Broken Leg?

[JAK Rabbitry]

No idea how he did it but it's clearly broken. It's one of his front ones and the break is about at the wrist. I noticed as he held it up in the air and wsn't putting any weight on it. He let me fiddle with it and compared to his other front leg, something is wrong.

I just had the vet out twice this week, once for an emergency, I'm sorry I really odn't have the funds right now to take another animal to the vet. I'm pretty sure I can set it myself and wrap/splint it which is what i'm going to try. Even if it heals a little funky, he obviously gets around fine on 3 legs now and I'd love him dearly until the day he died or found a new home anyways.

Other breeders are tellling me to just put him down, but That just seems so irresponsible of me.

He's 6 weeks old now, a good weight, eating well. I'm thinking about just weaning him a little early and keeping him inside with me where I can watch him closely to make sure he (or his family) doesn't eat his splint or hurt himself worse. I've had to wean a few babies earlier than I'd liked before... and they made it just fine. I still have a french lop I had to wean at 5 weeks and he's grown so big and fat and healthy. Though it wasn't something I'd usually do.

Your thoughts? Input? Suggestions?

-JAK

 

[Maureen Las]

I wouldn't feel at all comfortable doing this myself.
really should see the vet for x-rays
You can't splint it if you don't know what kind of break you're dealing with.

what about pain meds..he must be in pain

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

I'm sorry, the money isn't goign to magically appear. I really can't afford another vet visit.

I'd agree with you though, I would liek to take him tot he vet, that would probably be the best thing to do, depending on who could see me. Theres 2doctors there that deal with bunnies. One is excellent, the other is a total ditz. Last time we took a 3 week old bunny to her, a friend's baby mini rex, to fix a shredded broken leg. It wsa ripped wide open and very clearly broken.

I cleaned his leg up and took my friend and her baby to the vet. Doctor Ditz took xrays, and wanted to use this thick foam to splint and wrap his leg and was goign to bind it to his body for support. While she was wrapping it I noticed she wrapped over his bum. And I said '' isn't he goign to crap inside his bandage?'' and she was like ''oh yeah'' and had to re-do it. Multiple times. I finally said ''i'll be in the waiting room''. I got tired of correcting her.

My friend comes out without her rabbit and says NOW the doctor wanted to put stitches in it and we'll have to come back later to pick him up. *sigh*

Horror story. I have it wrapped and splinted and i'm going to hope for the best. He doesn't appear to be in a lot or hardly any pain. He's active, has a ''happy face'' and is happily munching hay and pellets in his cage for the moment. He's still moving around and not like it hurts, he just hops along on 3 legs. He's adorabel with a cast by the way.

 

[polly]

awww poor bun When I got my first rabbit Jesse my neices managed to pick him up and break his leg and thats all he got a splint only difference to what you have on is that they didn't pad it so much and used the rolls of elastoplast tape to keep it all together. Once it was taken off you could not tell that he had it done. He wasn't given an x ray they just splinted it for him and said that he may have a dodgy leg. I think as long as you get the break straight before splinting he should be ok.

It took about 5 weeks and for teh last couple of weeks we juts had to be careful it wasn't rubbing. Good luck hope it works out ok for you

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

Aw, thanks a bunch Polly, that makes me feel better. I thought it took 8 weeks for a boner to heal but, 5 weeks is definitely better. I plan on taking the whole thing off one a week or so to make sure it's not rubbing. Basically he/she just holds it out off to the side and still walks around and eats a lot. I'm sure he'll be binkying again in no time. I have him in a large carrier with all the dividers taken out. Its all plastic coated wire and I covered the bottom with 2nd cut hay. Yum! I didn't want him running around like an idiot but he has plenty of room to maneuver and stretch.

Erron and I have decided to name her ''Samus'' after the character from Metroid (video game) because now her arm looks like a plasma cannon.

 

[polly]

aww Lol Jesse, well it never bothered Dido at all he just used to run around daft and drag it behind him it went inbetween his back legs!! Incidentally I had a 3 week old chin break her back leg (Sun) and the vet said obvioulsy nothing they could do as it was round her knee keep her as immobile as possible (which was not easy then would be even worse now lol) and give it 3 weeks that was enough but she was hopping around great within 2 she has gone through her first litter now and really this rabbit is such a rocket you woudl never know it had happened.

Let me know how you get on

 

[pamnock]

I had a DH doe that jumped from her cage and broke her ankle. A friend adopted her, andthe leg healed fine.

In some cases, arthritic problems can become chronic due to the break.

I understand being low on funds . . .

Pam