Читать книгу Surgery of Exotic Animals - Группа авторов - Страница 18

Various species such as equids, rabbits, and rodents are not able to vomit for physiologic reason, so fasting to prevent aspiration pneumonia is not necessary. Additionally, if attempting to decrease gastrointestinal contents for a surgery, it can take days to make a difference because the majority of ingesta is within the hindgut. A short fast is recommended to allow these species to swallow any food material to reduce the risk of food entering the trachea during intubation. A prolonged fast in small mammals can result in a negative energy balance which increases their risk for developing complications after surgery (Jenkins 2000). Many small patients have low hepatic glycogen stores and may develop hypoglycemia during a prolonged fast (Harkness 1993; Redrobe 2002). Administer fluids containing dextrose subcutaneously (SC), intravenously (IV), or intraosseously (IOs) in patients prone to developing hypoglycemia. The gastrointestinal transit time in ferrets is rapid, and a prolonged fast is not recommended. An hour fast in ferrets is long enough for the stomach to empty minimizing the risk of developing aspiration pneumonia. On the other end of the spectrum, some reptiles may only eat once a week or even less often so there is no need for a fast.