Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis (now with pics)

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Linda Filshie — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:16:26 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[quote user="Linda Filshie"]Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to embed them in the post.[/quote]

When you click reply to post, you should see an icon that looks like a film strip (see below). Click that. Then click 'from computer' and select the image from wherever stored on your computer.

Alternatively, if the image is on another website, click 'from url', and put the full web address of the image.

Have embedded for you this time.

[/quote] Thanks Arlo.

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Arlo Guthrie — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:34:36 GMT

[quote user="Linda Filshie"]Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to embed them in the post.[/quote]

When you click reply to post, you should see an icon that looks like a film strip (see below). Click that. Then click 'from computer' and select the image from wherever stored on your computer.

Alternatively, if the image is on another website, click 'from url', and put the full web address of the image.

Have embedded for you this time.

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Marie Kubiak — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 13:40:29 GMT

How odd. On the DV it looks as if there is also an extension laterally (though less dense than the main nodule), if you can palpate this it may be an option to FNA/biopsy this area as a less invasive alternative. The tail vertebrae also look more dense but they are curled round so this may be artefact. Can't make out much on the lateral I'm afraid.

I think if biopsy/resection isn't an option then palliation is the best of the remaining alternatives. Would be interesting to see if it does progress over time if the owner is willing for repeat rads (or post-mortem later on?).

Marie

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Linda Filshie — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 23:23:53 GMT

Finally, after much swearing. Apologies the quality is a bit crap - photos of radiographs that were already mediocre at best. Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to embed them in the post.

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Rob Davis — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 18:35:14 GMT

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]I have only seen two osteosarcomas in rabbits[/quote]

I've only seen one osteosarcoma in a rabbit, and it was a scrotal mass! The rabbit was euthanased so I never got to find out if there was a distant primary. Not much help I'm afraid!

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Linda Filshie — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 17:52:05 GMT

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]

[quote user="Linda Filshie"]

So that would be a no then

[/quote]

Sorry - in the initial post you were going to try to post radiographs so at that time it made sense to wait and make a more evidence based answer.

I have only seen two osteosarcomas in rabbits, but both progressed very quickly. Worth re-evaluating radiographically in 2-4wks to see if there is any progression or gain evidence to support whether this is an archaic change (above differentials sound like typical causes and I would echo bloods to assess inflammatory response and renal function). Any evidence of excessive calcification elsewhere in skeleton? Any pain on palpating the area? I wouldn't rule out the spinal changes causing the gait issues and would be prudent to start analgesia for this rabbit, as you've already done.

Marie

[/quote] Thanks Marie and grumpyoldman. My IT is refusing to play ball so I'm going to see if I can borrow a friend's laptop this evening to post the radiographs. The rabbit is quite nervy so it's hard to be sure but it does seem tender on palpation around the hind-quarters, and there's some muscle mass loss of the pelvic limb of the affected side. I didn't see any other evidence of excessive calcification. I'm away from the surgery for a couple of weeks now but will pass your suggestions on to my colleague who is looking after the case in my absence.

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 15:56:21 GMT

[quote user="Linda Filshie"]

So that would be a no then

[/quote]

Sorry - in the initial post you were going to try to post radiographs so at that time it made sense to wait and make a more evidence based answer.

Marie

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

grumpyoldman — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 23:55:29 GMT

very hard to comment without seeing the radiographs neoplasia is going to be high on the list but it could also be calclified parasitic cyst , or dystrophic calcification around an inflammatory focus or old abcess in an inguinal ln , Probably worth a haematology and biochemistry screen to evaluate renal function, rabbits calcium homeostasis is different and calcium clearance adversely affected by renal malfunction before other symptoms .

hope that helps

Re: Rabbit with bony mass on pelvis

Linda Filshie — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 23:32:58 GMT

So that would be a no then

I managed to speak to a local exotic specialist today. He told me that while tumours in rabbits, bar of course uterine carcinoma, are rare (which I guess accounts for the three glancing mentions of neoplasia in general in Frances Harcourt-Brown's book, and the dearth of info in the BSAVA manual) he couldn't remember the last one he'd seen that had been benign and that combined with the location of the mass it's probably a sarcoma

Surgery is a pretty radical option, but the owners are not keen, and neither am I to be honest - poor bunny would have to lose about 1/3rd of his pelvis, so we're going for palliative care (metacam, +/- gabapentin for possible neuropathic pain, as the tumour or its associated swelling could be compressing the obturator nerve) and PTS when his quality of life deteriorates.