Advice please, I think Fred has hurt his leg.

A couple of days ago I was just outside the door and Fred suddenly started thumping and went and hid under the chair for ages. When he came out it looked as though he wasn't putting as much weight as usual on his front right leg, when sitting still. I wondered if he'd caught his nail on something so we picked him up and had a look but there was nothing to see and he left my husband feel up and down his leg and foot without flinching or seeming in pain. He was running around and eating as usual so I left him to it and he seemed to be getting better.

This morning he's doing a similar thing, moving around ok and jumping on and off the sofa but when he stops he doesn't put his right front paw on the ground as much, he keeps lifting it up, and when he washes it I think he's holding it across his body more than usual. I tried to have a look at it again when he was on my knee but he fought and squirmed and got away, I wonder if he reacted like that because it's causing him pain.

I'm not sure whether my usual vet is open today but I'll ring at 9 and see, and if they aren't I'll take him somewhere else to be looked at. I was just wondering if any of you had experienced a similar thing and had any ideas what it might be? My vet is nice but not a rabbit specialist and I'm not 100% confident that she does everything possible so I'd like some suggestions.

Poor bunny, he was only at the vet on Monday for his vaccinations

Oh dear, poor Fred! Sound similar to what our cooper is going through at the minute.

See this thread here...
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?383240-Cooper-has-hurt-his-paw-X-ray-tomorrow

Good luck at he vets :wave:

Thanks Bailey's, it does sound similar. Glad Cooper is ok and getting some treatment
It's so difficult deciding when to take him to the vet, I'm now thinking I should have taken him when two days ago when I first noticed it but it seemed fine and he was ok in himself and he gets so stressed going to the vet. On the other hand he still seems fine in himself, behaving normally, shredding a cardboard box as I type, so I feel guilty putting him through the stress of a vet trip!

He didn't have a Cylap VHD Vaccine by any chance did he ?

Jack's-Jane said:

He didn't have a Cylap VHD Vaccine by any chance did he ?

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I'm not sure what Cylap is
He had the combined vaccine.
Why do you ask? Thanks.

Jolysium said:

I'm not sure what Cylap is
He had the combined vaccine.
Why do you ask? Thanks.

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A known side effect of the SINGLE DOSE CYLAP Vaccine is a transient front leg limp. I have not heard of a similar issue with the combination vaccine though.

Jack's-Jane said:

A known side effect of the SINGLE DOSE CYLAP Vaccine is a transient front leg limp. I have not heard of a similar issue with the combination vaccine though.

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Oh, that's interesting, thanks Jack's-Jane. I will ask at the vet, it will be a test for them! I wonder why a limp is a side effect of a vaccine :?, so much I'll never understand!

Booked in for 9.45, fingers crossed it's nothing serious.

U/D back from vet

The vet examined him and the only thing she could find was that one of the muscles in his front right leg felt slightly bigger than the corresponding one on the left. She's given him some metacam and said to see how he goes over the next few days. I suppose she's basically saying it's a bit of a sprain. She certainly didn't think there were any fractures.

Oh glad to hear it doesn't seem to be anything too serious

Jolysium said:

The vet examined him and the only thing she could find was that one of the muscles in his front right leg felt slightly bigger than the corresponding one on the left. She's given him some metacam and said to see how he goes over the next few days. I suppose she's basically saying it's a bit of a sprain. She certainly didn't think there were any fractures.

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Ah, snap! Coopers foot seems slightly larger than his other too. Hopefully after a run of metacam (and baytril in our case) they will be walking ok soon. :thumb: Let's keep each other up to date with how things pan out. We might be of help to each other:thumb:

Thanks Zoobec and Bailey's
Yes, we'll have to compare notes! Hopefully they'll both be hopping happily again in no time.

Well Fred has been back to the vet today because his leg didn't seem any better after the anti-inflammatory. The vet felt it again and said it actually feels worse. He's still not flinching away when she touches it but it's bigger. She clipped a bit of his fur but couldn't see any sign of an abscess, but given that he didn't respond to the anti-inflammatory she's given some antibiotics in case. He's going back on Friday and will need more investigations if it hasn't improved.

Poor Fred Hope the antibiotics help. Sending lots of vibes xx

Thanks Helen.

Get better soon Fred. <3

Poor Fred Did your vet take any blood to test? That was how our vet found Cooper had an infection. Cooper is back to his usual self now, much brighter and walking fine. He has had Baytril and metacam for 10 days now and it seems to have done trick (fingers crossed)
Hope the antibiotics work for Fred:thumb: let us know how he gets on :wave:

Bailey's said:

Poor Fred Did your vet take any blood to test? That was how our vet found Cooper had an infection. Cooper is back to his usual self now, much brighter and walking fine. He has had Baytril and metacam for 10 days now and it seems to have done trick (fingers crossed)
Hope the antibiotics work for Fred:thumb: let us know how he gets on :wave:

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Thank you, glad to hear that Cooper is better!

Fred's leg wasn't any better on Friday but felt less 'fluidy' according to the vet. She seems a bit baffled but says to extend the antibiotics to ten days and then return if not completely better. She's not done any blood tests yet, she said she doesn't want to put him through anything unnecessarily but will do if he's not improving. She did mention cancer again and he's definitely losing weight because I can feel his spine more than I used to when stroking him. He still seems ok in himself though, eating, drinking and hopping about, so I'm holding on to that and keeping my fingers crossed for him.