3.1 Necropsy and Histopathology
The cadavers of all three necropsied rabbits were in good body condition suggesting a very rapid course of the disease. Necropsy confirmed the presence of 1 cm nodules in the base of the ears in one male rabbit (Fig. 1), together with nose, lips and external genitalia oedema, purulent blepharitis and lung densification foci. Another adult male showed white ocular discharge (Fig. 2) and focal lung congestion. Along with oedema of left eyelid, one juvenile also presented thickening foci of ears.
Histopathology of the skin lesions revealed marked epidermal hyperplasia, frequent ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes and myxoid change of the dermal connective tissue (Fig. 3). In the lung, thickening of interalveolar septa was observed due to infiltration of heterophils and mononucleated inflammatory cells, confirming interstitial pneumonia (Fig.4).