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Bunny lost full use of back legs

H

Herbert'sMum

Warren Scout
Was wondering whether any of you lovely people would be able to offer any advice.

A lady has recently rescued a rabbit who has lost the use of its back legs. It is at the vets, however, so far they have been unable to find anything that is causing this.....I believe they are now in the process of taking X rays. I'm told that she appears not to be in any pain, is OK within herself and there is SOME movement in the hind legs.

I mentioned E. cuniculi, however, was wondering whether anyone has any other ideas as to what could be causing this. She has already been told of possible nerve/spine damage due to kicking out/thumping.

This lady works so hard to rescue bunnies and other animals that any help regarding possible causes/treatment etc would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
If the Xray rules out a spinal injury then I guess EC has to be the next suspect.

It sounds as though the Vets are being very thorough and hopefully they will get the Bun on appropriate treatment :)
 
Jack's-Jane said:
If the Xray rules out a spinal injury then I guess EC has to be the next suspect.

It sounds as though the Vets are being very thorough and hopefully they will get the Bun on appropriate treatment :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Jane. That's all I could suggest to her as well, however, I know how knowledgable you all are, so was wondering whether there was something I missed.
 
It could also be some form of nerve damage - we have had a few like this, some have hopped again and others haven't, but have led happy lives :D
 
Jaypot said:
It could also be some form of nerve damage - we have had a few like this, some have hopped again and others haven't, but have led happy lives :D
Click to expand...

That's great. So if this is the case and the bunny is not in any pain/OK within herself, this condition can be managed (even though she will have limited movement). How did you with yours?
 
Gosh, lots of different ways :D With Pebby and Pimms they had Metacam for four weeks and stayed in a top opening carrier with a hooded catbed and vetbed in :) They got changed a lot and had physio and reiki from me :)

Pimms went back off her legs again but when she went back into the carrier and was put back on Metacam I slowely reduced the dose over two weeks and she became stronger again :) They both never hopped properly but they could hop in their own way :) They even bonded with other buns:love::love:

Sir Speedy Socks couldn't use his back legs at all due to nerve damage when under a GA - but he lived with us for 17 months before finally leaving us due to heart failure - but he was 10+ years old:love::love: Due to the nerve damage he couldn't pass pee so we had to empty his bladder for him three times a day and also he had to wear socks as he couldn't feel his legs, so he used to overgroom them and chew them:shock:

Darling Rufus couldn't use his back legs either but was ever so happy in his bed on the sofa:love: We also had to express his bladder for him. Such a wonderful boy:love:

Our lovely Aggie can't use her back legs but is on fleeces and vetbed in her own indoor pen with her partner Bluebelle :) She is a darling - she also needs to have her bladder expressed twice a day:love:

If the bun is eating and happy and accepts the fact that they are disabled, they can live wonderful lives:love: Some buns don't accept it but that's quite rare we have found. Some owners think it's cruel for them to be like that but if they are happy, there is nothing wrong with them being like that and they can teach you so much :D

Please let me know if I can be of any help at all - I am only too glad to help in situations like this as our buns have taught us so much with their disabilities:love:

Oh and if you click on our signature you can go to our website and see pictures and videos of Scoot, Speedy, Rufus and Pimms:love:
 
Jaypot said:
Gosh, lots of different ways :D With Pebby and Pimms they had Metacam for four weeks and stayed in a top opening carrier with a hooded catbed and vetbed in :) They got changed a lot and had physio and reiki from me :)

Pimms went back off her legs again but when she went back into the carrier and was put back on Metacam I slowely reduced the dose over two weeks and she became stronger again :) They both never hopped properly but they could hop in their own way :) They even bonded with other buns:love::love:

Sir Speedy Socks couldn't use his back legs at all due to nerve damage when under a GA - but he lived with us for 17 months before finally leaving us due to heart failure - but he was 10+ years old:love::love: Due to the nerve damage he couldn't pass pee so we had to empty his bladder for him three times a day and also he had to wear socks as he couldn't feel his legs, so he used to overgroom them and chew them:shock:

Darling Rufus couldn't use his back legs either but was ever so happy in his bed on the sofa:love: We also had to express his bladder for him. Such a wonderful boy:love:

Our lovely Aggie can't use her back legs but is on fleeces and vetbed in her own indoor pen with her partner Bluebelle :) She is a darling - she also needs to have her bladder expressed twice a day:love:

If the bun is eating and happy and accepts the fact that they are disabled, they can live wonderful lives:love: Some buns don't accept it but that's quite rare we have found. Some owners think it's cruel for them to be like that but if they are happy, there is nothing wrong with them being like that and they can teach you so much :D

Please let me know if I can be of any help at all - I am only too glad to help in situations like this as our buns have taught us so much with their disabilities:love:

Oh and if you click on our signature you can go to our website and see pictures and videos of Scoot, Speedy, Rufus and Pimms:love:
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Jay. Like you, I would do as much as I could for my bunny as long as he was content and not in pain, however, I expect the initial reaction by many in this situation would be to have the animal PTS. It's great to hear that this is not the only option. Looking at your site you obviously care and love all your bunnies very much. You are doing a wonderful job and they are extremely lucky to have you.
 
Last edited:
Just want to add to what Jay has said - she is totally right:D

Aggie (as you may know) was my bun and she had gone off her back legs before but after a week or so was all right (after some baytril each day). When it happened again the vet had no idea what had caused it and although we tried different things nothing worked.

The vet was wanting to have Aggie pts but I did not think that was fair as Aggie was bright and happy - wolfing down her food, grooming herself (as best she could), grooming Bluebs and generally was a happy wee bunster:love: I was the one who was struggling as I was not sure how best to cope dith a disabled bun. At that time Aggie lived with Bats and Mash as well and I felt it was not ideal for her to have Bats pinging about all over her and Mash clambering on top of her:roll:

I was lucky because Jay was already Aggie's second mum through bunnysitting and it was a huge relief to me that she offered to help. Aggie has the life of riley at Jay and John's and I know she is happy.

I think animals let you know when it is their time and I know for sure that just because she can't hop she CAN and DOES still have a happy life.

It is a commitment and I am just so grateful that Jay and John were willing to provide Aggie with the love and support she needs (and a nice pair of little ankle socks too).
 
:oops::oops:Awwww thanks Pam :D Aggie is a darling and as you said, I was her second mum anyway, it is only right that she is here with us:love::love: And Bluebelle still lays across her:roll::lol::lol:

I love them both dearly - and agree that any bun who has not got the use of their legs can be happy and content if they want to be :D:D

If I could I would take every bun that goes off their back legs and let them live as they wanted to:love:

I am grateful to Scoot, Rufus, Pimms, Pebby, Speedy, Oxo and Fliss as well as darling Aggie for giving me a wonderful time with them all, and for teaching me so much:love:
 
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