• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

dealing with a dislocated toe top joint

purplebumble

Warren Veteran
we thought merlin had broken a claw and it was curling under as it was trying to "hold on". This was about the time he was admitted for his lipomas in his stomach and abdomen.

hes seen the vets several times in the past month or two....and we had the worry of the massive lump that appeared in bluebells back of her shoulders...waitng to find out if it was cancer was awful. Turned out it was an infiltrating fatty lipoma..and the vet said thats exactly what merlin has in his abdomen.

today i finally managed to go the vets for merlin...and felt really sick when she told me....

shes not a vet ive seen before...id have been happier if it was a vet i knew i guess...but she seemed ok. I can always get a second opinion from a senior vet right?

she said what had happened is that hed dislocated his top joint of his little toe on his hind foot:shock::( the joint and tendons have been overstretched and it is wobbly can move it around likes its come unscrewed if you know what i mean.

she said there was no sign of swelling or infection...and he didnt seem bothered by it...but he was bothered by his tummy.

she said the toe joint has made the nail curl under and we will never be able to cut it short.
It is best to leave the toe she said...unless it causes any pain or mobility issues..then theyd have to amputate his toe:(

omg im so awful..why the heck didnt i check or realise it wasnt just the bloomin nail:censored:

its been over a month nikki says......im gutted..how did i leave him like it...howcome the vets never noticed it when checking him daily.

hes running up and down the stairs..in and out of his cage...round the bedrooms....slapping bluebell through the bars of the babygate....trying to get into phoebes dog crate..and having a little scrap with lily through her cage bars.

the vet said he could have done it doing this or jumping in and out of his cage.

so just leave it the vet advised....is that so?

found this article online..others say the vets can pull the toe back into place..others say it fixes itself and then they can pop it back in...

please can someone share their experience with me. I had a lionhead cross who sprained his little toe and nothing was done..vet said to just leave it but confine him to a smaller area.

ARTICLE
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/Broken-bunny-toe.htm
 
If the toe has been dislocated for some time putting it back into place may not work and it'll probably just dislocate again. I have a Bun with a dislocated toe and we are leaving it alone as he has probably had it for years and it does not bother him at all. The nail can be trimmed as normal. If it did become a problem then I'd opt for amputation.

My advice would be 'wait and see' Given his gut problems I would think a GA is the last thing Merlin needs unless it was absolutely essential.
 
My Herbie has a broken toe on his back foot, he has some tendon / cartlidge damage there. Has had this for about a year now.

At first my vets tried to bandage him up, thinking it would fuse, but he was so stressed with the massive bandage that he was not eating, so i just took it off and he hopped away quite happy.

He was referred to Royal D!ck (bad word!) Vet Hospital in Edinburgh and had X-Rays done.
I was told that with the toe being so intricate and the surgery being so invasive, i would be best to leave it while it is not causing him any problems. If it starts to 'drag' below the other toes, then I would have to go for amputation.

He is totally fine with it just now, he jumps about like a nutter, so it can't be hurting him.
 
Thank you so much jane...i really mean it....:wave:

Thats put my mind at rest..phew....i usually listen to the vet..go home and research but i couldnt find any advice on a toe thats been left that long.

yes a GA is out of order unless its life threatening due to his tummy.

i wished id known about it earlier...but as you say he wouldnt benefit from anyhting unless the pain or infection was there..hes not even limping on it!!

i am not alone..buti bet im the ony one whos had her bunny develop it whilst with them:(

hes so fluffy its hard to find his feet!! I do not know why hes at his lionhead hairiest in the summer!!
 
kermit.....you too...thank you so much for sharing.......

wow....if id have done that to merlin hed have eaten the bandage..he chews through drips quite happily:oops:
see an xray would again require a GA:(

yes the toe is kinda curled under but not so it gets sore or anything....but i will indeed watch for that...and take it one day at a time......

i dont think hed survive another GA.....not with the gut problems.:(
 
Luckily my boy never needed a GA for an X-Ray. He just freezes when he goes to the vets, wee soul :(

My Herbie is also a lionhead, so he has super fuzzy feet. I actually think that this helps to keep the toe from drooping down so much.

Check the state of him with the bandage on. I was astounded when i picked him up from the vets with this on. Needless to say it lasted about an hour then i felt too sorry for him!

P1010844.jpg
 
I've no experience, but its positive at least that Merlin doesn't seem to be bothered by it. Hopefully it won't get worse and he won't need any surgery, fingers crossed xx
 
oh bless...look at that little face and that hooge bandage!!:shock:

mmm merlins a lionhead cross i think...but at the mo hes uber fluffy....his coat and manes are at their thickest in the summer months.....dont ask:shock::lol: i find dwarf loppys and lionheads have uber fluffy feet...doesnt help does it?:oops:

all my pets all through the years have had to be put under a ga for xrays and scans...ive never heard of a bunny freezing to let them do it..poor wee soul...but at least youre safe in the knowledge he wont need a ga to have xrays and scans done..go herbie:wave::love:

have left merlin in his cage...he needs to destress.......

i panic..i know how good buns are at hiding their pain.....was the vet wrong...can he really run around and feel no pain?:?:(
 
i panic..i know how good buns are at hiding their pain.....was the vet wrong...can he really run around and feel no pain?:?:(

I know what you are thinking here, but we just have to act on the Vets best advice and on how the bunsters are acting. To me, the fact that they are running and jumping about would suggest that it is not a painful thing. (fingers crosses anyways!)
 
Back
Top