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Belgian hare sitting up strangely...putting paws on his back feet...

T

thomas100

New Kit
Hello

I have a belgian hare male who is now 7.5 years old....always very healthy and no problems...he was at the vet hospital last week as he stopped eating and stayed for 3 days and had treatment for ileus etc...he is home and eating ok again....but very quiet and likes to stay on the sofa and doesn't like to leave his room....when he first came back from vets he spent 3 days on sofa while we got him eating again etc...he walked about a bit and had a run in the garden....then i noticed how he was sitting up...putting his front paws on top of his feet and trying to balance...he cant wash the ears with the 2 front paws as he used to....he hops about and runs normally...no limping or other signs....only when he wants to sit up on paws that he seems to have this problem...i am thinking of going back and getting an xray done but he was fine before he went to the vets....i have done many searches and cannot find anyone with the same problems....can anyone suggest anything please....i will take him for the x ray when he seems less nervous about leaving his room etc....seems to get stressed if i try to push him to leave the room...Thankyou.
 
Sometimes ileus is the result of a bunny not eating, not the cause. Bunnies can stop eating because they are not comfortable. Could he have an ear infection? Is he still on medications?
Some medications may also cause the bunny to be lethargic.
 
My first thoughts are:
- get his back teeth checked properly (spurs may be a cause of not eating properly)
- check ears (infection or abscess may cause balance issues, making it difficult to stand on hind legs to wash)
- check for back injury and arthritis (again, may make it difficult to wash)

Is he on any medication? Sometimes pain relief / an anti-inflammatory (eg Metacam) can improve the quality of life by relieving some of the symptoms. Ask your vet for advice and a full check over as there still seems to be something wrong. Rabbits hide their symptoms so you have done well to spot them.
 
I would suspect back injury/arthritis first hence the way he is sitting. I hope you can get him sorted.
 
thomas100 said:
Hello

I have a belgian hare male who is now 7.5 years old....always very healthy and no problems...he was at the vet hospital last week as he stopped eating and stayed for 3 days and had treatment for ileus etc...he is home and eating ok again....but very quiet and likes to stay on the sofa and doesn't like to leave his room....when he first came back from vets he spent 3 days on sofa while we got him eating again etc...he walked about a bit and had a run in the garden....then i noticed how he was sitting up...putting his front paws on top of his feet and trying to balance...he cant wash the ears with the 2 front paws as he used to....he hops about and runs normally...no limping or other signs....only when he wants to sit up on paws that he seems to have this problem...i am thinking of going back and getting an xray done but he was fine before he went to the vets....i have done many searches and cannot find anyone with the same problems....can anyone suggest anything please....i will take him for the x ray when he seems less nervous about leaving his room etc....seems to get stressed if i try to push him to leave the room...Thankyou.
Click to expand...

Welcome Thomas and sorry to hear about your rabbit.

How confident are you in the expertise of the vet hospital you used?

I should take him to a really good rabbit savvy vet. You can post another thread in the Forum with the header "Rabbit Savvy vet needed in (your location) and members will give their recommendations.

It sounds like he needs diagnostics for what he's gong through. Yes there may be issues with teeth or ears, but there may be other things going on from what you've described. I wouldn't waste time, I would go to a specialist as it will save time and money in the long run, and help your rabbit quicker.

Good luck xx
 
Hi my rabbit is sitting exactly the same...he has arthritis he is on pain relief (metacam) long term but still sits like this I honestly thought he was in pain but the vet said if it was that bad he would stop eating other than the joints he's fine x
 
Welcome. I agree with MightyMax regarding your hare. Does he have a name? It sounds like he could have pain in his tummy. Sitting with his front paws on his back paws. like he's pushing on his tummy. You need a really rabbit savvy vet and some diagnostics done. Congratulations on his reaching such a good age for a Belgian Hare. Bless him. xxx
 
Last edited:
bunny momma said:
Sometimes ileus is the result of a bunny not eating, not the cause. Bunnies can stop eating because they are not comfortable. Could he have an ear infection? Is he still on medications?
Some medications may also cause the bunny to be lethargic.
Click to expand...

Hi
he is on cisapride for 10 days and bio lapsis for a week...he ate a whole bag of pears and that upset his stomach....ears seem to be clean and ok. thanks.
 
hi
his teeth been checked 3 times in last month...check up and also 2 visits to vet with stomach probs..all checked the teeth..and all ok..he is on cisapride and bio lapsis for a week. thanks
 
vets are very good...teeth all checked out and all ok...he was mobile before getting ill...now eating fine again...i will get him in for an xray soon.
thanks.
 
thomas100 said:
vets are very good...teeth all checked out and all ok...he was mobile before getting ill...now eating fine again...i will get him in for an xray soon.
thanks.
Click to expand...

You're welcome :)

I hope you can get to the bottom of the problem and please report back when you do!
 
update

Firstly thanks for the replies and info....his teeth are fine and he is eating well again....He is booked into vets tmw for a check up and possible xray...i noticed that his left foot seems a bit twisted and he puts it very close to the right foot when sitting...he is very content and purring away...so i dont think he is in pain....he had a little walk around his room today but jumped back to his sofa almost immediately....but when he does run and hop there is no limping etc...His name is Thomas.
 
thomas100 said:
Firstly thanks for the replies and info....his teeth are fine and he is eating well again....He is booked into vets tmw for a check up and possible xray...i noticed that his left foot seems a bit twisted and he puts it very close to the right foot when sitting...he is very content and purring away...so i dont think he is in pain....he had a little walk around his room today but jumped back to his sofa almost immediately....but when he does run and hop there is no limping etc...His name is Thomas.
Click to expand...

I hope thomas gets on well at the vets tomorrow :wave:
 
I would presume arthritis in his spine. One of my buns sits exactly the same way and he has arthritis in his lower back. He actually has no mobility issues whatsoever but has mild sore hocks because of the way he sits. He was in significant pain before diagnosis and barely showed it apart from sitting with his front paws far back, not lying "flopped out" at all and occasionally grinding his teeth. I only noticed something wasn't right because of the sore hocks.
I would try him on a course of metacam and see if he becomes more mobile. Xrays are a good way to diagnose a problem and might be worth doing to rule out an injury, however, I only had an xray done because he needed a dental so had it done whilst he was still under a GA.

I hope all goes well and you get to the bottom of his problem. X
 
vet visit

Thomas had a 45 minute examination....vet has put him on Loxicom....if no improvement then he goes back in 5 days for an x ray, vet seems to think it's possible a spine / lower back problem...nothing wrong with his feet...so thanks again for all the useful info...I have never had a poorly rabbit before...All have lived to around 10 years and suddenly passed away with no illness....I tried to put a pic but couldn't.
Thomas.
 
thomas100 said:
Thomas had a 45 minute examination....vet has put him on Loxicom....if no improvement then he goes back in 5 days for an x ray, vet seems to think it's possible a spine / lower back problem...nothing wrong with his feet...so thanks again for all the useful info...I have never had a poorly rabbit before...All have lived to around 10 years and suddenly passed away with no illness....I tried to put a pic but couldn't.
Thomas.
Click to expand...

I hope the Loxicom/Metacam works for Thomas :D If it does then I guess he could stay on it?
 
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