Rabbit neocropsy report is in from MSU

[chinbunny]

Here is the full report. Rabbit A had suffered from bloat the week before. She had started to recover after recieving a days worth of terramyacin. rabbit B was caged next to rabbit A. She had broken her back a few days before she was sent to be tested at MSU. She died the day before I packed and shipped her. Rabbit A was put down prior to packing. Rabbit B did not show any other signs of llness other then a broken back. Yet it seems she is the one that they found the most problems in. I will be calling the university monday and asking if they are going to follow up and test the bacteria they found.

Ironically somone over on the showbunny list said someone they know also had neocropsies done. The rabbits also had lung damage.


Director: Dr. Carole Bolin
4125 Beaumont Road
Lansing, MI 48910-8104
Phone: 517-353-1683
Fax: 517-353-5096
www.animalhealth.msu.edu
REPORT OF LABORATORY EXAMINATION
Client:
Self Pay Client (999999)
Campus, MI 48824
Owner:
Rcvd Date: 10/27/2009 11:01:00 AM
Admitted By: Not, Applicable
Ordered By: N/A
Encounter: 00884656
CR#: AP 930011023
Animal: DIXONMULTI MRN:
Species: Lagomorph Breed: Rabbit Unspecified
Age: 6 months Gender: Female
Tag/Reg ID:
Other ID:
L = Low Result; H = High Result; @ = Critical Result; ^ = Corrected Result; * = Interpretive Data; # = Result Footnote

Print Date/Time: 10/28/2009 2:24 PM Page 1 of 2

N e c r o p s y P r e l i m i n a r y R e p o r t
Accession Number: Received Date/Time: Verified Date/Time: Pathologist:
NO-09-0001458 10/27/2009 11:05:00 AM 10/28/2009 01:33:29 PM Langohr, Ingeborg
History
According to the history provided, two 6-month-old, female rabbits are submitted. This facility has had 30 rabbits die, all
presenting with bloat, diarrhea, jelly-like stool and constipation.
Gross Description

Two rabbits were submitted to the DCPAH for necropsy on October 27, 2009. Rabbit A (left ear tattoo ID: M4) weighed
1.9 kg and had adequate adipose stores, adequate hydration, and minimal autolysis. Rabbit B (left ear tattoo ID: C6)
weighed 1.8 kg and also had adequate adipose stores, adequate hydration, and mild autolysis. External examination of
both rabbits revealed fecal staining around the perineum, inguinal region, and paws.
Within the left kidney of Rabbit A there was a focal 2 mm, red, circular lesion on the capsular surface that extended 3 mm
into the parenchyma on cut surface. The cecum was filled with soft, paste-like ingesta. The mucosal and serosal surfaces
of the entire intestinal tract appeared normal. No significant changes were observed within the remaining organs
examined from Rabbit A.

Approximately 4 ml of serosanguineous fluid was found within the thoracic cavity of Rabbit B. Approximately 70-80% of
the right lung lobes were dark red and firm. The left lung lobes were mottled dark pink to red and were also firm on
palpation. The liver was diffusely mottled dark red and tan, with the left lateral lobe being most severely affected.
Additionally, within the left lateral liver lobe there were three 2 mm, white, discrete foci within the parenchyma on cut
surface. The jejunum contained dark red to green ingesta. The cecum was filled with soft, paste-like ingesta. The urinary
bladder was markedly distended (8 cm by 4 cm by 4 cm) and had prominent serosal vasculature. Urine collected from this
rabbit was pale yellow and turbid. Cytology of the urine showed numerous crystals (consistent with calcium oxalate and
fewer struvite crystals), epithelial cells, and occasional tubular epithelial casts. There was a suspected fracture of the
lateral aspect of the 10th thoracic vertebra.
Admitted By: Not, Applicable
Encounter: 00884656
Species: Lagomorph
Animal: DIXONMULTI
MRN:
Owner: Dixon, Janelle A
L = Low Result; H = High Result; @ = Critical Result; ^ = Corrected Result; * = Interpretive Data; # = Result Footnote
Print Date/Time: 10/28/2009 2:24 PM Page 2 of 2
N e c r o p s y P r e l i m i n a r y R e p o r t
Accession Number: Received Date/Time: Verified Date/Time: Pathologist:
NO-09-0001458 10/27/2009 11:05:00 AM 10/28/2009 01:33:29 PM Langohr, Ingeborg
Gross Diagnosis(es)
Rabbit ALeft
kidney: Focal acute renal infarct (suspected)
Rabbit BLiver:
Marked multifocal to coalescing necrotizing hepatitis
Lung: Moderate acute unilateral bronchopneumonia
Intestine: Enteritis (suspected)
10th thoracic vertebra: Fracture (suspected)
Comment
The most significant findings were observed in Rabbit B and are suggestive of acute systemic bacterial infection.
Histopathology of both rabbits as well as bacteriology and parasitology for Rabbit B are pending. Additional fresh tissues
from both rabbits are being held should additional testing be required.
The distended bladder of Rabbit B (suggestive of loss of innervation and inability to urinate) is consistent with paralysis as
indicated in the history. Significant changes within the spinal cord were not observed grossly. Histologic assessment of
the thoracic vertebrae to distinguish if the apparent fracture site is an antemortem or postmortem alteration is pending.
Erin B. Howey, DVM
Ingeborg Langohr, DVM,PHD,DACVP
(Electronically signed by) IL
Verified: 10.28.2009 13:33
IL /EBH

 

[aceschix]

So sorry to hear about your buns!!! We love them like our children here.

