Rabbit retained ovarian tissue

RE: Rabbit retained ovarian tissue

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 16 May 2018 14:44:15 GMT

Yes, reddening and swelling of the vulva tends to suggest oestrus which would fit with persisting remnants. The spaying history definitely sounds like some would easily have been left behind!

RE: Rabbit retained ovarian tissue

Roland Bulkyn-Rackowe — Wed, 16 May 2018 13:25:57 GMT

Thanks Marie, that's really helpful. If I'm reading that right it looks as though the technical support was reading that stimulation of ovulation was successful at 110 and 131 days; of course that was the control animals and not the treated ones! Makes much more sense. Looks like I shouldn't rely on someone else's interpretation of the papers. And it also reads that looking for reddening of the vulva would give a suggestion of persistent ovarian tissue?

Ro.

RE: Rabbit retained ovarian tissue

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 16 May 2018 13:02:15 GMT

EGZAC entry for rodents suggests 6 months for a 4.7mg suprelorin, 12 months for a 9.4mg but there is no data for rabbits but based on comparative dosing of other drugs it should be similar/longer-acting in rabbits. I haven't used suprelorin in rabbits I'm afraid so have no info other than the odd case or small study published.

"Arlt, S., Spankowski, S., Kaufmann, T., Kostelnik, K. and Heuwieser, W., 2010. Fertility control in a male rabbit using a deslorelin implant. A case report. In World Rabbit Science. World Rabbit Science. ICTA. UPV" suggests 8-9 months suppression in a male with a 4.7mg implant.

"Geyer, A., Daub, L., Otzdorff, C., Reese, S., Braun, J. and Walter, B., 2016. Reversible estrous cycle suppression in prepubertal female rabbits treated with slow-release deslorelin implants. Theriogenology, 85(2), pp.282-287" had female rabbits contracepted for 273 days using a 4.7mg implant (this was removed at 273d to test reversibility so duration may be longer).

I'd be tempted to try implanting and see how long it suppresses the unwanted behaviours. If short duration then surgery is better justified, if you get 1-2 years of suppression then this may still be useful.

Marie

RE: Rabbit retained ovarian tissue

Roland Bulkyn-Rackowe — Wed, 16 May 2018 11:31:06 GMT

Hi just filling in some of the blands. Sorry for not replying sooner but I've been away. here are the notes from the OVH:

During spay it was found that she had an abnormal uterus, with no distinct ovaries but
small pieces of ovarian type tissue scattered along the ovarian ligament. Also cervix not
fully formed and seemed not to communicate normally with vagina?
MEB came into theatre for second opinion and agreed with above findings.
Owners informed over the phone post op and warned it is possible she may have
ovarian remenants which could still produce hormones.
Removed as much ovarian tissue as possible, and cervix ligated

Ligatures Clinasorb,

Muscle and skin closure: Monocryl intradermal.

Doesn't sound too encouraging.

I asked Virbac about suprelorin and they had little information. In the one study they had, 4 rabbits were implanted with the 4.7mg suprelorin s/c to umbilicus: there was an increase in oestrus behaviour for 4 weeks and then suppression for 2-3 months beyond this. That's going to be expensive to repeat 4x a year, unless someone has clinical experience that the 3-4 months action is incorrect for rabbits?

Thanks,

Ro.

RE: Rabbit retained ovarian tissue

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 04 May 2018 15:33:28 GMT

Pinmoore labs have a rabbit ovarian remnant screen with two progesterone samples taken a week apart, with 50IU/kg HCG given after the initial sample - that would be the least invasive way to investigate this case to start with. Hunting for remnant may be simple if you're lucky, but if the original surgery was perhaps unconventional then you may have ectopic tissue scattered. If you do surgery and can't find anything/all of it then deslorelin implants seem a medical alternative but will need replacing ?annually for 4.7mg implants but duration data is somewhat scant so far.

Marie