Flemmish giant limping

[thewiredknight]

My wife and I have a 3 year old flemish giant. Just the other Sunday he started limping. His left leg was dragging behind him. We took him to the vet the same day but they said they couldn't detect anything wrong with the bones (no x-ray, just feeling around). They gave us some meloxicam I believe the name was and told us to monitor him for 3-7 days for any improvement.

Haven't seen any improvement or any worsening in that time. HE stays off the leg but still wants to be active (very eager to get out his kennel) - but he clearly has trouble with it (you can tell when he wants to scratch behind his ear but can't.

His appetite and drinking habits have not changed at all so he's eating and drinking just fine.

Any advice or insight as to what may be going on and if or how long it will take him to recover is appreciated - my wife is worried sick.

 

[BabyMiyo]

I have no expertise in this, sorry

But I'd go back and request an x-ray. There's obviously a localised physical problem with the foot, it could be a hairline fracture. An x-ray is the only way to tell for sure. Did you go to a rabbit-savvy vet? Some dog and cat vets don't know or honestly care much about rabbits to further investigate problems.

 

[JBun]

I agree that your rabbit may need further diagnostic testing to help figure out what is going on. The vet really should have done this to begin with.

One other common health issue that can cause hind limb weakness/paralysis in rabbits, is a parasite called e. cuniculi. So this needs to be considered and looked into as well.
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html
http://www.woodward-vets.co.uk/information/Encephalitozoon%20cuniculi.pdf

If your vet isn't a very experienced rabbit vet, I would suggest finding one and getting a second opinion.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/finding-vet-13366/
http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

 

[thewiredknight]

It is a rabbit savvy vet - we've taken him here regularly (including once a couple years ago when he broke his leg - the other leg - when he accidentally hit his knee into the wall). They informed us that the x-ray in this case probably wasn't necessary and that it was likely just a sprain.

But yeah, it's looking like we'll need to take him back to the vet because we're now on day 4 and he's showing no signs of improvement.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat:

 

[squidpop]

The drug for treating e. cuniculi is panacur.
Panacur is a very safe drug- people who own rabbitries use it routinely as a twice a year wormer. It wouldn't hurt to dose him just incase that is the problem.

Does the leg seem paralysed?
E. cuniculi is a protozoa that can travel to the spinal cord and it depends on where it lands as to where the paralysis occurs. Usually it effects both legs but maybe if it landed in the right spot it could affect one leg. Its a really common protozoa and many rabbits carry it in other parts of their bodies and it causes no damage- but once in a while it travels to the brain or spine and then causes problems.

 

[thewiredknight]

He moved it gingerly to try to scratch himself once but failed. Since then I can't tell if he's just deciding not to move it or he can't. I didn't consider the idea of parasites or anything because he is strictly an indoor rabbit.

I do know that he doesn't appear to be in any pain since we could touch the leg and food and he wouldn't react positively or negatively. My wife is now concerned that it's permanent and we can't see a vet on this till Monday since I have to be out of town for the next several days and she doesn't drive.