1168. Myanmar Vet Conference Feb 2, 2014 - Dwarf hamster anaesthesia & surgery - Case study

PRESENTATION OF CASES AT MYAANMAR VET CONFERENCE 2014

Case Study 1. TP 44770
Nov 2, 2013. Neepy, Roborovski, Male, Not Neutered, 2 years, Bodyweight 44 g
Difficulty in walking as the left hind thigh has a large soft mobile subcutaneous tumour. The right chest had a similar tumour which developed earlier. Both tumours were present for a couple of months. The chest tumour was small and "disappeared" but re-appeared again. 

SURGERY ON NOV 3, 2013
Anaesthesia & Surgery
Bodyweight 44 g. Active & eating.
A: 1.24 pm Zoletil 50 2 drops IM

B:                Isoflurane + O2 not given
C:                Isoflurane + O2 not stopped
D: 1.26 pm First skin incision (Dr Daniel, scalpel blade)
E:  1.33 pm Completeion of skin stitching
E-D = 7 minutes


Duration of analgesia sufficient to excise 2 tumours using scalpel (Dr Daniel Sing) = 7 minutes.
No need isoflurane gas top up.
4/0 monosyn sttiches.
As the hamster is old, I had advised removal of the 2 tumours in 2 stages to prevent deaths on the operating table.

3894 - 3897. Two large tumours below the roborovski's chest & abdomen

Histopathology of one tumour 1.5 cm x 1.0 cm x 0.5 cm
A fairly well circumscribed nodular pr oliferation of spindled cells set within a fibrocollagenous stroma. The spindle cell population is relatively monomorphic and contains ovoid nuclei and some lightly eosinophilic cytoplasm. They are arranged in a vague storiform manner and also in short fassccles. No significant nuclear atpia, increased mitotic activity or necrosis is seen. There is no evidence of malignancy.
Diagnosis: Benign spindle cell neoplasm.
Comment: Differential diagnoses include a benign fibrous histiocytoma or fibroma, amongst others. Definitive subtyping of the tumour would require an immunohistochemical work-up. Report was given to the owner.



FOLLOW UP ON NOV 14, 2013
I phoned the owner.  The hamster is OK and had bitten off the stitches. No open wounds.

The hamster had one week oral baytril and meloxicam 0.02 ml/day and had no side effects of loss of appetite or enteritis. He was normal and could walk properly. He was banned from the exercise wheel for one week.