Christoph Mans, University of Wisconsin
A 2-year-old spayed female mini lop rabbit was presented with a 1-week history of lethargy and inappetence progressing to a 24-hour history of diarrhea. Severe dehydration, low body condition, and diarrhea were detected on physical exam. Abdominal ultrasound identified severe diffuse small intestinal muscularis layer thickening most prominent in the jejunum as well as peritoneal effusion, characterized as a transudate on fluid analysis. Significant bloodwork changes included a moderate heterophilic leukocytosis with toxic change and azotemia. The rabbit was treated with enrofloxacin, metronidazole, and a two-week course of tapered prednisolone orally starting at 1mg/kg q24h. Diarrhea resolved, however, weight loss continued in spite of a good appetite over 5 weeks from the initial presentation. A repeat ultrasound showed resolved small intestinal thickening. Prednisolone was restarted at a 1 mg/kg PO daily dose for an additional 5 weeks where the rabbit regained weight and returned to a normal body condition, and a reduced prednisolone dose (0.5 mg/kg) was administered and tapered to termination for an additional 6 weeks. 18 weeks after the final prednisolone dose, the rabbit developed diarrhea, and a caudate liver lobe torsion and jejunal-jejunal intussusception were identified on ultrasound. Euthanasia and necropsy were performed, and mild to moderate chronic diffuse lymphoplasmacytic enteritis was consistent with inflammatory bowel disease was diagnosed. Laboratory rabbits have been used as models for inflammatory bowel disease, but there is no published information on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this condition in a domestic pet rabbit.
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