ABSTRACT
Testicular neoplasms are reported rarely in pet and laboratory rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculi f. dom.), with interstitial cell tumours being the most commonly described testicular neoplasm. In this retrospective study, paraffin wax-embedded testicles with neoplastic changes from 52 rabbits were investigated. Five out of 52 animals exhibited more than one tumour type, resulting in a total of 57 tumours. Granular cell tumours were the most prevalent neoplasm with 36 examples (63%) out of the 57 testicular tumours. Interstitial cell tumours, Sertoli cell tumours and seminomas occurred less frequently. Granular cell tumours of the testis are rare in rabbits. Histological similarities between granular cell and interstitial cell (Leydig cell) tumours in haematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections may lead to misdiagnoses. The periodic acid-Schiff reaction or immunohistochemistry for periaxin and S100 protein, as well as ultrastructural analysis, are useful methods to confirm the diagnosis.
