Lateral ear canal resection and bulla osteotomy with marsupialization to treat otitis media in rabbits: forty-eight procedures.
Vet Surg 2023;
52:1100-1111. [PMID:
37635342 DOI:
10.1111/vsu.14017]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Describe lateral ear canal resection and bulla osteotomy with marsupialization (LECARBOM) in rabbits with otitis media (OM), and report outcomes, complications, bacteria cultured from middle ears, and their antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results.
STUDY DESIGN
Retrospective clinical case series; single referral hospital.
ANIMALS
Forty-two rabbits with naturally occurring OM.
METHODS
Medical records (2011-2021) of rabbits with CT-confirmed OM undergoing surgery were reviewed for outcomes, complications, bacteria cultured from middle ears, and AST.
RESULTS
Surgery was performed on 48 ears, and outcomes determined 21 days postoperatively. All rabbits survived the procedure. Otitis externa resolved in all lop-eared rabbits. Of 29 ears with OM-associated head tilt, eight (28%) resolved, nine (31%) improved, seven (24%) remained unchanged and five (17%) worsened. Outcome was not associated with head tilt duration nor OM severity. Postoperative complications occurred in 12 (25%) cases, seven of which had wound margin dehiscence that healed by 21 days. The most frequent bacteria isolated were Pasteurella multocida (16%), Bordetella bronchiseptica (14%) and Staphylococcus aureus (14%). Bacteria were sensitive to azithromycin, marbofloxacin or enrofloxacin and resistant to penicillin.
CONCLUSION
LECARBOM is a well-tolerated surgical procedure to treat OM. It also improved or stabilized 83% of cases with head tilt and resolved all cases with otitis externa.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
LECARBOM with administration of an AST-sensitive antibiotic, or azithromycin when no AST is performed, should be effective in rabbits with OM. Postsurgically, it resolves or alleviates most secondary conditions such as otitis externa, head tilt and facial nerve paralysis.
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