[Survey of post-mortem findings in rabbits]

This paper gives an outline of the pathological findings in an one-year autopsy material from a major rabbit colony. The colony houses 1600-2000 animals (50% is Dansk Landrace and 50% is Rex-race). In the one year period 651 rabbits are presented for a post mortem examination and only rabbits with spontaneously lesions are included in the material. The frequency of lesions in the different organ systems of the two races is very variated. In the Dansk Landrace the most frequent findings are in the kidneys (28%) and in the respiratory system (25%). In the Rex-race findings in the locomotory system (32%) and the gastro-intestinal tract (22%) are the most frequent. Although the colony houses 50% Dansk Landrace and 50% Rex-race, nearly 2/3 of the autopsy-material is Rex-race and only 1/3 is Dansk Landrace. It is concluded that the Rex-race is less resistant to diseases (both infectious and non-infectious) than the Dansk Landrace and that long term studies on the Rex-race are very difficult to carry out.