Diagnosis and management of a retrobulbar abscess of periapical origin in a domestic rabbit.

Retrobulbar abscessation is the most common orbital disease of rabbits, and the lesions are notoriously difficult to treat successfully. This article describes the diagnosis, surgical treatment, and long-term management of an extensive abscess located within the right maxilla and retrobulbar space of a domestic rabbit. Preoperative assessment and long-term monitoring were achieved with a combination of radiography, ophthalmic ultrasonography, and CT. Extraoral rigid endoscopy via a fenestration in the maxilla was used to facilitate surgical debridement of the lesion, and extraction of multiple cheek teeth has been fundamental to achieving control. The long-term use of topical and systemic antibiotic preparations and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication is discussed.     

Pasteurella multocida infection in the domestic rabbit: immunization with a streptomycin-dependent mutant.

Fourteen Pasteurella multocida-free rabbits were inoculated intranasally with a streptomycin-dependent mutant of P. multocida serotype 12:A. Vaccinations with approximately 10(8) colony forming units were done on days 0, 14 and 28. Two weeks later the animals were separated into groups, which included 12 rabbits divided into two control groups of six unvaccinated Pasteurella-free animals. Seven vaccinated rabbits were challenged intranasally with the homologous virulent parent strain and the other seven vaccinates were challenged with a virulent strain of serotype 3:A. Rabbits were necropsied two weeks later. The vaccinated group challenged with the parent strain showed a more rapid nasal clearance of the organism than the vaccinated group challenged with the heterologous strain. However, the number of positive cultures of P. multocida recovered from tissues post-challenge were similar in vaccinated and control animals. In a significant number of animals, vaccination with serotype 12:A induced detectable antibody production to somatic antigens of both 12:A and heterologous strain 3:A.     

Spontaneous deciduosarcoma in a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Deciduosarcoma is a rare, hormonally dependent neoplasm with features of malignancy, previously reported only in rabbits enrolled in chronic toxicology studies involving estrogens with or without progestins. An exploratory laparotomy was performed on a 6-year-old pet Dutch dwarf rabbit following palpation of a 6-cm-diameter abdominal mass. Grossly, the mass was fleshy and nodular, adhered to but not appearing to originate from the small intestine, with a smaller mass of similar appearance involving the uterus, and an effaced mesenteric lymph node. Histologically, the mass was characterized by spindloid cells and large epithelioid cells with abundant pale eosinophilic vacuolated cytoplasm and an infiltrative pattern of growth. Giant cells with large, bizarre, hyperchromatic nuclei were common. Cells were positive by immunohistochemistry for vimentin and progesterone and estrogen receptors and negative for pancytokeratin (AE1/AE3), cytokeratin 18, desmin, alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), and CD10. Based on histologic and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of deciduosarcoma was made.     

家兔的繁殖生理特性

家兔是目前人工饲养数量较多的经济动物，家兔生长发育快、繁殖力高、饲料成本低、饲料与肉的转化率高，肉质高蛋白、低脂肪、富含蛋氨酸和赖氨酸。此外兔的毛、皮也具有广泛的用途。科学饲养家兔过程中，解决好繁殖问题至关重要，要处理好家兔的繁殖问题必须掌握家兔的繁殖生理特性，作者这里介绍一下家兔的繁殖生理特性。     

Actinobacillus capsulatus septicemia in a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

A 5-year-old pet rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) died after a 3-day history of anorexia and depression. At necropsy, the stomach was distended with dough-like ingesta and hair consistent with gastric stasis syndrome. The lungs had multifocal, raised red nodules with circumferential hemorrhage. Microscopic examination showed pulmonary hemorrhage with intravascular fibrin thrombi and bacterial colonies, which were present in lesser amounts in the kidney, heart, and liver. Bacterial culture of the lung produced a heavy pure growth of Actinobacillus capsulatus. Acute septicemia is a novel presentation for this pathogen. This is the first documented case of A. capsulatus disease in the contiguous United States and may represent an underdiagnosed to emerging disease of lagomorphs.     

Shope fibroma virus keratitis and spontaneous cataracts in a domestic rabbit

A 7-year-old domestic rabbit presented for an enlarging ventral perilimbal mass OS. Keratectomy was performed to remove the mass. A diagnosis of Shope fibroma virus keratitis was confirmed based on signalment, clinical signs, histologic evaluation and virus isolation. Progression of bilateral cataracts leading to visual deficits was addressed with phacoemulsification. The rabbit remained visual and comfortable 5 months postoperatively and free of recurrence of the limbal mass 9 months after initial presentation.     

