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Prevalence and morphological aspects of metastatic mineralization in rabbits from animal houses and a comercial breeding in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A survey on the prevalence and morphological aspects of natural cases of metastatic mineralization was performed in 79 rabbits from two breeding animal houses (A and B) and from a commercial rabbit breeding facility in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Rabbits from the three facilities were fed with the same commercial ration. Only rabbits from the facility A presented gross and microscopic alterations associated with metastatic mineralization with a prevalence of 21%. All of the affected rabbits were older than one year old and 92% were females. The most altered organs were the aorta and its main branches, which showed extensive mineralization of the intima and media, osseous and cartilaginous metaplasia of the media, granulomatous arteritis and hyaline degeneration. The second most affected organ were the kidneys, which showed mineralization of Bowman capsule, distention of the Bowman space, interstitial fibrosis and mineralization of the wall of convoluted tubules and collecting ducts. The pathologic alterations were similar to that observed in the cases of hypervitaminosis D and on rabbits fed with either high calcium or phosphorus diets. Therefore, the concentrations of these substances in the commercial rabbit rations should be reviewed and periodically analysed.

metastatic mineralization; rabbits; Oryctolagus cuniculus; prevalence; pathology; Rio de Janeiro


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