Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION
A 7-year-old sexually intact female rabbit was admitted to the hospital be- cause of a 6-month history of chronic right pelvic limb lameness.
CLINICAL FINDINGS
Clinical examination revealed a prominent right pelvic limb lameness and signs of pain on manipulation of the right hip joint, with a focal, well-defined soft tissue mass palpable in the right pelvic area. Pelvic radiography revealed a lytic hip joint lesion and CT detailed an expansile lesion within the proximal portion of the femur with an appearance consistent with a soft tissue mass. Histologic evaluation of incisional biopsy samples of the soft tissue mass revealed a poorly differentiated sarcoma.
TREATMENT AND OUTCOME
A hemipelvectomy was performed, and histologic evaluation of the soft tissue mass confirmed the diagnosis, with tumor-free margins achieved. The patient recovered well from surgery and had good mobility. The patient survived 21 months after surgery and died of a non-cancer-related disease. Anatomic dissection was described in a cadaver rabbit to aid future surgeries.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
To the authors' knowledge, this was the first report of a hemipelvectomy performed in a rabbit. Hemipelvectomy is more routinely performed in canine and feline patients, but with the right candidate and owner commitment to aftercare, it may be safely and successfully performed in rabbits.