Spinal injury advice needed please! (RIP)

[grumpybabies]

I'm hogging the whole infirmary board at the moment, i won't even start about the kidney problems rabbit lol Anyhow, last Thursday i went to put my rabbit away that free roams in my garden, and she was lying down and didn't go in like she normally did, so on picking her up and looking at her i discover she can't use her back legs, something had happened that day but i don't know what. The vet says she has great feeling in her feet etc so he doesn't think she has broken or fractured anything as she wouldn't have feelings, but he thinks she's pulled a part of the lower spine out of place. He says there's no operation that can be done to solve it, and just see if it rights itself in a week, which it hasn't, if not i have to consider her being PTS. My appointment is tom, i will ask again about x-rays but he seemed sure before that they wouldn't show anything useful, but i've got to try. She's been on metacam and anti-biotics since friday. Any thoughts or experience please?

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

grumpybabies wrote:

I'm hogging the whole infirmary board at the moment, i won't even start about the kidney problems rabbit lol Anyhow, last Thursday i went to put my rabbit away that free roams in my garden, and she was lying down and didn't go in like she normally did, so on picking her up and looking at her i discover she can't use her back legs, something had happened that day but i don't know what. The vet says she has great feeling in her feet etc so he doesn't think she has broken or fractured anything as she wouldn't have feelings, but he thinks she's pulled a part of the lower spine out of place. He says there's no operation that can be done to solve it, and just see if it rights itself in a week, which it hasn't, if not i have to consider her being PTS. My appointment is tom, i will ask again about x-rays but he seemed sure before that they wouldn't show anything useful, but i've got to try. She's been on metacam and anti-biotics since friday. Any thoughts or experience please?

been there done that.,that given-(doesn,t sound like a disease-)--spinal radiogragh is in order,generally tells all.//.the metacam(beware of dosage)-you want to lessen the pain so the rabbit will eat,-normally-(,this is important-),-with oral antibiotics offer probiotics.//.may have to confine the bun to a large laundry basket,,providing the swelling goes down,,healing,,over time to return to normal movement.//.worse case senario is the radiogragh shows a broken back--when excited (suddenly) rabbits rear legs are strong enough to put such a strain on the spinal column as to break it.//.-this may be operable,,but most likely will require special daily care-for the life of the rabbit--//.i had a disabled rabbit for 18 months,lived in a laundry basket--she was a black havanna,we loved her very much and she got sick/complications beyond our control and she passed-,,sincerely james waller:wave::rose::inlove::bunnydance:

 

[Flashy]

I too think that an x-ray is necessary. It can show up many things, as well as nothing, which can also tell you something (i.e. could it be nerve damage as opposed to spinal damage).

Are you restricting her area? How is she in herself? Eating? Alert?

I have a girl I adopted with a spinal injury and after a dodgy start (because she went so long without treatment), she is now doing fantastically. She will never have perfect use of her backend, but she is much better than before. She was not as bad as your girl, but I never thought a rabbit could make as much improvement as she has. My vet was at one point talking about having her PTS and the next time he saw her he said she was not a rabbit to PTS (which shows vets can be wrong about what they think). All I can say is, base any decisions you make on what you think is best for her. Rosie is a fighter, so I fought with her. Had she been too dragged down by it then I would have let her go. Follow your gut instinct and follow what youe bunny tells you. There can be many surprises along the way.

Alternatively, if you felt unequipped to care for her but felt she could still have a life, then you might want to get in contact with http://rainbowrabbits.co.uk/index.htm who are amazing and would probably take her in a heartbeat. Rosie was at one point going to go there, then, due to unforeseen circumstances my end, that was not an option. They are incredibly good and very caring though and would give any bunny the best life they could with whatever time they have left.

 

[tonyshuman]

An x-ray should be taken to see the extent of the damage. I have heard of bunnies recovering from this kind of thing and walking again, so don't give up hope yet. Carts can also be used to help her get around.

I don't think the antibiotics are necessary, but the Metacam is good. Is she eating, drinking, and eliminating normally? Metacam is anti-inflammatory so it can reduce swelling on the spine that can occur after an injury. This sometimes leads to bunnies being able to regain leg movement.

