A Case of Leporine Dysautonomia from Croatia

Leporine dysautonomia (or dysautonomia of hares) is an idiopathic disorder associated with degeneration of neurons of the peripheral nervous system with loss of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve function. The disease has so far been described in rabbits and hares from Great Britain, and a similar disorder has also been described in horses (grass sickness), dogs and cats (Key-Gaskell syndrome) throughout the world.

We describe a case of leporine dysautonomia in a rabbit from Croatia, characterized by gross findings of cachexia, dehydration, dilated intestines and urinary bladder. Histologic findings included severe vacuolation of neurons of the submucous and myenteric plexus in the intestinal tract.

This disease presents a rare disorder of rabbits, and based on current report, it should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis is rabbits with neurologic clinical signs and mild gross findings including cachexia and distension of intestine and urinary bladder.