Bunny losing use of back legs - grateful of advice

[Rabcat]

Hello everyone

I guess most of you won't remember me as I haven't been on for some time.

I need some advice as my Millie has lost the use of her back legs. She is eating okay and tries to get up and can with a struggle and stays there for a short time. In addition she can't use her right front leg. In reality she just has her front left leg that works.

How can I help my little bun and what do I need to do to support her.

I really would appreciate your advice.

Xx

 

[MightyMax]

Hello everyone

I guess most of you won't remember me as I haven't been on for some time.

I need some advice as my Millie has lost the use of her back legs. She is eating okay and tries to get up and can with a struggle and stays there for a short time. In addition she can't use her right front leg. In reality she just has her front left leg that works.

How can I help my little bun and what do I need to do to support her.

I really would appreciate your advice.

Xx

Hi Rabat, good to see you again :wave:

I'm sorry to hear about Millie. That must be very distressing

Could it be arthritis? I don't know how old Millie is ...

Have you any advice from a vet as to what the issue might be?

Falling that, there could be several reasons for hind leg weakness (though I note there is also an issue with her from leg)

There are some thoughts in these articles:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html

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

http://rabbit.org/hind-limb-weakness-in-the-rabbit/

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


What do you think? Does anything there ring bells? x

 

[Liz47]

Welcome back, although I'm sorry it's under sad circumstances.

In my experience it is something that can be managed depending on the cause, although took me a while with Beano to establish a cause! Very helpful links from MM. With Beano we discussed/investigated arthritis, EC, spondylosis and neurological conditions while she did quite well on metacam and other management. Best of luck for you both x

 

[Rabcat]

Thank you very much both :wave:

This started around a month ago when Millie started to limp. She had an X-ray and the vet said that she had arthritis in her front right leg. I took her back to the vet when she started struggling with her back legs and was told that it could be a result of EC and I now have metacam and liquid panacur. The vet said to strip back and clean out the shed and give panacur to all of my buns which is ongoing for the next month.

Millie and her brother Dylan are around 5 years old. Dylan is being treated with antibiotics as he is sneezing - his chest is clear but his nose gets stuffed up.

Millie is eating well, cuddles with Dylan, interested in what's going on around her and still throws her water bowl around when she has had enough of it.

When I give Milie meds etc I put her upright and she can balance for a while but then flops down on her right side which is her preferred position.

Millie will wee and poop where she lays so I am conscious of cleaning her and keeping her as dry as possible.

It's really upsetting to see her shuffling around but whilst she is eating etc I don't really want to have her pts. I also worry about how Dylan will take her loss as they have been together since they were born.

I am able to work at home some days but really worry about leaving her.

I really am at a loss here as to what is best to do xx

 

[Zoobec]

I’m sorry I can’t advise but wanted to send vibes xx

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Thank you very much both :wave:

This started around a month ago when Millie started to limp. She had an X-ray and the vet said that she had arthritis in her front right leg. I took her back to the vet when she started struggling with her back legs and was told that it could be a result of EC and I now have metacam and liquid panacur. The vet said to strip back and clean out the shed and give panacur to all of my buns which is ongoing for the next month.

Millie and her brother Dylan are around 5 years old. Dylan is being treated with antibiotics as he is sneezing - his chest is clear but his nose gets stuffed up.

Millie is eating well, cuddles with Dylan, interested in what's going on around her and still throws her water bowl around when she has had enough of it.

When I give Milie meds etc I put her upright and she can balance for a while but then flops down on her right side which is her preferred position.

Millie will wee and poop where she lays so I am conscious of cleaning her and keeping her as dry as possible.

It's really upsetting to see her shuffling around but whilst she is eating etc I don't really want to have her pts. I also worry about how Dylan will take her loss as they have been together since they were born.

I am able to work at home some days but really worry about leaving her.

I really am at a loss here as to what is best to do xx

Hello RC, I certainly remember you. I am really sorry to hear about Millie and that Dylan is not 100% well either.

