Intraocular extraskeletal osteosarcoma in a rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Abstract

An 8-year-and-9-month-old male, lop-eared rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) presented with gradual enlargement of the left eye to 4 × 4 × 4 cm and exophthalmos. The animal died 3 months later, and necropsy was performed. On gross pathology, the intraocular tissue was effaced and occluded by a hard, light-gray mass. Histologically, the mass comprised spindle-shaped to angular cells arranged in interlacing bundles with abundant production of osteoid, bone and cartilage, consistent with osteosarcoma. Limited cases of intraocular neoplasm have been reported in pet rabbits. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first pathologic documentation of intraocular osteosarcoma in a rabbit.