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Disabled rabbit, vet wants to PTS

becki1992

becki1992

New Kit
After some advice please! I have a 8 1/2 year old rabbit called Snoopy who has pretty much lost use of his back legs and the vet isn’t sure why, possibly spinal damage. He still seems happy and there has been no change to his personality, he is eating and drinking as normal and he does move about a lot just mostly using his front legs. He isn’t on pain medication at the moment as it made no difference, we are 99% sure there is no pain as he shows no signs of discomfort or pain. We haven’t been using sawdust we are putting puppy pads and towels in his cage (he’s an indoor rabbit) and we have cut down the side of his cage so he can get in and out. We are also regularly bathing him and have cut off some fur on the side he is always lying on to help avoid wee burns ect. The vet is still trying to convince us to have him PTS to the point we actually booked the appointment for today before changing our minds last night as we feel like we can’t give up on him. There is no chance of recovery, he will be disabled for the rest of his life. The vet wants us to have him PTS on grounds of poor quality of life but I don’t feel like he does have poor quality of life but I’m not sure if emotions are impacting my judgment, just wondering is anyone else has any experience with disabled rabbits and if people think we are doing the right think keeping him alive
Thank you!
 
I’m so sorry you are in this situation :cry: I don’t have any experience of this so I can’t advise specifically. Is your vet rabbit savvy? If not it would be worth finding a rabbit savvy exotic specialist for a second opinion, I feel. The fact that he seems happy is obviously a big positive.

You could always post asking for vet recommendations if you need them. Sending lots of vibes for your rabbit.
 
How long has he been like this?

I think the fact you are not convinced about putting him to sleep means it's not time yet. You say you don't think he's in any pain so there can't be any harm to waiting a bit longer. If you're going to put him to sleep you need to be more sure and you're the best judge I think knowing him
 
becki1992 said:
After some advice please! I have a 8 1/2 year old rabbit called Snoopy who has pretty much lost use of his back legs and the vet isn’t sure why, possibly spinal damage. He still seems happy and there has been no change to his personality, he is eating and drinking as normal and he does move about a lot just mostly using his front legs. He isn’t on pain medication at the moment as it made no difference, we are 99% sure there is no pain as he shows no signs of discomfort or pain. We haven’t been using sawdust we are putting puppy pads and towels in his cage (he’s an indoor rabbit) and we have cut down the side of his cage so he can get in and out. We are also regularly bathing him and have cut off some fur on the side he is always lying on to help avoid wee burns ect. The vet is still trying to convince us to have him PTS to the point we actually booked the appointment for today before changing our minds last night as we feel like we can’t give up on him. There is no chance of recovery, he will be disabled for the rest of his life. The vet wants us to have him PTS on grounds of poor quality of life but I don’t feel like he does have poor quality of life but I’m not sure if emotions are impacting my judgment, just wondering is anyone else has any experience with disabled rabbits and if people think we are doing the right think keeping him alive
Thank you!
Click to expand...

Has the Vet run any diagnostics to try to identify the cause of your Rabbit's hind leg paralysis ? There are several possibilities including Encephalitozoon Cuniculi (EC). These links would be useful to read

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Differentials/paresis.htm

https://www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-ar...cs-antifungals/disease-information/e-cuniculi

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/paralysis.html

Personally I would consider seeking a second opinion from another Vet if the Vet you are currently consulting has not run any diagnostics at all. You may find a 'Rabbit Savvy' Vet near you on here :

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/rabbit-friendly-vets/rabbit-friendly-vet-list/
 
They have always been great with our rabbits, better than any other local vet and in the past they have consulted with rabbit specialists regarding Snoopy’s disability but not when they decided it would be best to have him PTS. They said on the phone today that he is probably suffering from wee burns and pain from his legs even though he’s not showing any signs of pain. We have talked about getting a second opinion so we might go down that route
 
He started loosing use of his legs in September and it got gradually worse for a bit but he’s been the same since January now. The vet doesn’t want us to wait any longer because we’ve already put it off a bit
 
becki1992 said:
After some advice please! I have a 8 1/2 year old rabbit called Snoopy who has pretty much lost use of his back legs and the vet isn’t sure why, possibly spinal damage. He still seems happy and there has been no change to his personality, he is eating and drinking as normal and he does move about a lot just mostly using his front legs. He isn’t on pain medication at the moment as it made no difference, we are 99% sure there is no pain as he shows no signs of discomfort or pain. We haven’t been using sawdust we are putting puppy pads and towels in his cage (he’s an indoor rabbit) and we have cut down the side of his cage so he can get in and out. We are also regularly bathing him and have cut off some fur on the side he is always lying on to help avoid wee burns ect. The vet is still trying to convince us to have him PTS to the point we actually booked the appointment for today before changing our minds last night as we feel like we can’t give up on him. There is no chance of recovery, he will be disabled for the rest of his life. The vet wants us to have him PTS on grounds of poor quality of life but I don’t feel like he does have poor quality of life but I’m not sure if emotions are impacting my judgment, just wondering is anyone else has any experience with disabled rabbits and if people think we are doing the right think keeping him alive
Thank you!
Click to expand...


Hi Becki

I am sorry to hear about your rabbit :(

There are several causes for what you describe, and it's not always easy to determine the cause, even for a savvy vet. What I would suggest if your vet is at all unsure how to treat is to have a spinal X Ray. It is possible to ascertain whether there is a problem with the discs (collapsed etc) without XRay but this depends on your vet.

There's some more info here:

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/paralysis.html


The cause could also be due to E.C. Has your vet suggested a course of Panacur?


https://www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-ar...cs-antifungals/disease-information/e-cuniculi

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/e-cuniculi/
 
Last edited:
Don't do it just because the vet wants you to. You will regret it and never know how things might have gone.

Most vets live in the normal world and won't have any idea about the level of care you are able to give him. So what the vet is imagining is not always accurate.

Only you can judge his quality of life.

Have you tried the RWAF helpline if you need advice?
 
I know this sounds silly but have you thought about getting him some wheels? Like the kind dogs have when they have lost both legs. I saw a video on YouTube with rabbits that have them who were jumping and zooming with them on and they looked so happy and free.
 
I have had a few rabbits in this situation and all have managed fine, but they needed more care than most people are probably able or willing to give. If the rabbit's basic needs are being met, you can explore options. I tend to keep disabled rabbits on a double layer of towel on top of puppy pads. These get changed as they get wet or soiled - so daily as a minimum. A large tray of hay with a puppy pad in the bottom also works, especially at night time when they are likely to be more immobile. Bum baths get done as needed (maybe daily). Some tolerate a hairdryer on a low setting to dry them off afterwards. Some hair loss is inevitable, but the skin should still be in good condition (no sores, scabs, redness).

Depending on head control, the 'down' eye may need extra attention as it will be more prone to infection from contact with the flooring.

Some rabbits can eat and drink if they can reach it. Others may need to be syringe fed every few hours. It is manageable if you feel you and the rabbit can cope.

Mine have all probably been EC related, so have been on long term Panacur and metacam to reduce the symptoms and the parasitic loading, unless there have been any other contraindications (eg poor kidney function).
 
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