Weak back legs, falling sometimes

Hi :wave:
I wondered if anyone's had anything similar or tried any of these treatments?
My girl bun Lily has started having a bit of trouble with her back legs all of a sudden. It started with her right leg then over the course of a week it got worse and sometimes she falls over if she turns suddenly or tries to run too fast. We thought it might be because our boy bun presses down on her back a lot from humping her (they are both neutered but he still does it a lot). Sometimes she tries to run while he's on her back and we thought this might be hurting her back as she's running with her back/bum being pressed down low. They're house rabbits so we can watch them and we always pull him off her straight away or stop him before he starts, and lately they're kept with a partition between them when we can't sit with them so she can rest. I'm not sure if maybe she hurt her back from my boy bun putting pressure on it and it may just take a bit of time to get better?

She's been to the vets this week and x-rays show she has a bit of spondylitis (or spondylosis?) so was put on Metacam but this hasn't really made any difference at all so the vet said that could be a coincidence that she has this and it's not what's causing her to fall, as if it was pain restricting movement we'd notice a change once on Metacam.
She's had a steroid injection to last her over the weekend (to work like a stronger dose of Metacam) to see if that helps but I'm not sure there's any change either?
Both my buns are also now on a treatment for EC in case that's the cause (though she has no other symptoms and he has none).
Her right leg is stiffer than the other one when moved, though she does still have mobility in both. She's kinda acting like it's numb rather than painful?
Another possibility is it could be a trapped nerve.

She is eating and drinking fine, seems perky, and hopping about as best as she can, she's carrying on as though there's no problem. She can't balance to eat her cecotrophes so I move them in front of her and she eats them. When washing her face she can't sit up as high as normal, her face is close to the floor but she can still wash.
I've also been massaging her leg muscles, moving her legs, and will maybe try an acupuncturist in a few weeks if there's no change.
I've given her some Arthri-Aid today for her joints, the vet said this is fine to do as a supplement but probably won't help this back leg issue.

Because there's so many possibilities I guess I'm asking if anyone's had a similar problem and did your bunny get better?! Can you recommend any of these treatments I've mentioned? She doesn't seem to be getting worse. I just want her to be better!
Any comments/ advice/ similar stories are very welcome! Thanks for reading my long message

I was gonna say EC but theyre on a treatment.
Perhaps a treatment to their house??

My Lily was very disabled...particularly towards the end.But she was disabled from birth,and quite severely.

They're on day 3 of their panacur EC treatment - not sure how long it would take to help this. And can weak legs be an only sign of EC or do you normally get all symptoms?

She may have done a binky wrong or something.My BB had a sore paw,he wasnt weight bearing but a day or two of cage rest and some metacam did the trick.
Im not really familiar with EC symptoms.Theres a head tilt with it too at times, and neurological signs but a blood test can tell if bunny is positive.
I think its a case of do what youre doing.
Perhaps a bit of cage rest might do her good???

She is putting weight on her legs but they seem weak and she falls, or she'll stretch her body then stay laying down with her back legs out. She's having lots of rest but also some light exercise to keep moving I let her outside in the sunshine today and she had a few hops but prefers sitting.
The vet said not to bother with a blood test as they're not always that reliable for EC, but if positive I'd end up treating with Panacur anyway. I think he's trying to save me money too!
Thanks for your reply it means a lot to hear from people

elaine84 said:

She is putting weight on her legs but they seem weak and she falls, or she'll stretch her body then stay laying down with her back legs out. She's having lots of rest but also some light exercise to keep moving I let her outside in the sunshine today and she had a few hops but prefers sitting.
The vet said not to bother with a blood test as they're not always that reliable for EC, but if positive I'd end up treating with Panacur anyway. I think he's trying to save me money too!
Thanks for your reply it means a lot to hear from people

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no probs.I think its fairly quiet tonight.......xx

I've dithered about posting as I so don't want to worry you but I also really would like to know what happens with your bun.

I had exact same symptom only much much worse with my late bun a few weeks ago- this is why I did not want to post but I felt I did not get definitive answer for the problem hence being so interested in our post.

