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Spleen in a rabbit with RHD2
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The spleen must be found during a post-mortem examination. Lifting the stomach and reflecting it dorsolaterally the spleen can be found, attached to the stomach by the lesser omentum. In this case it is at least double the size it should be. This is a sign of RHD.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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SPLEEN
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Splenomegaly
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An enlarged spleen may be seen in cases of RHD. There are few other causes of splenomegaly in this species. Histologically the changes can range from moderate congestion to haemorrhage, deposition of fibrin, lymphocytolysis and
necrosis of lymphoid tissue.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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SPLEEN
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Enlarged pale, mottled liver
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The liver is always affected in rabbits with RHD. Microscopically hepatocellular necrosis is present in all cases. Macroscopically, there may be minimal changes or hepatomegaly with a pale mottled appearance as in this rabbit that died from RHDV2 confirmed by PCR testing.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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LIVER
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Enlarged, congested, mottled liver
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Congestion is often present in the organs of rabbits that have died from RHD and can mask other characteristic changes. The liver of this rabbit that died from RHD is congested. Close inspection shows a mottled appearance.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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LIVER
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Enlarged congested liver
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An enlarged congested liver can be due to rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) but is also a macroscopic feature of other conditions, such as congestive heart failure or septicaemia. Close inspection of the liver shows a mottled appearance, which is suggestive of RHD. In this case, RHD was diagnosed from the histopathological finding of characteristic hepatocellular necrosis.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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LIVER
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Pulmonary congestion and oedema
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Pulmonary haemorrhage and oedema are features of RHD although, macroscopically, it can be difficult to differentiate agonal changes, such as alveolar collapse, congestion, and alveolar oedema from lung pathology. In this confirmed case of RHD, fibrin thrombi were seen in occasional small capillaries and venules on histopathological examination.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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LUNGS
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Ecchymotic pulmonary haemorrhages
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In this confirmed case of RHD, ecchymotic haemorrhages were evident macroscopically and alveolar haemorrhages were seen microscopically.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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LUNGS
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Myocardial haemorrhages
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Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy is a feature of acute cases of RHD and haemorrhages may be found in any part of the body. In this case, there were multifocal areas of haemorrhage in the myocardium, which were evident macroscopically and microscopically.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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HEART
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Subtle macroscopic signs of RHD
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Gross post-mortem signs are not always obvious in rabbits that died from RHD and this rabbit is an example. The liver is slightly enlarged and close inspection with a hand lens did show a mottled appearance. Histopathology showed characteristic hepatocellular necrosis and PCR testing confirmed the presence of RHDV2.
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GROSS EXAMINATION
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Kidney
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The kidney is frequently affected by RHD. Histologically, glomerular thrombosis is a feature of the disease in many cases. Macroscopic changes are often masked by congestion, so the kidney is dark red, which was the case in this rabbit that died from RHD. Manipulation of the image (shadow and highlight) has shown that changes were present.
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MACROSCOPIC CHANGES
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KIDNEY