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Back leg paralysis in 7 year old bunny - *UPDATE*

Rykat

Mama Doe
Hiya

Need some advice please.

One of my buns is approx 7 years old (maybe older) and she's been going downhill for the last month. She has lost a substantial amount of weight and is now virtually paralysed in her back left leg. The vet's first treated her for Statis but even after many injection/fibroplex etc she didn't eat anymore. Her leg has virtually no muscle tone, when she does come out for a run she holds it up but in the crate she shuffles round to eat and use the litter tray.

She's currently on Metacam and Panacur Rabbit in case it's EC.

Last week she was xrayed to see if there was any skeletal damage but the only thing the xrays showed was the start of arthritis in both back legs. She hasn't been injured, and there is no apparent reason for the paralysis.

The only positive thing however is she is still bright, alert, still nibbles at the food but scoffs her veggies.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation and does anyone have any idea how to do physio on a rabbit?

Thanks :)
 
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The back left leg issue does make it sound like EC, however, I do have no advice and that's obviously not the only thing it oculd be. I'm sorry. I hope your bun continues to still be bright and have a good quality of life.
 
My bridge bun Goofball had 3 legs, 1 of them was removed due to bone cancer. She had some trouble to get used to it for about 2 - 3 weeks, but after that, she's fine and can run just as fast as any 4 leg bunny.

We have some members here who bought a wheel cart to support their bun due to rear leg problem. I don't recommend it, they should try to do their running on their own.

You think anti-toxic like Heal-X would help in this case? Any1?
 
Hiya

Need some advice please.

One of my buns is approx 7 years old (maybe older) and she's been going downhill for the last month. She has lost a substantial amount of weight and is now virtually paralysed in her back left leg. The vet's first treated her for Statis but even after many injection/fibroplex etc she didn't eat anymore. Her leg has virtually no muscle tone, when she does come out for a run she holds it up but in the crate she shuffles round to eat and use the litter tray.

She's currently on Metacam and Panacur Rabbit in case it's EC.

Last week she was xrayed to see if there was any skeletal damage but the only thing the xrays showed was the start of arthritis in both back legs. She hasn't been injured, and there is no apparent reason for the paralysis.

The only positive thing however is she is still bright, alert, still nibbles at the food but scoffs her veggies.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation and does anyone have any idea how to do physio on a rabbit?

Thanks :)


I had a 7 year old Bun (Seamus) who developed hind leg paralysis as a result of Discospondylitis. He was managed on a daily anti-inflammatory and gentle physio (stretching ang massaging his hind legs and massaging his spine 4 -6 times a day)
He also required help to keep himself clean and to reach his caecotrophs. Towards the end he also required manual bladder expression. Seamus coped well for several months but eventually he began to loose the use of his front legs too :cry: Although he was not in pain and continued to eat well I did not think it right to keep him going as a totally paralysed Rabbit. Seamus was helped to Rainbow Bridge on 21st January 2004.
 
Flopsy update - still fighting on

Hello all

MANY thanks for your replies and sorry for not coming on sooner to reply.

Well Flopsy is still fighting on, she greets me every morning and everytime I go into the "bunservatory". She pulls herself to come to the front of the crate and sticks her nose through waiting for a nose rub but mainly for her yoghurt treats :) Although she's not keen on coming out she will have a good hop round and although her balance is off she still manages to give me the run around when I try to catch her, or she hides under the table so I can't get her! :lol: Sadly she has no use nor feeling in the leg now and wears a babies sock over her foot as she'd grazed all the toes when she was out. Last week I came home from work to find her with hay wrapped round the leg, she was fine in the morning but the vet thinks that it's caused the total nerve damage :( The hay is now chopped into 2/3 inch strands and she has straw in the bottom of the crate as she can't manage the litter tray anymore but it's not a big deal, newspaper in crate tray, straw on top, bin it when soiled.

The only funny thing is that her partner Benjy is like a barrel with ears :shock:
I don't want to separate them as it will upset Flopsy but I've upped the veggies and cut the pellets so he's losing a little bit.

I took some lovely piccies the weekend so will try and upload one tonight so you can see my gorgeous brave little fighter.

She has the same fighting spirit that my Anya had. Who knows, maybe Anya is watching over her.
 
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