SPRING MEETING, APRIL 2010 BIRMINGHAM BRITISH VETERINARY DERMATOLOGY STUDY GROUP SPRING MEETING 7th APRIL 2010 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE BIRMINGHAM SPONSORS Diamond sponsor: DECHRA Platinum sponsor: VIRBAC Gold sponsors: ANIMAL CARE AXIOM NATIONWIDE NOVARTIS PFIZER PROTEXIN Silver sponsors: IDEXX MERIAL Bronze sponsors: JANSSEN The B.V.D.S.G. committee and members would like to thank our sponsors for their generosity and support of this meeting Proceedings published for the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group by Adventis Health Limited, Adventis House, Post Office Lane, Beaconsfield HP9 1FN Proceedings editor: Sarah Warren BVetMed MSc MRCVS, Mildmay Veterinary Centre, Easton Lane, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 7RU, UK. 1 PROGRAMME POCKET PET DERMATOLOGY WEDNESDAY 7 TH APRIL 2010 9.00 - 9.30am REGISTRATION AND COFFEE Morning session 9.30 - 10.15 Husbandry and handling of small mammals Anna Meredith 10.15 - 11.00 Rabbit dermatology Frances Harcourt-Brown 11.00 - 11.30 COFFEE AND COMMERCIAL EXHIBITION 11.30 - 12.15 Dermatology of Guinea pigs Anna Meredith 12.15 - 1.00pm Skin diseases in ferrets – not just adrenal disease Nico Schoemaker 1.00 - 2.00 LUNCH 2.00 - 2.30 COFFEE AND COMMERCIAL EXHIBITION Afternoon session 2.30 - 3.15 Rodent dermatology: Mice and rats Ian Sayers 3.15 - 4.00 Rodent dermatology: Hamsters and gerbils Ian Sayers Abstracts 4.00 - 4.15 Differing patterns of antimicrobial sensitivity among meticillin-resistant coagulase positive staphylococci isolated from canines Stephen Steen, Peter Webb 4.15 - 4.30 Differing patterns of sensitivity to topical shampoos among meticillin-resistant coagulase positive staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolated from canine cases of superficial pyoderma Stephen Steen, Sue Paterson 2 CONTENTS Page no. Husbandry and handling of small mammals .......................................................... 5 Anna Meredith Rabbit dermatology ................................................................................................ 13 Frances Harcourt-Brown Dermatology of Guinea pigs .................................................................................. 19 Anna Meredith Skin diseases in ferrets – not just adrenal disease ............................................... 23 Nico Schomaker Rodent dermatology .............................................................................................. 27 Ian Sayers Differing patterns of antimicrobial sensitivity among meticillin-resistant coagulase positive staphylococci isolated from canines ....................................... 33 Stephen Steen, Peter Webb Differing patterns of sensitivity to topical shampoos among meticillin-resistant coagulase positive staphylococcus pseudintermedius isolated from canine cases of superficial pyoderma ............................................ 35 Stephen Steen, Sue Paterson 3 NOTES 4 HUSBANDRY AND HANDLING OF SMALL MAMMALS Anna Meredith MA VetMB CertLAS DZooMed MRCVS RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, Head of Exotic Animal and Wildlife Unit, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh RODENTS The order Rodentia has 29 families, 468 genera and 2052 species, making it the largest mammalian order. Weights range from 20g up to the largest of all rodents, the capybara, at up to 50kg. Fortunately only a select few are commonly kept as pets, but all the pet species have been selectively bred to create numerous types and varieties. While rats and mice have been domesticated for hundreds of years, and the “fancy” is well developed, some are more recent introductions. It is believed that all the Syrian hamsters kept as pets are derived from one female and her litter captured in the Syrian desert in the 1930s and gerbils were only introduced in the 1960s. Guinea pigs are still kept as meat animals in South America (the word “pig” is believed to reflect the fact that the meat tastes like pork). Chinchillas were hunted almost to extinction for their fur, and are also used for acoustic research due to their very large tympanic bullae and acute sense of hearing. Classification of rodents has recently changed, and is still controversial, but for simplicity we can refer to the old system of dividing them into three suborders, based on mandibular structure: Suborder Family Genus & species Common name Myomorpha Muridae Rattus norvegicus Rat Mus musculus Mouse Cricetidae Meriones unguiculatus Gerbil Mesocricetus auratus Golden Hamster Phodopus campbelli Russian Dwarf Campbell Phodopus sungorus Russian Dwarf Winter White Phodopus roborovski Roborovski Hamster Cricetulus griseus Chinese Hamster Hystricomorpha Caviidae Cavia porcellus Guinea Pig Chinchillidae Chinchila laniger Chinchilla Octodontidae Octodon degu Degu