Bunny not putting any weight on hind leg...

whinnyninny · #1 03/09/08, 06:15 PM

I've noticed for the past couple days that DD's rabbit is not putting any weight on her right hind leg as she hops around.

I don't know what happened, and the kids say they don't know what happened. I've shown them how to handle rabbits gently, and every time I see them with the rabbits (even if they don't know I'm watching them) they've been very gentle.

Poor thing, I'm feeling badly for her. How do I found out what's wrong without making an expensive trip to the vet?

SILEIGH · #2 03/09/08, 06:24 PM

pick her up and check her hocks she may have a sore

if so treat with triple antibiotic works good
i also treat with an anti-fungal like for athlets foot --get the cheap stuff
give her a board to sit on for a while
and check cage floor for a wire or something that may have irritated the foot

if not a sore hock then check for a break- feel along the bone if she squeals then you'll know
check her range of motion also as it could be a hip joint issue

if its broke then you can either put her down or a trip to vet

i hope its a hock problem - its pretty easy to fix usually

good luck

rabbitgal · #3 03/09/08, 09:23 PM

The first thing to do would be to get the rabbit out of the cage and go over its legs and feet with a fine-toothed comb. If a rabbit has sore hocks, you'll see fur worn off the bottom of its "heel". You usually also see a callous, with or without an actual nasty sore spot. Sometimes also if you feel along the edge of the rabbit's foot, you'll find a small abscess or pocket of pus where the foot has become infected. It's nasty, yes, but not nearly as bad as a broken leg. Sore hocks are usually treated easily with a board to sit on and antibiotic cream applied every day.

If the rabbit suddenly stopped putting weight on the leg and carries it off the ground, my first thought would be a broken leg or a muscle/joint injury. I've seen five or six fractured legs myself -- it can happen so easily if something startles the rabbit enough to send him racing around his cage. Their skeletons are very fragile. The generally carry their legs off the ground and a couple of them even had the bone displaced, so the leg looked "crooked" when viewed from behind or from the bottom.

If the leg is indeed broken, really your only options are to take the rabbit to the vet or put it down humanely as soon as possible unless you have medical experience...

Hope it's the hock rather than the leg!

whinnyninny · #4 03/10/08, 09:38 AM

Well, my DH (used to be a licensed paramedic before he became a pharmacist) handled her last night, felt her leg and moved it around, and she didn't even make a peep or squirm!! We didn't see any sores, either. She isn't hopping around quite as much as our other bunny is, but other than that she's acting fine... just as sweet as can be. Weird!

Should I wait another day or two and see how she's acting?

MaggieJ · #5 03/10/08, 10:19 AM

If she is not in pain, I think I would keep her as quiet as possible and give it a day or two. Could be something as simple as a pulled muscle. From the way you describe her in you last post, it sounds to me as though she is slightly improved... Is that impression correct?