Veterinary case
Recurrent hernia repaired using the rabbit's own tissue
⚠️ This information is provided for awareness only and does not replace an examination by a veterinarian.
🤖 Summary produced automatically from the scientific publication cited at the bottom of the page.
An elderly dwarf rabbit's hernia comes back, so the vet repairs his belly wall using tissue taken from his own hind leg.
What happened?
An 8-year-old Netherland Dwarf rabbit was presented with a hernia in the right groin area, which could be pushed back in on examination. Imaging showed that the cecum and the bladder were slipping through this area. A first surgery fixed the problem, but one month later the hernia came back with the cecum bulging out again.
What did the vet find?
The vet felt a reducible lump in the right groin. CT and ultrasound showed that the cecum and bladder were passing through this weakened area of the abdominal wall. Blood tests also showed the rabbit was very thin and lacked important blood proteins, which slows down healing.
What did the vet do?
ℹ️ Treatment given to THIS animal, decided by its veterinarian. It is not a prescription: never apply it without veterinary advice.
The first time, the vet removed the testicles, fixed the bladder to the abdominal wall, and closed the groin canal with stitches. But a month later, the hernia came back. The vet then performed a second surgery: he took a small piece of strong tissue (called fascia) from the rabbit's hind leg and used it as a patch to firmly reinforce and close the hole in the abdominal wall.
What happened next?
Ten days after this second surgery, ultrasound showed the abdominal wall had healed well, with no recurrence or graft problems. Three and then six months later, CT and ultrasound confirmed everything remained in place, and the rabbit was eating and moving normally. However, the rabbit still had nasal discharge linked to chronic dental and respiratory disease, unrelated to the surgery.
Advice for the farmer
In an elderly, weakened animal, a simple suture may not be enough to permanently close a hernia, so healing should be watched closely and the wall reinforced if needed.
Source
- Source
- PubMed Central
- Title
- Fascia lata autograft for recurrent inguinal hernia repair in a geriatric pet rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus): a case report
- Authors
- Bel L, Ofrim M, Creț A, Melega I, Mureșan Ș, Pop R, Purdoiu R, Patrichi T, Moraru I, Turcu M.
- Licence
- CC BY