My vet was certain that it was not EC as she had no other symptoms and a blood test showed massive muscle damage and he was certain she had spinal injury but if your bun gets better after treatment for EC then I will know that this might have been the cause. I have to say that my bun totally lost use of her back legs and it was agonising to see and she stopped eating etc so no matter what was the cause it would have been cruel to keep her suffering any longer.

I am truly sorry if this posts distresses you and I really really hope that the treatment works. The EC treatment is 28 days so I assume it can take a few weeks to show real improvements if its that, if she is still eating drinking pooing and managing to clean herself and get around then there is huge hope/

to your bun from me.

bunkin said:

I've dithered about posting as I so don't want to worry you but I also really would like to know what happens with your bun.

I had exact same symptom only much much worse with my late bun a few weeks ago- this is why I did not want to post but I felt I did not get definitive answer for the problem hence being so interested in our post.

My vet was certain that it was not EC as she had no other symptoms and a blood test showed massive muscle damage and he was certain she had spinal injury but if your bun gets better after treatment for EC then I will know that this might have been the cause. I have to say that my bun totally lost use of her back legs and it was agonising to see and she stopped eating etc so no matter what was the cause it would have been cruel to keep her suffering any longer.

I am truly sorry if this posts distresses you and I really really hope that the treatment works. The EC treatment is 28 days so I assume it can take a few weeks to show real improvements if its that, if she is still eating drinking pooing and managing to clean herself and get around then there is huge hope/

to your bun from me.

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Did your bun lose the use of her back legs straight away or slowly? Lily still has a big appetite and seems happy, we can only tell there's a problem when she tries to run but she can get about. Do you know what might have caused your bun's muscle damage if it was that? x

When I was very young we had a bun who slipped a disk and became paralysed, it was relatively gradual and developed over a few weeks. I wouldn't necessarily say your bun has this as the vet hasn't suggested it, but just to let you know that our rabbit lived 3-4 happy years after this happened. He was very happy and able to pull himself around without any distress, we just helped him out however we could (daily baths, going to him to fuss him rather than waiting for him to come to us, bringing him hus food ratger than expecting him to go to it etc). He was very happy despite his disability, so if your bun does develop this problem all is not lost, rabbits can cope well even with partial/full loss of use of their back legs and most importantly they can still be happy!

I hope your bun does get back to her usual self soon though.

The loss was gradual over about 3 weeks - to begin with she just was crawling rather than how she usually walked and she was totally fine apart from that and vet gave her metacam which after 4 days worked and she was much better and she was okay for another 6 days then one morning she could barely drag hersefl out of the cage and her legs were behind her like a seal, she could drag herself around and she was still eating and bright and vet said keep on the metacam and he did the blood test. She then went downhill she was very distressed trying to move around and after a few days she stopped eating and even though we were washing her twice a day she could not clean herself at all and was just laying in same place for hours on end. Vet tried high does sterioids and antibiotics but made no difference
The vet said he was certain she had either slipped a disc or more likely had an abcess on her spine.
I am severely allergic to animal fur so could not have her in the house with me
If your bun is eating and bright then they are not suffering so its a case of adapting to their needs - obviously I am very interested to know what happens with your bun and what your vet thinks.

Thank you FunnyBunny, I hope she gets back to normal too but at least I know she can be happy if she doesn't. I reeeeeally hope she does though

Sorry to hear about your bunny Bunkin, my babies live in the lounge with us so we can keep an eye on them. She doesn't seem to have changed either way over the weekend but they're back to the vet tomorrow so I'll see what else he suggests.

I would ask your vet about other tests that can be done to check what else might be going on. Especially the blood test if it can determine muscle wastage as Bunkin said. As for the Spondylosis, as I have said via pm, I would really push for an increase in metacam dose. It is too low for Spondylosis. If you can print out those links I already gave you and show him. Spondylosis is a very painful disease. Also treating for EC it is good to use Metacam too for the anti-inflammatory side for Lily's brain which can be affected by EC.

