Surgical Management of Orbital Abscesses in Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus): A report of seven cases

Abstract . A case series of seven domestic rabbits with profound exophthalmos and epiphora are presented. Appetite and activity of the animals were reduced mildly or severely. Clinical and ophthalmic examination including intraocular pressure measurements were performed, along with radiolographic and ultrasonographic examination. In all animals retrobulbar masses were diagnosed forcing the globe to protrude. Teeth malocclusion was also noticed in most of them. Surgical intervention under general anesthesia, included abscess debridement, flushing and teeth removal which resulted in retropulsion of ocular bulbi and helped infection elimination. During surgery, samples for bacterial culture and cytology exanimation were obtained. Pasteurella multocida , Staphylococcus spp and Pseudomonas spp were isolated while cytology confirmed abscess formation. Marsupialization at the surgery site allowed post-surgical debridement, flushing and topical antibiotic administration. All animals were treated post-operatively with antibiotics systematically for at least one month based on the antibiotic susceptibility test, appropriate analgesia, daily wound flushing by the owner and regular debridement. Six months later three rabbits had minimal ocular symptoms while three died in the first two months post surgically and in one the outcome was unknown. In conclusion, surgical removal of retrobulbar abscesses without enucleation is a feasible and vision-retaining procedure in domestic rabbits.