| Summary Information |
| Diseases / List of Bacterial Diseases
/ Disease summary |
| Alternative Names |
- Endometritis
- Metritis
- Pyometra
|
| Disease Agents |
Various
bacteria, particularly Pasterella multocida, also Staphylococcus
aureus, Chlamydophila spp., Escherichia coil, Listeria monocytogenes, Moraxella
bovis, Brucella melitensis, Salmonella spp., Actinomyces
pyogenes and Proteus. (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18, J4.171.w9,
J4.189.w14, J4.203.w3,
J213.5.w1, J296.52.w
J495.40.w1,
J495.42.w1)
Infection of the uterus may occur:
- Through mating
- Through artificial insemination
- Postpartum
- Following pseudopregnancy
- By haematogenous spread.
(B600.14.w14, B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18, J4.171.w9)
Note: "Predisposing factors, such as build up of ammonia fumes in the rabbit house, ambient temperature changes and drafts, reproduction, older age, existence of carriers, and poor sanitation contribute to the likelihood of development of clinical
pasteurellosis." (J4.203.w3)
|
| Infectious
Agent(s) |
|
| Non-infectious
Agent(s) |
|
| Physical
Agent(s) |
|
| General Description |
Clinical signs
- General: anorexia, lethargy/depression, weight loss. (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18, J213.5.w1)
- Abdominal distension. (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18, J4.203.w3,
J213.5.w1, J495.40.w1)
- Mucopurulent vaginal discharge. (B600.14.w14,
B601.9.w9, J4.171.w9,
J213.5.w1)
- On physical examination, the uterus may be large and doughy. (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18, J213.5.w1)
- Take care during abdominal palpation since the wall of the
uterus may be thin, friable and liable to rupture. (B602.18.w18,
J213.5.w1))
- Rectal temperature may be raised.
(J4.171.w9, J213.5.w1)
- Hypothermia may occur. (J213.5.w1)
- Note: With mild endometritis, clinical signs may be subtle,
and with chronic disease, there may be no clinical signs. (B602.18.w18)
Clinical pathology
- Sometimes heterophilia and slight leucocytosis. (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18)
- May be leucocytosis with neutrophilia. (J213.5.w1)
- Normocytic normochromic anaemia in a doe with chornic
pyoendometritis and ovanian abscesses. (J4.203.w3)
- Sometimes azotaemia, which may be due to dehydration or deposition
of amyloid in the kidney. (B601.9.w9)
- See: Clinical Pathology of Lagomorphs
Pathology
Gross pathology
- "Gross locular dilatations of the uterine horns"
containing thick creamy pus. Adhesions between the uterus and other
viscera. (J8.23.w1)
- In a doe with endometritis and uterine torsion, the uterus was
distended, the serosal surface red to black and the uterus contained
700 mL of yellow viscous liquid. There were scattered bacterial
colonies and a light infiltration of heterophils and mononuclear cells
in the mucosa. Proteus sp. was cultured from the uterine lumen.
(J495.40.w1)
- In a doe with metritis and septicaemia due to Moraxella bovis:
(J4.171.w9)
- Uterus: necrotic purulent metritis: mucopurulent exudate
filling the uterus, mucous contained necrotic and haemorrhagic
areas, and deep in the uterine wall were numerous abscesses.
- Liver: numerous small necrotic foci, and one 1.5 cm abscess.
- Kidneys: severe congestion, perivascular lymphocyte accumulation
in the cortex.
- Lungs: congestion and oedema, with diffuse serofbrinous
pneumonia. and two organised thrombi centred on bacterial
colonies.
- Spleen: congestion, lymphoid depletion.
- Moraxella sp. isolated from vaginal exudate and Moraxella
bovis from uterus, liver, lungs and spleen. (J4.171.w9)
- In a doe with Pasteurella multocida pyoendometritis,
pyosalpingitis and ovarian abscesses: (J4.203.w3)
- Uterus: walls thickened, horns containing tan-coloured pasty
material with a thin encapsulating layer of red-tan fibrous
tissue, and body containing inspissated tan exudate.
- Ovaries: mottled white-brown, consisting of cystic cavities
containing chalky white inspissated exudate.
- In a doe with Pasteurella multocida pyometra: (J4.189.w14)
- Uterus enlarged and distended, filled with white viscous
material.
- In a wild Lepus europaeus - Brown hare.
(J1.10.w5)
- Uterus: both horns grossly distended, taking up the
posterior third of the abdominal cavity and displacing other
organs cranially. Sacculations of the horns, 2 x 1.5 cm, contained
thick gree-yellow pus with a "clotted cream"
consistency. There were adhesions between the uterus and the
rectal mesentry and the parietal peritoneum.
