A pet rabbit (female, 8 years old, and mixed breed) with symptoms of dyspnea, apathy, and weight loss was treated for an acute respiratory infection. Due to the lack of improvement, it was referred to the Imaging Diagnostics Laboratory of the Department and Clinic of Surgery for a computer tomography scan of the thoracic cavity. The examination revealed the presence of air in the pericardial sac, a pneumopericardium, along with pulmonary emphysema. A few minutes after the examination, the rabbit developed circulatory and respiratory failure and died. Necropsy confirmed the presence of a pneumopericardium and pulmonary emphysema, and revealed, in the tracheal lumen, the presence of a tumor histologically consistent with hemangioma. A spontaneous pneumopericardium occurs when air from the respiratory system moves into the pericardial sac. This is the first case of the simultaneous occurrence of tracheal hemangioma and a pneumopericardium in a rabbit.

Domestic rabbits have teeth that grow throughout the animal’s life and are prone to disease. Clinical signs of dental disease in domestic rabbits are non-specific, and, therefore, a definitive diagnosis usually requires additional methods. This study was carried out on a group of 105 domestic rabbits aged 3 to 9 years. In total, 90 domestic rabbits with dental disease visible on CT images and other secondary diseases of the head area qualified for this study. Malocclusion was found in 57 (63.3%). Retrograde elongation of the tooth apices in the mandible was present in 39 (43.3%), and it was present in the maxilla in 48 (53%). Clinical tooth crowns were overgrown in 39 (43%). Dental abscesses were present in 54 (63%). Secondary to the presence of a dental abscess, osteomyelitis was found in 43 (79% of the animals with a dental abscess). Dental inflammatory resorption was found in 36 (40%). Secondary to dental disease, nasal cavity inflammation was found in 18 (20%). Otitis media was present in six (6.7%). The most common dental disease found in this study’s animals was malocclusion secondary to abnormal clinical crown abrasion and abnormal tooth growth. In domestic rabbits, osteomyelitis is a common complication of dental abscesses. Computed tomography is an invaluable diagnostic method in the diagnosis of dental disease and secondary diseases of the head area, such as inflammation of the nasal cavities or otitis media, in pet rabbits.

The bone tissue destruction during drilling is still one of the crucial problems in implantology. In this study, the influence of drilling speed, coolant presence, and its temperature on bone tissue was tested using swine rib as a biological model of human jaws. The same method of drilling (with or without coolant) was used in all tested samples. The microscopic investigation estimated the size of the destruction zone and morphology of bone tissue surrounding the drilling canal. The achieved results were statistically elaborated. The study proved that the optimal drilling speed was ca. 1200 rpm, but the temperature of the used coolant had no significant influence on provoked bone destruction. Simultaneously, the drilling system without coolant compared to this with coolant has statistical importance on drilling results. Further in vivo studies will verify the obtained results.

Background: The Felidae family includes diverse species with marked variation in ocular morphology. This study describes and qualitatively compares ocular morphology in a limited number of specimens: the clouded leopard ( Neofelis nebulosa , n = 1), the African lion ( Panthera leo , including two Angola lions, P. l. bleyenberghi , n = 2), and Pallas’s cat ( Otocolobus manul , including O. m. manul , n = 1), whereas morphometric assessment of the orbital region was additionally based on skull material (clouded leopard, n = 1; Pallas’s cat, n = 2; lions, n = 11). Materials and methods: Morphometric analyses were performed for the orbital region, eyeball, and selected accessory organs of the eye, using combined macroscopic and microscopic examinations. Histological staining included Mayer’s hematoxylin and eosin, Heidenhain’s Azan trichrome, Movat pentachrome, Masson-Goldner trichrome, Mallory’s trichrome with aniline blue, and Masson-Fontana, as well as histochemical staining with PAS, alcian blue (pH 1.0 and 2.5), alcian blue pH 2.5/PAS, and colloidal iron. Because of the very limited number of specimens, the study was strictly descriptive, and no statistical comparisons were performed. Results: In the examined specimens, eyeball size generally corresponded to animal body size, whereas eyeball shape varied among individuals: the examined Angola lions had elliptical eyeballs, the examined clouded leopard had a nearly round eyeball, and the examined Pallas’s cat had a slightly elliptical eyeball. Corneal size and shape varied among the examined individuals. Histologically, the cornea consisted of four layers, Bowman’s layer was absent, and epithelial thickness varied among specimens. Palisades of Vogt were identified in the examined material. The tapetum lucidum varied in size among the examined animals and was most pronounced in the Angola lions; its coloration ranged from milky blue to blue-green. The anterior chamber depth appeared to correspond with eyeball size. Pupil shape also differed among the examined animals. Histological and histochemical analyses of the ocular adnexa revealed interindividual and intertaxon differences in microstructure; however, the very limited material did not allow broader interpretation. Orbital morphometric values generally followed overall skull size. Possible sex-related variation was observed in the lion material, but this requires verification in a larger series. Conclusion: The present study provides a descriptive anatomical and histological characterization of the eye and selected ocular adnexa in a small number of representatives of three felid taxa. These findings may serve as baseline reference data for comparative anatomy and veterinary ophthalmology, but they should not be interpreted as species-level patterns. Limitations: Due to the limited sample size, these observations are preliminary and do not allow for species-level or population-level inferences. Because ante-mortem ophthalmic examinations were not available, subclinical ocular abnormalities cannot be excluded. In addition, because the material was collected post-mortem and subjected to fixation, processing, and sectioning, some morphometric values may have been affected by tissue distortion or shrinkage. Further studies based on larger series and standardized clinical evaluation are needed to verify the patterns observed in the present material.

Background: The aardwolf skulls were analyzed and compared to the spotted hyena, the brown hyena and the striped hyena, using specimens from Polish and South African collections. Addressing gaps in detailed anatomy and morphometrics, this study used extensive analyzes, encompassing 64 morphometric parameters and 7 indices, to examine the morphology and morphometrics of cranial and mandibular structures and quantify interspecific and intraspecific variation. Results: The comparative analysis of hyena skulls revealed significant differences between the aardwolf and the other three species. The aardwolf consistently had the smallest and proportionally narrowest skull, characterized by high morphological stability and a wide neurocranium. The brown hyena and spotted hyena had the largest skulls; however, the brown hyena showed greater homogeneity, while the spotted hyena displayed higher absolute variability. Morphologically, the aardwolf’s basilar part was cylindrical, unlike the pyramidal shape in the spotted hyena, and it possessed prominent nuchal tubercles that were reduced in the brown and spotted hyenas. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the morphological and morphometric features of the aardwolf’s skull are highly specialized and fundamentally distinct from the other three hyena species, reflecting its unique dietary niche. The powerful skulls of the spotted and brown hyenas, in contrast, correlate with their roles as apex predators and scavengers.

The aim of the study is to present our own experience in diagnosing dental diseases in domestic rabbits with atypical clinical signs by means of computed tomography, with reference to specific clinical cases. It has been shown that clinical signs of dental diseases in domestic rabbits are very often non-specific. These include discharge from the nasal cavities, discharge from the conjunctival sacs, head deformities, neck swelling, and head tilt (in otitis media secondary to teeth disease). In the differential diagnosis of the causes of the abovementioned signs, dental diseases should always be considered. In order to make a final diagnosis, computed tomography should be used, which, in these cases, offers the highest diagnostic effectiveness.