May 2011 - Uterine Adenocarcinoma in a Rabbit
Case Study: Phoebe the Netherland Dwarf rabbit
Phoebe is a 5-year old female Netherland Dwarf rabbit who came in to Great Western Exotic Vets as companion for Willow, a Lop suffering from gut stasis. All was going well with Willow’s treatment but on the day he was due to go home, Phoebe was noticed not to be eating as much as usual. Concerned for her wellbeing, she was given a physical examination, during which an egg-sized caudal abdominal mass was palpated. She had also started to produce bloody urine.
Phoebe was a rescue rabbit with an uncertain history prior to adoption. The owners were told however, that she had been neutered. They had been unsure about it as lately, Phoebe had been showing signs of false pregnancy – nesting, digging, pulling fur from her dewlap.
The statistics show that in some breeds, 50-80% of female rabbits over the age of three years develop uterine adenocarcinoma, cancer of the lining of the uterus. Cystic mammary masses and bloody discharge from the uterus (evident as bloody urine) are often seen. Further diagnostic tests such as xrays and ultrasound were offered to Phoebe’s owners, but due to the overwhelming statistics, a symptomatic diagnosis was made and surgery for investigation was scheduled for the following day.
The procedure was performed under general anaesthesia. One of Phoebe’s uterine horns contained a large mass and the ovary on the same side was cystic and abnormal. Her uterus and ovaries were removed. Surgery was complex as there were multiple adhesions between her ‘ovary and oviduct’ and her intestine, however with expertise and specialised micro-surgical equipment available at Great Western Exotic Vets, a complete removal was effected. Although there was no visible evidence of metastasis (spread) of the tumour to other organs, this type of neoplasia can spread rapidly in the blood system, so microscopic spread may already have occurred.
Phoebe recovered from surgery, was eating and drinking and returned home that evening on antibiotics and pain relief. The owner reported her to be a little sore the following day, but recovering well. The prognosis at this point for Phoebe is still guarded due to the progressive nature of the condition.
With such strong evidence for the development of this cancer, we recommend all female rabbits to be neutered at four to five months of age. If unsure whether your rabbit is neutered or not, ultrasound scans can be performed to find out.
If you have any queries please contact us.
