I have a French Lop who is 17 months old. He is the cuddliest rabbit and he loves to lick.....my hands, the floor, his pen.
He has had a few problems since having him, particularly to do with his legs. I got him from a rescue in Wiltshire (last August) and his brother had already been put to sleep because he had something wrong with his one leg. First I noticed that Finley's head was slightly turned and he began to lose the use of his back legs. I took him to the vets and he had blood tests to confirm but the vet said to go ahead and treat for E-Cuniculi. We began the tretament and he repsonded but the bloods came back and said this was not what he had! We stopped the treatment and he lost the use of his legs again. Therefore he was put back on a 28 day course of Panacur. During this time he went off his food so had to be syringe fed Critical Care. Unfortunately some food managed to end up on his lungs and began to have difficulties breathing. I took him to the vets where he was x-rayed and put on more medication.
After 28 days he was fine for about two weeks.
I noticed that he didn't seem to be using his one back leg as well as usual. I took him to the vets who thought that he had an abcess on his hock - caused by him standing in a thorne in his hay. He was put on penicillin to try and help. The vet operated and flushed the abcess and hoped that would work. It didn't! A few weeks later he had another operation where drains were inserted into his hock and he had to wear a buster collar. For just over two weeks we had to flush his drains and try to squeeze the puss out of his leg. He was on alot of other treatment too! After all this the vet took the drains out and hoped Finley would begin to use his leg again. Between operations he did not use his leg and it was very swollen.
We went back to the vets about 2 weeks later for his 'final' check-up where the vet was hoping to give us the all-clear. We knew this would not be the case. Finley had balls of puss appear all over his foot and leg. The only option left was amputation.
Finley was booked in for two days later and he had his left hock and whole leg removed. He made a quick recovery and the vet was very pleased with his healed area BUT his other leg began to get pressure sores where he was holding the weight of his body on one leg. Finley had to continue having penicillin injections, we had to get foam mats and he had to have his remaining hock bandaged for several weeks until it got better. He struggles to walk and run on laminate but apart from that he is a very happy bun - he can even run up and down the stairs!
(My Vet said that sore hocks was quite common in Frenchies)
My other French Lop Emily has also had a few problems ....too much to type.....
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...-MAJOR-surgery-U-D-Emily-is-coming-home-today!!!
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?301252-Emily-recovering-well-after-her-major-op...
Emily is currently being treated for an ear infection and the vet is hoping that its not an inner ear problem....so for now we have our fingers crossed!
Although my Frenchies have cost me a fortune in vet bills I would not be without them.