Abstract
To identify radiographic features that can be used to aid in the diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction in pet rabbits. Retrospective study comparing radiographic features of 63 cases of confirmed intestinal obstruction with 50 abdominal radiographs taken of rabbits without gastrointestinal disease. Abdominal radiographs were examined for gastric size, gastric contents, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum. Gastric size, gastric contents, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum were all features that differed between rabbits with small intestinal obstruction and rabbits without gastrointestinal disease. Radiographic features associated with small intestinal obstruction included severe gastric dilation, gastric contents primarily consisting of liquid and gas, small intestinal dilation and absence of large amounts of gas in the caecum and large intestine. Observation on gastric size, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum aid in radiological diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction in rabbits and so can guide appropriate treatment.
Highlights
Small intestinal obstruction is an acute, life-threatening condition of pet rabbits (Harcourt-Brown 2007a, Oglesbee & Jenkins 2011, Schuhmann & Cope 2014)
Several measurements of gastric size were different in rabbits with small intestinal obstruction compared to rabbits without obstruction (Table 1)
Guidelines on clinical, laboratory and imaging features consistent with intestinal obstruction in rabbits are currently lacking, but must be species-specific, since the anatomy and physiology of rabbits varies from other domestic species
Summary
Small intestinal obstruction ( referred to as “intestinal obstruction,” “gastrointestinal obstruction,” “gastric dilation,” “gastric dilatation” and “bloat”) is an acute, life-threatening condition of pet rabbits (Harcourt-Brown 2007a, Oglesbee & Jenkins 2011, Schuhmann & Cope 2014). Any physical obstruction of the small intestines causes build-up of fluid and gas orad to the obstruction (Lennox 2013, Harcourt-Brown 2014). The most common cause of small intestinal obstruction in rabbits is a pellet of compressed hair (not to be confused with gastric trichobezoars) found to be responsible for 82% (49/60) of cases in one study (Harcourt-Brown 2007a). Some authors have used the term rabbit gastrointestinal syndrome, which encompases both these pathologic conditions together with others (Lichtenberger & Lennox 2010)
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