Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician
4. Edition April 2024
752 Pages, Softcover
Textbook
Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician
Comprehensive full color textbook on common exotic species, written specifically for vet techs in classroom or clinical settings
Now in its fourth edition, Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician is a comprehensive yet clear introduction to exotic animal practice for veterinary technicians in the classroom and clinical settings alike. With an emphasis on the exotic species most likely to find their way to a veterinary practice, the book offers coverage of birds, reptiles, amphibians, exotic companion mammals, and wildlife. It also features discussions of anatomy, restraint, common diseases, radiology, anesthesia and analgesia, clinical skills, surgical assisting, and parasitology.
This edition offers new updates throughout, including new chapters related to critical care feeding of exotic companion mammals, reptile infectious diseases, and exotic animal rehabilitation. It also provides full-color photos, including radiographs.
Designed to provide technicians with all the information necessary to confidently and competently treat exotic patients, Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician offers easy-to-follow descriptions of common procedures and techniques. A companion website delivers review questions and images from the book in PowerPoint format.
Topics covered in Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician include:
* Herpetoculture and reproduction, covering captive bred versus wild caught, quarantining, methods of sex determination, and reproductive behavior
* Criteria to determine water quality for fish, including pH, oxygen, temperature, chlorine and chloramine, and salinity
* Clinical techniques for degus, including oral (PO), subcutaneous (SC), intramuscular (IM), intraperitoneal (IP), catheter placement, and wound management
* Role of the veterinary technician in wildlife rehabilitation, covering clinical protocols, intake procedures, ethical considerations, and choosing treatment routes
Exotic Animal Medicine for the Veterinary Technician is an essential reference for veterinary technician students, along with veterinary technicians working in an exotic practice, or veterinary technicians who work in a small animal practice where adding exotic patients is being considered.
Preface xxxvii
Acknowledgments xxxix
Disclaimer xli
About the Companion Website xliii
Section I Introduction 1
1 Exotic Animals in Clinical Practice 3
Bonnie Ballard
Section II Analgesia and Anesthesia 9
2 Exotic Anesthesia and Analgesia 11
Jody Nugent-Deal
3 Anesthetic Equipment and Monitoring for Exotic Patients 35
Katrina Lafferty
4 Physical Rehabilitation 49
Jodi Seidel
Section III Avian 61
5 Psittacine and Passerine Birds 63
Cheryl B. Greenacre and Janet L. Pezzi-Jones
6 Psittacine Behavior, Husbandry, and Enrichment 99
April Romagnano, Tarah Hadley, Ashley McGaha, and Jan Hooimeijer
7 Aviary Design and Management 113
April Romagnano
8 Sex Differentiation and Reproduction 119
April Romagnano and Tarah Hadley
Section IV Reptiles 125
9 Lizards 127
Stacey Leonatti Wilkinson and Brad Wilson
10 Snakes 177
Ryan Cheek
11 Chelonians 231
Sarah Camlic, Ryan Cheek, Pia Bartolini, and Samuel Rivera
12 Herpetoculture and Reproduction 273
David Martinez-Jimenez
13 Infectious Diseases of Reptiles 297
Pia Bartolini
Section V Amphibians and Aquatic Animals 321
14 Amphibians 323
Brad Wilson
15 Fish 369
Sandy Skeba and Bonnie Ballard
Section VI Exotic Companion Mammals 397
16 Ferrets 399
Colleen Roman
17 Rabbits 421
Vanessa K. Lee, Douglas K. Taylor, and Deborah Mook
18 Mice, Rats, Gerbils, and Hamsters 465
April Romagnano
19 Chinchillas 483
Ashley McGaha
20 Guinea Pigs 493
Liz Vetrano
21 Degus 511
Stacey Leonatti Wilkinson
22 Hedgehogs 519
Ashley McGaha
23 Skunks 529
Serina Scott and Samuel Rivera
24 Sugar Gliders 535
Nia Chau and Samuel Rivera
25 Prairie Dogs 547
Stacey Leonatti Wilkinson and Samuel Rivera
26 Critical Care Feeding 555
Micah Kohles
Section VII Hematology 561
27 Avian and Reptile Hematology 563
Denise I. Bounous
Section VIII Zoo, Aquarium Medicine, and Wildlife 569
28 The Role of a Veterinary Technician in a Zoo 571
Sandy Skeba
29 The Role of a Veterinary Technician at a Public Aquarium 587
Rachel Parchem
30 The Role of the Veterinary Technician in Wildlife Rehabilitation 595
Melanie Haire
Section IX Appendices 627
Appendix 1 State/Federal Wildlife Permit Offices 629
Appendix 2 Wildlife Admissions/Exam/Care Forms 633
Appendix 3 Handling and Restraint of Wildlife Species 637
Florina S. Tseng DVM
Appendix 4 Tail Wrapping 643
Appendix 5 Guide to Identification of Hatchling and Nestling Songbirds 645
Appendix 6 Average Body Weights of Selected North American Songbirds 649
Appendix 7 Species Care Sheets 651
Appendix 8 Biological Data of Selected North American Wild Mammals 659
Appendix 9 Glossary of Medical Conditions and Treatments 661
Appendix 10 Wildlife Product Sources 665
Appendix 11 Additional Resources 669
Appendix 12 Supplies Necessary for an Exotic Practice 673
Appendix 13 Animal Training Documentation 675
Appendix 14 Animal Data Transfer Form 677
Appendix 15 Operating Protocols: Animal Training Request Form 683
Appendix 16 Operating Protocols: Enrichment and Evaluation Form 685
Index 687
Ryan Cheek, LVTg, VTS (ECC) has taught veterinary technology at Gwinnett Technical College since 2007, first as an adjunct instructor, then a full-time instructor for eleven years before becoming the program director in 2018. He has 25 years' experience in exotics and emergency/critical care.
