Weak/Wobbly back end/legs - any advice or experience?

Hi,

I noticed one of my buns, Martha (5-years-old), was a bit wobbly/weak on her back end/hind legs, so took her in to see the vet. On exam, he had normal deep pain in her back legs, and was alternating between 'hopping' and 'walking' with her hind legs. She pulled her legs back normally on extension, and there was nothing obvious in her legs or on manually examining her spine. We came away with Metacam, and if she didn't improve, the next step is x-ray.

Martha's eating, drinking, pooing and weeing fine, no staining on her bum, and apart from this 'weakness' is absolutely normal in her behaviour. She's bonded in a group of 3, and they live in a 10x8 foot shed with ramps and platforms. The only things coming to mind are that she's jumped from a platform and got it wrong/twisted (the highest platform is 2 foot high), or that when they do their occasional humping something has hurt/damaged her, or Spondylosis. I also read that E-Cunic can cause weak back legs, so have started her on panacur (although after reading some info not sure of the effectiveness of this).

I'll be taking Martha in for x-ray early next week. In the shed, I have a hutch which I use to bed out with straw in winter so they can snuggle up, so I'm putting her in there overnight so she can't be humped or move too much, but she can still see her buddies. I have been letting her out through the day, but am wondering if it would be worth confining her in the hutch until her x-ray and we (hopefully) know what's going on.

If anyone has experience of this, or advice, I'd appreciate your reply.

I'm not new here, but for some reason I can't login, so had to set up a new account!

Thanks,

Liz (worried bun mum)

Sorry I can't help you but lots of vibes for Martha. X

Panacur works! I thought EC as soon as I saw the title. She might need a snuggle safe but only you can tell that, just keep checking she feels warm.
If she seems to get weaker I would go back to the vet for some baytril to add to the Panacur and treat as per EC.
Was she given a full check of ears, eyes, temp, etc?

Neleh said:

Panacur works! I thought EC as soon as I saw the title. She might need a snuggle safe but only you can tell that, just keep checking she feels warm.
If she seems to get weaker I would go back to the vet for some baytril to add to the Panacur and treat as per EC.
Was she given a full check of ears, eyes, temp, etc?

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Thanks for replying!

Yeah, checked ears, eyes, palpated tummy, didn't do temp. The wobbling is on and off; sometimes she hops, sometimes she walks, but the weakness seems more constant. Not seen a bun wobbling from EC, so was in the dark as to how it happened and I hate not knowing! Especially because everything else in her behaviour is perfectly normal...

I'm a vet nurse, so have 3 snuggles safes for all the waifs and strays that I end up adopting/fostering/rehabbing! I'll be placing one under her bedding overnight, and she feels fine at the min. I know the vets (used to work there) so I know she'll happily dispense necessary meds for me. She's on day-3 of the Panacur, and I've ordered more in. She is an absolute angel taking it and LOVES the Metacam even more! As soon as she's taken her dose, she grabs at the syringe wanting more and tries to throw it around. She is such a sweetheart, really hope she'll improve...

Thanks again for your reply... I do mither of my furry kids!

Liz

Malteser was greag with his meds too!
Malteser was wobbly after, we found him paralysed so didn't see it coming on. He was fine in the morning but nit when we came home.
This might sound mean but if you gently push her rear end to assess stability it might help you see if there is some unbalnce there. Only push a little, just as much as another bun wouldn't notice and would be quite stable

My girl is 8, and we have been going through the same thing. Rear end weakness which led to inability to get up after a while. Her problem is not E Cuniculi, but spinal degeneration. Basically, her spine is calcifying and fusing, and has caused pressure on her spinal cord. She can feel things in her feet, but is too lame to get upright or hop now.

I would perhaps pursue the X-ray, which will tell you more definitively if there is an orthopedic component to her weakness. We opted for large doses of Metacam rather than panacur, since we can see what is causing her problems. If nothing shows up on X-ray, then you know that E Cuniculi is a possibility.

hot knox buns said:

My girl is 8, and we have been going through the same thing. Rear end weakness which led to inability to get up after a while. Her problem is not E Cuniculi, but spinal degeneration. Basically, her spine is calcifying and fusing, and has caused pressure on her spinal cord. She can feel things in her feet, but is too lame to get upright or hop now.

