Rats are increasingly kept as companion animals, but there is little published information on naturally acquired diseases and their treatment. For example, disorders of the uterus in pet rats have not been thoroughly investigated in its prevalence, outcome and treatment. There are several review papers on the reproductive pathology of laboratory rats.  Although the reproductive physiology of pet rats is likely similar to that of laboratory rats, animals kept for laboratory purposes may have different husbandry, different comorbidities, and different treatment goals than pets. In order to identify other publications on reproductive surgery in female pet rats, Medline and CAB Direct have been searched with the following string “rat AND (ovariohysterectomy OR ovariectomy) AND (pet OR client-owned)” on May 11, 2020. One study of morbidity and disease management in pet rats revealed that reproductive system disease accounted for 15.7% of the cases.

However, no description of the type of reproductive disease is mentioned. A previous case report outlined 2 cases of vaginal bleeding treated with ovariohysterectomy in which histologic evaluation revealed endometritis and vaginal polyp. Surgical management of vaginal and/or uterine prolapse, or dystocia affecting pet rats is seldomly reported in literature. Ovariohysterectomy (OHE) involves removal of the reproductive tract including the ovaries, uterine horns, and uterine body. Ovariectomy (OE) involves removal of the ovaries alone. These procedures are utilized in multiple species as a preventative treatment for unwanted pregnancies along with prevention of and treatment of reproductive diseases. Multiple techniques have been described in rats for surgical removal of the entire or portion of the reproductive tract including the dorsal approach for OHE and OE and the ventral midline approach for OHE. The type of procedure performed depends on the clinician comfort and preference with each technique and specific indications for the particular case.

visit for more articles at Journal of General Surgery Reports

Kindly submit your article at  https://www.imedpub.com/submissions/general-surgery-reports.html 

Regards
Mishita
Jornal co-ordinator
Journal of General Surgery Reports