A 10-year-old intact male rabbit presented with a rapidly growing mass on the lateral aspect of the left shoulder and forelimb. An incisional biopsy was obtained for surgical planning which revealed a myxosarcoma. Amputation and radiation were not feasible, but the owner requested surgical debulking with an oral palliative chemotherapy option. Oncology consult suggested oral piroxicam, doxycycline, and chlorambucil +/- intralesional chemotherapy as used in canines (Andrew Daters, personal communication). Surgery to remove the entire gross tumor (18cm x 12cm) was performed. After excision, 10U/m2 bleomycin was diluted and injected at the site of tumor attachment and splashed over the entire surgical field. After surgery the patient was started on 0.5mg/kg meloxicam PO q12h (instead of piroxicam) and 0.1mg/kg (3mg/m2) chlorambucil PO q24h. Doxycycline was avoided because of possible GI dysbiosis. This patient remained tumor free for two years until his death from other causes. A 10-year-old female spayed rabbit presented with a multinodular mass around the right tarsal joint. Incisional biopsy revealed a soft tissue sarcoma. Amputation or surgical resection were not feasible. The owner opted for palliative chemotherapy as used in case 1. The mass was injected with bleomycin twice one week apart which resulted in significant reduction of tumor size. The patient was also given oral chlorambucil and meloxicam and the mass remained stable for 4.5 months before it started growing again and by 7 months significantly affecting the patient’s mobility.
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