Liver lobe torsion is a life-threatening condition requiring surgery. A liver lobe rotates around its axis, twisting vessels and bile ducts. It is one of the rarer causes of anorexia and gastrointestinal stasis in rabbits.
The caudate or right caudal lobe is most often affected.
Signs include anorexia, lethargy, sudden death, icterus of skin and visible mucous membranes, abnormal posture, and urinary or faecal abnormalities.
Examination may reveal abdominal pain on palpation, dehydration, tachypnoea, reduced gut sounds.
Torsion causes venous congestion and may progress to diffuse necrosis.
Diagnosis
Bloodwork may show anaemia and elevated ALT, AST, GGT, and alkaline phosphatase.
Definitive diagnosis uses radiography (hepatomegaly and GI stasis) or ultrasound (hepatomegaly, heterogeneous liver parenchyma, free abdominal fluid, reduced or absent blood flow to affected liver, reduced intestinal motility).
Treatment
Surgery — laparotomy with resection of the affected lobe. Blood transfusion if indicated.
Postoperatively: fluid therapy, analgesia, assisted feeding as needed, antibiotics, prokinetics.
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