Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rabbit with femur sarcoma treated by hemipelvectomy
By Homer, Laura M & Bacon, Nicholas J·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2021·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hemipelvectomy to treat sarcoma of the proximal portion of the femur in a rabbit.
- Species:
- rabbit
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old female rabbit was brought to the vet due to a 6-month history of limping on her right back leg. The vet found a painful mass near her hip and diagnosed her with a type of cancer called sarcoma after performing imaging and a biopsy. To treat the cancer, the vet performed a hemipelvectomy, which is a surgery to remove part of the pelvis and femur. The rabbit recovered well from the surgery and was able to move around comfortably for 21 months before passing away from a different health issue.
People also search for: rabbit limping · rabbit cancer treatment · hemipelvectomy in rabbits · rabbit surgery recovery · sarcoma in rabbits
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 7-year-old sexually intact female rabbit was admitted to the hospital because of a 6-month history of chronic right pelvic limb lameness. CLINICAL FINDINGS: Clinical examination revealed a prominent right pelvic limb lameness and signs of pain on manipulation of the right hip joint, with a focal, well-defined soft tissue mass palpable in the right pelvic area. Pelvic radiography revealed a lytic hip joint lesion and CT detailed an expansile lesion within the proximal portion of the femur with an appearance consistent with a soft tissue mass. Histologic evaluation of incisional biopsy samples of the soft tissue mass revealed a poorly differentiated sarcoma. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: A hemipelvectomy was performed, and histologic evaluation of the soft tissue mass confirmed the diagnosis, with tumor-free margins achieved. The patient recovered well from surgery and had good mobility. The patient survived 21 months after surgery and died of a non-cancer-related disease. Anatomic dissection was described in a cadaver rabbit to aid future surgeries. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To the authors' knowledge, this was the first report of a hemipelvectomy performed in a rabbit. Hemipelvectomy is more routinely performed in canine and feline patients, but with the right candidate and owner commitment to aftercare, it may be safely and successfully performed in rabbits.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33405980/