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Loss of mobility.

SOAD

SOAD

Wise Old Thumper
Hiya,

I've been having trouble with Scooby, she's Zippy's sister so is an old girl too. Over time she's gradually losing the use of her back legs, now when I saying losing the use, she will walk on them but very rarely hops, if she does hop fast (like in her a run) she becomes a little off balance. I know it's a long shot but has anyone had anything similar, I am reluctant to have a GA and x-rays (also at no time has she sustained an injury, but I was meaning to see if there was a tumour) because of what happened to Joey the rabbit (for those that remember) and while it doesn't seem to be bothering her and she's getting around I am cautious of having too much done to her.

She's had a course of panacur (28 days) and I have just decided to start it again, I have even been giving her additional vit e and potassium. She isn't in any pain and can get into her litter tray etc, but she is unsteady and as a result of the lack of mobility is gaining some weight (which can not be helping). Her and Zippy never made it back outside after Zippy's last episode, so she is a warm and comfortable house bun.

Any help would be great?
 
Hello if you dont want her xrayed (and this is what I would do to be honest), I would give metacam anyway. Pain is hard to assess in rabbits. please also remember though that metacam is also an anti-inflammatory so if there is swelling (the effects of EC are often associated with an inflammatory reaction)or pressure on the spinal cord, this will also be relieved
Goodluck
 
The fact it has been gradual rather than sudden would make me think about age-related changes, perhaps arthritis? or another chronic mobility problem? This is going to sound daft but when our hamster developed arthritis in his latter years our vet prescribed a course of Metacam - even for a little hamster! It worked a treat - even if it did knock him out for a couple of hours but then he was having about 0.1-0.2ml per day!! (He had a splenic tumour too - my vet was doing pain relief as well) But it really improved his mobility.
Obviously there are plenty of other things it could be, but it's the gradual onset that makes me think...arthritic changes?
 
My vet can't tell what is wrong without an xray, but a while a go I took in a rescue who was dragging her back legs and the GA made her so much worse (mostly my fault as I asked the vet to spay her at the same time), she died a few days later and I never got over the guilt.

Scooby is mobile but there is a decline albeit slowly, if she gets really bad I will have no choice but to go ahead with the GA and have the xrays, but at the minute I didn't want to mess too much with her if she seemed to be coping and I would rather get another months panacur in her before a ga. I know if it turns out to be a tumour there isn't anything that could really be done on such an old bun anyway :(

Thanks for the advice Rodney vet :D
 
prettylupin said:
The fact it has been gradual rather than sudden would make me think about age-related changes, perhaps arthritis? or another chronic mobility problem? This is going to sound daft but when our hamster developed arthritis in his latter years our vet prescribed a course of Metacam - even for a little hamster! It worked a treat - even if it did knock him out for a couple of hours but then he was having about 0.1-0.2ml per day!! (He had a splenic tumour too - my vet was doing pain relief as well) But it really improved his mobility.
Obviously there are plenty of other things it could be, but it's the gradual onset that makes me think...arthritic changes?
Click to expand...


Yeah I did wonder too, trying to cover all angles to be on the safe side.
 
No worries, i'm only guessing!:)
We're so lucky to have real vets on the forum - I just keep posting at the same time as them by mistake which makes me look a bit silly :oops:
....I'd definitely consider the NSAID in that case if rodneyvet suggests it.
 
I was thinking arthritus and perhaps trying metacam:?.
You also don't need to still feel guilty of the rescue bun you did everything you could:)
 
Thanks hun :D

I should really consider x ray, but I can't see how I will be better off if I have one done and i risk making it worse if it's ec related with the GA don't I? I went through so much with Joey and I only had her a few days, I couldn't put myself through that with a bunny I've had for years and love. If I thought the xray wouldn't bring something up and it could be fixed I wouldn't even be thinking twice, but at best it's going to give me no answers at worst it's going to be a tumour :cry:
 
kayj said:
I was thinking arthritus and perhaps trying metacam:?.
You also don't need to still feel guilty of the rescue bun you did everything you could:)
Click to expand...

Awwww thanks Kay, it would honestly realoly upset me if I put Scooby through that, it's hard once you've had a bad expericance to move away from it.

Shall I just go with the metacam, vit e, potassium, panacur for a month and assess the situation then?

ETA to say she would have to have teh zantac with teh metacam wouldn't she? Ok, ring the vets now and tell them what I want :oops:
 
SOAD said:
Thanks hun :D

I should really consider x ray, but I can't see how I will be better off if I have one done and i risk making it worse if it's ec related with the GA don't I? I went through so much with Joey and I only had her a few days, I couldn't put myself through that with a bunny I've had for years and love. If I thought the xray wouldn't bring something up and it could be fixed I wouldn't even be thinking twice, but at best it's going to give me no answers at worst it's going to be a tumour :cry:
Click to expand...

I know what you mean and sometimes as the saying goes 'ignorance is bliss'. It is always easier to make a decision over one of the rescue buns as it is over one of our own:roll:
 
kayj said:
I know what you mean and sometimes as the saying goes 'ignorance is bliss'. It is always easier to make a decision over one of the rescue buns as it is over one of our own:roll:
Click to expand...


It's right isn't it, I get too emotional :cry:, if she seemed to be really suffering I wouldn't give it a second thought, but I am scared of making it worse.
 
The question really is whether actually knowing what it is would make a difference to the treatment? If not, then I would not do the x-ray.

I am in a situation like this with little Charlie where we know there is a problem in the brain. Yes, we could go and x-ray or scan to find out what is going on, but the option for treatment are no different to what we are doing now! So there is no point to put her through the stress.

Vera
 
LurcherGirl said:
The question really is whether actually knowing what it is would make a difference to the treatment? If not, then I would not do the x-ray.

I am in a situation like this with little Charlie where we know there is a problem in the brain. Yes, we could go and x-ray or scan to find out what is going on, but the option for treatment are no different to what we are doing now! So there is no point to put her through the stress.

Vera
Click to expand...

Thanks Vera, yes this is what I mean, they wont be able to change anything after her having X rays. I think I would consider xrays if she got much worse and if it turned out to be a tumour I would let her go under GA, but at the minute she is too well to consider doing that. If it's also EC related I don't want the extra stress to advance it. It's not a break as it's been happening over time, if i thought for one minute she had hurt herself I wouldn't be not doing it. I am not going to gain anything by having the xrays done, so I would rather aim for some of the more non drastic answers and target them all. I know realistically it's going to probably be something horrible, but I would rather her enjoy her remaining life than being messed with.

Sending vibes to Charlie :love:
 
Sending lots of vibes for Scooby.

Is a conscious x-ray not an option? In the past I have said try to get one consciously and if it becomes impossible not to carry on with a GA.

Could it be spondylosis? We have a bun with this and it does sound similar. She has had panacur with no effect and is on daily pain relief :)
 
Thanks Lucy :love::love:

Thanks Liz I will google that :thumb: that's great, I honestly don't see the point in having an xray, when it's happened gradually though. Had she of come in like that (like Joey did) I would do it because of not knowing her history. Like I said earlier it's not going to show anything or if it did it would be something :cry:. I would rather wait to see if she gets worse have one and if it is :cry:, let her go under GA, at the minute she isn't poorly enough to let her go if it's bad news. :cry: The treatment will be exactly the same no matter what the outcome, so she's on the treatment anyway. I just have a bad feeling about it all to be honest :cry:
 
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