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Rabbits and guinea pigs commonly present symptoms related to the urinary system. At home, the owner may notice urine collecting in the hair on the inside of the rear legs, a more pungent smell to the urine, the pet straining to urinate, or hematuria (bloody urine). After a proper physical exam and a thorough palpation of the urinary bladder, the veterinarian may identify bladder stones (a firm, oval hard mass in the bladder) or "bladder sludge" in rabbits (a bladder filled with a grainy, sand-like material). X-rays of the abdomen allow the veterinarian to identify the type of bladder disease and/or the number of stones.
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Collecting tissue samples for cytology or histopathology allow a pathologist to often give a diagnosis of the type of mass or tumor your pet has. Samples can be obtained by fine needle aspirate or biopsy, where a piece of the mass is cut out. Based on what the mass appears like under the microscope, the pathologist can often give a prognosis of how the tumor will behave.
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Common conditions of pet ferrets include diarrhea, intestinal foreign bodies, parasites, heart disease, and various tumors. This handout outlines the causes, clinical signs, and treatment options for each of these conditions. Any variation from normal should be a cause for concern and should be immediately evaluated by your veterinarian.
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Common conditions of pet rabbits include upper respiratory tract infections, internal and external parasites, dental disease, E. cuniculi infection, gastrointestinal stasis, uterine problems, and pododermatitis (sore hocks). This article discusses causes, signs, and treatments for these conditions. Regular yearly check-ups enable an early diagnosis and treatment of some rabbit diseases. Whenever a rabbit stops eating, for whatever reason, it is important to take them to see your veterinarian immediately for an evaluation.
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Common conditions of pet rodents include respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal problems, dental problems, and cancer. Diseases of the skin may cause itching, hair loss or flaky skin in rodents. All rodents have teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. Occasionally, these teeth grow too long and cut into the gums, causing pain when eating. Cancer is often seen in pet rodents, especially mammary (breast) tumors in rats and mice. Rodents with signs of respiratory or GI disease or evidence of a tumor should be seen by a veterinarian who can properly diagnose and treat the underlying condition.
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Mast cell tumors are one of the most common skin tumors in ferrets. These tumors are typically a small, raised growth on the skin that erupts, may bleed, then heal only to reoccur several weeks later in the same location. Unlike mast cell tumors in dogs, mast cell tumors in ferrets do not spread to internal organs.
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There are four major hormonal diseases in ferrets. This handout covers adrenal gland disease and diabetes mellitus. Adrenal gland disease occurs in a large number of ferrets in North America, while diabetes mellitus is a rare, but important problem.
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A keratoma is a rare benign tumor of the inner layer of keratin-producing epidermal hoof wall cells that forms inside a horse's foot. As the tumor slowly grows, it expands and separates the hoof wall laminae, causing pain and lameness.
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Ferrets can suffer from tumors in any part of their body, ranging from benign cancers of the skin to aggressive malignant tumors of internal organs. The clinical signs depend on the type of tumor, the organ involved, and the stage of the disease. For a dedicated owner with an otherwise healthy-looking patient, treatment with chemotherapy is a very good option.
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Equine sarcoids are the most common tumors seen and account for approximately nine out of every ten skin tumors seen in horses. They are non-malignant (i.e., they do not spread throughout the body) but do grow larger and often spread and multiply locally.