Hi there! I’m back with more news from the veterinary world.

First, here is a paper on the investigation of a maxillary nerve block technique in rabbits. They tested the nerve block with articaine hydrochloride–epinephrine solution, and were able to detect a difference in force tolerance 56 to 145 minutes after the procedure, making this a potential desensitization technique! But it is important to note that until the understanding of the behavior of this block is improved and the possibility of unanticipated local anesthetic migration and effects can be assessed, the use of longer lasting local anesthetics is not recommended.

Second, we have a 2019 paper on the evaluation of GI activity in rabbits with Doppler ultrasonography. The results showed that duodenal and jejunal segments had measurable peristaltic waves, while the stomach, cecum, and colon had no consistent measurable activity, suggesting that both B-mode and PWD ultrasonography of the duodenum and jejunum may be suitable for noninvasive evaluation of small intestinal motility in rabbits.

Lastly, we have a study that shows that lop-eared rabbits tend to have more aural and dental problems than other rabbits! The results showed that lop-eared rabbits indeed were at an increased risk of aural and dental pathology, and the authors raised the point that we should consider the ethics of breeding and buying lop-eared rabbits.

See you next month!