Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Re: Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:18:18 GMT

Its the word abscess that bothers me, reaction OK can't be helped, but abscess implies infection. I use Vicryl rapide and find that better than regular Vicryl in rabbits, but I don't suture castrates anyway, do them like a cat and use tissue adhesive. Clearly ex lap will require suturing and if she's not happy with Vicryl Rapide could use monofilament material if necessary.

Re: Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Michael Woodhouse — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:44:36 GMT

Martin - I used to use catgut in bunnies and never saw any reactions. Switched over to Vicryl and I have seen some reactions to the suture material. They do seem self resolving, but the only thing I changed was suture material, not my technique. I suspect that some of them are sterile reactions to the Vicryl itself.

[not a bunny vet, far from a bunny vet]

Re: Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Martin Atkinson — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:35:46 GMT

[quote user="Moira Hamilton"]in fact he may be developing an abscess in reaction to the vicryl sutures, [/quote] He's not developing an abscess in reaction to vicryl sutures but due to less than ideal preparation/and or sterile technique! Don't wish to be unkind Moira but the owner may have cause to be reluctant for further surgery in that case, I feel a home truth is required here and a review of technique may be in order.

Re: Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Moira Hamilton — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:02:50 GMT

Thanks for the info people, seen lots of cryptorchid cats but never a rabbit before! Think there probably is another testicle in there, but getting the owner to go ahead may be a problem as he hasn't had the easiest post-op time, in fact he may be developing an abscess in reaction to the vicryl sutures, probably on top of bruising from the hunt for the testes! We also have the delicate problem of whether we could charge them or not, as although we knew prior to surgery there was a difference in the size of the 2 testicles we weren't aware that at that point he was a cryptorchid. Suspect to get them to agree to surgery we may just have to take a hit on that, if anyone is wondering why we didn't do a laparotomy at the time, we had run out of nursing staff that day and he had also been under anaesthetic rather too long for my liking. Think we will have to let a little time pass and let him fully het over surgery and then try and get the owners to let us go in for a hunt the shrivelled testes

Re: Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Carolyn Danbury — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:30:04 GMT

On my second day in a new job I attempted to 'spey' a rabbit with a vulva which turned out to have 2 small, shrivelled testicles up near the kidneys, and no overies, uterus or indeed penis. Not quite the same situation, but both unusual and unpleasant!

Re: Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Thomas Johnson — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:21:29 GMT

I castrated a bilaterally cryptorchid rabbit a couple of months ago, no scrotum present on either side and both testicles found fairly easily via laparotomy.

Re: Has anyone seen a monorchid rabbit?

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:43:22 GMT

I would bet you quite a large sum of money there is another testicle in there somewhere.

In all mammals they form up near the kidney and descend. I had a run or 3 bilateral cryptorchid cats a few years ago (not seen one before or since)