- Liver: a few 0.5 - 1.0 mm grey-white necrotic foci,
scattered.
- Spleen: enlarged, sausage-shaped.
- Lymph nodes: mesenteric lymph nodes slightly enlarged
- Adrenals: markedly enlarged, combined weight 700 mg
(normal 200 mg).
(J1.10.w5)
- In wild Lepus europaeus - Brown
hares in Australia: (J1.40.w10)
- Uterus: yellowish opaque fluid with darker flecks of more solid
material. Unpleasant odour noted. (J1.40.w10)
Histopathology:
- In a doe with Pasteurella multocida pyoendometritis,
pyosalpingitis and ovarian abscesses: (J4.203.w3)
- Ovaries: normal tissue replaced by fibrous connective tissue
surrounding abscesses.
- Uterus: subacute suppurative endometritis and subacute
suppurative salpingitis
- Renal: multifocal subacute pyelonephritis (mild)
- Cardiac: Pericardial effusion (mild)
- Liver: Extramedullary haematopoiesis.
- Gram-negative rods in the ovarian abscess exudate.
- Culture: Pasteurella multocida isolated from
ovarian exudate. (J4.203.w3)
- In a doe with Pasteurella multocida pyometra: (J4.189.w14)
- Uterus: subacute necrotizing metritis; transmural inflammation
with diffuse serosal inflammation.
- Kidneys: in the glomeruli and to a less extent the renal
interstitium, multifocal eosinophilic amorphous deposits,
identified as amyloid by staining with Congo red and by
apple-green birefringence under UV light. (J4.189.w14)
- Culture: Pasteurella multocida isolated from uterine
samples. (J4.189.w14)
- In wild Lepus europaeus - Brown
hares in Australia: (J1.40.w10)
- Uterus: "reduced number of dilated glands with
significant lymphoplasmacytic and polymorphonuclear leukocytic
infiltration.". (J1.40.w10)
|
| Further Information |
Nor particularly common; in a survey of rabbits with uterine disorders,
pyometra was seen in one of 47 rabbits. (J27.64.w4)
Susceptibility
- Usually in breeding does but can also develop in nulliparous does. (B602.18.w18,
J213.5.w1)
Transmission
- Usually by mating, but also haematogenous spread. (J213.5.w1)
Diagnosis
- History:
- Fetal resorptions, abortion or stillbirths (with mild endometritis). (B602.18.w18,
J213.5.w1)
- Infection may be more common following abortion than following
resorption. (J213.5.w1)
- Recent parturition or pseudopregnancy, failure of breeding. (B602.18.w18,
J4.203.w3)
- Note: this disease can develop in nulliparous does. (B602.18.w18)
- Physical examination findings, with a doughy enlarged uterus. (B602.18.w18,
J213.5.w1)
- Radiography/ultrasonography to confirm an enlarged, fluid-filled
uterus and rule out other causes of uterine
enlargement (polyps, masses, cystic alterations). (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18, J8.23.w1,
J213.5.w1)
- Haematology: leucocytosis with neutrophilia. (J213.5.w1)
- Vaginal discharge cytological assessment and Gram stain. (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18)
- Exploratory laparotomy is needed for definitive diagnosis. (B601.9.w9,
J213.5.w1)
- Note: with Pasteurella multocida
infection there may also be ovarian abscesses. (B602.18.w18)
Treatment
- Supportive care initially to stabilise the rabbit (fluid therapy,
analgesia, appropriate treatment to avoid development of
gastrointestinal stasis). (B601.9.w9)
- Antibiotic therapy, initially broad-spectrum, then according to
culture and sensitivity testing (culture from the uterine wall). (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18, J213.5.w1)
- Start antibiotic therapy before surgery. (J213.5.w1)
- Ovariohysterectomy is the treatment of choice. (B600.14.w14,
B601.9.w9, B602.18.w18,
J213.5.w1)
- Note: In a mild case of endometritis in a breeding doe,
medical management (prolonged antibiotic therapy) plus fluid therapy
as required may be tried.
However, because rabbit pus is tenacious and caseous, full drainage of
the uterus and resolution of the
infection may not occur. (B601.9.w9,
B602.18.w18)
- Euthanasia may be required in severe cases. (J4.189.w14)
Prevention
- Screen does and bucks for Pasteurella multocida before using
for breeding. (J213.5.w1)
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| Associated Techniques |
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| Host taxa groups /species |
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| Disease Author |
Debra Bourne MA
VetMB PhD MRCVS (V.w5) |
| Referees |
Aidan Raftery MVB CertZooMed CBiol MIBiol MRCVS (V.w122) |