Help - have a bun who is slowly losing use of her front legs

Just wondering if anyone can help?

I have noticed over time my female rabbit - Thomas who is 8 years old
becoming slower and happier to relax than run around and also that
her litter training isn't as good as it was!. Then yesterday I
noticed her struggling to move around, and then this morning had to
take her to the vet as she is unable to use her front legs now and is
falling over onto her side and can't get herself back up.

She's bright, eating well, pooing and weeing, but just can't use her
front legs to do anything.

Unfortunatley I couldn't see my usual vet, but saw another one who
does see rabbits - she checked Thomas over thoroughly and suggested
it was possibly down to a neurological cause - as there are no signs
of injury, she felt along the spine - and there was no changes in
that either. Thomas's back legs are well built up with muscle whereas
her front legs don't have much muscle on them - which suggests her
front legs have been going for a while and she has been compensating
for that with her back legs?

She mentioned it could be arthritis so a steroid injection was given,
and as a precaution she is on panacur just incase EC is the cause -
the vet said it won't do any harm to Thomas. She's also on metacam
and baytril.

Can anyone offer any advice here please?

Christine

Sorry no advice but sending vibes.xx

Poor little bun.

It sounds like the vet is pretty good. Arthritis may show on an xray- is that a possibility? If it is arthritis then glucosamine may also help. Also, heat can help reduce the pain so give her a snugglesafe or a sock filled with dry rice and heated in the microwave.

*vibes*

She may have osteo-arthritis causing degeneration of the vertebrae in her neck. This, in turn, causing nerve compression. An X-ray would reveal arthritis/vertebrae degeneration. But she is on the treatment that would be given anyway so not sure if the stress of the X-ray proceedure (especially if a GA were needed) is something I would opt for with an 8 year old Bun. Maybe you could see how she responds to treatment over the next 24-48 hours then discuss the situation again with your Vet
I would also discuss physiotherapy with the Vet as this would help slow down further muscle wastage

Janex

rabbit losing its use of front legs

Hi christine have just been reading about this on etherbun Is it possible that Thomas could have injured herself at all If not then i think i would take her back to your vets & ask for some more tests to be done or maybe x-rays to try & establish what is really wrong with her many blessing to you & poor thomas

Just to let you know that sadly yesterday Thomas had to be pts..... Can't quite believe this has all happened to be honest - we've had her 8 years and it's very strange to not have her following me into the kitchen waiting for a biscuit, sitting in her favourite place in the lounge and to not see her cuddled up against her partner Johnny being lovingly washed by him.

They did x-rays on her yesterday morning and called me straight away within half an hour - can't remember the name but she had a degenerative spinal condition in the top of her spine which would have been causing her discomfort, it was also in her front elbows which would explain why her front legs went. She also had pneumonia in one lung, this was a recent condition - probably came along as her spinal condition was getting worse.

There was nothing that could be done for her - she was in pain (as things got worse over the weekend) and it wasn't right to let her carry on. The vets will do the two tests - one for EC and toxmoplosis as I have other rabbits, but they won't do any further investigative work on her.

I will miss her lots, am crying as I write this as it all seems so sureal her not being here anymore.

She was my first houserabbit - my kids have all grown up with having her here with them, she would wash their toes when they were sleeping in the bouncy chair, they even were encouraged to crawl in order to reach her, she would always sit by where they were as babies, she loved other children - and adults. She was a notorious begger when we were eating - would even jump onto the settee to get a bit of our food! I have lots of beautiful memories of her - my friends are even upset as she is well known within them all as being a bun who loved attention.

Christine

im so sorry to hear about Thomas - and my thoughts are with you

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. We are thinking of you here. She had a long lovely life with you. xx

I am really sorry. You made the right decission for her.

Binky Free Thomas

Janex

I am so sorry.
Binky free Thomas xxx

You know what the main cruel thing was about yesterday - I couldn't be there with her - due to being with my youngest son (has special needs) as he attends a day unit each Monday.....

I had always said to myself that I would be there for Thomas at the end - she must have been really frightened - I hope she forgives me...

Christine

Thomas knew she was loved by you lots. She knew you were there in mind. I had the same feelings, 3 weeks ago I came back from holiday to find my 17 year old cat had died. xx