I would perhaps pursue the X-ray, which will tell you more definitively if there is an orthopedic component to her weakness. We opted for large doses of Metacam rather than panacur, since we can see what is causing her problems. If nothing shows up on X-ray, then you know that E Cuniculi is a possibility.

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Hi,

Thanks for replying... Does you girl manage to get up at all? Bless her.

I'm taking her for an x-ray on Tuesday, so I can find out is it's a degenerative/trauma problem or not. Depending on that, I can make an informed decision on how to treat her. Hopefully it's nothing serious, but at least I'll know. She's getting around fine at the moment, although wobbly and choosing to walk instead of hop at times, so I've got everything crossed for my little Martha that it won't be anything long-term.

Also interesting to know of people's experiences with things like this.

Thanks again,

Liz

Sadly, she does not get up anymore. She has been down for about two weeks now, and I doubt she will get back up. It started out with her just being wobbly. after a while she would have these little episodes where she would not be able to get up for an hour or so. After recovering, she would be slightly less stable than before. Two weeks ago she had a bad day and that was it. We had a vet visit and X-ray back in the start of December, and a second opinion a week and a half ago. She has feeling in her back feet, and she can kick them out if she chooses, but she is not strong enough to stand or to hop or walk. According to the vet for HRS, she just has a loss of function in the left rear leg, but she won't even sit midline or attempt to use her right rear anymore. She just lays out.

From the start of when we first noticed some changes to now was probably 7-9 months. I wasn't around for part of the summer, but I can't remember seeing her binkie since maybe last June? She seems happy enough and comfortable with her new lifestyle. She eats and poops fine. So we are going day by day and seeing how she does as a disabled bun.

Feel free to ask any questions you want, I am happy to share what we are going through.

P.s. I am a vet nurse, too!

hot knox buns said:

Sadly, she does not get up anymore. She has been down for about two weeks now, and I doubt she will get back up. It started out with her just being wobbly. after a while she would have these little episodes where she would not be able to get up for an hour or so. After recovering, she would be slightly less stable than before. Two weeks ago she had a bad day and that was it. We had a vet visit and X-ray back in the start of December, and a second opinion a week and a half ago. She has feeling in her back feet, and she can kick them out if she chooses, but she is not strong enough to stand or to hop or walk. According to the vet for HRS, she just has a loss of function in the left rear leg, but she won't even sit midline or attempt to use her right rear anymore. She just lays out.

From the start of when we first noticed some changes to now was probably 7-9 months. I wasn't around for part of the summer, but I can't remember seeing her binkie since maybe last June? She seems happy enough and comfortable with her new lifestyle. She eats and poops fine. So we are going day by day and seeing how she does as a disabled bun.

Feel free to ask any questions you want, I am happy to share what we are going through.

P.s. I am a vet nurse, too!

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Hi,

Bless your girly... strange how she won't use her right leg if there's still feeling. Glad she's got such a caring mum... hope she continues to cope ok with her change in lifestyle...

I was surprised at Martha this morning... I have been keeping her in the hutch in the shed overnight for the last 3-nights as I didn't want to risk any humping or naughtiness when I couldn't monitor them. She's not been that happy confined, so when I gave them their breakfast this morning she was rattling the hutch door to be out! I let her out with the others into the main area, and she has hopped constantly and without weakness/wobbliness straight to her buddies and the food! After breakfast, I went to watch and make sure they didn't start humping and to see how she was doing. She went into the large cardboard box I put in, and was digging it and making her preferred holes to get in and out! She's munching on hay, and moving around much more freely now, and I haven't today seen any weakness (got everything crossed she stays like this).

She's had Panacur for 4-days now, so if it is EC, then I'm not sure how long with would take to make a difference, as I've only used it for routine worming so far.

I just feel a little relieved to see her moving in such a stable way... I do worry about my little furry guys when I don't understand what's happening! As I'm sure is the same with you, when it's something more obvious, working in practice you don't worry as much, but when you don't know what happening it's awful!

I'll be continuing meds and monitoring closely, and she's booked in for an x-ray Tuesday anyway, so we'll see how she goes.

Thanks again for sharing what you're going through... appreciate your replies.

Liz

Spoke too soon... last night she was wobbly/weak again

I'm treating as if it's EC, and the vet who was doing the x-ray is on CPD tomorrow and Wed, so, not trusting the other vets there with rabbits, I'll be taking her for a conscious x-ray Thu/Fri.
I will hopefully know one way or the other if it's a degenerative problem or if there's any damage to her spine/legs.

