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Mobility Problems?

I've always noticed that Heather has never been very 'springy' if thats the right word :? Shes never been able to jump very high or leap onto high stools or platforms.

But in the last few months shes got worse I just went out to top up hay and check waters and she went to jump onto the little stool (not at all high) her front paws scrabbled at the wood and then she fell back :cry: She was fine but she seems to have hardly any power in her back legs :(

Since she was a baby shes always had a good amount of space and when we first got her though her htch was small it had an attached run and she was let into an 8ft one whenever we were home, so I doubt muscle wastage?

She is 5 now so should I be expecting this type of thing? Or is there an underlieing problem? :?
 
I've always noticed that Heather has never been very 'springy' if thats the right word :? Shes never been able to jump very high or leap onto high stools or platforms.

But in the last few months shes got worse I just went out to top up hay and check waters and she went to jump onto the little stool (not at all high) her front paws scrabbled at the wood and then she fell back :cry: She was fine but she seems to have hardly any power in her back legs :(

Since she was a baby shes always had a good amount of space and when we first got her though her htch was small it had an attached run and she was let into an 8ft one whenever we were home, so I doubt muscle wastage?

She is 5 now so should I be expecting this type of thing? Or is there an underlieing problem? :?

How old is she? She could have a mobility issue yes so I think that a vet examination is a good idea. Especially if there are any other symptoms that could be attributed to pain e.g. ileus/stasis/bloat/diminished appetite/droppings. Arthritis is a possibility especially with this cold weather - it will exacerbate it significantly. However, an Xray under GA is required for diagnosis.

ETA just saw her age - arthritis is a possibility, although she is young still relatively, early onset is possible in rare cases.
 
How old is she? She could have a mobility issue yes so I think that a vet examination is a good idea. Especially if there are any other symptoms that could be attributed to pain e.g. ileus/stasis/bloat/diminished appetite/droppings. Arthritis is a possibility especially with this cold weather - it will exacerbate it significantly. However, an Xray under GA is required for diagnosis.

ETA just saw her age - arthritis is a possibility, although she is young still relatively, early onset is possible in rare cases.

She seems fine in herself, droppings are beautiful and gold :D Am defiantly going to get her booked in at the vets
 
Hi!,
I see two bunnies in your signature, is Heather the lop one? I know many people who live with lop buns and often report that they usually are not very interested in "physical activities"... :D I don't mean to say that all the lops are lazy, but I hear many of them are not great fans of jumping and are not very agile! Anyway, it's possible that her habit of not moving/jumping much, has caused some problems to show up earlier than usual, like arthritis, as prettylupin said . Is she ok with her weigth? If she's overweight, that would be another predisposing factor. I agree that an X-ray is recommended to rule out this possibility. However, consider that sometime , a not-so-well calculated jump might happen, without any underlying problem. But since you said that she got worse in the last months I guess you' ve noticed it's been happening repeatedly.
I hope the vet will tell you she is fine! ;)
 
Hi!,
I see two bunnies in your signature, is Heather the lop one? I know many people who live with lop buns and often report that they usually are not very interested in "physical activities"... :D I don't mean to say that all the lops are lazy, but I hear many of them are not great fans of jumping and are not very agile! Anyway, it's possible that her habit of not moving/jumping much, has caused some problems to show up earlier than usual, like arthritis, as prettylupin said . Is she ok with her weigth? If she's overweight, that would be another predisposing factor. I agree that an X-ray is recommended to rule out this possibility. However, consider that sometime , a not-so-well calculated jump might happen, without any underlying problem. But since you said that she got worse in the last months I guess you' ve noticed it's been happening repeatedly.
I hope the vet will tell you she is fine! ;)

Nope shes the Dutch. :) Bart (lop) is quite lazy :roll: but springs about fine with no hesitation. If anything Heather is underweight, she struggles to keep weight on easily but the vets think thats just because of her age. She also has dental problems and her weight can drop just in the few days before her dental, so were still trying to 'time it right' when she needs the dental.
Shes actually a very hyper bunny, and sprints out to meet you when you go out to them.
 
Mini is being a bit similar recently. She tried twice to get on the bed last night which usually she manages fine but slipped both times and ended up with just front paws on. I think she got so excited she didn't get her footing properly. My bed's a bit higher than a stool though, I think if you notice it continuing it would definitely be worth a vet trip.
 
