Hind leg weakness?? U/D Saturday

I've had such a confusing day with Dusty. She has deteriorated lately to the point where she is pretty much on borrowed time. Anyway, she's had a couple of good days this week, so I was hopeful. But today she was acting incredibly weird - wouldn't go into her litter tray, kept coming upstairs, and then didn't poo all day long (despite all the usual drugs/treatment), but she still seemed full of energy/mischief - much more so than usual when she's going into stasis.

I noticed that when she ran upstairs, her back legs buckled a couple of times, and then started to wonder if she felt unable to jump into her litter tray (it's one of those cat ones with a ridge thingy, so she has to jump into it rather than climb). I got the lower litter tray (which is actually a plastic dog bed) out of the kitchen, and she got into it and started munching and pooing (I've never seen so many poos appear in such a short space of time).

She has a history of EC (but never had any of the traditional symptoms), so I'm wondering if this is hind leg weakness (which I've never seen before), or maybe she has injured herself. It seems to be her back right leg that is the weak one.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. I have been indecisive all evening about seeing an emergency vet, but now she has started pooing, I think I have to leave it till the morning to see how she is. She is so fragile that the stress of an unnecessary vet visit could be the end of her anyway.

Forgot to say - she's already on daily Metacam. I gave her a dose of Panacur today when I started to get suspicious.

Sorry - I have no advice, but sorry to hear about Dusty's conditions, I have no experience of this though x x

Loss of hindleg use can be a sign of EC and I'd recommend you put her back on a 28days course of panacur as, if it a side effect of EC, left untreated it will get worse. Buns sometimes get better when treated but often they don't and just stabilise but manage to live happily with the weakness as long as they have adjustmnts made like you have done.

Thanks. I'm starting to think EC more and more. I can't see that it is an injury, as why would she keep running up the stairs if she was injured? She really is acting quite loopy - yet again she won't go downstairs so far this morning. Will persist with the Panacur for now, I think.

Sorry to hear about Dusty. It does sound like EC, although depending on her age, it could be arthritis. My lot are both on a glucosamine supplement and it's made a big difference to Inky's joints, Smokey seems perkier too.

Thanks. I did wonder about arthritis, but she's on a high dose of Metacam daily, so thought that was maybe unlikely? :? Dusty is approx 4.

I would definitely continue with the Panacur, but would hope that Dusty's age and the fact that it's only one leg might mean that its more likely to be arthritis...

We lost our beloved Poppy to EC which was manifesting as hind leg paralysis. Initially, she was just a bit unsteady when zooming around corners, but towards the end, there was a rapid deterioration where she would be dragging her little hind limbs behind her, couldn't eat her caecals and couldn't keep clean.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=108920

It's a time I would never wish on any bunny lover.
Keep up with the Panacur.

podlet, x

It wouldn't suprise me if she is now experiencing neurological compilactions from EC leisions, does she seem disorientated at all too? Neurological problems often present as mobility issues.

Sorry no advice but hoping Dusty is okay, i love my buns but they are such a worry.x

She's not really acting disorientated as such, just acting strangely (eg. this whole desire to keep hanging around at the top of the stairs - that isn't normal for her).

And she was so daft yesterday about the litter tray. I mean, she obviously felt she couldn't get into the other tray, due to the jump, but at any point she could have gone into the kitchen and used the low level litter tray in there. She did a few poos on the mat in the end, after hours of holding on to them, but by the time I moved the kitchen litter tray into the hallway, they just fell out of her.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to carry on with the Panacur and see what happens. I do think that the dreaded decision day is getting very close though.

Oh no Sarah, so sorry to hear this Given Dusty's history I would suspect that this is probably an ec related hind leg weakness. I've seen it before where they've gone a bit 'froggy' legged or weak at the back end or the legs have slipped away behind them a little. I guess if she is feeling a bit wobbly at her back end she might not feel confident to go down the stairs, I've known a number of 'healthy' rabbits who would run up them but not want to come back down, so it does seem that it's the harder thing for them to do.

I can't remember if your kitchen has a tiled floor? If so, maybe she doesn't want to use the loo in there because again it is more difficult for her with weak back legs.

Bit hugs to you and Dusty xxx

Thanks Alison. I haven't noticed her being particularly froggy legged (great phrase! ), but I guess she's been laying a lot lately with her back legs stretched out. :?

That makes sense with the stairs - I just wish she'd stop going up them! :lol:
With the kitchen, she's never been a fan of it in there, but I have a big bunny blanket down (my whole house these days is a bunny house! :lol It's still not as easy to hop on as the carpet though.

Just as I finished typing the last message I spotted her at the top of the stairs again and took a piccy:



Hopefully you can see (amidst the hay mess!) how her legs are.

Another pic (of her looking impossibly cute!)



The camera is wonky, but her head is slightly tilted. She always does that at the top of the stairs though, so she can see what's coming up them.

Oh bless her she's such a sweetie Don't know really, sitting like that she looks kinda 'floppy' legged; I'd have thought if it was arthritis she would be sitting a bit more upright and stiffly :?

Hmm... yes, that makes sense. Dusty sends bunny kisses to her Aunty Alison, even though she cowered when you came over (whereas Clover wanted to see what you'd got for her! :lol

Just to update, I am probably speaking far too soon, but Dusty so far seems to be acting a little more normal today. She has been upstairs a bit, but goes downstairs quite quickly, rather than laying around on the stairs, and she's been in her litter tray more often too. I think/hope the Panacur is having an effect... She has had so many courses of Panacur over the last 18 months. :? :shock:

hiya. might be worth asking the vets to take some bloods and test for ec again, has she had it confirmed before? ash had exactly the same leg symptoms that you have described, and her blood test has just come back positive. we gave her a 9 day course of panacur while waiting for the results, and have now started her on a full course. she is so much better since the 9 day treatment. has put weight on and looks better in herself. good luck with dusty x jess

She's had a positive test before. At this late stage, I'm really not wanting to put her through any tests or unnecessary vet visits, to be honest. Whether this Panacur helps her or not (and it seems to be), she has permanent damage and really doesn't have long left.

then it sounds as if you are caring for her the best you can. I often take the decision when i know my animals are fading not to take them to the vets, sometimes i think it is kinder to let them fade in their own time than to be prodded and poked and have injections that really wont make that much difference.
obviously if they are in pain i take them, but sometimes its just age. try to take lots of pics of her, i went and took some lovely ones of ash last week in the garden so i can have them to look at when she is gone.
take care, x jess