Objectives
To identify radiographic features that can be used to aid in the diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction in pet rabbits.
Materials and Methods
Retrospective study comparing radiographic features of 63 cases of confirmed intestinal obstruction with 50 abdominal radiographs taken of rabbits without gastrointestinal disease. Abdominal radiographs were examined for gastric size, gastric contents, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum.
Results
Gastric size, gastric contents, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum were all features that differed between rabbits with small intestinal obstruction and rabbits without gastrointestinal disease. Radiographic features associated with small intestinal obstruction included severe gastric dilation, gastric contents primarily consisting of liquid and gas, small intestinal dilation and absence of large amounts of gas in the caecum and large intestine.
Clinical Significance
Observation on gastric size, small intestinal dilatation and gas within the large intestine and caecum aid in radiological diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction in rabbits and so can guide appropriate treatment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.