Omental Torsion in a Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

A 2-year-old male rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) presented for loss of appetite, abdominal distension, and absence of fecal production. The patient had previously been treated with a prokinetic agent for gastrointestinal stasis based on history and presenting clinical signs. A few days after treatment no improvement was observed and the patient was referred for a second opinion. A firm mass just caudal to the stomach was noted upon palpation of the abdomen, but neither radiography nor ultrasound provided a diagnosis of the mass. An exploratory laparotomy was performed and omental torsion of the lesser omentum was diagnosed. The torsed lesser omentum was resected and histopathological examination supported the intraoperative diagnosis. Torsion of the omentum, although rare, should be added to the list of differential diagnoses in rabbits presenting with clinical signs related to gastrointestinal stasis.