Fionabun
Mama Doe
Hello there,
Sorry for not being around here much - I used to be a regular on this place, though still check by to read from time to time. I would sincerely appreciate some advice on my bunny Clover. Unfortunately, she has been diagnosed with collapsed vertebrae in her spine and it has been a struggle to get her stable since then. Clover is a relatively old bunny at 7.5 years old.
I noticed Clover was losing a little weight and had trouble hopping (weak left hind leg) about 3-4 weeks ago. She was xrayed and the vet diagnosed an area of spinal injury, two vertebrae look 'collapsed', like a slipped disc. We have no idea what has caused it. I spend a fair bit of time with my bunnies and haven't noticed anything.
Clover has done well in the last three-four weeks, slowly but surely. Her mobility is poor and she has needed help with pain relief and keeping herself clean. Her appetite is variable and I have been topping her up regularly with lots of syringe feeds. My goal has been to see if I can her pain under control to a point where possible inflammation might settle, and that I can evaluate how happy she is and her quality of life beyond that. As far as I am aware, there are no surgical or other medical options relevant for Clover at this time.
At the moment, she receives twice daily Metacam and top ups of Vetergesic if her pain seems particularly bad. We have turned a very small corner now in that she is eating on her own, has a reasonable appetitie and is looking ever so slightly perkier. Her mobility is still very poor. I have made her an accessible litter tray and help her move around a little bit to stop her being bored. Her bunny friend Archie is being reasonably attentive though he is quite boisterous overall. She really likes him though and they have been together for a long time.
Does anyone have experience of nursing a bunny with a spinal injury? Can anyone help me with their experiences of how to judge a bunny's quality of life? I'm prepared to look after her if she is disabled as long as I'm sure she's happy enough. It's hard to work out whether I am doing the right thing.
Any experience, advice or views on spinal injury and managing long term disability in bunnies will be much appreciated.
Fiona
Sorry for not being around here much - I used to be a regular on this place, though still check by to read from time to time. I would sincerely appreciate some advice on my bunny Clover. Unfortunately, she has been diagnosed with collapsed vertebrae in her spine and it has been a struggle to get her stable since then. Clover is a relatively old bunny at 7.5 years old.
I noticed Clover was losing a little weight and had trouble hopping (weak left hind leg) about 3-4 weeks ago. She was xrayed and the vet diagnosed an area of spinal injury, two vertebrae look 'collapsed', like a slipped disc. We have no idea what has caused it. I spend a fair bit of time with my bunnies and haven't noticed anything.
Clover has done well in the last three-four weeks, slowly but surely. Her mobility is poor and she has needed help with pain relief and keeping herself clean. Her appetite is variable and I have been topping her up regularly with lots of syringe feeds. My goal has been to see if I can her pain under control to a point where possible inflammation might settle, and that I can evaluate how happy she is and her quality of life beyond that. As far as I am aware, there are no surgical or other medical options relevant for Clover at this time.
At the moment, she receives twice daily Metacam and top ups of Vetergesic if her pain seems particularly bad. We have turned a very small corner now in that she is eating on her own, has a reasonable appetitie and is looking ever so slightly perkier. Her mobility is still very poor. I have made her an accessible litter tray and help her move around a little bit to stop her being bored. Her bunny friend Archie is being reasonably attentive though he is quite boisterous overall. She really likes him though and they have been together for a long time.
Does anyone have experience of nursing a bunny with a spinal injury? Can anyone help me with their experiences of how to judge a bunny's quality of life? I'm prepared to look after her if she is disabled as long as I'm sure she's happy enough. It's hard to work out whether I am doing the right thing.
Any experience, advice or views on spinal injury and managing long term disability in bunnies will be much appreciated.
Fiona
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