive hearing– Highly developed sense of smell– Excellent peripheral vision

• Behaviors– Live in colonies or clans– One dominant male and 5 to 10 females

Anatomy

• No tail• One pair of

mammary glands• Herbivore

• Open rooted teeth• Born with teeth• Born with eyes open• Heavy body weight

for size• Susceptible to

Bordatella

Guinea Pig Reproduction

• Average life span 5 years (4-8y)

• Males are boars

• Females are sows

• Polyestrous with spontaneous (induced) ovulation

• 1-6 young/litter

Guinea Pig Reproduction• Sexual maturity

– Females at 2 months (4-6w)– Males at 3 months (9-10w)

• First breeding before female is 6 months / before reaching 500 grams body weight (6m old is when pelvic symphysis fuses)

– Pair breeding (monogamous)– Colony breeding (polygamous / harem: 1 boar/4-10 sows)

• Gestation period from 56 to 74 days• Up to 5 litters yearly (2 to 4 average)• Young fully developed at birth (precocious)

– Weigh 1½ to 4½ ounces– Have open eyes and full fur– Running and eating solid food in 24 hours

Desired Qualities ofGuinea Pig Housing

• At least 12” x 12” x 12” per adult (double size if breeders)

• Plastic bottom that is 3 or 4” deep

• Sides of vertical wire bars or glass

• Hiding box / area for sleeping

• Abundant bedding – shavings, shredded paper– CLEAN FREQUENTLY

• Heavy glass or earthenware food bowls

• Vacuum-type water bottle

• When housed outside

– Portable house or run-in (3 square feet/pig)

– Temperatures above 50°F (55-70 ideal, >80-85 BAD)

Basics of Guinea Pig Feeding• Sensitive GI system – no rapid diet changes!• Vegetarian diet – mix of veggies, hay, guinea pig pellets

– Must consume vitamin C (~0.5mg/kg/day)– Vit C deficiencies often from use of old food

• Foods tailored to age/state– Young or pregnant pigs: alfalfa pellets and dry alfalfa hay– Adults: Clover and grass hay pellets and low-protein dry

clover and grass hays• Other food sources

– Dandelion greens, Romaine or green leaf lettuce (no iceberg), kale, carrots, apples, pears, turnips, beets, cucumbers

• Constant source of fresh water – clean daily

Basic Care of Guinea Pigs

• Regular grooming– Shorthaired: Daily brushing– Longhaired: Combing and brushing, clipping

• Occasional bathing– Use mild shampoo– Avoid chills

• Regular nail clipping

Handling Methods for Guinea Pigs

• Acclimation process– In new home, allow long exploration time– Offer treats (fresh greens, carrots, apples)– Pet and lift to overcome shyness

• Lifting technique– Grasp firmly around front shoulders with

one hand, support rear with other– Cradle in palm and forearm close to body

Guinea Pig Ailments• Respiratory diseases (bacterial, viral pneumonia)• Diarrhea (bacterial, diet related enteritis)• Dystocia, Toxemia (pregnant females)• Integument:

– Pododermatitis– Mites and biting lice– Neck swellings (e.g. cervical abscess)

• Overgrown or maloccluded teeth• Genital-area obstructions – clean area to prevent

Scurvy• Vitamin C deficiency

Clinical Signs: anorexia/poor appetite, swollen, painful joints and ribs, reluctance to move, poor bone and teeth development, and spontaneous bleeding especially from the gums, into joints, and in muscle. 

Treatment: Supplement with Vitamin C injections; Add Vitamin C to water; feed fresher food and fresh vegetables

Dystocia & Toxemia

• Must be bred before 6 months of age

• Toxemia seen in obese guinea pigs during late pregnancy. Prevention includes reducing stress during pregnancy and correct diet.

Hyperthermia

• Temperatures over 85 degrees, Humidity over 70%, inadequate shade and ventilation, overcrowding

Signs: panting, slobbering, weakness, lethargy, convulsions

Treatment: cool water spray or bath, alcohol on foot pads, change environment to prevent future episodes