title: Cardiovascular anatomy, physiology, and disease of rodents and small exotic mammals.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease in small exotic mammals is anecdotally common, but clinical reports of diagnosis and treatment of disease are rare. This article focuses on known causes of cardiovascular disease in the small exotic mammal. Normal anatomy and physiology, as it differs from the dog and cat, is also highlighted. Cardiomyopathy, dirofilariasis, atrial thrombosis, and other acquired and congenital cardiac and vascular diseases of rodents, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, raccoons, opossums, and skunks are reviewed. Expected clinical signs and diagnostic and treatment options, including a formulary, are provided for these species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Zoological Medicine Service, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4474, USA. jheatley@cvm.tamu.edu
authors.forename: J Jill
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heatley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*