Respiratory distress in a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

A 6 year old unsterilised male rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was presented in emergency with respiratory distress. He has been suffering from dental disease for some years. On clinical examination, the rabbit was discordant and had expiratory dyspnoea without nasal discharge. Respiratory sounds are audible on pulmonary auscultation and he is bradycardic. Pulmonary, bronchial and/or pleural disease are sought. Chest X-rays are consistent with cardiomegaly and pulmonary oedema is suspected. Abdominal X-rays showed generalized ileus. After two hours of oxygen and diuretics, the patient's electrocardiogram showed sinus bradycardia. Echocardiography diagnosed dilated cardiomyopathy. After 48 h of intensive care, the patient was discharged on benazepril, furosemide, pimobendan, metoclopramide and feeding. In rabbits, dilated cardiomyopathy can be idiopathic, age or breed related (giant breed), infectious or toxic. A link between severe stress and catecholamine action is also described in favour of ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy. The treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy is similar to that of domestic carnivores. However, in rabbits, the difficulty is to suspect cardiac pathology. With the thymus, interpretation of chest X- rays is not always easy. The practitioner may be assisted by measurement of blood pressure, electrocardiogram and assessment of the Buchanan index. However, echocardiography remains the preferred examination for a definite diagnosis.