how should I approach a retrobulbar or periapical abscess secondary to molar tooth disease in rabbits?

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CT scan of the skull combined with intraoral stomatoscopy under anesthesia is the recommended first-line diagnostic workup for suspected retrobulbar or periapical abscess secondary to molar disease in rabbits, and surgical debridement combined with long-term systemic antibiotics is the treatment of choice. 135 On presentation, the clinical picture is often non-specific. Unilateral exophthalmos is the predominant sign of retrobulbar involvement, but affected rabbits may also show hyporexia, weight loss, facial swelling, epiphora, ptyalism, ocular or nasal discharge, or difficulty chewing. 15 The maxillary third premolar (108/208) and the three maxillary molars (109–111 and 209–211) are the teeth most commonly implicated in retrobulbar spread via the alveolar bulla. 1 Osteomyelitis is present in 79% of rabbits with confirmed dental abscesses on CT. 7 CT is the preferred imaging modality because radiographs require multiple oblique views and frequently fail to capture the full extent of disease; ultrasound has been reported as a suitable alternative when CT is unavailable. 1 CT enables three-dimensional evaluation of individual tooth apices, periodontal ligament space widening, periapical lysis, and bony involvement — findings that directly guide surgical planning. 36 Periodontal ligament space widening and interproximal space widening are correlated with periapical abscess formation. 6 Fine-needle aspirate for cytology and bacterial culture is recommended to confirm the diagnosis and direct antibiotic selection when feasible, because less common differentials — neoplasia, hematoma, parasitic cysts, foreign body, and salivary sialocele — must be excluded. 19 Rabbit abscess material is predominantly caseous and cannot be drained; radical surgical debridement with removal of all affected bone and teeth is the operative goal. The fibrous capsule that forms around rabbit dental abscesses renders systemic antibiotics alone insufficient, and complete surgical excision is the