Nutritional Muscular Dystrophy and Neonatal Mortality in a Rabbit Breeding Colony

Abstract

SUMMARY Neonatal mortality in a commercial rabbit breeding colony reached 90% (approximately 1,000 deaths) over a 4-month period, and breeding does in the colony subsequently became infertile. Necropsy of affected neonates did not reveal gross lesions. Histopathologic findings were limited to acute degenerative and inflammatory changes in skeletal muscle, suggestive of vitamin E deficiency. Analysis of the ration demonstrated low vitamin E and high vitamin D content. When adult does maintained in the laboratory were fed this ration, they manifested severe myopathy, widespread calcification of soft tissues, and increased susceptibility of their erythrocytes to hemolysis by hydrogen peroxide. The histologic lesions and susceptibility of erythrocytes to hemolysis were prevented by the addition of vitamin E to the diet in the laboratory. When the deficient diet was replaced by another commercial diet in the breeding colony, neonatal mortality and infertility were corrected.