Clinical pathology and sample collection of exotic small mammals.

The clinical pathology of some of the less common and newly emerging small mammal species is detailed in this article. The species covered here include the chinchilla, prairie dog, African hedgehog, and sugar glider. Venipuncture sites and sampling techniques are discussed in general and for each species. Detailed information on the hematology and serum biochemistry values of these animals is presented in numerous tables. Specific information is also provided for urinalysis, fecal analysis, dermatologic sampling, and cytology.