Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Facial tooth abscesses in pet rabbits - diagnosis and treatment
By Levy, Ivana & Mans, Christoph·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2024·Department of Surgical Science·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Diagnosis and outcome of odontogenic abscesses in client-owned rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus): 72 cases (2011-2022).
- Species:
- rabbit
Plain-English summary
A group of 72 pet rabbits were diagnosed with odontogenic abscesses, which are painful swellings in the mouth area caused by infections. Most of the affected rabbits were lop-eared breeds, and many had additional bone infections. Treatment options included systemic antibiotics alone, which had a low success rate, and a more effective method that involved packing the abscess with antibiotic-soaked gauze along with antibiotics. This packing technique led to a high cure rate, resolving the abscesses in 85% of cases, making it a preferred option for treating these infections in rabbits.
People also search for: rabbit mouth abscess treatment · lop-eared rabbit dental problems · rabbit antibiotics for abscesses
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the epidemiologic features of rabbits with odontogenic abscesses. ANIMALS: 72 client-owned rabbits. METHODS: The medical record database of a veterinary teaching hospital was searched to identify rabbits with odontogenic abscesses characterized by a palpable facial mass and confirmed via CT scan. Data reviewed included age, breed, presenting complaint, abscess location, bacterial culture results, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS: Lop-eared rabbits were the most common breeds affected (20/72 [28%]), and mini lop rabbits were significantly overrepresented. The mandibular quadrants were more frequently affected (65/92 [71%]), and osteomyelitis was a common comorbidity on CT (53/72 [74%]). The most common aerobic and anaerobic isolates were Streptococcus spp (17/40 [43%]) and Fusobacterium spp (10/22 [45%]), respectively. Systemic antibiotic therapy alone was performed in 35 of 62 (56%) treated cases, with documented resolution in 25%. Abscess packing with antibiotic-soaked gauze in conjunction with systemic antibiotic therapy was performed in 20 of 62 (32%) treated cases. Resolution of the odontogenic abscesses with this treatment protocol was documented in 17 of 20 (85%) cases. The number of packing procedures used to obtain resolution of infection was 4 (IQR, 3 to 5). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A combination of the abscess-packing technique, which avoids extensive surgery and extraction of the involved elodont teeth, with systemic antibiotic therapy can be an effective treatment option for rabbits with palpable odontogenic abscesses and can result in a high cure rate comparable to more invasive surgical treatments. Antibiotic treatment alone is not recommended, as it has a low chance of abscess resolution.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38467111/