Bun with "rotated" back hips (RIP)

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Aspen_The_Bun

Aspen_The_Bun

Active Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2022
Messages
30
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5
Location
A small town in Western Washington
Hello everyone! Very happy to be a member of this forum, I've been lurking for a while and am happily be finally registered. As for Aspen, I rescued her after she was dumped on a neighbors property almost 4 months ago. She has been a great addition to the household, and gets to free roam white often during the day. During that time, I've noticed that her back legs/hips were rotated to the right when she hopped. She has normal feeling in her back feet/legs. It doesn't seem to bother her a bit. I also noticed that she could get her legs underneath her. If she was laying, sitting or eating she would sit normally. But when she hopped I noticed the rotation. She still moves normally like nothing is out of the ordinary. The first thing I did was purchase more mats and add them to her home base. She spent quite a bit of time there over the holidays, and the floor is pretty slick. Since then I've covered the floor in reusable puppy pads, and she seems much happier. I also noticed that her hips seemed to be much better! Since then she hops normally 99.9% of the time, and sometimes maybe with a slight rotation?
She has seemed to improve with the traction a lot, I just want to know if anyone else has experienced this before? If you have, was it the only issue, or was there a preexisting issue that needed to be treated? I would really like to avoid a vet if possible.
Thanks for any help or suggestions!
 
JBun said:
Do you have pictures or a short video of her showing the odd leg position? It could be something like a less severe case of splay leg. Is she full grown or still a young rabbit?

Medirabbit: splay leg
Click to expand...
I believe she is full grown. I have some photos of it a little after I rescued her, and I'll get some today when she's hopping around to show the improvement. Thank you! I appreciate the help.
 
Looking at the photos, with the feet rotated in like that, it could be an old injury that wasn't treated properly and so healed incorrectly, or it could be a congenital issue.

I don't know that there is anything that could be done to correct it at this stage, but you will need to try and get a handle on the urine scalding issue so she doesnt develop skin problems. Yes, the scalding is likely happening because of her not being able to assume the proper posture for urinating, and so is getting wet as a result. But it would be good for a vet to test the urine to make sure she doesn't have a UTI causing it instead. If this isn't a UTI but is because of her leg issue, it would also be helpful to have your vet shave down the area so that it will be easier to try and keep the area clean and dry.

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
http://www.disabledrabbits.com/urine-scald.html
 
JBun said:
Looking at the photos, with the feet rotated in like that, it could be an old injury that wasn't treated properly and so healed incorrectly, or it could be a congenital issue.

I don't know that there is anything that could be done to correct it at this stage, but you will need to try and get a handle on the urine scalding issue so she doesnt develop skin problems. Yes, the scalding is likely happening because of her not being able to assume the proper posture for urinating, and so is getting wet as a result. But it would be good for a vet to test the urine to make sure she doesn't have a UTI causing it instead. If this isn't a UTI but is because of her leg issue, it would also be helpful to have your vet shave down the area so that it will be easier to try and keep the area clean and dry.

https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
http://www.disabledrabbits.com/urine-scald.html
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! This is very helpful, and reassuring. You try to read about it, but of course Google only gives you the very serious issues. 😕 Knowing what it might be going in is so so helpful. I'll see about getting the urine tested, and I'm willing to go forward with what ever else my vet may suggest.
She does have a lot of the UTI symptoms, (that I've read from Google). Peeing outside the litter box, dark colored urine, urine scalding, and I want to say I have seen some "thick" maybe cloudy urine the past? No issues urinating as far as I can tell though.
She was a rescue after being dumped, I honestly don't know how long she was out there. It could have been an injury from that, or she was dumped because of it. Just makes it that much more difficult not knowing a thing about her past. Anyway, I'll try to keep this thread updated, and tell you what I hear from the vet after I get an appointment scheduled. Thank you again!
 
I do have calendula cream as well, maybe if the vet appointment isn't immediate, I'll give that a try after a bath or compress. It did seem to look better after I gave her a, "dunk and dry" the other day.
 
One more question. After reading that article, it mentioned using a litter that wicks moisture away from the surface, and keeps the top relatively dry. How exactly should I do this? I am noticing that I am having that problem. It seems like as soon as he used the litter box, it get dirty and soiled. Google didn't seem to have any answers to my specific question. Should I put a less absorbent litter on top, and a more absorbent litter underneath?
Thank for the help!
 
