Guide to veterinary care of small rodents

Rodents comprise the largest Order of mammals, with novel species still discovered worldwide. This article will concentrate on the Myomorph Suborder (mouse-like rodents) containing the Families Muridae (true mice - rats and mice) and Cricetidae (burrowing rodents – gerbils and hamsters). Most information available for these species originates from their use in laboratory research as animal models for disease, or associated with disease transfer, acting as reservoir hosts for many infectious diseases. This field of veterinary medicine is rapidly evolving, with more publications on pet rodent medicine available to the veterinary practitioner and a greater client expectation for the diagnosis and treatment of their pet rodents in veterinary practice (Keeble and Meredith 2011).