Clinical and Pathologic Features of Chronic Adriamycin Toxicosis in Rabbits

Chronic adriamycin (ADR) intoxication was produced in 50 weanling rabbits by weekly injections of ADR (2.4 mg/kg of body weight) for up to 17 weeks. All ADR-treated rabbits developed prominent alopecia, edema, moderate anemia, and severe emaciation. The frequency and severity of cardiomyopathy were not strongly dose-related, but renal lesions were. The frequency and severity of cardiomyopathic lesions were highest in left ventricular free wall and ventricular septum, intermediate in atria, and lowest in right ventricular free wall. Cardiac lesions increased in frequency and severity basally in left ventricular free wall, ventricular septum, and atria, but not in right ventricular free wall. Nephropathy lesions were selective for inner cortex and constitute a common and important side effect of chronic ADR intoxication in rabbits. Other lesions observed at necropsy were hepatic necrosis, skeletal muscle degeneration, osteodystrophy-associated fractures, peripancreatic fat necrosis, and testicular degeneration and atrophy.