Calcification of Aortic Arch

[Emily & Oscar]

Today I took my Mini Rex Oscar to the vet because he had been going downhill for the past four weeks. It started when his (adopted) brother was put down for genetic neurological problems, which completely surprised us, and he never got to say good-bye. He began to lose weight steadily–with me barely noticing because he is so fluffy and thinking he was just sad about his brother passing–but last night he took a turn for the worse. He had LOUD stomach gurgling that I could hear across the room, teeth grinding, lethargy, hind end weakness, and was not drinking. I stayed up with him all night and got him to eat and drink and this morning he is doing a little better so I took him to the vet to confirm my suspicions of GI stasis or gas.

They immediately took x-ray after getting a history from me and I was preparing myself for the worst. I was waiting to hear about a blockage or tumor–even though he is only 3–but she came in and said there was no blockage pattern present. However, she told me that she had spotted aortic arch calcification and you could clearly see it on the x-ray. It started at his little heart and was a tube that disappeared toward his rear. I could clearly see it and the vet told me that it was not supposed to be like that. 

Since the arch is a vessel it should be mainly invisible because it is not bone. But, his was bright white and right there. Apparently, this is a VERY rare disease in rabbits and she said she had never seen it before. She did research when she gave Oscar his fluids because he was dehydrated and came in and told me what the symptoms other than the clear-as-day white on the x-ray: Depression, lethargy, hind end weakness, and weight loss. These were the exact symptoms Oscar has and the doctor told me that it was a ticking time bomb. Since it calcifies, it hardens the walls, isn’t pliable enough for the blood to go through, and will eventually burst and cause instant death in Oscar. She said that he can live ten years with it or pass away tonight if it bursts. The scariest part about this is that no one knows anything about it and there is no cure. So, does anyone on this forum have this in their bunny? Have they ever heard of it? They say vitamin K and K2 can help slow down the calcification like it does in humans? Any information at all with surely help me get my little bunny back to his playful self!

Thanks!

~Emily & Oscar

[Muchelle]

Hello, I’m so sorry to read you are going through this hard time with your Oscar
I don’t know anything about this problem in animals but in humans it may also be derived from a general arteriorsclerosis and may be kept in check with antibiotics. The only definitive solution is heart surgery, but I would never suggest to put a rabbit through that. If there is any vet university in your general area, you could try to email them or call them to ask for a consultation? Maybe they have someone more expert that can help your vet decide a therapy to slow down the process.

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