Clinical techniques of invertebrates.

This article highlights techniques and equipment needed to successfully restrain, diagnose, and treat gastropods (including snails and slugs) and arthropods (including spiders, scorpions, honey-bees, cockroaches, silkworms, phasmids, centipedes, and millipedes). A review of current clinical techniques for invertebrates kept as pets and those kept for agricultural use is provided. The specific techniques of restraint, assessment of hydration, fluid therapy, diagnostic sampling, imaging, exoskeleton repair, ectoparasite control and removal, euthanasia, and postmortem examination are reviewed for use in the invertebrate patient. The authors intend this article to stimulate further research and reporting on appropriate and humane techniques for use in these species and to increase the ability of the veterinary practitioner to successfully attend to these animals.