A case of combined hermaphroditism and autofertilisation in a domestic rabbit

A true hermaphrodite rabbit served several females and sired more than 250 young of both sexes. In the next breeding season the rabbit, which was housed in isolation, became pregnant and delivered seven healthy young of both sexes. It was kept in isolation and when autopsied was again pregnant and demonstrated two functional ovaries and two infertile testes. A chromosome preparation revealed a diploid number of autosomes and two sex chromosomes of uncertain configuration.     

家兔检疫(验)着眼点

家兔检疫（验）主要是感观检疫，以视、听、触为主，必要时做化验室诊断。     

Outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease in domestic lagomorphs

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) was diagnosed in domestic lagomorphs on a rabbit farm in Illinois. Clinical signs of RHD in affected rabbits included signs of depression, anorexia, fever, paddling, convulsions, and sudden death. Findings of necropsies and histologic evaluations of specimens of liver and spleen were indicative of RHD. In liver specimens obtained from dead rabbits, RHD viral antigen was detected via hemagglutination assay and viral antigen-detection ELISA. The source of the outbreak was traced to a rabbitry in Utah. As the disease spread, the outbreak involved rabbits in various regions of the United States; > 4,800 rabbits were euthanatized and buried as a result of the depopulation effort in several states. The economic impact of the disease can be considerable; if the disease is suspected, it is imperative that the appropriate state or federal veterinarian's office be contacted immediately.     

Pharmacokinetics of tetracycline in the domestic rabbit following intravenous or oral administration.

Tetracycline hydrochloride was administered to domestic rabbits using a single bolus by the intravenous and oral routes. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined for intravenous (10 mg/kg) and oral (150 mg/kg) administration. The effect of fasting for 12 h on the drug elimination kinetics after oral administration was evaluated. Tetracycline was added to the drinking water at 800 mg/L or 1600 mg/L. Drug and water intake and serum levels were monitored. Mean serum pharmacokinetic parameters following intravenous administration were; 0 intercept beta curve B (microgram/mL) = 7.5, rate of elimination from body -b (min-1) = 0.0058, half life elimination from body -t 1/2 b (min) = 120.0, wt(kg) = 3.2 determined using combined male and female data. Mean serum pharmacokinetic parameters after oral administration (single bolus) were -B (microgram/mL) = 1.54 (full stomach) and 2.71 (empty stomach), b(min-1) = 0.0037 (full stomach) and 0.0035 (empty stomach), t 1/2 b (min) = 190.3 (full stomach) and 216.2 (empty stomach). Administration of tetracycline in the drinking water produced very low to nondetectable levels of drug in the serum, even at high dosage, and the 1600 mg/L drug concentration was accompanied by a significant drop in water intake. Thus, it is evident that concentrations of tetracycline of up to 1600 mg/L drinking water will not produce levels of antibiotic consistently detectable in the serum.     

Vallate papillae in the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domestica)

On the root of the tongue in the rabbit there are two symmetrically located vallate papillae, covered by nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The epithelium is characterized by variable thicknesses, forming epithelial streaks of different length and irregular shape. Taste buds are found both in the epithelium covering the papillae and in the epithelium of the outer walls of the papillae from the side of the furrows. The outer wall of the vallate papillae is gradually transformed with no visible boundary into the surface of the root of the tongue devoid of papillae. The surface of the vallate papillae is uneven. The connective tissue core of the papillae is formed by numerous, irregularly shaped connective tissue papillae, between which epithelial streaks are arranged. Around the connective tissue core of the papillae there is a circular connective tissue fold, with a furrow located on its circumference and the core of the outer wall of the vallate papillae. Numerous excretory ducts of the posterior serous lingual glands (Ebner's glands) open on the fundus of the circular furrow of each vallate papilla. Sometimes excretory ducts of these glands open directly onto the surface of a vallate papilla and then in their vicinity taste buds are found. The results of this study show the structure of vallate papillae on the tongue of adult rabbits, at the same time indicating differences in their structure in comparison to the vallate papillae of other animal species.     

Clinical pathology of the domestic rabbit. Acquisition and interpretation of samples.

Diagnostic laboratories are receiving increasing numbers of samples from practitioners as they strive to diagnose complex disease processes and manage rabbit cases. Proper acquisition of diagnostic samples and interpretation of results are key skills necessary for successful management of medical cases. This article reviews the collection and interpretation of clinicopathologic samples commonly used in rabbits.