Healing and forearm lifting question

[PumpkinBells]

Rescued Bella from the neighborhood. She's the sweetest bunny EVER. Loves to snuggle. She has epilepsy. Taking gabapentin for it, not so sure if it helps as she has a few seizures a month. Due to the seizures, she bit herself, had an infected foot that we couldn't get better, had to have it amputated at the wrist. Did great with that surgery and was fine for 4 years. A few months ago she started lifting her arm up so hard every few minutes that she started falling onto her back. We took her to the vet, and found out that she had a cyst on that amputated leg to include a hairline crack. The same vet said we needed to cut the bone back and remove the cyst. This time she had a really bad time with the sling she was put in. It caused her to be swollen, so the vet suggested cold laser therapy to have the swelling go down. It seemed to work, wish we had just done this instead of surgery. The base of her leg started bleeding one night post surgery so we took her back to the vet for a look and the vet charged us another office visit even though she still needed checkups post surgery. We've been wrapping her foot ever since. It's been a few months now, and the foot looks the same. Still no hair growing on the bottom of the amputated leg. Also, the original reason we took her to the vet was because she kept pulling that leg up and falling over. Now she's still doing this intermittently. Some days are better than others. The vet had no idea why and couldn't fix this problem, nor can I find any advice on the internet about why she could be doing this. If anyone has had a similar experience with their rabbit pulling their forearm back every few minutes then falling over sometimes, please reach out. Thanks.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I am finding it hard to understand what is going on from your description. Can you post a video of what she’s doing. The behaviour might be pain related or it might still be neurological ie done during a seizure. If the latter then her epilepsy medication needs to be reviewed.

 

[PumpkinBells]

Hello thanks for your response. She's not having a seizure when she does it. I posted a clip. She eats, plays with her toys, etc. When I look up how rabbits show pain, she seems to not be doing the things listed.

 

[PumpkinBells]

Had to make the file smaller, here it is:

 

[PumpkinBells]

Ok! I guess no videos Im sorry I tried.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Hello thanks for your response. She's not having a seizure when she does it. I posted a clip. She eats, plays with her toys, etc. When I look up how rabbits show pain, she seems to not be doing the things listed.

Rabbits often hide pain or display behavioural symptoms such as self mutilation, aggression, odd movements.

If there was nerve damage done when she had the amputation then the pain could be neuropathic and this can mean it could be a permanent problem and pain comes in flare ups as opposed to being constant. Was the entire limb amputated or just the foot ?

Is she under the care of a Specialist Vet given her complex medical history ?

 

[PumpkinBells]

The first time, it was just the foot at the "wrist". After her falling over from pulling her arm up, she took a little more off the bone because she said there was a hairline crack in it. We do not let her on any hard surface. She has her own couch lined with pp pads and a blanket that gets changed daily, so she should not get any more "cracks" in the bone. What you're saying makes sense that it could be nerve damage, never thought of that nor did our vet. Yes, she takes care of "exotics".

 

[InspectorMorse]

The first time, it was just the foot at the "wrist". After her falling over from pulling her arm up, she took a little more off the bone because she said there was a hairline crack in it. We do not let her on any hard surface. She has her own couch lined with pp pads and a blanket that gets changed daily, so she should not get any more "cracks" in the bone. What you're saying makes sense that it could be nerve damage, never thought of that nor did our vet. Yes, she takes care of "exotics".

Osteomyelitis is another *possibility*

 

[PumpkinBells]

Thanks for your response. Well, she started pulling her arm up and falling over a bit more, so we gave her some bupenorphine we had left over in case she was in pain. That proved to us it wasn't pain and looks like its an involuntary seizure type movement that she's not doing on her own as she had this going on for 12 hours. She is finally snapping out of it and almost back to normal again. When her vet gets back from her vacation, we're going to ask about getting her on febendazole for e cunniculi again. We started giving her some turmeric and CBD type oil drops from Amazon for pets. Hoping that will help as well. Have a great Easter weekend.

 

[PumpkinBells]

Does anyone know of any herbal remedy for e cunniculi I could give Bella unti her vet comes back from vacation on Thursday as we feel shes having another flare up. Ive searched everywhere. Thanks.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Does anyone know of any herbal remedy for e cunniculi I could give Bella unti her vet comes back from vacation on Thursday as we feel shes having another flare up. Ive searched everywhere. Thanks.

No, there isn’t anything ‘herbal’ to treat EC

This article gives detailed information about EC, including treatment

Encephalitozoon cuniculi in pet rabbits: diagnosis and optimal managem | VMRR

Encephalitozoon cuniculi in pet rabbits: diagnosis and optimal management La'Toya V Latney,1 Charles W Bradley,2 Nicole R Wyre1 1Departments of Clinical Studies, 2Departments of Pathobiology, Matthew J Ryan Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA Abstract...

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In the UK Fenbendazole can be bought without a prescription, although it is always advisable to speak with a vet before administering any type of ‘over- the -counter’ preparations.

Is there not another Vet covering the work of the Vet on vacation ?

 

[PumpkinBells]

Thanks for your reply. No, I had to find a new vet right away to get her the meds asap.