Advice Requested ASAP

[galinfla]

It's been a hectic weekend because I had family here. The rabbits were at a pet sitter's overnight on Friday. With the exception of the time my daughter held Lucky yesterday, they have been in their cage since I picked them up Saturday afternoon.

I took their cage outside to get some fresh air and exercise. I noticed Lucky was just lying in the litter box. To be honest, I thought he was dead. He was very still, but staring up at me. I reached for him and he shot off, but his motions were all wrong. Like his butt wasn't cooperating with his front half.

To make matters worse, I picked him up to examine him and he squirmed right out of my arms and crashed to the floor. I yelled for my daughter and we watched him move. It seems as though his right back leg is kind of limp.

Please don't state the obvious: Take him to a vet. It's a holiday, and I don't know if anybody is open. So if I cannot get him somewhere, what can I do for him in the meanwhile?

Further: my thoughts are that the leg is broken. If this is the case, I just read that treatment generally runs between $500 and $1000. I've postponed my dental work for two years now because I cannot afford it, even with payments. Do I have any options, other than putting him to sleep? I really don't want to do that, but I don't want him to suffer.

 

[missyscove]

I would confine him to somewhere where he can't move around too much, like a crate. Be sure to pad it well with towels or blankets both to protect him and to absorb urine.
Is he eating/ drinking?
Pain meds may be necessary. Do you have any metacam on hand? If not, do you have any baby aspirin you could give him?
It sounds to me either something is broken or a neurological issue. It is possible, but by no means easy, to care for a handicapped bun.

 

[LadyKat]

:yeahthat:

If you think he is in pain you can get Pediatric Advil, it is liquid and comes in grape flavour. For dosage the max would be 1.0 ml for a 4lb bunny every 6 hours.

 

[galinfla]

I don't even know what metacam is. I've only had the rabbits for two weeks. I'm calling around now to see what is open. He isn't eating or drinking, so I'm not sure how I'd get pain meds into him. Actually, the situation is rapidly looking bleaker. My daughter has been stroking him and keeping him still. At first he was trying to escape and hop around but now he's just very quiet and not really doing anything.

 

[LadyKat]

In order to get liquid into him you did to get a syringe without the needle in it. They should have this at most pharmacies. The pediatric advil (what my vet had me get instead of Metacam) comes with a syringe already in it.

You should also get critical care when the vet stores are open tomorrow. This is no very expensive, you get from the vets, and you mix it with water and feed it to the rabbit by syringe. Crtical care is kept in the freezer and is great to have on hand for bunnies who arent eating as it has all the nutrients and fibre in it that they need.

 

[Pipp]

He can survive quite well with a broken leg, it can probably even heal on its own, albeit crooked, depending on how bad the break is and where it is will determine a lot. But you have to guard against infection and get him some pain medication.

There is absolutely no reason to put him to sleep.

I don't particularly like a lot of the operations that insert pins and do other rather invasive procedures regardless, although I'm sure others will argue.

I have a bunny with a leg that was totally smashed, probably hit by a car, and he healed well on his own, his leg sticks straight out to the side, but he gets around just fine.

And I have another girl who snapped a bone in her back leg and it healed on its own with only a minor crooked bit.

Can you feel a bone out of place? Sometimes its a sprain. Best case scenario would still be to take him in, get him pain meds and antibiotics, and an x-ray if need be and see what the vet says.

At least you can get pain meds and an assessment.


sas :clover:

 

[galinfla]

So, I was on the phone with an emergency vet clinic. They don't see rabbits. And while I was on the phone... he died.

 

[JimD]

I'm so sorry

Binky free little one.

ray:

 

[Pipp]

Get him some canned pumpkin and try and give him that in a feeding syringe, that will protect his stomach. Ply him with treats like banana.

Definitely keep him in a small carrier with towels to keep him still and try and just hold his head to give him meds.

Is there a rescue near you who can take him if you can't do the meds?


sas :clover:

 

[Pipp]

Oh no, so sorry. It must have been more than a leg issue, internal damage is a good guess.

Terribly sorry you had to go through that.


sas :sad:


ETA: Didn't read closely, he was already sick when you picked him up. I'd ask the pet sitter a lot of questions, many are listed in the pinned thread at the top of the Infirmary forum.

 

[galinfla]

The previous owners had told us that he was named Lucky because he was the only one in his litter who lived. I cannot help wondering if this is related to that.

 

[Sweetie]

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

I'm so sorry that this happend to you. Binky free little bunny.