Experimental and naturally-occurring gastric foreign bodies in laboratory rabbits.

Gastric foreign bodies were induced in laboratory rabbits by orogastric infusion of a liquid latex containing radiopaque dye which polymerizes in the acid environment within the stomach to form a solid mass. The rabbits were monitored clinically and radiographically for 6 months at which time gastrotomies were performed to remove the masses, followed by a 4-week observation period. None of the 14 rabbits became ill or anorectic during the 6-month period of clinical monitoring, and all gained weight. At gastrotomy, eight rabbits had both latex bezoars and trichobezoars . Though two rabbits died post-operatively from respiratory complications, the remaining 12 rabbits recovered without complications and regained their pre-operative body weight within 4 weeks. Five of 10 rabbits necropsied 1 month after gastrotomy had gastric trichobezoars . This led to a survey of the stomachs of 208 healthy slaughter-rabbits which revealed that 48 (23.1%) had trichobezoars weighing 1 to 24 g. The data suggested that gastric trichobezoars were common in rabbits and that few animals with these foreign bodies developed chronic anorexia. In addition, there appeared to be a high likelihood that trichobezoars recur in a high percentage of rabbits within several weeks postoperatively.