When the Vet took Millie's Xrays I assume this included Xrays of her spine ? Spinal arthritis and other spinal problems such as a prolapsed vertebrae can cause hind leg weakness.

Has the Vet suggested any physiotherapy to try to prevent muscle wastage ?

http://www.helpinghandsvetphysio.co.uk/rabbits/

Did the Vet run any blood tests at all ?

Has Millie ever had any symptoms of 'Snuffles' and/or ear problems ?

 

[MightyMax]

Thank you very much both :wave:

This started around a month ago when Millie started to limp. She had an X-ray and the vet said that she had arthritis in her front right leg. I took her back to the vet when she started struggling with her back legs and was told that it could be a result of EC and I now have metacam and liquid panacur. The vet said to strip back and clean out the shed and give panacur to all of my buns which is ongoing for the next month.

Millie and her brother Dylan are around 5 years old. Dylan is being treated with antibiotics as he is sneezing - his chest is clear but his nose gets stuffed up.

Millie is eating well, cuddles with Dylan, interested in what's going on around her and still throws her water bowl around when she has had enough of it.

When I give Milie meds etc I put her upright and she can balance for a while but then flops down on her right side which is her preferred position.

Millie will wee and poop where she lays so I am conscious of cleaning her and keeping her as dry as possible.

It's really upsetting to see her shuffling around but whilst she is eating etc I don't really want to have her pts. I also worry about how Dylan will take her loss as they have been together since they were born.

I am able to work at home some days but really worry about leaving her.

I really am at a loss here as to what is best to do xx

You're welcome

Millie is quite young for arthritis. I wonder whether you found the Metacam made any difference to the use of her front leg? My arthritic bunny had Tramadol added into the mix for her arthritis, and it did send her zooming around. Though all these things can have side effects and are sometimes hard on the kidneys. A balancing act.

The problem I found with arthritis was muscle wastage. Having got used to being lop-sided, my little one tended to move around that way. She had an injection of anabolic steroid at the vet and it helps to build up muscle (much like a body-builder). It's not the same as a corticosteroid and doesn't have those nasty side effects.

The other couple of things I tried was acupuncture, and cold laser therapy, which my vet does and it's very effective

https://www.twickenhamvets.com/acupuncture/

https://www.twickenhamvets.com/laser-therapy-amazing/


Good luck with the Panacur, i really hope it helps Millie

 

[Rabcat]

Hi again

Your replies have been really helpful and reassuring that I am right at the moment to give Millie a chance.

The vet didn't offer or suggest anything other than metacam and said as I was leaving "I don't know why I've given you such a big bottle as you are not likely to need it for long" I was taken aback and had no response be honest.

Millie seems to be falling into a pattern of eating and sleeping. when I pick her up to check her over and clean her she washes me back

I have another request for your thoughts - Millie and Dylan normally live in the shed. At the moment they are in my kitchen while I'm figuring out what to do with Millie. They don't really like it but I do let Dylan out to play in between the rain showers but it's far too wet for Millie.

They have a 3 storey hutch in their side of the shed in which they used every floor - top for sleeping, middle for eating and bottom for playing to include the shed floor. Millie got stuck in the ladder just before she got this bad so I had to remove the ladders.

My question is do I put them back in the shed with a layer of newspaper covered in straw topped in hay. The other alternative is to put my indoor buns in the shed and let Millie and Dylan stay in the house allowing Dylan to play out.

Problem is that Flopsy and Cadbury have been indoor buns for ages. They always get play out time but don't live out there.

If this had happened in the summer I could have acclimatised them but. I'm worried about how they would cope in a strange environment and cold.

I only have a 2 bed house and no other downstairs rooms to adapt to a bunny room.

I'm going round the twist here trying to think of solutions :lol:

 

[hoppin_mad]

I'm sorry to hear about Millie - I am currently going through a very similar scenario with my bun.

