Treatment options, complications and long-term outcomes for limb fractures in pet rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Limb fractures represent the most common orthopaedic disease in pet rabbits. However, only a few studies have evaluated therapeutic details of limb fractures. There are no data available for long-term outcomes of limb fracture treatment. METHODS: The medical records of six institutions were reviewed retrospectively to identify cases of traumatic limb bone fractures in pet rabbits between 1999 and 2020. The medical records (n = 387) were analysed for details of fracture prevalence, aetiology, therapy protocols, treatment complications, outcome and long-term effects. In addition to the retrospective data evaluation, 13 rabbits were re-evaluated in person in recent clinical analyses, including orthopaedic examination, radiography and computed-tomographic imaging. Details of long-term effects of fracture treatment were requested over the telephone for a further 232 animals using a standardised questionnaire. RESULTS: Long bone fractures accounted for the majority of all fractures (296/387; 76.5%). Hindlimb fractures (301/387; 77.7%) were more common than forelimb fractures (86/387; 22.2%), and tibial fractures and combined fractures of the tibia and fibula (119/387; 30.8%) were observed most frequently. Most fracture treatments were based on osteosynthesis procedures (243/328; 74.1%). Treatment complications occurred in 130 out of 328 (39.6%) cases. A high bodyweight (p = 0.047) and an older age (p = 0.01) were found to be significant risk factors for the emergence of therapy complications. Overall, 75.4% of animals (175/232) had a satisfactory long-term outcome. Limb posture anomalies were evaluated in 61 cases (26.3%). LIMITATIONS: The multi-centre approach led to the inclusion of various institutions, veterinarians, treatment protocols and rabbit populations that might have influenced the results. The medical records were reviewed retrospectively, so there were some data that were lacking or could not be collected in a standardised manner. Furthermore, rabbit owners' evaluation of long-term outcomes might be prone to error, despite the use of a standardised interview questionnaire. CONCLUSION: Limb fractures are a common orthopaedic issue in pet rabbits. The patient's bodyweight and age are significant risk factors for the emergence of complications during the fracture treatment process. Long-term orthopaedic effects, such as abnormal limb posture and permanent lameness of the affected limb, were observed regularly.

[Blood gas analysis in rabbits during a completely antagonizable anesthesia with special focus on oxygen management]. / Blutgasanalyse beim Kaninchen während einer vollständig antagonisierbaren Anästhesie unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Sauerstoffmanagements.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the consequences of different oxygen supplementation methods on arterial blood gas analysis during an injectable anesthesia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 29 rabbits with dental diseases (tooth elongation) were sampled before, during and after coronal reduction. Oxygen was provided either via the flow-by method or with a nasal oxygen tube; the control group breathed room air. RESULTS: All patients receiving oxygen developed respiratory acidosis that intensified during the course of anesthesia. Furthermore, these groups experienced reduced respiratory rates intraoperatively, nevertheless they showed elevated oxygen parameters (hyperoxemia) in the arterial blood gas analysis. No significant differences could be demonstrated between the 2 oxygen providing methods. In the control group, pH remained stable, the oxygen parameters however decreased to less than 80 mmHg (hypoxemia). CONCLUSIONS: Although there were no clinical consequences of hypoxemia or hyperoxemia, moderate oxygen support during an injectable anesthesia is recommended due to the development of hypoxemia. A balance between oxygen supply and oversupply needs to be established to aid in avoiding oxygen toxicity.