Rabbit paralysed after being spayed

[amwinstone]

We've got 2 female rabbits who are 5 months old and starting to get territorial so our vet recommended getting them spayed to remove the hormones.

Rosie went in first but came out of the operation paralysed from the lower back down. The vets have been good and x-rayed and scanned her at no cost and she hasn't got any visible signs of trauma to the spine or any blood clot so they are at a loss.

It's been nearly a week with no improvement so they are recommending that she is put to sleep as they have no way of knowing if she will recover.

Has anyone else had a similar experience as really don't want to make the decision if there is a chance she could recover?

Thanks

 

[Hopalongwithme]

I am sorry this happened to your bunny but I have not heard of something like this happening but i believe you should NOT put her to sleep regardless of what the vet said.......Bring her to a No-Kill shelter if need be or rehome her.

 

[ladysown]

Explain please why you would recommend she give the bunny up to a no-kill shelter rather than euthanize her? That makes no sense to me. have her go through a stressful event, not be able to move her back end, and then send her off to a shelter with noise and bustle and more stress?? Or rehoming her??? To whom? Who is going to take in a disabled rabbit? it's hard enough finding homes for healthy ones... THAT recommendation makes no sense to me. SOMETIMES euthanasia is the best option. Sometimtes.

An alternative recommendation: Give her a bit more time. Are you in a position where you can continue to take care of her? Sometimes traumatic spinal cord injuries can recover. Has she been given anything for pain, inflammation etc? have they tried any sort of treatment other than x-rays?

 

[ladysown]

IRRITATING

Wanted to reword the above post but it won't let me even though I'm within the five minute limit...so IGNORE IT and read this one instead.

Your choices

1. see if the vet is correct by waiting it out a bit. It's only been a week. You haven't said if the vet has given pain meds or what. Have meds been given for inflammation and pain?

2. see if you can care for a rabbit that is paralyzed. Care for until she passes since rehoming or sending off to a shelter is NOT in the best interest of the rabbit. Since really... do you know if the next person will take good care of her? Shelter or not...some people really ARE clueless and special needs bunnies need careful minding.

3. have her euthanized. Sometimes this really is the best option. Sometimes, particularly for prey animals, no life is better than a compromised life. It is so easy for things to go wrong for bunnies, and rabbit struggling with trauma... it might be best to let her go.

BUT seriously.. wait it out a bit unless it is hurting her for you to do so. If she is soiling herself, showing absolutely NO sign of improvement (no flinching with a toe pinch), not eating or drinking well.. that's kinda telling you something as dreadful as that may be.

 

[amwinstone]

Thanks for your messages. Vets have been giving her pain meds as they're not sure if she's in pain or not. She was eating well until today but the vet said she's gone off her food which is worrying me.

 

[JBun]

I'm sorry to hear about your rabbit. I have read of this occurring and have found this one thread where a similar thing happened, but unfortunately the rabbit didn't survive. I think I have read of instances where the rabbit recovered it's mobility, but I will need to see if I can find where I read this.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/showthread.php?t=44403

Paralysis in rabbits does not mean an immediate death sentence, though the lack of appetite with your bun is a troubling downturn. If your bun happens to get her appetite back but does not regain mobility, if you have the time and resources to dedicate to a disabled rabbit, it is possible for them to have a good quality of life despite the disability. Though this will depend entirely on whether or not your rabbit can adjust happily to her new circumstances. There are even mobility carts that can be made for rabbits.

I currently have a rabbit with reduced mobility in her hind legs, though with her it has occurred due to old age issues. Despite not being able to get around very well any more she has adjusted well and is still her happy self. It does take quite a bit of time now to care for her and a lot of washing but she is doing well despite her disability, and her quality of life is still good. But this isn't always the case when a rabbit becomes paralyzed. Some rabbits don't handle the paralysis well, so it does need to be evaluated carefully when deciding what is best for the rabbit experiencing this health problem.

You can take a look at these links on disabled rabbits to help you make a more informed decision on whether or not pts is the best thing for your rabbit.

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/
http://www.hopperhome.com/Disabled%20Rabbit.htm
http://www.catsandrabbitsandmore.com/disabled_rabbits
http://www.specialbunny.org/special-needs-housing/
http://mohrs.org/index.php?id=palliative-care

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray:

 

[missyscove]

What a frustrating situation, for you and your veterinarian!

I want to reassure you that spaying your rabbits was the appropriate decision in this situation and I would have done the same.

Ideally she'd have an MRI if she hasn't already (could be the scan you mentioned), but an MRI won't necessarily give you answers. You might also consider a consult with a neurologist if you have one in your area willing to see a rabbit. Rabbits can fracture their backs even in the best of hands but without evidence of a fracture this situation is even more frustrating.

Some paralyzed rabbits do have good quality of life but caring for any paralyzed pet can be a lot of work and choosing not to take that on is completely understandable and acceptable.
Personally, for example, paralysis is on the list of conditions I feel would really hamper the quality of life of my rabbits and were one of my own rabbits to become paralyzed I would likely euthanize them.

Think about the things your rabbit enjoys. If she seems to get comfort from being pet, eating her favorite treats, spending time with your other rabbit, etc. then those are things you could provide even if she remains permanently paralyzed. If she's the type of rabbit that doesn't appreciate being pet and gets all her joy from running and jumping, paralysis may have a greater effect on her.