Scuirimorpha Scuiridae Eutamias sibiricus Chipmunk General points: • From the Latin “rodere” = to gnaw • Dental formula 1/1 0/0 0/0 3/3 myomorpha, 1/1 0/0/1/1 3/3 hystricomorpha, 1/1 0/0 2/1, 3/3 scuirimorpha • Sharp, chisel-shaped, orange/yellow – white, open-rooted, constantly growing incisors • Premolars and molars open-rooted and constantly growing in Guinea pigs chinchillas and degus • Large diastema • Mandible wider than maxilla • To gnaw: Lower jaw moved forward so incisors oppose but molars do not, and cheeks drawn in across diastema. Thus can gnaw for long periods without wearing molars or swallowing debris • To chew: Lower incisors behind upper, and molars opposed • Simple stomach, large sacculated caecum, long colon. • Exhibit coprophagy which enhances absorption of vitamins B and K • Females have a separate vaginal and urethral opening; vaginal opening usually non-patent until oestrus • After mating a vaginal plug is formed • All species (except chipmunks) show a post-partum oestrus within about 24 hours of parturition, and females should be separated from the males unless a constant state of pregnancy or lactation is desired. 5 Biological Data Species Av Life Maturity Oestrus Gestation Size of Age at Adult Body temp expectancy period litter weaning weight ºC (yrs) Mouse 1-2.5 3-4 weeks Every 4-5 19-21 5-12 21 days 20-40g 37.5 days days Rat 3 6 weeks Every 4-5 20-22 6-12 21 days 400-800g 38 days days Gerbil 1.5-2.5 10-12 Every 4-6 24-26 3-6 21-28 70-130g 38 weeks days days days Syrian 1.5-2 6-10 weeks Every 4 15-18 3-7 21-28 100-200g 38 hamster days days days Hibernates Chinese/ 1.5-2 6-10 weeks Every 4 19-22 3-5 21-28 20-40g 38 Russian days days days hamster Guinea 4-7 Male 8-10 Every 60-72 2-6 21 days 750-1000g 38-39 pig weeks 15-16 (av 65) Female days days 4-5 weeks Chinchilla 10-15 8 months Every 111 1-4 6-8 wks 400-500g 38-39 30-35 days days Nov-May Degu 5-7 3-4 months Every 87-93 1-10 28 days 200-300g 38 21 days days (av 5-7) (induced ovulator) Chipmunk 3-5 1 year Every 28-32 2-6 6-7 weeks 80-150g 38 14 days days Hibernates Mar-Sept Handling • Mouse – base of tail; scruff • Hamster – cup in hands; scruff • Gerbil – around shoulders; scruff. NEVER HANDLE BY TAIL. (Degloving tail injuries are common in this species). • Rat – around shoulders, support rear if large/pregnant; base of tail and support weight; scruff. • Chinchilla – around shoulders, support rear. Beware fur slip if handled roughly. • Chipmunk – around shoulders, with thumb under chin to prevent biting; scruff • Guinea pig – around shoulders, support weight if large/pregnant. Sexing • Rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils Ano-genital distance greater in the male. Nipples visible in female. In hamsters, testicular bulges in mature male visible when viewed from above. • Guinea pigs Preputial orifice is round and penis can be extruded by gentle pressure cranial to prepuce. Vulva is V-shaped. Both sexes have 2 inguinal nipples. • Chinchillas Ano-genital distance greater in the male. Females have large urethral process below the slit-like vulva – can be confused with penis. Males have no scrotum and testes are in or near the inguinal canal. 6 Husbandry • Mouse, rat Main varieties Mice • Self: Solid body colour – includes black, blue, chocolate, fawn, dove, etc. • Tan: One colour on upper body and tan underside • Marked • Any Other Variety(AOV) eg long-haired, chinchilla Rats • Self: solid body colour • Hooded Housing • Indoors in commercial metal or glass cages. avoid wood or plastic – will gnaw • Mesh must be small enough to prevent escape of young if breeding animals (one wire/cm for mice; one wire/1.5cm for rats) • Provide enough space for cage “furniture” – branches, tubes, ladders, exercise wheels (solid rather than open to prevent tail injuries) • Mice and rats are highly social animals so keep as single sex groups (females best, males may fight), breeding pairs or harems • Bedding – wood shavings best, plus paper nesting material. Clean out 2 – 3 times a week to avoid odours Feeding • Omnivorous opportunists • Feed a commercial rodent mix (carbohydrate type seeds – wheat, maize, oats, barley, higher fat type seeds – sunflower, peanuts, biscuit, dried rolled peas) supplemented with fruit and vegetables, household scraps, dog biscuits • Scatter food amongst wood shavings so they have to forage for it • Rats have a sweet tooth and love chocolate and cake, but beware obesity. • Ad lib water in drinking bottles Breeding • Females polyoestrus with oestrus every 4-5 days. • Mice – vaginal plug can persist up to 2 days, gestation 19-21 days • Rats – vaginal plug falls out in 12-24 hours, gestation 20-22 days • Young are altricial • Separate male from female before parturition if you want to avoid mating at the post-partum oestrus. Avoid disturbing the mother for the first