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Shuffles the disabled bunny gets his wheels! hurray!

Stephanie Cutler

Warren Scout
Some peeps might remember early last year a came onto this website in a panic because one of the bunnies in the sanctuary suddenly couldnt move his legs.
At first his out look looked very grim. He had spent at least 4 years of his life in a guniapig hutch trapped by somebody who was supposed to be a checked fosterer by a particular sanctuary. Checked my :censored:. So we think that he could have injured his back binky-ing once he got some freedom in the sanctuary:cry: His bone density and muscle strength must have been reduced because of the awful conditions he was kept in.

on going to the vet we were told he would have to be put down because he had no 'deep pain sensation' this is tested by squeezing a toe gently with tweezers and seeing if bunny reacts. Shuffles did not:(
He was given a steroid injection to reduce any swelling around his spine. we had to take him back 3 days later.
There was no change so the vet wanted to put him down there and then but we wanted to give him a chance it had only been 3 days!
The vet toyed with the idea of taking him off us and filing it as a welfare case. This is something that a vet can do if the owners of an animal are keeping it alive when it realy is kinder to put the animal to sleep. Suffles had his head in a carrier bag of cabbage just before he went to the vets!!!
Unfortunatly that day Hammy the hamster who had been very ill has to be pts. I think this saved shuffles' life because the vet handed him back and said if he was not walking within one week she would say it was a wellfare case.
Shuffles was then taken to another vet who assured us that he was not in pain and said he needed a cart! at last! :)

Shuffles is currently on no medication for his disability. ( ok he gets a bit more veg- vspoiled). His feeling has returned and he can kick his legs! and spred his toes!:lol:

He needed a cart. The only website i could find was an american one. :( you realy need to take the bunny to get measured.

Aunty Barbara and Uncle Martin decided they might know a way of getting shuffle some wheels. Remeber Disabled pets on channel 4!

Aunty Barbara got in touch with Bob who made the cart for the doggy on the programme and made shuffles an appointment.

So it was off to Yorkshire for shuffles! twice! once to be measured and once to be fitted. what a brave boy in the car all that way!

Thank you Barbara and Martin for all your help!:p

Want to see some pics?.........................................

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Getting in my harness!

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Your not putting that there!

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almost done!

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And away we go!


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only to get stuck in a cupboard!

And once we got home, it was straight into the cabbage!
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and just a little video

 
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I am glad he's happy :)
I dont think I could put a Bun through that but I guess you need to know the Bun to know what's best for them

Does he have bladder control or do you have to express it for him ?

I guess you must need to help him with his caecotrophs too

xx
 
It realy does depend on the bunny if it happens to me again and that bunny is not enjoying life and sufering because of his disability then i would have to make that hard decision for his sake. But shuffles is a fighter and in genuinely happy and full of life. He gets himself around without the wheels very well but the wheels are to help build muscle in his back legs so perhaps he could regain a bit of a hop! He has control of his bladder in the sense that he does not leak but yes we do have to express his urine. Actualy he can get to his bum to sort out his re-eats!:lol:
 
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happy to help

thankfully my bun regained the use of her legs again after her funny turn before christmas. When we heard that someone else nearby had a disabled bun we just had to help and when we met shuffles he really touched us. he is a fab little chap. xxx
 
I glad to see he was given a chance.
One of our buns became paralysed and it was suspected spondylitis. Our vets were a bit more forward thinking and suggested physio and we should consider a cart- this was about 5 years ago.
We also did some research, but sadly Bramble developed neurological symptoms (E.c?) and we decided to pts.
I think it is great he is being given a chance to improve and become mobile again.:)
 
I cant figure out how it holds him up at the back? it looks kind of really uncomfy and dragging his back paws, wouldnt that cause sores?

It's an amazing contraption and great to see he is a fighter bless him :love:

How did he move about before?

Sorry for al the questions, just curious :D
 
omg i love him!! i was actually crying when i saw the video, its sooo cute and im so happy for him! why do animals always cry with happyness?! lol
 
I cant figure out how it holds him up at the back? it looks kind of really uncomfy and dragging his back paws, wouldnt that cause sores?

It's an amazing contraption and great to see he is a fighter bless him :love:

How did he move about before?

Sorry for al the questions, just curious :D

There is little figure of 8 sling that you put each leg through and it clips above his tale and fastens on to the cart. His paws can be popped out of the way with another sling but he HATED that so we have altered the cart so that his back paws just touch the floor. this is encouraging him to move his rear end and hopefully build up some muscle in his legs. I might make little socks for him if i think they are dragging. He is never left alone in the cart he needs constant supervision so i think lots of little plays in it during the day is better for him. He shuffles around normally using his front paws to shimmy himself around. He is very good at this but only on carpet so we had to get som carpet samples to put around because we have laminate flooring.

He chewed one of the wheels last night.:lol:
 
I am so close to tears it is unbelievable. I have never been to comfy about animals and carts but that video and those photos really prove that you did the right thing.

Lucky Snuffles, and thank you for making my day!

Emma
 
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