Chapter 20 Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System THE FERRET Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are not common in ferrets. They may suffer traumatic long-bone fractures or spinal injury from rough play or falls. Treatment is similar to that of the dog and cat. RODENTS As with all small animals, fractures and dislocations from falls and rough handling do occur. Fractures can be treated as for the avian and reptilian patient, using splints, casts, or lightweight internal fixation. THE RABBIT Rabbits have a weak skeletal system that can be easily damaged with improper handling. Only about 8% of their body weight is made up by the skeleton (much less than in dogs and cats). Trauma Improper handling is a frequent cause of paralysis in the domestic rabbit. Damage can also occur as a result of falling or being jumped on by other rabbits while playing. Typically the rabbit will kick or twist suddenly, causing fracture of the vertebral column with damage to the spinal cord (Fig. 20-1). Figure 20-1 Radiograph of a spinal fracture in a rabbit. (From Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW: Ferrets, rabbits, and rodents, ed 2, St Louis, 2004, Saunders, by permission.) CLINICAL SIGNS • Complete or partial paralysis immediately after injury • +/− Loss of bladder or bowel control, or both DIAGNOSIS • Physical examination and history Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue You may also needDiseases of the Urogenital SystemDiseases of the Endocrine SystemOverview of Ferrets, Rodents, and RabbitsDiseases of the Digestive SystemDiseases of the Urinary SystemDiseases of the Reproductive SystemDiseases of the Respiratory SystemDiseases of the Cardiovascular System Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Related Tags: Common Diseases of Companion Animals Aug 31, 2016 | Posted by admin in GENERAL | Comments Off on Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System
Chapter 20 Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System THE FERRET Diseases of the musculoskeletal system are not common in ferrets. They may suffer traumatic long-bone fractures or spinal injury from rough play or falls. Treatment is similar to that of the dog and cat. RODENTS As with all small animals, fractures and dislocations from falls and rough handling do occur. Fractures can be treated as for the avian and reptilian patient, using splints, casts, or lightweight internal fixation. THE RABBIT Rabbits have a weak skeletal system that can be easily damaged with improper handling. Only about 8% of their body weight is made up by the skeleton (much less than in dogs and cats). Trauma Improper handling is a frequent cause of paralysis in the domestic rabbit. Damage can also occur as a result of falling or being jumped on by other rabbits while playing. Typically the rabbit will kick or twist suddenly, causing fracture of the vertebral column with damage to the spinal cord (Fig. 20-1). Figure 20-1 Radiograph of a spinal fracture in a rabbit. (From Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW: Ferrets, rabbits, and rodents, ed 2, St Louis, 2004, Saunders, by permission.) CLINICAL SIGNS • Complete or partial paralysis immediately after injury • +/− Loss of bladder or bowel control, or both DIAGNOSIS • Physical examination and history Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue You may also needDiseases of the Urogenital SystemDiseases of the Endocrine SystemOverview of Ferrets, Rodents, and RabbitsDiseases of the Digestive SystemDiseases of the Urinary SystemDiseases of the Reproductive SystemDiseases of the Respiratory SystemDiseases of the Cardiovascular System Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window) Related Tags: Common Diseases of Companion Animals Aug 31, 2016 | Posted by admin in GENERAL | Comments Off on Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System
