Advice please - bunny is limping - update

[Wellington]

As Jane says, you may need an x-ray to confirm there really is no break or spinal involvement with the injury. Leaving it for too long will make it more difficult to obtain the best outcome. I wouldn't be letting him on stairs at the moment - he really needs to be off the injured limb as much as is reasonably possible. Even soft tissue injuries will take a while to heal well.

When I said he came downstairs for his breakfast, I meant he came down to the ground floor of his hutch. We always serve their pellets there and he was already downstairs waiting for them. Maybe we should have blocked off the stairs to stop him going up and down them.

He’s been inside today, mainly just lying in his litter tray. He’s still eating loads of hay, drinking, pooing, and getting out of his litter tray to go and wee elsewhere. We gave him more pain relief this evening which he was not happy about. He’s normally very friendly but at the moment when I hold him against me it’s clear it’s hurting his foot

We’ll take him back to the vet tomorrow for an x-ray.

[InspectorMorse]

When I said he came downstairs for his breakfast, I meant he came down to the ground floor of his hutch. We always serve their pellets there and he was already downstairs waiting for them. Maybe we should have blocked off the stairs to stop him going up and down them.

He’s been inside today, mainly just lying in his litter tray. He’s still eating loads of hay, drinking, pooing, and getting out of his litter tray to go and wee elsewhere. We gave him more pain relief this evening which he was not happy about. He’s normally very friendly but at the moment when I hold him against me it’s clear it’s hurting his foot

We’ll take him back to the vet tomorrow for an x-ray.

Is your Vet Rabbit Savvy ? I would not waste money taking him to a Vet who is not clued up about Rabbits. Not all Small Animal Vets are, Rabbits are classed as an Exotic Species and so many Vets only have minimal knowledge about them

If in any doubt about the Rabbit specific competence of your Vet you could take a look on this link for recommendations of Rabbit Savvy Vets

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-w...ndly-vet-list/


Or if you post a thread in Rabbit Chat on here giving your approximate geographical location some members on here may be able to offer suggestions

Good luck

[dollyanna]

When I said he came downstairs for his breakfast, I meant he came down to the ground floor of his hutch. We always serve their pellets there and he was already downstairs waiting for them. Maybe we should have blocked off the stairs to stop him going up and down them.

He’s been inside today, mainly just lying in his litter tray. He’s still eating loads of hay, drinking, pooing, and getting out of his litter tray to go and wee elsewhere. We gave him more pain relief this evening which he was not happy about. He’s normally very friendly but at the moment when I hold him against me it’s clear it’s hurting his foot

We’ll take him back to the vet tomorrow for an x-ray.

If it is metacam then try just offering it on a leaf, or inside a raspberry - some will even take it just from the syringe by itself. No need to restrain and force it then. Hiding it in favourite foods can work really well.

[Wellington]

This evening he remembered that he likes the taste of the medicine and wolfed it down. He’s moving around a bit more and is putting a bit of weight on his paw. His sister Bonnie is not being kind though. They adore each other and are normally inseparable but she is mainly ignoring him.... other than mounting him She is very much the dominant rabbit, and has started mounting him a bit over the last month or so, but today it was constant. He tolerates it but we’ve been shooing her off him today because he’s not well.

[InspectorMorse]

This evening he remembered that he likes the taste of the medicine and wolfed it down. He’s moving around a bit more and is putting a bit of weight on his paw. His sister Bonnie is not being kind though. They adore each other and are normally inseparable but she is mainly ignoring him.... other than mounting him She is very much the dominant rabbit, and has started mounting him a bit over the last month or so, but today it was constant. He tolerates it but we’ve been shooing her off him today because he’s not well.

It sounds as though he is slowly improving. Did you take him back to the Vet ?

[Wellington]

I took him back to the vet today. Although he is moving around more than he was, he’s still not back to his usual self. The vet said to increase the oain relief to twice a day and bring him back if there’s no improvement in a few days.

[Wellington]

Basil went to the vet for an x-ray today as he’s still not putting weight on his foot.

He’s fractured his hock The vet said there are four options:

1. Do an operation to fit a metal rod. High risk and low chance of success.
2. Put a splint on it. Unlikely to succeed and risk of infection.
3. Amputate the leg. Vet says animals cope surprisingly well with just three legs, but rabbits really need their hind legs.
4. Metacam and keep him confined for a few weeks and hope it heals.

We’re going with option 4. The vet said his leg will probably not heal perfectly, but enough to give him a good quality of life.

Poor Basil. He’s only ten months old! We don’t know how he injured himself but it can’t have been anything dramatic. He was playing in the garden and then went to lie down in his hutch.

[InspectorMorse]

Basil went to the vet for an x-ray today as he’s still not putting weight on his foot.

He’s fractured his hock The vet said there are four options:

1. Do an operation to fit a metal rod. High risk and low chance of success.
2. Put a splint on it. Unlikely to succeed and risk of infection.
3. Amputate the leg. Vet says animals cope surprisingly well with just three legs, but rabbits really need their hind legs.
4. Metacam and keep him confined for a few weeks and hope it heals.

We’re going with option 4. The vet said his leg will probably not heal perfectly, but enough to give him a good quality of life.

Poor Basil. He’s only ten months old! We don’t know how he injured himself but it can’t have been anything dramatic. He was playing in the garden and then went to lie down in his hutch.

What a shame the Vet did not take X-rays sooner Is your Rabbit insured? I ask as I realise not many people have a bottomless pit of funds, but if a referral to an orthopaedic specialist were an option I would want to try to obtain their opinion.

ETA, I note you are in Surrey. Fitzpatrick Referrals https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/

[Wellington]

He’s not insured, and we’ve spent over £1k on him this week. To be honest, it’s probably our fault he wasn’t x-rayed until today as we knew it would be really expensive so we waited a few days hoping it would get better on its own.

The vet has emailed the x-rays to a rabbit specialist for a second opinion.

[InspectorMorse]

He’s not insured, and we’ve spent over £1k on him this week. To be honest, it’s probably our fault he wasn’t x-rayed until today as we knew it would be really expensive so we waited a few days hoping it would get better on its own.

The vet has emailed the x-rays to a rabbit specialist for a second opinion.

Hoping for the best outcome possible