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Chapter 22

Hamsters

III RADIOGRAPHY A hamster may also be radiographed while in a
cardboard container, for example, a shoebox (Figure
We see comparatively few hamsters in our practice, 22-6). An animal that is ill and depressed will often
perhaps 2 to 3 dozen a year, and only a few of these remain motionless, at least long enough for an expo-
are radiographed. Hamsters are particularly energetic sure or two; however, the position assumed by the
and disinclined to be handled by strangers, making hamster may be imperfect (Figure 22-7).
radiographic restraint quite difficult. If chemical or gas A more active animal can usually be kept reason-

restraint is inadvisable, some measure of control can ably still by surrounding it with soft foam blocks

be achieved by briefly placing the animal in stockinet, within the box that are configured to resemble a mini-

pinching the ends closed to prevent escape, position- corral. This usually results in a better DV projection
ing as desired, and making the exposure (Figures 22-1 than what can be achieved by box confi nement alone
and 22-2). (Figure 22-8).
The obvious drawbacks to this strategy are that Clearly, the best positional quality is achieved when
positioning will necessarily be inexact and superimpo- the animal is unconscious, which can be achieved using
sition of the limbs on the torso inevitable (Figure 22-3). anesthetic gas administered by mask (Figure 22-9).
These problems are exacerbated when the animal is
placed on its back, which alarms most small rodents,
causing them to redouble their efforts to escape. For III NORMAL RADIOGRAPHIC ANATOMY
this reason, we prefer the dorsoventral (DV) projection
to the ventrodorsal view. The lateral position is less The radiographic anatomy of the hamster is similar to
problematic as concerns restraint but does force one to that of the rat and guinea pig; the principal difference
assess the cranioventral thorax and caudal abdomen is in the skull, which is relatively shorter, wider, and
through the superimposed fore and hind limbs (Figures rounder. The narrow, tapered trunk of the hamster
22-4 and 22-5). closely resembles that of the rat.
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