Management of Otitis in Rabbits

Abstract

Diseases of the ear are common in pet rabbits. The basic anatomy of the “standard” rabbit is similar to the canine and feline ear; however, there are a few important differences. Otitis refers to inflammation of one or more structure of the ear and includes otitis externa (the ear canal), otitis media (tympanic membrane, bony acoustic duct, and tympanic cavity), and otitis interna (inner ear). Etiology and clinical presentations of the different classifications of otitis in rabbits are revised in this article. Available techniques for a thorough diagnostic work up and recommendations for a tailored medical treatment are presented from the available literature. Numerous surgical techniques have been described for management of ear disease in dogs, and many have been extrapolated for use in rabbits, occasionally without considering significant differences in anatomy between species, especially in the lop rabbit. The authors report both the advantages and disadvantages associated with the available surgical techniques that have been described to treat rabbit ear disease. Because of limited case numbers and follow-up data, retrospective information on long-term outcome for these procedures is not available.