FOREWORD
I cannot remember ever reading an entire veterinary
textbook upon receiving it, except the First Edition of
Textbook of Rabbit Medicine 14 years ago. Conse-
quently, it is a great pleasure for me to write the fore-
word to this Second Edition, also having read the
new edition from cover to cover. The revised infor-
mation and its integration into clinical details is
equally gratifying.
An explosion in information on pet rabbit medi-
cine has occurred since publication of the First
Edition, and the Second Edition reflects this vast
amount of new knowledge. Molly Varga is eminently
qualified to enhance this classic text. She is an enthu-
siastic exotic animal clinician who works in practice in
Cheshire. Although a United Kingdom veterinary
graduate, she obtained further training in Canada.
After returning to the UK, she attained the Royal
College of Veterinary Surgeons Diploma in Zoological
Medicine (Mammalian). She is one of only seven vet-
erinarians (five in the UK) to hold such qualifications.
The amended text incorporates her expertise with the
best available clinical evidence and research.
Many of the First Edition’s noteworthy features
are improved. Exhaustive reference lists at the end
of each chapter are updated, the number of clinical
photographs has quadrupled and anatomical draw-
ings have been redrawn and relabelled making them
easier to view and understand. Textbook of Rabbit
Medicine is the only book I know that has detailed
descriptions of figures, making the need to search
through the text for an explanation unnecessary. The
helpful ‘Key Points’ summary tables, so useful as a
rapid reference have doubled, as have the tables of
differential diagnoses and of drugs used to treat
specific conditions. One would expect a doubling in size
of the book, but the new edition is increased by
only a quarter. This is due to succinct authorship that
focuses on plausible clinical explanations and therapies.
While much of the original arrangement is
retained, the format of the book is changed. It is
now divided into two parts: ‘Rabbit Basic Science’
and ‘Rabbit Medicine’. The first chapter, which is
one-fifth of the contents, comprises basic science. It
combines the First Edition’s initial three chapters
that covered rabbit biology, diet, husbandry, consul-
tation, and clinical techniques. The information
alone in this chapter would constitute a major book.
Indispensable information on feeds, plants and hays
for veterinarians can be shared with conscientious
pet owners. Practical advice on differential diagnoses
for common rabbit ailments, breeding and vaccina-
tion abounds. Rabbit consultation and clinical tech-
niques, especially venipuncture and intraosseous
fluid administration is pragmatic, and methods to
reduce stress in rabbits undergoing treatment are
listed. Common questions asked by owners on
topics such as reproduction, neutering, vaccination,
behavior problems and health risks from keeping
rabbits are answered. The author even makes eco-
nomically sensible suggestions for practices such as
developing a weight reduction clinic to deal with
the ever-increasing problem of rabbit obesity.
‘Rabbit Medicine’, the second part of the book
retains the 14 chapters found in the First Edition.
These chapters are organized into three major sec-
tions: ancillary topics, diseases of a particular organ
system and finally infectious diseases and hands-
on themes. Ancillary topics (Chs 2–4) deal with
therapeutics, anesthesia and clinical pathology.
The therapeutics chapter gives the best explanation
I know on our current knowledge of drug pharma-
cokinetics and dynamics in rabbits. The chapter
on anaesthesia and analgesia has constructive
information on the challenges of anesthetizing rab-
bits, reducing anaesthetic risk, intubation and post
anaesthesia care. In contrast to the First Edition,
where most references in the clinical pathology chap-
ter came from toxicological or commercial rabbit
disease studies, recent reports from the rapid data
increase in pet rabbits is presented.
Eight chapters (Chs 5–12) are dedicated to dis-
eases of a particular organ system. Outstanding
 Foreword
diagrams and photographs on dental anatomy and
gross pathology are available in the chapter on dental
disease (Ch. 5). Hands-on information about oral
radiography is included and the numerous options
for treating dental disease, including palliative care
and dietary guidance are discussed. The chapter on
abscesses (Ch. 6) begins with the unique features
of rabbit neutrophils that lead to caseous pus. Treat-
ment of rabbit abscesses is notoriously difficult and
the author supplies multiple treatment options while
reminding the reader that relapses are common and
successful treatment can be time consuming and
expensive.
Skin diseases (Ch. 7) contain well-researched rec-
ommendations on the progressive, painful and diffi-
cult to treat condition of ulcerative pododermatitis,
as well as ectoparasites and their treatment. A com-
prehensive chapter on digestive disorders (Ch. 8)
follows. The complex interrelationship between pre-
disposing factors and specific causes of rabbit diges-
tive disorders is explained in text, flow charts, tables
and diagrams. Current information on the emerging
disease dysautonomia and the syndromes collec-
tively labelled mucoid enteropathy are presented.
Instruction on investigating and controlling enteric
disease in rabbit colonies concludes the chapter.
Ophthalmic diseases (Ch. 9) encompass not only
ocular anatomy and physiology, but also incorporate
clinical examination of the rabbit eye. Diseases are
those likely seen in general practice, and where
appropriate incorporate the treatments that a general
practitioner can provide. Neurological and locomo-
tor disorders (Ch. 10) examine the challenge of dif-
ferentiating central nervous system manifestations of
encephalitozoonosis from vestibular disease and
pasteurellosis, and add a valuable table of clinical
signs to help decide the diagnosis.
Cardiorespiratory disease (Ch. 11) brings in an up
to date section on treatment of pasteurellosis includ-
ing bulla osteotomy and trephination of sinuses.
viii
Although cardiac disease is rare, as rabbits live longer
and sophisticated diagnostic procedures are applied,
congenital and acquired cardiac conditions are being
discovered – the latest findings and treatments are
reported. The complex etiology of urinary tract dis-
ease in rabbits is found in urogenital diseases
(Ch. 12). A systematic explanation considers causes
and predisposing factors to explain the vicious cycle
of hypercalciuria, urine retention, incontinence,
perineal inflammation and infection. Photographs
of clinical cases describe the history, condition and
findings in detail. The chapter also takes in reproduc-
tive diseases such as uterine adenocarcinoma, and
conditions such as extrauterine pregnancy and
post-birthing bladder eversion.
The three final chapters are surgery, infectious
diseases and necropsy of rabbits. Illustrated descrip-
tions of ovariohysterectomy and castration are found
in the surgery chapter (Ch. 13). Infectious diseases
(Ch. 14) cover ectoparasites, protozoa, bacteria,
viruses and fungi. The author puts her thesis on the
diagnosis of clinical disease due to Encephalitozoon
cuniculi in pet rabbits to good use in writing about
this frustrating problem. Guidelines for recombinant
live vaccine use against myxomatosis and viral hem-
orrhagic disease are included. The last chapter on
post-mortem examination (Ch. 15) has a clinician
friendly 4-page table that lists common findings
for each stage of examination and organ system,
and catalogues possible causes, which are cross-
referenced to the relevant sections of the book.
‘Some books are made to be read, others are made to be
digested’ (Francis Bacon, 1561-1626) encapsulates
the freshness of information in this new edition.
The author has built upon the rich tradition of rabbit
husbandry and innovations in the management of
rabbit diseases to produce a book that is easily assim-
ilated by veterinarians who enjoy treating pet rabbits.
Thomas M Donnelly