Sprained hind leg

[Chantal]

On Sat. morning my 8 year old lop eared rabbit started limping, by that night he could not walk he would drag his back legs behind his front. There is a vet nearby open 24 hours so we took him there, fearing he had a broken paw we had xrays done he did not have a break or fracture but the doctor spotted an abnormality, the next day there would be a rabbit specialist in and he recommended we give him metacam to keep him comfortable overnight and come back in the morning. Overnight he seemed to get better he could move around more and didnt seem to be in so much pain. When we went back the specialist thought he saw a fracture in the xray but wanted a different angle, this one showing nothing wrong at all. He said it was just a sprain and gave us a week's worth of metacam and said he should show signs of improvements in 2-3 days. It has been 2 days since our last visit and while he isn't any better he doesn't move around much at all he lies in one spot however he does sit up and look around but then lies back down (he is litter trained and has his own room in our house) he can't make it to the litter box so he pees whererever he is, i have had to syringe feed him critical care since sat. today is the first day i dont have to, but he will only eat if his food and hay is right in front of him. I do not want him to suffer anymore it is heartbreaking to watch him try to walk, but I dont want to (for lack of better phrasing) "give up" but i feel this is no way for him to live, i have read other posts on here where it took anywhere from days to weeks for rabbits to heal from sprains, and I was just wondering if anybody has any words of advice for me? the vets office has said there really isnt much else they can do for him besides the pain medication.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Bump for responses
:bump:

 

[tonyshuman]

This doesn't sound too good. Bunnies usually don't pee on themselves unless they are in a lot of pain or very limited mobility. You can try to keep him on fleece with something absorbent underneath to prevent damage to his skin.

Based on what you said about the x-rays, I wonder if it is a hairline fracture instead of a sprain. He may do better with a cast or even removal. I know he is a bit old so extensive intervention is not the best. However, it does sound like he needs something done for him--at the very least, stronger pain meds. I would ask for tramadol or buprenorphine. Tramadol will make him less "drugged" but provides less pain relief. They are both better for his kidneys if that is a concern due to his age.

Will he eat the critical care if it is in front of him as well? Force feeding can be stressful. I would try to keep all of the stuff he needs right near him at the very least, and provide a wicking surface for him to lie on (fleece or fake sheepskin is good) with absorbent material underneath (like puppy pads, paper towels, etc). A bathtub, kiddie pool, or large litterpan/rubbermaid container (I am thinking like one of those under-the-bed storage ones) might be a good place to keep him.

We have had members with bunnies that could only move their front legs and those bunnies lived happy lives with habitat modifications. It depends on your bunny's outlook on life, I guess--some just cannot stand being still.

 

[Chantal]

thanks so much for the advice, we did have him on fleece blankets and he started to eat on his own but im sad to say that sandy's front left leg basically gave out as well he couldnt use it at all we made the decision that this was no life for him and we had him put down, its tough but i find comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering.

 

[JimD]

I'm so sorry