Small mammal oral and dental diseases

Abstract

As with any veterinary patient presented, an accurate history will cover the scope of past medical information and include specific items related to oral and dental disease. In rodents, ketamine hydrochloride is probably the most common injectable anesthetic used, although it requires some special considerations. Some baseline physiological parameters for a variety of small mammals are presented in a table. The most common dental problem in rodents and lagomorphs alike is malocclusion. These malocclusions are typically classified into atraumatic and traumatic. The basic rationale behind treatment of malocclusion is adequate crown height control to approximate the wear that would normally be experienced. Primary periodontal disease is relatively uncommon in rodents and lagomorphs, although it can be induced in laboratory rats with the introduction of Actinomyces viscosus. Sialoacryoadenitis as a coronavirus infection in rats may affect the salivary glands, causing swellings under the mandibular and around the neck.