I am becoming increasingly concerned about Aspen. Her back leg issues have become much worse in just a few days. She barely moves anymore. Most of the time I find her laying on her side with her back legs flopped to the side. Sometimes in her litter box with poop all around her like she hasn't moved all day. I carry her to her food and water bowl each morning. I'm beginning to understand theres something seriously wrong here, and am worried the vet appointment isn't going to go well. 😔
Along with that, the hair on the insides of her legs has fallen off. I gave her a couple quick soaks and applied Calendula gel, but it doesn't seem to be helping.
Could this be paralysis? She still has feeling in her back feet as far as I can tell. The vet appointment is on Friday, it can't come soon enough. I feel so bad for her, she seems miserable. 😥
 
It could be a spinal injury causing weakness in her hind legs. Or it could be a hip injury, or cancer is possible as well. Just try and keep her eating and as comfortable as possible until then. And I would phone them first thing Monday and let them know you are interested in moving the appointment up if they get an opening.
 
Okay, I'll do that. Anything could be possible, she was dumped so I have no idea what happened to her out there. Could it take 5 months for symptoms to show if it was from then? She still eats most of her pellets, and all of her greens. She's somewhat interested in hay, but she is eating. Definitely drinking. I'll call them and see if I can get an appointment sooner. Thanks for the help.
 
I wasn't able to get an appointment for sooner, so the appointment is still on for Friday.
So far, Aspen seems to be doing alright. I've been spending more time with her trying to find the root of the problem, and I think I may have ruled out a few things.
Aspen still has a great appetite. I pick her up and sit her in front of her food and water every morning and evening, and she drinks and eats a ton. She doesn't act like she's in pain or anything, but she is basically immobile at this point. The problem isn't that she can't move her back legs, or doesn't want to, it seems like they are just baldy rotated? If I hold her legs in the correct position, and sit her up, she will scoot around a bit and change position. She seems happy when I do this. If I let her legs go, her right leg/foot turns in towards the other, and her hip rotates. This causes her to fall onto her side. She can't seem to get her hip/leg/foot into the correct position. Thats why the hair on her legs is stripped, because her right leg falls underneath her, and she pushes against with her left leg to try and stand.
Sorry if that is confusing, I'll try to get photos later.
Does anyone have experience with anything like this? I read an article/story about a rabbit who got a dislocated hip and had similar symptoms. It seemed to start as nothing and progress though, so not sure that is what is going on.
I'm interested to see what the vet says, I'll let you all know.
 
Or possibly hip dysphasia? When I first noticed a slight rotation in her hips months ago, I asked a friend about it who thought it may be hip dysplasia. I decided to add more tractor to her area before jumping to conclusions, which seemed to help a lot. It disappeared for a while. Not it seems to have come back at full strength? The way she sits all day definitely looks like hip dysplasia based on Google images.
 
I was just spending time with Aspen, helping her get some water and food. I'm concerned she may have just had a seizure, or something that looked like a seizure. I've never experienced this before.
I have no idea how to diagnose it, but she cranked her head back over her shoulder, and her back legs stuck out behind her. She started "arching and convulsing" her back I guess, and her hips were rotating side to side. When I set her down, she rolled around and "convulsed" on the ground.
I don't know what else it could have been. Does anyone have any experience with this. It has happened before, but only for a second, and she didn't move as much as this one. In the past it looked almost like she was trying to scratch her shoulder and lost her balance. This one lasted the longest, about a minuet maybe?
I should have gotten photos. I thought about it, but I was too nervous.
Thanks for any help, I'll have to mention this to the vet tomorrow.
 
Okay, thats good to know. I'm glad its finally here too. I wish I would have made an appointment sooner, though I'm glad I can bring up the seizures now that I know its happening. I'll let you all know how it goes tomorrow.
 
Oh no. So sorry for your loss
Know in your heart that you gave aspen the best care possible and all your love. ❤
 
I'm so sorry. You tried to help this bunny that had been abandoned, and though sometimes things can't always work out, at least the last few months of her life she was with someone who cared about her.
 
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