ANSWERS

1. List 6 features common to mammals.
   
   • Possess an internal skeleton (vertebrates).
   • Endothermic (warm-blooded).
   • Skin bears hairs.
   • Possess lungs for respiration.
   • Bear live young nourished by milk from the mammary glands.
   • Internal fertilisation.
2. What 2 animals are members of the lagomorph group?
   
   • Rabbits.
   • Hares.
3. Rabbit teeth grow continually throughout life. What is the term used to describe teeth of this type?
   Open-rooted.
4. State the dental formula of a rabbit.
   1033 (upper jaw).
   1023 (lower jaw).
5. Rabbits (and all of the small rodents) practice coprophagia (eating of the faeces). Special dark, mucous covered faeces are passed at night and eaten directly from the anus in order to ensure that all possible nutrients are extracted from the food. Can you name this type of stool and the term used to describe the ingestion of such faeces?
   
   • The faeces are known as caecal pellets.
   • The ingestion of caecal pellets is referred to as caecotrophy.
6. What is the name of the large fold of skin present under the chin of does, and why is this present?
   
   • The fold of skin is called the dewlap.
   • Fur is plucked from the dewlap to line the nest prior to parturition.
7. Describe how you would sex a rabbit.
   
   • Look for the presence of testes.
   • Examine the external genitalia - the vulva is slit shaped and pointed at the front, whilst the prepuce is more circular (the penis is easily protruded in the adult rabbit).
8. What is the average life expectancy of a rabbit?
   6-10 Years. Males tend to live longer than females.
9. What is the gestation period of a rabbit?
   28-32 days.
10. At what age do rabbits reach sexual maturity?
    Approximately 3 months.
11. List 5 breeds of rabbit commonly seen in small animal practice.
    
    • Netherland dwarf.
    • Dutch.
    • Flemish giant.
    • Angora.
    • Rex.
12. Rabbits are sociable animals and require company. Why is it best to keep a male and female (either or both should be neutered!) together?
    Two males kept together will almost certainly fight. In the wild rabbits form pair bonds, thus meaning that this arrangement is the most natural for them.
13. List 4 advantages of spaying a female rabbit.
    
    • Reduction of sexual aggression.
    • Avoidance of unwanted litters.
    • Enables a male and female to live together without breeding.
    • Reduces risk of uterine adenocarcinoma.
14. List 6 considerations to be taken into account when nursing a rabbit recovering from castration under general anaesthesia.
    
    • Close observation of vital signs (as with any patient).
    • Provision of heat/avoidance of draughts (rabbits are extremely susceptible to hypothermia following general anaesthesia).
    • Reduce stress by ensuring a quiet, calm environment for recovery.
    • Use soft bedding such as Vetbed/towels rather than straw which may irritate the surgical wound.
    • Prevent patient interference by providing an Elizabethan collar if necessary.
    • Advise the owner that it is sensible to keep the rabbit alone until the sutures are removed due to the risk of companion rabbit/s interfering with the wound.
15. What is the most important part of a rabbit's diet?
    Roughage (in the form of good quality hay or grass). In the wild, rabbits spend up to 6 hours a day looking for food and feeding.
16. List 4 wild plants that may be safely eaten by rabbits.
    
    • Brambles.
    • Dandelions.
    • Groundsel.
    • Nettles.
17. Rabbits like clover, but large amounts can be harmful. Why is this?
    Clover produces a gas when digested which can get trapped in the intestine and cause bloat. This can build up pressure on the heart and may be fatal. Rabbits that are not used to a green diet should not be allowed clover at all.
18. There are many garden plants that are poisonous to rabbits. Can you list 10?
    
    • Bluebells.
    • Daffodils.
    • Dahlias.
    • Delphiniums.
    • Foxgloves.
    • Irises.
    • Lily-of-the-valley.
    • Lobelia.
    • Poppies.
    • Snowdrops.
19. List 3 weeds that are poisonous to rabbits.
    
