Differential diagnosis for anemia in rabbits

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Anemia relates to a condition where the level of erythrocytes (red blood cells, RBC) or hemoglobin, or both, is below the normal reference level. There are many potential causes for this condition. Anemia in rabbits can be identified by a variety of symptoms, including but not limited to: low energy levels, weakness, and dizziness. Appropriate blood tests are necessary to confirm the diagnosis of anemia and to determine its etiology, which can be classified into four categories:

· Nutrient deficiencies;

· Bone marrow disorders;

· Chronic diseases;

· Other.

A deficiency of nutrients (like Iron, vitamin A, B₁₂, C, folic acid) due to:

· An unbalanced diet;

· A chronic metabolic disease;

· Starvation;

· Increased demands by the body, e.g. gestation, neoplasia, uremia (presence of excessive amounts of urea and other nitrogenous waste products in the blood, as occurs in renal failure).

Bone marrow related diseases leading to anemia can be related to:

· Toxic medication, e.g. chloramphenicol;

· Lead toxicosis;

· Infections, e.g. presence of fungal infections;

· Neoplastic diseases, like uterine adenocarcinoma, leukemia, lymphoma, or bone marrow metastasis, among others.

Chronic diseases leading to anemia can be related to:

· Presence of bacterial infections, e.g. subacute endocarditis, osteomyelitis, chronic respiratory infection, nephritis;

· Presence of fungal infections;

· Chronic blood loss, e.g. hemorrhages, internal bleeding;

· Chronic kidney or liver diseases;

· Chronic inflammatory diseases, e.g. arthritis, vasculitis (swelling condition of the blood vessels) or inflammatory bowel disease;

· Endocrine dysfunction, with a low levels of erythropoietin production, a hormone that promotes the production of erythrocytes and is produced both by the kidney (90%) and the liver (10%), hypo- or hyperthyroidism, adrenal insufficiency;

· Neoplastic diseases, see bone marrow related diseases;

· Gestation.

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