2466. Clinical Research: Neutering a 4-year-old rabbit with a swollen left testicle

Friday, Jun 12, 2015

Nowadays, the younger generation thumbs messages via the phone and it is time saving as either party may be busy and not able to take phone calls.

SMS from a rabbit owner
Jun 12, 2015 1.07 pm

"Hi Dr Sing, My rabbit T... appears to have a large growth or badly swollen area in his groin area. I dsicovered it only when washing his backside after he uncharacteristically peed on the floor instead of inside his cage. He usually doesn't like to be carried, so I am unsure of when the growth started.

SMS from Dr Sing Kong Yuen
Jun 12, 2015 1.51 pm
"Need to check it. See u  4 p.m."


PATIENT
Rabbit: A shaded seal Mini Lop, male, 4 years old.
The swelling was a swollen bulging right testicle 10cm x 6 cm compared to 2 cm x 2 cm left testicle.
 
Neutering is the solution.
Lots of bleeding when the tunica of the right testicle was incised suggesting haemorrhage inside the testicle. Possibly a testicular torsion or tumour. The other testicle appeared under developed and did not bleed. The scrotal and anal areas were matted and the nails were long.

Sedation for 1.25kg rabbit
Xylazine + Ketamine 0.2 ml + 0.3 ml IM in one syringe
Isoflurane gas 1% mask maintenance. Good analgesia to perform neuter.

Monosyn 3/0 absorbable. 2 incisions neck of scrotum.
Open castration. Blood seeped profusely from the tunica of the right testicle. 

Recovery smooth - able to stand around 2.5 hours after injection. The lady owner stopped clipping the remaining matted hairs. This rabbit does not permit carrying and so it was difficult to comb the back area. He also does not eat hay from the hay ball but only from the ball. His front teeth were very short suggestive of grinding hard pellets and hay from Oxbow. Yet he is thin as spinal areas can be palpated.

Histology: The owner did not want it. It is hard to judge from inspection that the bigger right testes is not malignant. From general examination and the "sudden onset", the right testicle could be swollen due to torsion or traumatic injury of the spermatic cord

POST OP CARE
1. Wearing of e-collar with the ears inside the collar for the next 7 days.
2. Oral baytril and meloxicam to be given once a day for 5 days.
3. Wash wound and dry it once daily for 7 days.
4. Sutures will dissolve, no need to come for stitch out.
5. Groom the backside by putting rabbit on the floor and giving treats.
6. Increase amount of food daily.

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