She's bright and bubbly as usual, eating well, and everything is totally normal bar this wobbly/weak gait. Hmmmm.

I absolutely hate it when you don't know what the problem is...

That's so hard when they are doing well and you feel less worried, then bam! Another episode. We've been there. I will be thinking good thoughts for her!

Iggy tiptoes sometimes, esp if its been cold. He was diagnosed witharthritis at 6.
I hope she feels better soon though x

This happened to my lovely rescue bun Merry. I know he had EC from very young as when we adopted him he had balance and wobbly head issues.He never could climb steps and used to twirl round and round. He was an adorable little guy. When he was 6 he started to get weaker in his back legs - more on one side than another. My vet prescribed Panacur which improved things for a bit. Gradually he struggled to support himself and lived 8 months as a contented but disabled bun, munching fave treats on his comfy vet bed next to me on the sofa. He died in his sleep having been perfectly well the day before. It was hard but he was 7 1/2. Much missed

blackbunsmum said:

This happened to my lovely rescue bun Merry. I know he had EC from very young as when we adopted him he had balance and wobbly head issues.He never could climb steps and used to twirl round and round. He was an adorable little guy. When he was 6 he started to get weaker in his back legs - more on one side than another. My vet prescribed Panacur which improved things for a bit. Gradually he struggled to support himself and lived 8 months as a contented but disabled bun, munching fave treats on his comfy vet bed next to me on the sofa. He died in his sleep having been perfectly well the day before. It was hard but he was 7 1/2. Much missed

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hi im treating my bunny daisy for ec its awful to see them go through this. its been around 4 to 5 weeks now im on the last week of pancur and have just got metacalm as well she has lost all the fur around her bottom and has bear skin stupidly i put metanium on for bunny burns im afraid ive made it worse and so upset about it. changed to sudecrem now she is eating and drinking but still cant sit up she drags her back paws around im afraid she will never hop again i hope she proves me wrong.

Martha is a weird one... She comes flying out for her breakfast on a morning and hops all the way.

She's still wobbly on and off, and sometimes walks instead of hopping, but her condition has got no worse, and is going between improving to being the same.

She's in for a x-ray tomorrow (conscious as if it's poss EC the vet doesn't want to give her an anaesthetic), so at least I will (hopefully) know what I can rule out.

Do they worry us of what?! All my furry kids do, but more so when I can't clearly see what's going on...

Finger's crossed for Martha... I'll be an anxious bun mum tomorrow!

Thanks for your replies,

Liz

Here's my gorgeous Martha

Good luck for tomorrow, and Martha is a gorgeous girl. I will look out for an update from you as sounds relatively similar to my Bella (I have just posted a thread) except Bella has urine scald as well. I haven't seperated her from her mate as I know she would go downhill without him, they really are the closest bonded bunnies I know (I have 6 altogether and also foster from time to time). Wishing her a speedy recovery. Bella is on day 6 of panacur, but I don't have any doubts as to its effectiveness - a bunny we had here over Xmas who was cage bound and could not stand without rolling is now able to binky and run after treatment for EC with panacur.

Holy cow, she is cute!!!

Little update...

We did 4 x-rays yesterday, 2 of the spine, 2 of the legs, all in different positions (DV/VD/lateral). All x-rays were very good and clear. Thankfully, there was no inflammation or signs of spondylosis, nothing showed untoward at all. Martha was an absolute star, lying so still and in position conscious for them to be done, and each one followed with cuddles and snogs from me!

Based on that, I'm going to continue treatment for suspected EC with Panacur and Bayril, and also continue with the Metacam until the bottle is finished (about another 10-days). She seems much improved, the wobbliness has stopped, and although she 'walks' instead of 'hops' on occasion, this is also much improved. In herself, she's bright as a button, and takes her meds straight away, even the Baytril, amazingly!

I'm relieved it's nothing degenerative or any trauma, but will have to continue with meds and see how she progresses...

All other things are normal; eating/drinking/poops/wees etc, and she's very active with no other signs.

Kate123, hope this is useful info for you... I haven't separated Martha either (group of 3), as even in a crate in the shed with them she wasn't happy. They're all currently huddled together grooming each other

Liz