Haemorrhagic myelopathy causing acute post-operative paralysis in a rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) with a congenital lordosis.

Rabbits with thoracolumbar lordosis face hemorrhagic myelopathy risk during dorsal recumbency anesthesia.

A 7-month-old lionhead rabbit presented for ovariohysterectomy with pre-existing mild bilateral hind limb paresis and congenital thoracic lordosis. Following seemingly uncomplicated surgery, the rabbit developed acute rapidly progressive bilateral hind limb paralysis with initial retained nociception, progressing to complete paralysis without nociception by the next day. Radiographic examination confirmed thoracic lordosis. Post-mortem imaging and histopathology revealed extensive acute thoracolumbar haemorrhagic myelopathy. The authors propose that perioperative positioning or manipulation in dorsal recumbency may have exacerbated the congenital vertebral anomaly, leading to vascular compromise and spinal cord hemorrhage. This complication has been previously documented in children with thoracolumbar vertebral malformations and in horses under general anesthesia in dorsal recumbency, but represents the first reported non-experimental case in rabbits. The case highlights the importance of pre-operative neurological assessment and careful positioning during anesthesia in rabbits with known or suspected thoracolumbar lordosis.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.