 

[grumpybabies]

She is eating, drinking and excreting normally, the only problem is she just lays in it and so i have to keep cleaning her bottom up for her. She is confined in my bathroom, looking pretty bored though, she used to live with her sons so i guess she is missing them and her freedom. I will definitely ask for an xray then, but what happens if it shows a broken back? It's not fair on keeping her the way she is, sitting in her own mess while i'm at work until i can come see to her, i actually use my lunchbreak just to come home and see to her. And what happens if the x-ray shows nothing? I would absolutely love to see her get better, or to have her disabled but in a manageable way but at the moment this isn't good with her lying in her own mess I suggested a cart to my vet before about a different rabbit and he said in most cases it isn't a good idea, but i can ask again. Thanks again.

 

[tonyshuman]

There are ways to make her living situation more comfortable. You can put her on fleece bedding that wicks the moisture away, and the poo shouldn't be as big an issue because it's harder. Also, if you feel that it's too much for you, I would definitely contact that organization Flashy listed.

 

[grumpybabies]

I will probably be slated for this, although i hope not, on my vets advice i did have her PTS. She'd started to struggle with eating just before i originally posted, although i thought it was just because she had had enough already (i had to go push her food next to her all the time because she scrabbled away, and normally she would wolf it down but she started not doing that, so i thought she had been able to reach it and had already eaten enough), she lost the feeling she had had on her first visit to the vet, and she had lost control of her toilet. She was obviously starting to go down hill fast even though she was still on pain meds, and if she didn't want to eat, and had given up even trying to move around etc the vet said it was inhumane to keep her that way. Thanks for trying to help, believe me i would have spent any money or time, but she was suffering towards her last few days. I may have been able to force feed her, but her toilet was an issue because she would only lay in a position that it went straight on her legs, because i already had her on towels to try and keep her dry but it didn't get to the the towels. Sorry rambling but i just want to explain that i had tried and i just don't think it was fair any more, and the vet was convinced that she was suffering. Hopefully you understand my decision :tears2:

 

[tonyshuman]

It's a decision only someone who knows and sees the rabbit can make. We talk a lot here about the three A's for disabled bunnies: alertness, appetite, and affection. They're all signs of the bunny still being invested in its life. When they're gone, the bunny is not happy to be alive anymore. I'm so sorry this all happened. You did a great job for her and made a very hard decision that was in her best interest.

 

[bunnybunbunb]

I had a rabbit who was prone to pinched nerves. The first time it happened it happened to a diffrent girl. It was after dark and I pulled up on the forewheeler. The rabbit jumped to the back of her cage and then was not able to stand. I got her out and started mucking around with her trying to figure things out. So when the other doe who had it happen four times or so I knew what to do. I would put her into the mini rex show pose, tighening and losening, and rub her back. It worked every time, whether it was light where she was just stumbling or unable to move her backend at all.

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

I agree with the above messages. The best thing you can do is restric your rabbits movement by keeping it in a small confined cage. This may seem cruel, but think of it as a cast to help your rabbit stay in a location of limited mobility.

Just as the above message suggests, try to gently massage the rabbit while it is in a posed position. There is a method call "Ttouch" and it helps animals relax and cirulate blood flow, especially to strained areas of their bodies.

If your rabbit doesn't seem to be in an intense amount of pain, I would personally postpone the euthanasia. Get an X-ray and try all you can to find out what has caused this. Not only can simple slipped discs cause the problem, but parasites, vitamin A deficiencies, Splay Leg Syndrome, and Ataxia are very common causes of what your rabbit seems to be experiencing.

You may want to consult a different vet who is more specialized in rabbits.

 

[Pipp]

Aw, so sorry.

There's a thread around here outlining back injuries and the 'quality of life' criteria, and it pretty much boiled down to bladder and bowel control and the ability to keep themselves clean. Not having that isn't only uncomfortable, it just causes too many other problems.

I think you made the right decision.

So sorry for your loss.


sas :sad: