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#182848 - 09/22/09 05:24 PM Sick/Injured Rabbit
thseng Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/24/06
Posts: 900
Loc: NW NJ
Ok, my wife bought a pet rabbit about a month ago. On Sunday I noticed he was dragging his hind legs rather than hopping around. He's still eating and drinking ok and his droppings look normal.

She called a vet who said it was probably a broken back, nothing can be done about it. He wanted $40 just to take a look (the rabbit cost $40 to buy!)

Can anyone offer some advise? Don't bother with recipes, he's too scrawny to eat.
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"Never trust and engineer who doesn't carry a pocketknife."

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#182849 - 09/22/09 05:34 PM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: thseng]
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
Rabbits are prone to back injuries and what you are describing is consistent with a broken back. Whenever you lift a rabbit it is important to grasp the skin on the nape carefully lifting and supporting the hind end with the other hand. Often, a nervous rabbit will kick and twist resulting in a broken back. Unfortunately, the only solution is to euthanize the rabbit. If you are comfortable doing it yourself, grasp the head while holding the body behind the neck, pull and twist quickly, sharply and with determination, unless it is an unusually large rabbit (which it does not sound like your rabbit) death should be immediate. If you are not comfortable breaking it’s neck, take it to the vet for chemical euthanasia.

Sorry-
Pete

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#182850 - 09/22/09 05:34 PM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: thseng]
GarlyDog Offline
ô¿ô
Old Hand

Registered: 04/05/07
Posts: 776
Loc: The People's Republic of IL
If you are intent on keeping him, limit his movement as much as possible. There is an outside chance that it is a pinched nerve in his spine and is just inflamed. But I agree with Pete.


Edited by GarlyDog (09/22/09 05:35 PM)
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#182855 - 09/22/09 05:51 PM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: GarlyDog]
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
Take a rear foot and pinch with your nail that web between the toes. If he pulls against the pain or acts like he's feeling it, it could be temporary damage and GarlyDog is right. If there is no reaction at all, I would say it doesn't sound good.

One of your neighbors may be willing to kill it with a head shot with a .22 pistol. One shot in a deadened area (maybe some loud music playing) probably won't be noticed if you are discreet.

Sue (worked for vets for 12 yrs)

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#182856 - 09/22/09 06:08 PM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: Susan]
thseng Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/24/06
Posts: 900
Loc: NW NJ
Thanks for the replies.

Sue, I'll try that test. He seemed to have some minimal control of his legs so I don't think he's completely paralyzed.
_________________________
- Tom S.

"Never trust and engineer who doesn't carry a pocketknife."

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#182878 - 09/23/09 12:00 AM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: thseng]
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
Tom, do you have any idea what happened to cause this problem? Where does the rabbit live? In a wire cage or somewhere else? (There are house rabbits that are trained to a litter box.)

Around other animals? Cats will kill rabbits, usually with a bite to the throat or back of the neck. Can you find a skin wound?


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#182882 - 09/23/09 12:46 AM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: Susan]
thseng Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/24/06
Posts: 900
Loc: NW NJ
Sue, he lives in a 2'x4' wood and wire cage outside. We let him out in the grass for a half an hour or so in a circle of 2' high wire fence more or less daily.

There are cats and hawks around. We lost two ducks probably to a hawk a few years ago. We're usually around the yard when he's out.

There are no wounds I can see and he seems not to notice there's anything wrong. We didn't notice anything until we checked him sunday morning, he was in the cage all night. Of course, strange rabbits have been seen coming and going from time to time...

I checked him this evening and he definitely has some feeling in his legs. It's just when he extends his body to move forward, his hind legs don't follow up. He does manage to pull them back under his body. It's kinda pitiful.

The only other thing I can think of is I read there is a parasite infection they can get that affects the nervous system.
_________________________
- Tom S.

"Never trust and engineer who doesn't carry a pocketknife."

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#182885 - 09/23/09 01:42 AM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: thseng]
Grouch Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 07/02/08
Posts: 395
Loc: Ohio
Could it be rickets?

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#182898 - 09/23/09 12:33 PM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: Grouch]
thseng Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/24/06
Posts: 900
Loc: NW NJ
It might be "Encephalitozoon Cuniculi":
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-2/e-cuniculi.html
_________________________
- Tom S.

"Never trust and engineer who doesn't carry a pocketknife."

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#182927 - 09/23/09 03:56 PM Re: Sick/Injured Rabbit [Re: thseng]
thatguyjeff Offline
Newbie

Registered: 04/22/08
Posts: 41
If you're going to euthanize it yourself as described by breaking its neck, be cautious about squeezing too much with the hand that's not holding its head.

I had a pet rat that needed to be euthanized and I tried this method. I used a little too much strength I suppose and squeezed some of his guts out his anus. Messy.

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