Broken front leg? (or something?)

[Pipp]

Pippisn't chasing thecats,chewing wires or furniture, runningthe bunny500, binkies,digging up the blankets or even jumping on mylap. She'sstaying on my bed, mostly lyingdown.

She's extremely unhappy if I pick her up, and runsunder the bed -- something very unusual.

SHe's also standing on her hind feet every once in awhile and rather oddly waving her front feet.

My guess would be a sore front leg (or legs), but she's not reallylimping (at least not like a dog or cat wouldlimp). Is that normal? She's not chewingat it, either, but after I try touching it, she gets evenquieter. I really think she's in pain.

I've called the vet, no appts. open today, so she can't get in untiltomorrow afternoon. They asked if it was an emergency, Ihesitated, but I had to say no. She'seating andpooping normally -- although she was sniffing around looking closely ather own droppings, almost like she was looking for strayCecotropes -- and she did have a few soft poops the other day,but they were back to normal in a few hours.

Ideas?

SAS

 

[CorkysMom]

If she's in much pain she'll grind herteeth. I really don't know what could be wrong, but I thinkyour doing the best possible thing by having her checked out.Even if its nothing you will BOTH feel better! Please let us know whatyou find out!

 

[Kricket]

Just try to keep her activities to aminimum. Keep her as comfortable as possible. As PGG said,she would grind her teeth if she was in terrible pain.OH! And don't forget lots of bunny head-pets & kisses

Keep us posted

 

[Pipp]

Thanks guys, I'll be keeping Pippquiet(which won't be hard in her current state) andwill continueto monitor her. Her hutch is on my bed (she likesbeing able to see everything), so so doesn't have to go anywhere otherto drink, nibble and relieve herself. (She doesn't actuallysleep in there, she sleeps outside the hutch). She's onlyjumped off once today when I left my bedroom door open, she feltcompelled to go stand guard in the doorway, I guess, pain ornot. But I think it did hurt her, she was extra quiet afterthat and hasn't tried it again.

When she was spayed andin a lot of pain, she was also justreally quiet. She didn't grind her teeth.She only grindssoftlywhen I pet her, asusual. (She willnevertrance,either). But I knowshe's in pain. We have aconnection. We're very sensitive to each other'smoods.

I tried to look at her legsagain, but she wasn't having anyof it, especially on one side, so I still think that couldbea problem area.But she's still notnoticeably limping. Do bunnies not limp if they have a sorefront leg? Do they just soldier on?

Poor little bunny.

SAS

 

[dixonsrabbitry]

Check her for sore hocks on all four feet.Sometimes they can get them on their front forepaws. For front feet thearea will look redish, and swollen. Also check the length of her nails.long toenails could be whats bothering her. If they have a sore frontleg they'll constantly flick it, and then groom it.

 

[Pipp]

dixonsrabbitry wrote:

Check her for sore hocks on all four feet. Sometimes theycan get them on their front forepaws. For front feet the area will lookredish, and swollen. Also check the length of her nails. long toenailscould be whats bothering her. If they have a sore front leg they'llconstantly flick it, and then groom it.

Ah! Flicking! She's been doing that. (Orat least making a stab at it). Thanks, that makes me thinkI'm on the right track.

Her nails are kept clipped, they were probably done two weeksago. I'll see if she'll let me check again for sores, but shesleeps on futon,no wires, andI didn't see anythingthe first time.

It came on pretty suddenly, so maybe a fracture? Or even astress fracture?Couldjust jumping off thebed cause a problem? It'snot a high bed, but she'sa pretty low bunny.

And she does tend to get underfoot, I don't think she realizes she'sadwarf-- she'll crash a party every time.The other day she darted under me as I went to sit on thebed. I realized she was there before I put myweight down, but she's so little, maybe just a bit of pressure couldhave hurt her -- although she seemed okay at thetime. I hate to think I hurt my bestfriend.

SAS

 

[naturestee]

I doubt you had any part in the cause,Pipp. She could have sprained it while playing.Fractures can happen from jumping off of things, but from what I'veread they are more common in rabbits that were fed poor diets andconfined to a small cage. If she's used to jumping, then shewould have built up enough bone density and that shouldn't be thecause. Unless she landed wrong, of course.

Whatever the cause, don't blame yourself. I've seenyourposts before and you've always seemed like a really goodbunnymom. I don't think you could have done anything to causethis.

 

[JimD]

How's Pipp doing today ??

 

[Pipp]

Fifteen minutes before the vet's appointment, she jumped off the bed and started running around and getting into trouble.

The vet couldn't find anything wrong with her. If there wassomething wrong, it was sprain or a dislocation, not a break.

She's almost totally back tobeingher usual littletroublemaking self, except she still hesitates a bit when jumping offthe bed or my chair, and she won't jump from the bed to my chair.

I think she just wanted to see me spend the $50. (Da bum!).

Thanks for asking!

SAS

 

[CorkysMom]

Yeah, but 50 bucks is worth the piece of mind! Glad to hear shes better!

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Glad Pipp is fine. I worryso much about Pebbles too. If one poop seemsdifferent, I'm digging out the pineapple andpumpkin.

Pebbles love to run and blinky on our bed. She's too scare tojump off it though. She's stilltimid about going up and down thestairs. And she never jumps out of her cage so Ican leave the top off when I'm home.

Oh, I'm taking Pebbles in for a check-uptomorrow. I guess I worry too much. It should be a nice visit withthedoctor who fosteredPebbles, before I adopted her.

Rainbows! :angel: