Hi All,
Ive come across this forum today whilst looking up rabbit amputations.
My rabbit Bob is unfortunately having his rear leg amputated today I am absolutely devastated as he is only 6 months old.
It happened when we were away on holiday over near year and he was staying with a friend (who has had a lot of rabbits and experienced unlike us). He was under the stairs and she picked him up and he jumped out of her arms onto the laminate flooring. We were called in Tenerife and had to give permission for xrays - I was in tears and praying that it would heal. When the xrays came back the vet said that he was young, it wasnt on the joint and they would splint it.
We came back from hols and got the splint changed to a cast and Bob decided to pull it off on Friday night. We rushed him to the vets Sat am to get it re-done and she felt a bump so took some xrays. She said it had got worse and wasnt healing :-( I was sooo gutted again - our options were to amputate or see an orthopaedic specialist.
We have no insurance but I was willing to pay the £1500 or more to pin his leg so Sunday we went to the referral vet, who took one look at the xray and said it was also dislocated and too near the joint. If he pinned it then it would cause arthiritis and may crumble and need amputating anyway so he said it just wasnt worth it :-( Gutted!! I soooo wanted them to be able to save his leg.
This guy was brilliant though and knew straight away what was wrong. I cant believe the other vets didnt see the fracture going near his joint and MISSED the dislocation. The specialist said it would never of healed so we put Bob through all that stress of a splint, cast and 3 anaeasthics for nothing (not to mention all the money)
Anyway Bob stayed in last night and is having his op today. The vet said they cope remarkably well and would be fine. I asked about quality of life and whether it would be the same and he said absolutely.
I just wanted to post on here as its so nice hearing all your positive stories and getting some advice and support. So many people when I said I would be whatever it took said it was a lot of money and to just get another one! WHAT!! Do people not realise how attached you get, they arent some disposable commodity you just get rid of.
I also keep beating myself up about it as I feel so sad this has happened so young. I keep thinking this would never of happened at home as we dont pick him up (we know he doesnt like it) so we just shake his treat box to get him to come or go in his cage. I wish we hadnt left him and this would never of happened. I cant help thinking what if!!
Also any advice would be appreciated. I read on this forum about having no ramps - we bought him a lovely double level cage so he had more room when at work - will he not be able to use his ramp anymore? We had already carpetted the ramp for him so it was soft - I dont want him to lose out. Also he used to love running up the stairs and running around - I dont want him to miss out and not be able to do these things.
So sorry for the long post but this has really upset me and I just want to be sure that little Bob will still be a happy bunny!
Thanks all
Laura x
Ive come across this forum today whilst looking up rabbit amputations.
My rabbit Bob is unfortunately having his rear leg amputated today I am absolutely devastated as he is only 6 months old.
It happened when we were away on holiday over near year and he was staying with a friend (who has had a lot of rabbits and experienced unlike us). He was under the stairs and she picked him up and he jumped out of her arms onto the laminate flooring. We were called in Tenerife and had to give permission for xrays - I was in tears and praying that it would heal. When the xrays came back the vet said that he was young, it wasnt on the joint and they would splint it.
We came back from hols and got the splint changed to a cast and Bob decided to pull it off on Friday night. We rushed him to the vets Sat am to get it re-done and she felt a bump so took some xrays. She said it had got worse and wasnt healing :-( I was sooo gutted again - our options were to amputate or see an orthopaedic specialist.
We have no insurance but I was willing to pay the £1500 or more to pin his leg so Sunday we went to the referral vet, who took one look at the xray and said it was also dislocated and too near the joint. If he pinned it then it would cause arthiritis and may crumble and need amputating anyway so he said it just wasnt worth it :-( Gutted!! I soooo wanted them to be able to save his leg.
This guy was brilliant though and knew straight away what was wrong. I cant believe the other vets didnt see the fracture going near his joint and MISSED the dislocation. The specialist said it would never of healed so we put Bob through all that stress of a splint, cast and 3 anaeasthics for nothing (not to mention all the money)
Anyway Bob stayed in last night and is having his op today. The vet said they cope remarkably well and would be fine. I asked about quality of life and whether it would be the same and he said absolutely.
I just wanted to post on here as its so nice hearing all your positive stories and getting some advice and support. So many people when I said I would be whatever it took said it was a lot of money and to just get another one! WHAT!! Do people not realise how attached you get, they arent some disposable commodity you just get rid of.
I also keep beating myself up about it as I feel so sad this has happened so young. I keep thinking this would never of happened at home as we dont pick him up (we know he doesnt like it) so we just shake his treat box to get him to come or go in his cage. I wish we hadnt left him and this would never of happened. I cant help thinking what if!!
Also any advice would be appreciated. I read on this forum about having no ramps - we bought him a lovely double level cage so he had more room when at work - will he not be able to use his ramp anymore? We had already carpetted the ramp for him so it was soft - I dont want him to lose out. Also he used to love running up the stairs and running around - I dont want him to miss out and not be able to do these things.
So sorry for the long post but this has really upset me and I just want to be sure that little Bob will still be a happy bunny!
Thanks all
Laura x