Anorexic rabbit

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Andy Elliott — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 20:28:33 GMT

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions with this case. Sadly the owners requested euthanasia not long after and there was not an opportunity for a PME.

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Suzanne Kelly — Tue, 03 Mar 2015 00:36:32 GMT

Thymoma? Try tipping the bunny gently forward and see do the eyes bulge. +1 for ultrasound.

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 19:24:13 GMT

The heart is certainly enlarged, VHS is approx 11 (though done with a bit of scrap paper held up against screen so don't take that as an exact value!) and normal for dwarf rabbits is around 7.5. Thirding the echo suggestion - if you are comfortable doing cats then there isn't a big leap to make to scanning a rabbit heart and if nothing else you can rule in/out effusive disease.

The cranial abdomen looks very odd - can you palpate any masses/irregularities? The area caudal to the liver should not appear so empty and it is an odd place to have a large fat store especially in a rabbit lacking marked adipose in the more normal sublumbar region. If scanning definitely have a look at this area too. The left renal silhouette appears enlarged additionally and the liver appears slightly enlarged and rounded. Not a rabbit in great shape....

Marie

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Andy Elliott — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 18:57:08 GMT

Thank you for all your comments and help- very much appreciated. This is actually a Male neutered dwarf rabbit weight 1.23kg. He has been on meloxicam for some time for spinal discomfort and this has helped him. His biochemistry is as follows:

Urea 13.3 (wnl), Crea 194 (54-150), AST 401 (5-50), ALT 101(5-50), Alb 25.9 (27-36), TP 45.6(50-71), Ca 3.76 (2.2-4.5) Phos 0.88 (1-2.20).

USG 1.010 with blood ++ and bacterial rods seen on direct microscopy.

I have started him on frusemide, enalopril and enrofloxacin in addition to his meloxicam.

I agree that an echo would be useful but unless this is a pericardial effusion I would need another operator more familiar with the rabbit heart!

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:35:51 GMT

Didn't comment as, like Mark, I would echo Catherine!

I would also be concentrating on adequate pain relief too. OA in older rabbits significantly affects both appetite and caecotrophy.

Re: Anorexic rabbit

CatherineThomas — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 11:46:00 GMT

I think the spiky bits you are talking about are where you can see the sacculations of the caecum/large intestines. But there could be something going on in the caudal abodomen hence why I asked about sex and neutering as uterine neoplasia would be quite likely in a 10 year old entire female.

I think the OP says it is hyporexic rather than anorexic and is being syringe fed which would explain the gut content. I don't think it looks impacted.

It does look like there is a reasonable amount of intra-abdominal fat - is or was the rabbit overweight?

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 10:25:27 GMT

Given this rabbit is supposed to be anorexic there is rather a lot of gut content. Impaction?

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 08:17:29 GMT

That does look weird, and can also be seen on the lateral. Marie, Gillian,where are you?

Wynne

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 01:03:55 GMT

No one else worried about the spiky duck in the left caudal abdomen (on the DV)?

Re: Anorexic rabbit

Mark Rowland — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 23:46:15 GMT

Ha make like a cave and .......

echo.

Goodluck.

Re: Anorexic rabbit

CatherineThomas — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 21:59:58 GMT

The heart does look large. Have you tried to assess it and the liver with ultrasound? Can you detect any abnormalities on auscultation?

It looks like there's some spondylosis of the lumbar spine. Have you tried any pain relief?

Is it male or female, if female has she been spayed?

How high/low exactly were the blood values?

I'd also want to check a urine sample and check a faecal sample for coccidia.