Radiographic and Anatomical Imaging of Rabbits and Ferrets in Exotic Medicine
Table of Contents
Introduction
An introduction to the topic “Radiographic and Anatomical Imaging of Rabbits ” Rabbits and ferrets are among the most commonly treated exotic mammals in veterinary medicine. Each species presents unique anatomical and physiological characteristics that affect diagnostic imaging procedures. Proper imaging is vital for identifying dental issues, organ pathology, urolithiasis, and skeletal problems.
In this post, we share an unmodified excerpt from the BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets, focusing on the imaging and anatomy of rabbits and ferrets. From radiographic positioning to disease detection, this content delivers practical and technical knowledge essential for veterinarians, vet students, and exotic animal specialists.
Excerpt
Radiographic and Anatomical Imaging of Rabbits and Ferrets
Author: Simon J. Girling
Source: BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets (4th Edition)Radiographic Features of Rabbits
“The thorax of the rabbit is relatively small in relation to the abdomen, as is the case for most small herbivores. This makes the heart seem abnormally large, as it occupies most of the cranioventral part of the thoracic cavity.
This is often further obscured by the presence of fat deposits in overweight rabbits, which occur around the heart itself, often smudging the cardiac silhouette and persistent remnants of the thymus…
The skeletal structure of the rabbit is delicate. Only 6–7% of the total bodyweight is skeleton, compared with 12–13% in domestic cats. Rabbits possess clavicles similar to ferrets.
The scapula has a unique hooked suprahamate process of the acromion, as well as a triangular infraspinous fossa.
Dental disease is a common problem in rabbits and lateral skull radiographs are extremely useful to determine root elongation of cheek teeth, periodontal disease and abscess formation.
Many of the problems associated with an oculonasal discharge in rabbits have their source in dental disease…
Figure 1.13 Right lateral radiograph of normal dentition in a neutered female rabbit. There are six maxillary cheek teeth each side; the height of the roots should not project above the arch of the maxillary incisors…
Imaging Rabbits with Uterine Carcinoma
Figure 1.12 Right lateral whole body radiograph of entire 5-year-old female rabbit with uterine adenocarcinoma and secondary metastases to the lung field…
The bladder is commonly filled with small calcium carbonate crystals in adult rabbits, due to the rabbit’s unique calcium metabolism, especially if dietary calcium levels are high…
Radiographic Techniques for Ferrets
Right lateral and dorsoventral whole body radiographs of a 3-year-old castrated male ferret are shown in Figure 1.16.
The abdomen of the ferret has a few notable features. Its form is very elongated but organs are often well delineated due to the retroperitoneal fat present. The spleen is often a relatively large organ in the adult ferret.
There may be some small volumes of gas within the gastrointestinal tract, although excessive volumes are suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease or, if accompanied by gastric dilation, an intestinal foreign body, which is very common in ferrets…
The thorax of the ferret is very elongated and narrow. The heart should cover 2–2.5 rib space widths. When cardiomyopathies are suspected, the heart often becomes globoid in shape, although ultrasonography is required to distinguish hypertrophic from dilated forms.
The heart may be seen to be pushed caudally in cases of thymic lymphoma, with a precardiac shadow…
Dental Imaging in Ferrets
Figure 1.17 Intraoral radiograph of alveolar bone loss around premolar 2/premolar 3 of the left maxillary arcade of a 4-year-old castrated male ferret…
(Excerpt ends at 1200 words. Text is unaltered from the original thesis, formatted for structure only.)
Source Citation
Book Title: BSAVA Manual of Exotic Pets, 4th Edition
Authors: Anna Meredith, Sharon Redrobe
Publisher: British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA)
Year of Completion: 2001
Exit Page Number: Page 20
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