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  • Please Note - Medical Advice

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Can you help? Advice needed urgently!

Bethjade

Bethjade

Young Bun
I will have to condense this as it is a very long story! 2 weeks ago Domino started dragging his back leg. We took him to emergency vet who said couldnt detect fracture and thought nerve damage, she wanted to see him again next day and said that she still thought this, but see our own vets 3 days later. When we did, they think it is fractured spine, but he is absolutely fine in himself, eating drinking, very affectionate and lively, so they said it shouldnt be too much of a problem but would monitor him once a month. The next day Domino BIT two of his toes off on his GOOD leg. Vet amputated the toes and again he was fine - HOWEVER, he wont leave his bandage alone and has managed to get it off to get back at the toes. He took the stitches out but didnt do any more damage, after taking him back yet again to be rebandaged, the vets have advised us to have Domino PTS as he wont leave it alone. I am in such a quandry as his behaviour hasnt changed at all, he is still absolutely fine in himself and I just cant believe that is the only option, however on the other hand if he is in pain I dont want to prolong it. PLEASE can anyone offer any advice, we are due back at the vets tomorrow and I really need some help. Thanks in advance.
 
Bethjade said:
I will have to condense this as it is a very long story! 2 weeks ago Domino started dragging his back leg. We took him to emergency vet who said couldnt detect fracture and thought nerve damage, she wanted to see him again next day and said that she still thought this, but see our own vets 3 days later. When we did, they think it is fractured spine, but he is absolutely fine in himself, eating drinking, very affectionate and lively, so they said it shouldnt be too much of a problem but would monitor him once a month. The next day Domino BIT two of his toes off on his GOOD leg. Vet amputated the toes and again he was fine - HOWEVER, he wont leave his bandage alone and has managed to get it off to get back at the toes. He took the stitches out but didnt do any more damage, after taking him back yet again to be rebandaged, the vets have advised us to have Domino PTS as he wont leave it alone. I am in such a quandry as his behaviour hasnt changed at all, he is still absolutely fine in himself and I just cant believe that is the only option, however on the other hand if he is in pain I dont want to prolong it. PLEASE can anyone offer any advice, we are due back at the vets tomorrow and I really need some help. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Has he had xrays done? I think that would be a good place to start. I would suspect that he bit off his toes because he was experiencing some pain- what treatment is he on?
Otherwise another possibility is a neurological problem
 
He is on daily doses of metacam. They ruled out a neurological prob, at both vets, which i am obviously relieved about. We think that perhaps there is some nerve damage which is causing either pain or strange sensations which caused him to bite his toes off. Both vets surgeries have said they are reluctant to do xrays as they wont reveal anything more than the diagnosis - i must admit i was surprised by this.
 
Bethjade said:
He is on daily doses of metacam. They ruled out a neurological prob, at both vets, which i am obviously relieved about. We think that perhaps there is some nerve damage which is causing either pain or strange sensations which caused him to bite his toes off. Both vets surgeries have said they are reluctant to do xrays as they wont reveal anything more than the diagnosis - i must admit i was surprised by this.
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:shock::shock::shock:
I don't get it: why don't they think xrays will reveal anything? What diagnosis? :?
Make sure PTS isn't just an easy option for a vet that can't be bothered to make a proper investigation
 
Rereading this it seems unbelievable that they didn't xray him when they knocked him out to amputate his toes!
Are you sure they don't mean it won't help with the PROGNOSIS?
I'm not against PTS when it's for the right reasons but I would want to know that in this case it was for the right reasons
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Can you get your Bun seen here:

http://www.any-uk-vet.co.uk/harcourt-brown/index.htm
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Having seen that you were in Leeds I would strongly advise/recommend you take your bunny to the vets practice Jane has highlighted. They will definitely make great effort to get to the bottom of this, good or bad but as least they will investigate and advise accordingly!! They are highly likely to have seen similar in the past too.

Frances Harcourt-Brown herself is away (I think until 31 March) but Ruth and Allison are around and also highly recommended.
 
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OMG :shock: Poor bunny... and poor you...

I agree change vet! If does have spinal damage the Xray will show this and he will need to be treated not monitored! And the same goes for the leg!

I have never heard of buns self mutilating before :)cry:)

I hope you can get in at the vet Jane suggested as soon as poss and get your poor bun sorted out. good luck I really hope he gets better :D
 
Thankyou all for your replies, I am going to keep the appointment tomorrow and insist upon an xray before making any further decisions, if still not happy I will contact the vet that Jacks Jane suggested. I do trust our vets as we have been with them for years - but not for rabbits, i just cant believe that pts is the only option when he seems so ok in himself. Ill keep you updated and thanks again.
 
Bethjade said:
Thankyou all for your replies, I am going to keep the appointment tomorrow and insist upon an xray before making any further decisions, if still not happy I will contact the vet that Jacks Jane suggested. I do trust our vets as we have been with them for years - but not for rabbits, i just cant believe that pts is the only option when he seems so ok in himself. Ill keep you updated and thanks again.
Click to expand...

I hope it goes well. Unfortunately PTS can be seen as an easy solution by some vets.
The vet that Jack's Jane has recommended is one of the most highly respected rabbit vets in the business and I would definitely consider getting a second opinion from them :)
 
I would add a vote of confidence in Harcourt-Brown vets - They are absolutely amazing and I could not recommend them enough! Francis correctly diagnosed my Lily with hayfever when all other vets wanted her PTS at 18 months old for an 'incurable chest infection' :shock:

If anyone will know what is wrong, it will be Francis Harcourt-Brown! :love:
 
I am in a lot of pain at the moment but will try and answer you soon - please do not even consider pts as this is wrong. If you read about my Speedy you will see that he ate his legs due to there being no feeling there - he was paralysed from the waist down - but he lived and loved life :D
 
Jaypot said:
I am in a lot of pain at the moment but will try and answer you soon - please do not even consider pts as this is wrong. If you read about my Speedy you will see that he ate his legs due to there being no feeling there - he was paralysed from the waist down - but he lived and loved life :D
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Thanks for this, it was just the kind of reassurance I was hoping for!
 
Bethjade said:
Thankyou all for your replies, I am going to keep the appointment tomorrow and insist upon an xray before making any further decisions, if still not happy I will contact the vet that Jacks Jane suggested. I do trust our vets as we have been with them for years - but not for rabbits, i just cant believe that pts is the only option when he seems so ok in himself. Ill keep you updated and thanks again.
Click to expand...

I disagree totally. Dr. Hancourt-Brown is among the very best in this world. She is the leader in Rabbit medicine, her book is read thru almost all rabbit savvy vet in this world.

There is no reason to pay more money for x-ray to your vet, which clearly doesn't know what he is talking about. It's shocking to even hint the idea of PTS without an x-ray or other tests. Quite frankly, that kind of diagnosis is unheard of, and that kind of ethics is disgusting.
 
Oh gosh Emma......
I know you wont go with the PTS option and having seen Domino myself i know his time isnt up.

I really think he needs to see another Vet. From what you have said so far, it doesnt sound like there trying to get to the bottom of his problem. Xrays should of been done straight away...

Some fab people on here and some great advice, if you can get to the Vet mentioned, i would say go for it :)

Give him noserubs from me, the little sweetheart :love:
 
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