Hey everyone - I'm new to the forum - I wanted to get some opinions from other rabbit savvy people. We have an elderly boy, Dizzy (he's almost 10). Just before Christmas he started getting a little clumsy on his feet and started to fall over now and again, and I mean now and again, maybe 1 day in 14 he would fall over but he would always get back up on his own. More recently he seemed to lose the use of his back legs altogether where he couldn't hop at all.
We took him to the vet who checked him over and advised that we give him an xray. I'm very reluctant to give him an xray when he is so old and they don't cope well under anaesthetic. I asked to go away and think about it. She gave him an anti-inflammatory and some antibiotics. The next day he had improved ten fold. He was back on his feet and hopping around like normal. He's still a little wobbly but not even half as much as he was before. I've taken him back again today but the vet still seems convinced that he should have an xray. She hasn't actually told us what the thinks is the problem but I suspect she is thinking a break or a fractured spine. I know e.cunicula can sometimes can these symptoms and I'm still reluctant to put him under general anaesthetic at his age and especially when we have seen such a huge improvement in him overnight and again today, still hopping around and pretty much back to normal. He is eating and pooping and everything else absolutely fine - he does seem to be drinking more water than he would normally which does still make me think it could be e.cunicula. She gave him another anti-inflammatory and told us to come back on Friday. I know she will try and push the xray again but I'm reluctant until we've tried everything else that it could be. Has anyone experienced this before? I'm thinking maybe it could be arthritis but I'm not aware of anyone who has a rabbit that suffers with this and who can recover so quickly. Is this possible? Any advice? Obviously I don't want him to suffer but he doesn't seem to be, he's eating and seems perfectly happy in himself. I just don't want to put him under general anaesthetic, lose him to the anaesthetic and find that he didn't have a fracture or break of his spine after all. Thats the worry. Thanks xx
We took him to the vet who checked him over and advised that we give him an xray. I'm very reluctant to give him an xray when he is so old and they don't cope well under anaesthetic. I asked to go away and think about it. She gave him an anti-inflammatory and some antibiotics. The next day he had improved ten fold. He was back on his feet and hopping around like normal. He's still a little wobbly but not even half as much as he was before. I've taken him back again today but the vet still seems convinced that he should have an xray. She hasn't actually told us what the thinks is the problem but I suspect she is thinking a break or a fractured spine. I know e.cunicula can sometimes can these symptoms and I'm still reluctant to put him under general anaesthetic at his age and especially when we have seen such a huge improvement in him overnight and again today, still hopping around and pretty much back to normal. He is eating and pooping and everything else absolutely fine - he does seem to be drinking more water than he would normally which does still make me think it could be e.cunicula. She gave him another anti-inflammatory and told us to come back on Friday. I know she will try and push the xray again but I'm reluctant until we've tried everything else that it could be. Has anyone experienced this before? I'm thinking maybe it could be arthritis but I'm not aware of anyone who has a rabbit that suffers with this and who can recover so quickly. Is this possible? Any advice? Obviously I don't want him to suffer but he doesn't seem to be, he's eating and seems perfectly happy in himself. I just don't want to put him under general anaesthetic, lose him to the anaesthetic and find that he didn't have a fracture or break of his spine after all. Thats the worry. Thanks xx
