Hepatobiliary Surgical Diseases in Small Exotic Mammals: Indications, Techniques, and Outcomes

Hepatobiliary disease in exotic mammals is a relatively underexplored field compared with that of dogs and cats. However, recent advances in diagnostic imaging, anesthesia, and microsurgical techniques have expanded the range of feasible interventions for species such as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and other small mammals. Among exotic mammals, rabbits appear to be the most commonly affected by hepatobiliary pathology, with hepatic lobe torsion representing the predominant surgical indication. This review article will mainly focus those 2 conditions and integrates the existing exotic animal literature with well-established principles from canine and feline hepatobiliary surgery.