Criteria for choosing a method for treating trichobezoar in the stomach of decorative rabbits

Trichobezoars are hairballs that form in the stomach. Trichobezoar is a common pathology in decorative rabbits, without proper treatment, leading to the death of the animal. There are a number of opinions on the choice of treatment for this disease. Our research was to study and analyze clinical cases with a diagnosis of trichobezoar of decorative rabbits (n-15) to determine the criteria that help to choose a treatment method or conservative or surgical. This article reflects the importance of obtaining a complete anamnesis, the main clinical symptoms observed during a general examination, dental diseases that could also cause trichobezoar formation are identified, the need for hematological and biochemical analysis to assess the general condition of animals and exclude the causes of other non-specific clinical symptoms is considered. Additional research methods of ultrasound and X-ray diagnostics are used. Significant changes were noted towards an increase in ALT 96-144 U/L, urea 6.9-23.5 mmol/L, leukocytes 14-98 10*9 μl/L and a decrease in these indicators after infusion therapy - ALT 73.1-102.93 U/L, urea 5.2-11.3 mmol/L, leukocytes 9.2-89 10*9 μl/L, the need for infusion therapy was confirmed. Conservative drug treatment was performed in rabbits (n-7), surgical treatment in the volume of gastrotomy in rabbits (n-8). In each group, 2 deaths were observed due to the severe condition of the animals at the time of treatment. In the course of the work, the significance of the results of hematological studies, the use of ultrasound and X-ray diagnostics, their priority, the need to monitor the condition of rabbits for two weeks after the treatment were determined. Criteria were identified that can be used to select a method of treating this disease - conservative or surgical. The prognosis of the outcome of any selected treatment method is the general condition of the rabbit at the time of its initiation. The importance of aspects constituting the prevention of trichobezoar was noted.