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can rabbits cope with three legs

Bouncing bunnies

Bouncing bunnies

Mama Doe
ok so my buck oscar has a large "lump" on his hind left foot which may or may not be cancerous. Iv been told by two vets removing his leg is possible but not an option as rabbits rely on their hind legs too much and he best left until he need to be pts. Does any one know a three legged bun who had their hind led removed and if so can they cope? i dont want to go against both vets obviously but im getting concerned and hes so lonely i want to make sure im doing all i can .
 
yes they can. We have had a Honeybunny who caught his leg in a hay rack and had to have it amputated. He is called Scooby and now lives as part of a quad wirh a lovely lady called Ali who i'm sure will add to this thread.
If the rabbit is other wise healthy then no problem..but the owner must keep an eye on the stump area to make sure it doesn't get sore from being dragged etc.
Hope your rabbit does well with the op
there are pics sof Scooby after his op here
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?296321-Scooby..Amputee-Bun&highlight=scooby
 
I do :wave: My friend has a rabbit who has only got three legs, the missing one is one of her back legs. I have rabbit sat for her a couple of times, so know her quite well. Cassie requires quite a bit of special care, she needs help cleaning her bum sometimes, she is very well adapted, and gets into all sorts of contorted positions to clean the rest of her body and to eat her special poos. Sometimes she needs help, but she still uses the litter tray, and runs about like mad, in a very funny gait. Her partner is very attentive and loving, they are a beautifully bonded pair.
Her owner(my friend) created special circular pillows for her to lie on to rest her back. basically they are big donuts. :D
Here's the link to my friend's web page about cassie :)
https://sites.google.com/site/bibblesbunnysanctuary/bunnies/cassie
 
im really quite confused my vet said that amputating it would not be an option. He was ill not long ago but *touch wood* is ok at the minute. But he said it was due to him not being able to cope. What would you recommend? My vets are very good and rabbit savvy. iv talked to two about it and both have said the same.,
 
As you have just had 2 examples of rabbits having their back leg off and coping well, then i think the decision is yours.
Some vets, although generally good with rabbits, are still slow to give them the same chance they would a cat or dog.my advice would be to have it removed if needed..unless your rabbit was either very old and/or very ill
 
Rainbow Rabbit Retirement Home have got a three-legged rabbit called Tiffany. She had to have a leg amputated as a tiny baby, but it's not so very unsual for a rabbit to have a leg amputated and do surprisingly well post-op. I think I read an article in a Rabbit Welfare Association magazine about the operation and recovery another bun had.
 
honeybunny said:
As you have just had 2 examples of rabbits having their back leg off and coping well, then i think the decision is yours.
Some vets, although generally good with rabbits, are still slow to give them the same chance they would a cat or dog.my advice would be to have it removed if needed..unless your rabbit was either very old and/or very ill
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thankyou for your post hes only three. iv wanted it amputated from the start when they mentioned it. if it wasnt hed have to stay as a single bun which he hates. they said he would eventually have to be pts as it would have grown to a size where he couldnt function or it would spread and id do anything to save him from this. he is not in any pain currently and really would like to have him have the op asap. my mums not so convinced and whilst shes loves him to bits isnt sure as the vet said not to have it amputated. What should i do about making sure hes ok to have the op?
 
Harry is a hind leg amputee (Left Leg)

He is more agile than some of my 4 legged Rabbits !!


019-26.jpg
 
My bridge bun Billy was a tripod bun. He coped fine with three legs. He could still outrun me! :lol: He would lean against his wife Storm to clean himself, and she helped too.

Hope Oscar will be OK. Sending lots of vibes xx
 
It might help if your vet discussed amputation with some of the super specialist top bunny vets.
The rabbit & small mammal dept at the Royal D1ck Vet are highly thought of.
Francis Harcourt Brown in Harrowgate.
Richard Saunders used to do the rabbit clinic in Langford, now I think he now works in Devon.
If you Google the names you can get contact numbers & e-mail addresses ready for your vet.

