Harkness and Wagner's Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents

Practical reference on small mammal husbandry and health, now with full-colour clinical photographs throughout

The Sixth Edition of Harkness and Wagner’s Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents provides a thorough update to the classic reference on small mammal health and husbandry, now with full-colour clinical photographs throughout. Part of ACLAM’s series of laboratory animal books, this edition is a comprehensive, practical guide to caring for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats, and chinchillas. Emphasising biology, contemporary husbandry, diagnostics and clinical procedures, clinical signs, and diseases and conditions, the book is equally useful in research, companion animal practice, or food animal settings.

New topics for the Sixth Edition include environmental monitoring for rodent health assessments, behavioural management considerations for optimising animal health, enhanced pain assessment approaches, as well as considerations for creating a welfare-friendly small mammal practice. The Sixth Edition also updates common therapeutics, analgesics, anaesthetics, and blood collection methodologies, covers disease biology, husbandry, diagnostic modalities, and references, and explores new techniques for creating and modifying genetically engineered rodents.

Harkness and Wagner’s Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents includes information on:

• General husbandry and disease prevention, covering equipment needs, factors predisposing to disease, and occupational health and safety issues.
• Clinical procedures, covering haematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, surgery, post-operative care, dentistry, ophthalmology, and imaging.
• Clinical signs and differential diagnoses, including astroviruses, hepatitis E and leporid herpesvirus-4 for rabbits and antimicrobial resistance for commercial rabbits.
• Serologic testing and diagnostic sample submission, covering newer methodologies, environmental monitoring, and considerations for large rodent feeder-breeder operations.

The Sixth Edition of Harkness and Wagner’s Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents is an essential reference for veterinary professionals dealing with small mammal species in research or practice settings, as well as veterinary students interested in small animals, comparative medicine, or laboratory animal medicine.