Thanks Binkybun I'll ask about the muscle wastage and definitely the Metacam as even if it isn't helping her legs she'll still need it for the spondylosis. I should be able to start back on it tomorrow once I've seen the vet cos he said not to use it at the same time as the steroid.
Thank you everyone I'll keep you updated when I'm back from the vets xx

Good luck tomorrow xx

Elaine - would love an update on your bunny as I had posted on your thread having lost my bunny to something similar a few weeks ago.

Just thought I'd put my two pence in here too, its not the same thing I dont think, but its just a tribute for disabled bunnies

I used to have an absolutely stunning female rex rabbit, with what the vets called partial hind limb paralysis, who lived a very happy life up to being 5 years old when she died of something completely unrelated.

I got her from a rescue who didnt know too much about her, other than that she was from a cruelty case, where she'd been kept cruelly confined with another rabbit that attacked her. THey thought that her past, could have caused her leg problems when they got her, she couldnt hop, she just used to kind of wobble/walk on her back legs, one was considerably weaker than the other and if she suddenly spooked or tried to turn around too narrowly she'd fall over...When I got her she hadnt had a single visitor and they warned me that she might have big problems keeping herself clean etc...

The whole 3 years I had her, she never had a single bout of messy bum (unlike her healthy husband who was frankly disgusting ) She couldnt binky but instead used to set of at a galloping wobble down the garden and wave her head around in excitement very entertaining to watch! Even though she looked awkward to watch sometimes, you could tell she wasnt in any pain, and she got around just fine - albeit in her own way! She had a great life and lived happily as far as I can tell with her hubby and us!

Lovely story and just goes to show that disabled buns can have a good life.

Elaine84 hope your bun is showing some signs of improvement.
Wildchild91 - what a beautiful story, your Rex girl obviously had a fab life with you because you were prepared to give her a chance.

Hiya :wave:
Thanks for your replies and that is a lovely story about your rex bunny!
There's not really been any change in Lily, she's still happy and eating, drinking and trying to clean etc. I do have to clean her bottom a bit as the cecotrophes get stuck sometimes so I put them in front of her and she eats them :thumb:
She's still the same with her hopping then stumbling/falling on her side, but she can get around albeit very slowly.
They're still both being treated with Panacur, and Lily is also having Arthri-Aid (a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement) and Metacam.
This week she also had some acupuncture! The acupuncturist came to my house and Lily didn't seem to mind it, she even purred at one point! Apparently it takes at least 4 sessions to show any change if it's going to work so she's got it again this weekend - will keep you updated on if it helps.
The lady also does McTimoney osteopath work so is going to do a bit of that too. And she's shown me some exercises to do on Lily to keep the muscles in her legs strong.
Lily's seemed a bit stiffer yesterday and today but that could be from the acupuncture (she said it'll get a bit worse before it gets better because of the muscles being stimulated).
I think that's all I know at the moment so I'll keep you updated on how it goes

I thought I'd update people who were asking how Lily is getting on . I don't want to jinx it by saying this but her mobility has improved fantastically!
Although spondylosis showed up on the x-rays, we think the main thing affecting her mobility was E Cuniculi, which was probably brought out by the stress of the spondylosis or her husbun's spring fever!
Both of the buns were treated with Panacur, and Lily has been having acupuncture and I've been shown some exercises to keep her legs supple and keep the muscles moving. They'd got very stiff but now her legs move in and out as normal if I were to press on them.
She did get worse at one point and started weeing where she was sitting, and falling over in the night so I'd come down in the morning and have to prop her up. The urinating can be a sign of EC, and she'd had a few fits which are also a sign of EC. (The vet didn't test her for it cos it can show up positive from past antibodies so she was treated for it anyway).
With lots of love and attention (some would say too much :lol: ) she's been getting better and fingers crossed she will continue to do so, and the fits will stop.
I still have to feed her her cecotrophes as she still can't reach them, though sometimes she gets up and turns around and gets them (sorry tmi lol)
She does sometimes stumble when hopping but manages to stop herself toppling over, and can get up from a fall now. I was so happy when she ran across the garden and I think she was too!
She's currently snoozing on a cushion!