ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the anatomy, correct radiographic positioning, and radiography of selected rodent species, with the emphasis on guinea pigs, chinchillas, degus, and rats, which are the most commonly kept pet rodents. Skull and dental radiographs should be performed in any patient with suspected or confirmed dental disease. Commonly kept pet rodents can be simply divided into three Suborders: Hystricognatha, Myomorpha, and Sciuromorpha. As in rabbits, an understanding of the anatomy of the skull and teeth structure is crucial. In Hystricognatha, all the premolars and molars continue to erupt throughout life, so they are predisposed to the syndrome of acquired dental disease, which is a multifactorial disease/syndrome. In chinchillas, coronal cheek teeth elongation is most obvious in the maxillary dental arches, where premolars and molars curve buccally and form sharp spikes. Apart from odontomas, other tumors seen in the oral cavities of pet rodents include osteosarcoma, melanoma, and fibrosarcoma.
