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Vetdle Archive

Archive Case #162: Rabbit Urolithiasis

Exotic veterinary case - Medium - August 12, 2026

Clinical Clues

  1. A rabbit is brought in for straining to urinate and urine scald around the perineum.
  2. The owner has noticed thick gritty sediment in puddles around the hutch.
  3. The rabbit is uncomfortable on abdominal palpation and adopts a tense posture.
  4. Radiographs reveal a mineral-dense structure within the urinary tract.
  5. Urinalysis confirms marked crystalluria and blood.
  6. Rabbits are prone to forming urinary tract mineral deposits that can obstruct or irritate the bladder and urethra.

Diagnosis

Rabbit Urolithiasis

This case is most consistent with Rabbit Urolithiasis because the rabbit has dysuria, urinary sludge, and radiographic mineralisation within the urinary tract. The most important clues are the gritty urine and imaging findings, which make simple cystitis alone less likely.

Learning review

Review the case evidence

Use the paired clues to explain how the evidence in this exotic case supports the provided diagnosis, Rabbit Urolithiasis, then compare your reasoning with the case explanation.

Evidence checkpoints

Clues 1-2

  1. Clue 1: A rabbit is brought in for straining to urinate and urine scald around the perineum.
  2. Clue 2: The owner has noticed thick gritty sediment in puddles around the hutch.

Clues 3-4

  1. Clue 3: The rabbit is uncomfortable on abdominal palpation and adopts a tense posture.
  2. Clue 4: Radiographs reveal a mineral-dense structure within the urinary tract.

Clues 5-6

  1. Clue 5: Urinalysis confirms marked crystalluria and blood.
  2. Clue 6: Rabbits are prone to forming urinary tract mineral deposits that can obstruct or irritate the bladder and urethra.

Self-review prompts

  1. After clues 1-2, what evidence from this exotic case shaped your initial interpretation?
  2. When you compare clues 3-4 with clues 1-2, what changed in your reasoning about Rabbit Urolithiasis?
  3. How do clues 5-6 align with the case explanation for Rabbit Urolithiasis?

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.