Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How vets examine small mammal mouths with laryngoscopes and endoscopes
By Jekl, V & Knotek, Z·Published in The Veterinary record·2007·Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of a laryngoscope and a rigid endoscope for the examination of the oral cavity of small mammals.
- Species:
- rodent
Plain-English summary
A group of small mammals, including rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs, degus, and prairie dogs, were brought in for issues like not eating, drooling, skin problems, swollen jaws, and mild eye bulging. Veterinarians used a laryngoscope for initial checks but found it limited for deeper areas. A rigid endoscope, however, allowed for a thorough examination of the entire mouth and teeth, making it easier to spot problems and perform procedures like taking biopsies or fixing misaligned teeth. While the laryngoscope could be used with the animals awake, the endoscope required anesthesia for a complete assessment.
People also search for: rabbit not eating · chinchilla drooling treatment · guinea pig swollen jaw · degus dental problems · prairie dog oral exam
Abstract
The oral cavities of 65 rabbits, 35 chinchillas, 38 guinea pigs, 19 degus and 13 prairie dogs suffering from a lack of appetite, hypersalivation, moist dermatitis, swelling of the lower jaw or mild exophthalmos were examined with a paediatric laryngoscope and rigid endoscope. The laryngoscope was safe and satisfactory for a preliminary examination, but changes in the less accessible caudal parts of the cavity could not be identified precisely. A rigid endoscope with 30 degrees optics made it possible to examine all parts of the oral cavity and oropharynx, and make detailed observations of surface lesions on the premolar and molar teeth and the mucosal surface of the gingiva, tongue and hard palate; endoscopy with 70 degrees optics provided an excellent view of the occlusal tooth surfaces, tooth crowns, and buccal mucosa. The collection of biopsy samples, the removal of foreign objects and the correction of malocclusions were greatly simplified by the use of the endoscope owing to the clear visualisation of the procedures, and the risk of injury was minimised. The examinations with a laryngoscope were made effectively on animals that were manually restrained, but a thorough examination with a rigid endoscope required the animals to be anaesthetised.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17209089/