Health - Paralyzed hind end

[dennismhouse]

I have a rabbit who went to bed last night just fine. This morning her back legs seem to be paralized. Does anyone have any idea what could be happening.

 

[Watermelons]

You need to get her to a vet as soon as you can.

Anything can cause paralysis in the hind end from them throwing a clot to a spinal injury, she needs to be seen.

In the mean time keep her eating and drinking and confined to a small travel sized carrier.



I have moved your topic into a more appropriate section and added to your title to hopefully get you more replys, but most of them are all going to say the same thing.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Vet ASAP.

 

[tonyshuman]

Keep her warm, comfortable, and confined in a small space and get her to an emergency vet ASAP.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Yep, I must agree. Hind end issues are very serious. Without vet care you can't do much for her.

 

[fluffles7]

I don't want to hijack a thread, but I am having the same problem with my rabbit Fred. I rescued him and Ethel from the side of the road a year and a half ago. They each weigh about 5 pounds. They eat Timothy hay, carrots, and this rainbow colored rabbit kibble stuff they love. They are in a little two story "condo" cage inside the house. Their teeth and nails are fine. Poop and pee normal.
So this morning the house call vet came and saw our cats and dog. I asked if he could see the rabbits (he is rabbit savvy). He examined them and everything was fine. Fred is skiddish, so he struggled a bit. My sister and I put them away. Then 5 min later I walked by the cage and saw Fred lying there and it looked weird to me. I went and asked the vet. He said Fred was probably super stressed. After he left I made my sister look. She said take him out and set him down. I did and we were horrified to see the rabbit flop and struggle and not move his hind legs. I called the vet and took the rabbit to him at a meeting two hours later. He said he saw Fred move his hind legs a bit, drawing them up away from the hemostat. So he gave Fred an injection of anti-inflammatories. Now we are waiting. No difference yet. I am beside myself. Now I am reading about E. Cuniculi or whatever. I want him on metacam or whatever. I don't know if I can afford an x-ray... Help?!!!

 

[Watermelons]

Well if hes your pet you should be doing everything you can for him. Put it on credit, ask family for a loan, ask friends, talk to the vets about payment plants. As alot of us have mentioned in other threads, if you cant afford the diagnosis or treatment it may be best to surrender the rabbit to somebody who can. Paralysis/weakness can be ANYTHING from a severed spinal cord, broken bones, pinched nerve, thrombus, spazm, etc. He needs to be properly diagnoesd to find out why this is happening and that may mean paying for an x-ray.

 

[fluffles7]

Ok, I will find a way to pay for xrays. The vet said if he isn't doing better by Monday to take him for xrays (house call vet doesn't have the machinery). My rabbit (Fred) seems to be slightly better today. He still is lying down with head and ears erect. When he tries to move it is obvious that something is very wrong with his lower half. He is eating and drinking. Do u think metacam would help him?

 

[Watermelons]

Metacam will help a LITTLE if he is in pain and if there is swelling in the spine compressing the cord, thats probably about it. Theres 100 other things it could be that it wont help with. Metacam is a pain killer/anti inflamatory. And its not a very strong pain killer, think of it as advil in our world of pain killers and drugs.

 

[MILU]

*** @ Fluffles7:

Are you sure it wasn't the vet who actually did that to your bunny? It's not clear, but it seems like your bunnies were both just fine and after the vet examined them, one of them got paralyzed??



*** @ both bunny owners:
I'll be praying for your bunnies!!! I hope they're fine soon!!! Let us know how they go.

Do what they say here on the infirmary, they helped my bunny a lot, he'd die if it wasn't for their help!!

@ Fluffles7: the vets told me that my bunny was "stressed" too, when he actually had dental issues!!!! Rabbits Online diagnosed it, thank God, so I could look for a good dentist!! I'm still mad when I think about the vet who said my bunny was "stressed" - that's the #1 excuse they like to say when they don't know what they're dealing with, and yes, they said they were rabbit wise too. One of them couldn't even see my rabbit was male (and it was pretty evident!!)

I agree with the person who told you your bunny needs an x-ray and exams, no matter how much they cost. It's important to know what your bunny has, in order to get proper treatment. Believe me, it's worthy to pay every single penny to know you did your best for your bunny-family member. If you can, go look for another vet, or for a hospital that sees rabbits and has x-ray machines etc. It's important to give proper care to your bun as soon as possible!!!

I'll be wishing your bunnies get well soon!!!!! good luck with the treatment!

ray:ray:ray:ray:ray:ray:ray:ray:ray:
:sickbunny::sickbunny::bunnynurse::bunnynurse::goodluck:goodluck

 

[fluffles7]

Thank you!!! Yes, the bunnies were fine until the exam. I am taking Fred for X-rays tomorrow. It SEEMS like maybe he can move one hind leg but not the other. It is heart-wrenching. He and Ethel are very attached to each other and the thought of them being separated by death is breaking my heart. I am keeping things clean around him. His fur on his bum and legs is getting yellow from pee bc he either can't control urination or can't control whether it hits his hind legs and area. This is a total nightmare. Does anyone know anything about laser therapy on animals, specifically rabbits with Fred's problems? What if the X-rays show a fracture? What if the X-rays show nothing? Just freaking out. I'll know more tomorrow.

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

fluffles7 wrote:

I don't want to hijack a thread, but I am having the same problem with my rabbit Fred. I rescued him and Ethel from the side of the road a year and a half ago. They each weigh about 5 pounds. They eat Timothy hay, carrots, and this rainbow colored rabbit kibble stuff they love. They are in a little two story "condo" cage inside the house. Their teeth and nails are fine. Poop and pee normal.
So this morning the house call vet came and saw our cats and dog. I asked if he could see the rabbits (he is rabbit savvy). He examined them and everything was fine. Fred is skiddish, so he struggled a bit. My sister and I put them away. Then 5 min later I walked by the cage and saw Fred lying there and it looked weird to me. I went and asked the vet. He said Fred was probably super stressed. After he left I made my sister look. She said take him out and set him down. I did and we were horrified to see the rabbit flop and struggle and not move his hind legs. I called the vet and took the rabbit to him at a meeting two hours later. He said he saw Fred move his hind legs a bit, drawing them up away from the hemostat. So he gave Fred an injection of anti-inflammatories. Now we are waiting. No difference yet. I am beside myself. Now I am reading about E. Cuniculi or whatever. I want him on metacam or whatever. I don't know if I can afford an x-ray... Help?!!!

this is a nuerological problem stemming from bacterial-perhaps e.cunculini--which requires a blood test--i don,t know if this is reversible--lets hope so--radiograph is necesarry if the spine is damaged due to kicking etc.--sincerely james waller

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray:

 

[fluffles7]

Ok Fred the rabbit had X-rays this morning and he has a fractured vertebrae in his sacrum. He was given a shot for pain and prescribed metacam and 2 months rest and special care. Cleaning him is a challenge. I already put non slip tape down in his cage bc rabbits with spine injuries have trouble getting around on smooth surfaces. I also removed the ledge to the second story of the rabbit condo bc as he heals we don't want him trying to jump up there and then injuring himself more.

 

[tonyshuman]

Poor Fred. It's good that you got the x-rays to figure out the problem, though. I recommend joining the yahoo group Disabled Rabbits. There are many members who have dealt with taking care of bunnies with special needs and they have great ideas for limited mobility. We also have some links compiled here:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=32236&forum_id=10

How is the OP's bunny doing?