Successful treatment of a subcutaneous axillary abscess due to Staphylococcus lentus in a rabbit

A 2-year-old, female, crossbred pet rabbit was found to have a subcutaneous axillaryabscess from which staphylococcus lentus was the sole isolate. the s. lentus - an indigenousbacterium in rabbit saliva - probably was introduced into the axillary region during licking ofa small wound. due to severe neutropenia, the rabbit had developed a serious infection withina few weeks. marked clinical improvement was observed following abscess excision andtreatment with sulfamethoxaszole-trimethoprim. s. lentus should be added to the growing listof bacteria causing infection especially subcutaneous abscesses in rabbits.