Post on 29-Jun-2020
transcript
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CATARACTSINRABBITSWhatisacataract?
Acataractappearsasaslightlyhazytowhiteopacitywithinthepupiloftheeye.Thisiscausedbyachangeinthenatureofthelensoftheeye.Thelenscanoftenappear'crystallized'oncloseinspection.Astheyprogresscataractscausealossofvision,whichmaybegradualorsuddeninonset.Itcanoccuratanyageandoneorbotheyescanbeaffectedsimultaneously.
Whatcancausecataractsinrabbits?
Themaincauseofcataractsinrabbitsisin-utero(priortobirth)infectionofEncephalitozooncuniculi(EC),thisisusuallytransmittedfromthemothertobaby.Thisisasinglecellorganismthataffectsareport70-80%ofrabbitsinAustralia.SerologytestingforthepresenceofECantibodiesinarabbitwithcataractscantellusiftheyhaveeverbeenexposedtothisparasite.
Inotheranimalsdiabetesisamajorcauseofcataracts.Diabetesinrabbitsisrare,howeveritcanbediagnosedwithbloodtests.
Howdowetreatcataracts?
Currentlynorealmedicalcureforcataracts.Cataractsurgery,whichisperformedbyaveterinaryeyespecialist,isthebesttreatment.Thespecialistswill,underanestheticremovethechangedlensandallowsighttoreturntotheaffectedeye.Moreimportantlyitpreventsglaucomaanduveitis(otherproblemsthatcanaffecttheeye).
Iftherabbithasbeenexposedto,ortestspositivetoECthenthereisanoralmedicationthatwillbestartedtotreatthis.
Whatelsecouldthelenschangesbe?
Themainalternativediagnosistocataractsisnuclearsclerosis.Thisisanoldagechangethatoccursslowlyandisamildgrey/bluecolorationtothelens.Nuclearsclerosisdoesnotgenerallycauseaverywhitepupil.Aveterinaryeyespecialistcanconfirmchangestothelensarenuclearsclerosisormildimmaturecataract.
WhatcanhappenifIdonottreatthecataracts?
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Therearetwomajorproblemswhichcanoccurinuntreatedcataracts,onaveragetheseoccurin60%ofrabbitsdiagnosedwithcataracts.
Lensluxation-Asthelensisnotasflexibleafterformingacataractitcanbreakthefineattachmentsthatholditinplace.ThisLenscanthenfloatfreeandblockthedrainageoftheeyeball.Theeyeballitselfthenincreasesinsize.Thisconditioniscalledglaucomaandisoftenuntreatableinrabbits.Itisanextremelypainfulconditionandinsomecasesrequiresremovaloftheeye.
Uveitits-Thechangedlenscanruptureleakinglenstissueintotheeye.Thiscausesaseverereactionandtheentireeyebecomesinflamed.Thisconditionisalsoverypainfulanduncomfortableforyourrabbitandoftenrequireseyeremoval.
CanIpreventmyrabbitfromgettingcataracts?CanIpreventtheothereyefromformingacataract?
Thereisnothingwecandotopreventcataractsinrabbits.InfectionwithECinrabbitsisverycommonbutnotallrabbitsdevelopcataractsfromit.Onceoneeyeisaffectedthereisastrongpossibilitythattheothereyewillalsobeaffected.
Howquicklydocataractsdevelop?
Thereisnoaverageprogressionofcataracts.Theycanstaymildandimmature(greytohazypupil)foryearsortheycansuddenlyprogresstoseverematurecataracts(white)inamatterofdays.
Willcataractsreoccuraftersurgery?
No,cataractsareachangeinthelensandduringsurgerythelensisremovedallowingvisiontoreturn.
WhatelsecanECcause?Andcanthisaffectsurgery?
EChasalsobeenassociatedwithheadtilts(vestibulardisease)andrenal(kidney)disease.TheseconditionsdonotoccurineveryrabbitinfectedwithEC.Itisreportedthatupto80%ofrabbitsinAustraliacanbeinfectedwithEC.Ifsurgeryisbeingconsidereditmaybeworthwhiletoruleoutrenaldiseasewithbloodtests.Ifrenaldiseaseispresentitcanaffecttheanestheticrequiredforthesurgery.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorareatallworriedaboutyourrabbitpleasedon’thesitatetogetintouchwithus.