AFAIK higher hind leg amputees only need attention to well cushioned flooring to prevent a hock sore because all their weight goes through the one foot.
 
Sorry I'm late :D I have Scooby that Honeybunny mentions. He copes amazingly well with only 3 legs. I have had no issues with a dirty bottom. Scooby gets around with no problems. He doesn't really drag himself it's more of a scoot and he can certainly go at a fair pace. Matches my other rabbits for speed easily. He binkies a lot and they are kind of a sideways affair. He can climb quite well too to select a book from the bookcase for chewing. I would say that rabbits adapt easily to having only 3 legs and it is definitely a good option for a bun to live this way if necessary.
 
I know its not the same but I have a tripod cat, back left leg lost when he got knocked over.

Initially I did wonder what we had done we rescued him 2 weeks post op. He couldnt get in and out of the litter tray so we had a kitchen tray so he sort of did it where he should. He learnt to 'walk' again and now you nearly 3 years on hes great, he can do the cat flap he can climb curtains:evil: run up and down stairs, he is just a normal cat. He can wash his back end but sometimes falls over when he over balances and he cant scratch his left ear but he rubs the side of his head on stuff so thats fine.

Francis at Harrogate is a super vet from what I have heard, both her and her husband are totally rabbit savvy, maybe it would be worth a call to them, Francis Harcourt Brown.

Good luck with your decision.
 
madcatwoman said:
I know its not the same but I have a tripod cat, back left leg lost when he got knocked over.

Initially I did wonder what we had done we rescued him 2 weeks post op. He couldnt get in and out of the litter tray so we had a kitchen tray so he sort of did it where he should. He learnt to 'walk' again and now you nearly 3 years on hes great, he can do the cat flap he can climb curtains:evil: run up and down stairs, he is just a normal cat. He can wash his back end but sometimes falls over when he over balances and he cant scratch his left ear but he rubs the side of his head on stuff so thats fine.

Francis at Harrogate is a super vet from what I have heard, both her and her husband are totally rabbit savvy, maybe it would be worth a call to them, Francis Harcourt Brown.

Good luck with your decision.
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You are right about Francis Harcourt Brown. She is held in high esteem by other bunny vets too. She will not give an opinion to an owner only to another vet.
It just sounds to me that it's the O/P's vet who is concerned by amputation. There may be factors here we are all unaware of, therefore my advice that she ask her vet to get a second opinion from "superspecialists" like FHB who can allay his/her anxiety about the proceedure.
 
we had a three legged bun with the rear right missing (amputated before we got her) - you really would never have known - she could jump, hop, and run around fine.

My vet has amputated several buns.

If you vet is not confident in this operation then I suggest you get a referral to a specialist rabbit vet.
 
ok im trying to get as much info on thw hole thing and really want to talk to my vet to discuss them getting a second option/ talking to a specialist. does anyone know what sort of cost id be looking at ?
 
parsnipbun said:
If you vet is not confident in this operation then I suggest you get a referral to a specialist rabbit vet.
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^^ This.

I thought my vets were reasonably rabbit savvy until Esme stopped breathing under anaesthetic - one of those things, not the fault of the vets in any way, they saved her but they weren't confident to try again, nor did they refer me to a specialist, just advised not to spay. I found the specialist myself - Frances Harcourt-Brown, she used a different anaesthetic to spay Esme and was totally confident in doing so. I have been, as her husband phrased it, taking them "interesting cases" ever since!

Honestly, if your vets have suggested put to sleep it needs to ring alarm bells if they are talking purely with regard to the amputation and not with regards to the cancer risks. I'd definitely be seeking out a specialist practice and you won't find better than FHB and Nigel H-B.
 
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I have got Poppy who is a three legged bunny, she has had her hind leg removed, she copes amazingly well, she runs and hops at quite a speed and lives a very full life

Can I suggest that before you go to Francis Harcourt Brown, you contact and speak to Gwen who runs Bunny Burrows, she will give you some very good advice
 
I am in Cambridge so not much use - but as you are in Yorkshire I suggest you go for Frances Harcourt Brown - probably the best there is in the bunny world.
 
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