You mentioned a show bunnies sight. Will you share a link please. Always love more resources.

 

[chinbunny]

[email protected]. just send it an email to join.

also [email protected].

Both are great sites for show breeders, pet owners, and meat producers

 

[gypsy2621]

So they are saying this is a bacterial infecton?
I understand the Phneumonia in the rabbit with the broken back, thats always a risk when they do not move around.
What I dont understand is the presence of Hepatitis?
When you contact them , ask what could have brought on hepatitis, was it caused because of the broken back , the issue thats going on?
I didnt see a whole lot of suspect other than the Hep and the broken back with the second rabbit,
What I did find interesting was the lesions on the kidneys and acute renal failure. wasnt ecpecting that to be honest.
We knew it was affecting the digestive tract but never gave Kidneys a thought.


Have you heard anything back from them as yet?
ETA" Did you send this report to Pam and what if anything did she say about the findings?

 

[chinbunny]

This is just an update to what I posted on the noecropsy results from a couple of days ago. This is also a cross post since I also sent it to various yahoo groups as well.

Follow up to what I posted earlier. Just got off the phone with one of the lab people working on the case. She said she found no signs of disease in the intestines. That even if they were treated, and there was a serious disease going on, they'd still be able to see evidence. They suspected ME when they got them in, but found no evidence of it(due to the accidental dose of terramyacin). ME is still a suspect though. Said it looked like evidence of contamination, but they weren't sure what. She did do a culture to test for disease, and so far nothing has grown. So our next step is to go ahead and get the feed retested. Yes I still kept it.

They want a couple of samples of manna pro, and one of the pen pals I have had them on. I did explain to her about what happened when I followed pams(from meat rabbits list since this is cross posted to various groups) advice and got them on nothing but hay for two weeks, only to see more problems when I started to reintroduce the feed. My rabbits are now on a mixture of rabbit chow, and pen pals. She wants to test and culture the feed to see if anything grows. Day 2 and they are still eating like they are half starved. I told about other seeing the same problems. She says to definately send them in and get neocropsies done on the deceased rabbits. Even though it is expensive, the MSU lab is willing to help us to get to the bottom of this problem.

 

[chinbunny]

P.s i picked up the rabbit chow two days ago to mix with the pen pals to make it last, ans they are it like they are starving. i guess back to rabbit chow we go, until that goes bad.

Yep pam saw it. Didn't comment much on it.

 

[gypsy2621]

Well thats frustrating as all get out!

Good that you kept the feed, maybe they can come up with a cause of the toxin.
This was found to be the issue last spring and fall also.
When the feed co was informed the feed was tainted, rather than address the issue they threatend to sue the owner who lost over 50 kits.
Everything had to be dropped and now yet again the issue resurfaces.
Same symptoms, same types of mortality and now different feeds involved.
I do have to wonder where we have had such a lousy year with all the flooding in some areas and drought in others, how many more animals we will lose to spoiled feed?
Its very un nerving to say the least.

I know a lot of feed brands are using Soy as a choice rather than Timothy and Alfalfa.
Soy is un digestible for rabbits. though they will tell you otherwise.
With Soy being mainly imported the chance of toxins and bacteria are as high as if they were to use older hay products.
This is getting very frustrating.
More money goes into keeping healthy rabbits than we ever see a return from, now with this added and unecessary problem its getting worse.

When she cultures the feed I can tell you from other cultures done, there is going to be Ecoli and Botulism. those were the findings last year.

 

[chinbunny]

If they do find something I will have the lab call them, and talk to them. I don't care about replacing the rabbits. Its just they need to recall the feed if there is a problem.

 

[Widget]

Please keep us posted on the findings about the feed. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this problem and find a solution.

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
Many of us have been trying to get this resolved for 2 years now and so far its been like slamming your head into a brick wall.
same outcome ~ same headache.

When there was an issue with dog and cat feed the media jumped all over it, but the lowly rabbit gets no coverage, no one seems to care. even though we lose income on top show quality rabbits.( not that the price is near what people get for dogs and cats but not the point.)

Losing kits to this problem is one of the most heartbreaking things to watch.
Kits 3 weeks to 12 weeks old, healthy one minute , passed away with in hours. its not only heartbreaking its devistating, there is little that can be done to save them.

What ever this is, be it a toxin or what it takes the lives of kits with in hours of symptoms.
One Breeder noticed the symptoms and with in 4 hours the rabbit had passed away.The rabbit was eating drinking, doing all functions up until the symptoms hit, then all functions ceased.
what ever this is it doesnt always leave time for corrective measures to be taken, and even at that if you can catch it in time the kits do not always survive.

Janell, Have you noticed with the Older rabbits who come down with this that recovery and condition are hard to get back on track?
One breeder who had a Sr Doe survive has said that condition is not possible. no matter what she has done for the rabbit she can not put weight back on her nor get the fur quality back.
The Doe is a year survivor from last years bout of what ever this is.