How the investigation works

The investigation is open to anaesthetic and post-operative deaths that occur both inside and outside the UK although shipment to the laboratory is the responsibility of the veterinary surgeon who is submitting the samples. More information about sending samples to Abbey Veterinary Services from overseas is available from the laboratory.

A lateral radiograph is of the chest and abdomen of the rabbit is required. It can be taken after death if pre-operative radiographs are unavailable.

The veterinary practitioner performs basic post-mortem examination and collects a specified set of tissues.  A protocol for in-house post-mortem examination is described. The specified samples are heart/lungs/ trachea (i.e. the pluck), a kidney, and samples of liver and spleen. There is the option of adding more tissues if they are of interest. It is also recommended that two pieces of fresh liver are frozen in separate containers and retained by the practice for PCR testing if required.

The veterinary surgeon who is submitting the samples answers a short series of questions about the case online. At the end of the questions, a case-specific submission form is generated to be printed out and enclosed with the fixed samples that are sent to Abbey Veterinary Services. This form ensures that the invoice goes to Frances and Nigel Harcourt-Brown instead of the submitting veterinary surgeon. A copy of both the submission form and histology results go to both the submitting vet and to Frances Harcourt-Brown

The following criteria are mandatory for inclusion into the study

  1. The rabbit died during or after a general anesthetic or sedation or in the post-operative period i.e. from induction of anaesthesia (or sedation) to 10 days post-operatively.
  2. Informed consent has been given by the owners. Consent is necessary for both the post-mortem examination and for the results to be included in any publications that may arise from the investigation. An information sheet for printing out and giving to the owner is available or they can read the information on this website.
  3. Lateral radiographs of the chest and abdomen are required to be uploaded during the completion of the submission form.
  4. The post-mortem examination is performed within 6 hours of death.
  5. The specified set of tissues (heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and spleen) are collected and fixed in formol saline. 
  6. The tissues are submitted to Abbey Veterinary Services for histopathological examination.