    • Celandine.
    • Deadly nightshade.
    • Hemlock.
20. Why is it preferable to feed rabbits a diet of complete pellets rather than a mix?
    Rabbits may be quite fussy eaters and pick out only parts of a rabbit mix that they enjoy best and leave the rest. This means that certain nutritional needs might not be met. The feeding of complete pellets avoids the problem of selective feeding. Do bear in mind that as with any animal, changing the diet suddenly is not recommended.
21. What is the name of the causative organism responsible for canker in rabbits?
    Psoroptes cuniculi.
22. Name the 2 diseases of rabbits that may be vaccinated against.
    
    • Myxomatosis.
    • Viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD).
23. What special technique might be employed to calm and restrain a struggling rabbit?
    Hypnosis. Position the rabbit on your lap in dorsal recumbency with the head lower than the rest of the body. This technique has varying degrees of success.
24. List rodents commonly kept as pets.
    
    • Chinchilla.
    • Chipmunk.
    • Gerbil.
    • Guinea pig.
    • Hamster.
    • Jird.
    • Mouse.
    • Rat.
25. Describe the sexing of small rodents.
    In all female rodents, the genital and urinary orifices are separate and thus 3 orifices are present. The genital orifice is only patent when the animal is in season or prior to parturition and is subsequently often difficult to locate. In males there are only 2 openings.
26. State the dental formula of a guinea pig.
    1013.
    1013.
27. What is the average life expectancy of a guinea pig?
    4-7 years.
28. What is the gestation period of a guinea pig?
    60-72 days (average 65 days).
29. From what country to guinea pigs originate?
    South America (Peru).
30. Give 2 reasons why proprietary rabbit food should not be fed to guinea pigs.
    
    • Rabbit food may contain coccidiostats which are toxic to guinea pigs.
    • Guinea pigs are unable to synthesise vitamin C and thus have a greater nutritional requirement for this than rabbits.
31. Give 2 reasons why care should be taken if providing a guinea pig with a vitamin C supplement.
    
    • Liquid preparations should be administered via a water bottle with a stainless steel spout since other metals may inactivate the vitamin.
    • Liquid preparations given in a water bowl may be inactivated by the presence of organic matter.
32. What is the name of the sarcoptic mange mite that may be responsible for skin disease in guinea pigs?
    Trixacarus caviae.
33. Why are chinchillas difficult to sex?
    There is a significant urethral prominence in the female which may be mistaken for a penis.
34. When is the breeding season for chinchillas?
    November to May.
35. Why should chinchillas never be bathed in water?
    Because their skin is not waterproof. Chinchillas should be offered a dust-bath daily in special sand particularly for this purpose.
36. A client asks for advice regarding the acquisition of a small pet for the children. Why would you favour a rat over a hamster.
    
    • Hamsters are nocturnal and will be awake when the children are asleep.
    • Rats have a longer life expectancy than hamsters which only tend to live for 1.5-2 years.
    • Rats are probably the easiest to tame of all the small rodents and make interesting and rewarding pets.
37. What is the common name for proliferative ileitis (a common disease of hamsters that causes diarrhoea and perianal excoriation)?
    Wet tail.
38. Name the mange mites that commonly affect hamsters, mice and rats.
    
    • Demodex species - hamsters.
    • Notoedres - mice & rats.
39. What is a sciuromorph?
    A squirrel-like rodent such as the chipmunk.
40. Why should care be taken if feeding sunflower seeds to rodents.
    They are very high in fat and too many can be harmful.
41. Can you state the 2 types of ferret?
    
    • Polecat ferret (brown with a mask).
    • Albino (white with pink eyes).
42. State the dental formula of the ferret.
    3131.
    3132.
43. What is the average life expectancy of a ferret?
    5-7 years.
44. What is the correct term for a male ferret?
    A hob.
45. What is the correct term for a female ferret?
    A jill.
46. Why is it recommended that female ferrets be spayed unless they are to be used for breeding?
    An unmated female may remain in season until the autumn and can produce a potentially fatal anaemia. In addition, the prolonged enlargement of the vulva may predispose her to pyometra (infection of the womb). This too can be fatal.
47. Ferrets can catch human colds and therefore it is not wise to handle them if you are suffering from such a virus. What disease can be transmitted to ferrets via dogs?
    Distemper. Ferrets may be vaccinated against this disease.