Morning :wave:

Hopefully your little lady has had the all clear. Perhaps ask your vet for some meloxicam and treat her for assumed arthritis? Sometimes you can XR placid buns awake - my boy had his chest XR-ed awake but had his hips done asleep (he was having a GA for a hideous dental abcess but the vet very reasonably XR-ed his spine and hips since he's old and I dose him with regular meloxicam).
If she struggles with her wieght and mobility is an increasing issue would you ask your vet about EC? You may well have given her panacur or lapazole but it's always worth thinking about.

Good luck, off to get my little ones up and see if they fancy playing in the snow!!!!! :love:




Nope shes the Dutch. :) Bart (lop) is quite lazy :roll: but springs about fine with no hesitation. If anything Heather is underweight, she struggles to keep weight on easily but the vets think thats just because of her age. She also has dental problems and her weight can drop just in the few days before her dental, so were still trying to 'time it right' when she needs the dental.
Shes actually a very hyper bunny, and sprints out to meet you when you go out to them.
 
The same thing happened to a group of mine when they reached 5 years, unfortunately it turned out to be the start of EC so maybe a precautionary course of panacur might help.
 
Morning :wave:

Hopefully your little lady has had the all clear. Perhaps ask your vet for some meloxicam and treat her for assumed arthritis? Sometimes you can XR placid buns awake - my boy had his chest XR-ed awake but had his hips done asleep (he was having a GA for a hideous dental abcess but the vet very reasonably XR-ed his spine and hips since he's old and I dose him with regular meloxicam).
If she struggles with her wieght and mobility is an increasing issue would you ask your vet about EC? You may well have given her panacur or lapazole but it's always worth thinking about.

Good luck, off to get my little ones up and see if they fancy playing in the snow!!!!! :love:

Yes you can but you can not position them correctly for hip and spine Xrays conscious, these HAVE to be done under GA as bun has to be flattened out with legs splayed apart in order to view the hip, knee and lower spinal joints correctly.

Nino has early onset OA and is dutch, I doubt there is a link but it is interesting. There is also no giveaway in his gait or mobility other than the fact that he has never jumped on to things, and during bad phases he might stumble up the stairs, other than that he hides the symptoms completely other than acute bloat episodes from the pain and pain on urination (hip elevation). He is a house rabbit and i'm home all day a lot and still can't always spot the changes, on Xray he has substantial joint deterioriation.
He is on daily meloxicam and glucosamine (cat dose).
 
The same thing happened to a group of mine when they reached 5 years, unfortunately it turned out to be the start of EC so maybe a precautionary course of panacur might help.

Very interesting and another thing for your vet to rule out. Perhaps a course of meloxicam and panacur and see if things improve?
 
I wonder if it's worth me giving Mini a 28 day panacur course as well, she's never had a full 28 day one before, only a 9 day worming one.
 
Thanks for all the advice!

Now you've all got me worried about EC :shock: We're taking her to the vet tomorrow as I need my dad to drive me there and he gets home from work late, otherwise we would be going tonight

Will defiantly ask about EC and panacur :wave:
 
I wonder if it's worth me giving Mini a 28 day panacur course as well, she's never had a full 28 day one before, only a 9 day worming one.
Maybe you could get her tested for E.c. antibodies ? That's what we use to do here if we suspect E.c. is involved. Italian vets mainly use the Immuno-carbon Assay test, some of them use the ELISA .
 
Maybe you could get her tested for E.c. antibodies ? That's what we use to do here if we suspect E.c. is involved. Italian vets mainly use the Immuno-carbon Assay test, some of them use the ELISA .

This morning she did her usual 'almost-fully-clear-the-bed' jump so I think she just misplaced her footing the other night in her excitement :lol:
 
Took her to the vets today, thay think she may have slight arthritis. They have given us some metacam for a week to see if she improves or not, then we will take it from there. We are also going to adapt the wendyhouse so she doesn't have to jump to get on to things :wave:
 
This morning she did her usual 'almost-fully-clear-the-bed' jump so I think she just misplaced her footing the other night in her excitement :lol:
Great!, I'm glad she is fine :)
Took her to the vets today, thay think she may have slight arthritis. They have given us some metacam for a week to see if she improves or not, then we will take it from there. We are also going to adapt the wendyhouse so she doesn't have to jump to get on to things :wave:
I hope you see some improvement soon !;)
 
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