Rabbit culled for sneezing, photos of organs for opinions please.

[TKT]

I posted about this American Blue buck previously because he was sneezing. Not all the time, just occasional sneezes, although this last week he did a rapid fire set. But so did I, right after him! He also would kind of snort a little bit while he was grooming. He never had any snot on his nose, never had any crud on his feet, I did see him clean his nose on his front feet once after sneezing, but there was nothing residue wise on his feet. Everything else about him seemed fine: appetite, poop, interest in his surroundings. Weight was perfect. No eye boogers or wetness, nothing in his ears.

I've had him quarantined for the last 5 weeks, and finally got a replacement buck for him due to the kindness of an American breeder. I processed him this afternoon. I probably should have cut open his lungs but they looked okay. Everything else looked okay to me during the processing. I'm just concerned that I may have missed something?

I didn't photograph his liver until I'd had it sitting in ice water for about an hour. It's darker on the center part that wasn't completely submerged. In the flash photos there is some reflection of light that deliver itself was smooth and looked good.

Thanks for any help! This has been quite the journey.

Showing lungs both side, liver both sides, heart and kidneys. His stomach, intestines, gallbladder everything else looked normal and healthy.

The liver looks wrinkled on the one side, but did not look like that when I put it in the cold water, and that is the side that was next to the bottom of the bowl. I am puzzled by that.

 

[SLRS]

I have had a very similar experience with that same breed. Kits would sneeze excessively, but that was the only symptom. Some seemed to have re-occurring ear mite problems. My only guess is that they MAY have been suffering from excessive inbreeding, thus weakening their over all genetic integrity....but I do not know. I do not breed them any more as I simply have enough breeds as it is.

On the plus side, very pretty and sweet.

 

[Robochelle]

Your wrinkles on the liver look like the natural absorption of water (same process as pruney fingers in the bathtub). All organs look normal to me. It could have been something to do with the sinuses rather than a whole body ailment.

 

[TKT]

I have had a very similar experience with that same breed. Kits would sneeze excessively, but that was the only symptom. Some seemed to have re-occurring ear mite problems. My only guess is that they MAY have been suffering from excessive inbreeding, thus weakening their over all genetic integrity....but I do not know. I do not breed them any more as I simply have enough breeds as it is.

On the plus side, very pretty and sweet.

Thank you so much!

This was a sweet buck too. My husband drove 5 hours one way for me to get another one of better quality and outside lineage, and a better coat, though I've read that they're still rare and they're probably all interrelated now.

This buck was likely siblings with my doe, since the breeder was a local homesteader who bought from a rabbity that was closing, and then just raised colony style. The seven kits sired from him are 6 weeks today, healthy, no sneezing. I've butchered two of my local breeder's rabbits now, both looked fine. Nice weight. I really love the breed.

Your doe is beautiful!

 

[TKT]

Your wrinkles on the liver look like the natural absorption of water (same process as pruney fingers in the bathtub). All organs look normal to me. It could have been something to do with the sinuses rather than a whole body ailment.

Thank you! I really wanted to cook that liver last night!

I was wondering the same thing, I kept his head for my dog's breeder who feeds raw, but wouldn't know how to dissect it to get into the sinuses. I figured it was dust because he would sneeze when I was sneezing that he was one of the closest to the hay which was dusty. I would always walk it out from their run and shake it to get the dust out. I would sneeze and sometimes he would sneeze. It was occasional. But I couldn't take a chance and didn't want to breed in allergies either. Sigh.

 

[ladysown]

The lungs look a bit off to me, but otherwise everything looks okay. I'm wondering if I'm seeing some pitting on the kidneys... though the image (on my screen) isn't really clear.

 

[TKT]

Thanks!

The kidneys looked perfect but I didn't have my cheaters on. I have them in the fridge, I will see if I can get a closer look when I get home, just for further education!

 

[TKT]

 

[ladysown]

i see light pitting which means (like many rabbits) they are carrying e. cunniculi Some would advise you to do an aggressive treatment. I'm not one of them. I only advise that if you have random fader kits or head tilt/rolling bunnies.

 

[TKT]

i see light pitting which means (like many rabbits) they are carrying e. cunniculi Some would advise you to do an aggressive treatment. I'm not one of them. I only advise that if you have random fader kits or head tilt/rolling bunnies.

So the meat is okay to eat, but not the organs?

Is it this on the lower kidney? Thank you for improving my level of knowledge!

 

[ladysown]

yes. I'd call that a mild case. Organs are if you are cooking it, it's totally fine to eat. No feeding raw to cats. Dogs and chickens are fine.

 

[TKT]

I was going to cook the liver, kidneys and heart for my dogs, so they thank you!

This was the reason I went with quail 4 years ago instead of rabbits. I've been reading so much about rabbit diseases that I was about ready to lump them with the huge and terrifying stack of things that can kill you!