Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rabbit with tracheal tumor causing lung and heart air buildup
By Małgorzata Kandefer-Gola et al.·Published in Animals·2022·Department of Pathology, Division of Pathomorphology and Veterinary Forensics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50-375 Wroclaw, Poland, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Tracheal Hemangioma Causing Lung Emphysema and Pneumopericardium in a Rabbit—A Case Report
- Species:
- rabbit
Plain-English summary
A female mixed-breed rabbit, 8 years old, was brought in for breathing difficulties, lethargy, and weight loss. Initially treated for a respiratory infection, she showed no improvement and was sent for a CT scan, which revealed air in the pericardial sac (pneumopericardium) and lung damage (pulmonary emphysema). Tragically, shortly after the scan, the rabbit suffered from severe respiratory and circulatory failure and passed away. A necropsy found a tumor in her trachea, identified as a hemangioma, which likely contributed to her condition.
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Abstract
A pet rabbit (female, 8 years old, and mixed breed) with symptoms of dyspnea, apathy, and weight loss was treated for an acute respiratory infection. Due to the lack of improvement, it was referred to the Imaging Diagnostics Laboratory of the Department and Clinic of Surgery for a computer tomography scan of the thoracic cavity. The examination revealed the presence of air in the pericardial sac, a pneumopericardium, along with pulmonary emphysema. A few minutes after the examination, the rabbit developed circulatory and respiratory failure and died. Necropsy confirmed the presence of a pneumopericardium and pulmonary emphysema, and revealed, in the tracheal lumen, the presence of a tumor histologically consistent with hemangioma. A spontaneous pneumopericardium occurs when air from the respiratory system moves into the pericardial sac. This is the first case of the simultaneous occurrence of tracheal hemangioma and a pneumopericardium in a rabbit.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12151907