I think at this time of year I would be reluctant to move your indoor bunny outdoors. Could you create her an area on the shed floor that will meet her needs? Vet bed (http://vetfleece.co.uk) is very good at wicking away moisture so you could use a bit of that for a base for her. I put puppy pads under mine but my boy isn't a chewer. And then depending on her movement, you could use rolled towels to create a kinda 'buffer' or prop for her?


MightyMax has already posted this link - http://www.disabledrabbits.com/bedding.html - but I have found the information very useful over the years.

 

[Rabcat]

Thank you Zoobec x

 

[MightyMax]

I'm sorry to hear about Millie - I am currently going through a very similar scenario with my bun.

I think at this time of year I would be reluctant to move your indoor bunny outdoors. Could you create her an area on the shed floor that will meet her needs? Vet bed (http://vetfleece.co.uk) is very good at wicking away moisture so you could use a bit of that for a base for her. I put puppy pads under mine but my boy isn't a chewer. And then depending on her movement, you could use rolled towels to create a kinda 'buffer' or prop for her?


MightyMax has already posted this link - http://www.disabledrabbits.com/bedding.html - but I have found the information very useful over the years.

I agree with this - too cold to put her outdoors right now, and perhaps would be detrimental to her immune system.

Hoppin_mad, it is a mine of info, isn't it? x

 

[Rabcat]

Hello HM - I know what you mean about my indoor buns which is why I hesitate.

Today I have noticed that Dylan has backed away from Millie. He doesn't have much contact with her at all. I gather that he can sense that she is poorly.

This adds another dimension to the situation which I need to figure out. I did get some vet bed but it didn't work out. I am also using puppy pads which have varying results.

I hope you are making progress with your bunny x

 

[Rabcat]

I agree with this - too cold to put her outdoors right now, and perhaps would be detrimental to her immune system.

Hoppin_mad, it is a mine of info, isn't it? x

This is a crazy situation. I worry that Millie will get really cold outside as she can't move around a lot. Dylan has backed away which means that Millie won't be cuddled.

My two indoor buns have lived inside for some time so I am not totally happy about them going in the shed.

I can't keep all four of them indoors as I have minimal space. No easy answers here at all.

I'm trying to make decisions on need but with no real solution.

Xx

 

[MightyMax]

This is a crazy situation. I worry that Millie will get really cold outside as she can't move around a lot. Dylan has backed away which means that Millie won't be cuddled.

My two indoor buns have lived inside for some time so I am not totally happy about them going in the shed.

I can't keep all four of them indoors as I have minimal space. No easy answers here at all.

I'm trying to make decisions on need but with no real solution.

Xx

So difficult ... Bunnies causing headaches again - I seem to spend my life discussing what's good for them

 

[Rabcat]

Made a decision about Millie my now disabled bun

Today I put Flopsy and Cadbury in what was Millie and Dylan home in the shed. They didn't move and seemed really stressed even though I put their bedding etc in there for them.

It was obvious that it wouldn't work and I couldn't leave them there so brought them back in to their "house" under the stairs and they were chilled and everything

But it made me realise that I couldn't keep Millie and Dylan in the kitchen. I let Dylan out to play in the garden this morning and he was charging around and loved it.

Millie was in the bed indoors eating herbs and hay - she stretches her toes out when she eats herbs - it's like when we eat something yummy and go yum yum :lol:

Although she can move her left paw and feet, she cannot move her legs. She manages to foll over if I lay her on the right side.

She eats for England and poos as much :lol:

I will not have her pts - I've decided to move her and Dylan into my back bedroom until Millie gives up or spring arrives.

When my brothers come for Xmas I am going to sleep in the back bedroom with them and give up my bed - like it matters :lol:

I am going to everything I can for Millie.

Right here's where I need advice - again...

I have to go into work next week - what is she the best way to give Millie access to water - she throws the bowl around so that doesn't work.

She doesn't move much but really is content so will a cage with a water bottle be appropriate?

Any ideas will so much be appreciated

I so love this little bun xxxxp