Rabbit Medicine and Surgery Q&A 12

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A two-year-old Dwarf Lop rabbit presents with acute swelling and discomfort of the right eye.

Question	Answer		Article
What is the condition shown?	This is a blepharitis, most likely to be bacterial in aetiology.		Link to Article
What diagnostic tests would you perform in this case, and how would you treat the patient while waiting for results?	Samples for microbiological investigation should be taken by expressing the contents of the meibomian glands in the eyelid margins. Swabbing the contents of the conjunctival sac is more likely to reveal a mixed bacterial growth, with contaminating microbes of minimal significance. This is an infection of the eyelid as opposed to the conjunctiva and should be treated with systemic antibiotics, rather than just topical antibiosis. The preferred medication is a suitable systemic broad-spectrum antibiotic until results of culture and sensitivity determine a more specific drug. Typical culture results would indicate Staphylococcus spp. but other infections may be demonstrated.		Link to Article