I had to take my rabbit to the vets last night ( Continental giant.)
She is 2 years old.
She was just lying on her side and he back right leg is swollen to twice its normal size and is completly useless to her.
I thought she has broken her back or her leg but the vet doesn't seem to think so. She thinks it may be an infection as Hilda has a slightly raised temp and has lost some weight since her last visit to the vets about 8 months ago. ( She was overweight when I got her so was on diet rabbit food then we got a male who I think has been eating her share of the food as well, They are now seperated )
She is eating well still and drinking well still but the leg seem to be completly dead , She has no feeling in it at all.
The vet last night gace her some sterioids and antibiotics ( In 3 injections ) but the leg is still the same today so I rung the vet back as she had requested me to do this evening and she says to bring her back tomorrow which I had planned to do.
She has told me that if no improvement in her leg tomorrow that we seriously need to consider her future ( Having her put to sleep ) as smputation is not an option in rabbits back legs.

I have done some research on the net on rabbit amputations and it has indeed been done to rabbits and they do adapt well.

She does not appear to be in any pain and the vet seems to agree as no pain killer was given to her last night and she is eating and drinking well, So im reluctant to put her to sleep when it only seems to be her back leg that is the problem though she is just lying on her side.

Sorry for going on a bit but im not ready to loose her yet. She is an adorable bunny and her boyfriend Stan would miss her too.

Anyone else been in a similar situation and had a rabbits back leg removed?


Hilda

The most important person is your rabbit and her quality of life.

If you decide on amputation just be sure the decision is the best one for your pet and not just the best one for you.

I don't know what the right thing to do is. All the best.

I don't know what to do for the best thats the problem. My vet seems to think amputation is not an option though from what ive read and seen it is. That is why im so undecided.

I don't want to see her go on like this though as although she is eating and drinking fine she looks so unhappy.

Thanks for the response x

would it maybe be more of an issue with amputation in her as she is a large breed? i dont know much about rabbits, its just a guess really. personally, i would probably leave her a week or so, as long as shes eating and drinking, and see how she goes, if no improvement i would seriously consider letting her go rather than putting her through an op which may end up not working for her anyway. i hope shes better soon.

Not a back leg but I do have a three legged bunny minus a front leg and he doesn't seem affected at all. Mind you he was that way since birth.

I'd definitely get a second oppinion from another vet before you do anything - then whatever you decide, you'll be reassured you thought it through.

This rabbit forum is brilliant - they could definitely advise you here, too as someone may well have had a bun with that problem and/or one of the rescues on there may have come across it:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/

Let us know how Hilda gets on and love to her. xxx

ETA: Rabbits are classed as 'exotics' and many vets don't know to much about them. Have you tracked down a bunny specialist vet? I just rang round and asked questions to find mine. My dog's vet is brilliant - but she is not a bunny expert, and you really need to find someone who is. Some folk don't realise this (why would you?) and take their rabbit to their usual vet but it is worth making sure your vet has an interest in this area. Rabbits are extremely different in terms of their tolerance to certain drugs and anaesthetics, apparently, so it's vital to find a bunny savvy vet. Esp when it comes to ops and antibiotics, I'm told. Good luck to Hilda.

Thanks for all your replies. Hilda stopped eating and drinking last night and whilst she was still alert and trying to do things it was too much to see her distressed and struggling.
As one poster wrote , it was her size that makes amputation impossible as she is so long.
We made the hard decision to have her put to sleep this morning.
Her partner Stan looks quite depressed on his own and is going off tonight to live at my MIL's as she has a giant bunny that is his sister and is on her own too. I though this the best as they are both on their own.

It was hard watching her be put to sleep, She had the injection in her ear and then they couldn't get the second injection in ( There wasn't enough in the first one ) for nearly 10 mins as her veins kept collapsing. It was pretty horrific to watch and took her nearly 15 mins for her heart to stop beating
They told me that if they couldn't get the second injection in they would have to inject straight in to the heart

Anyway just thougt I would let you know as you all took the time to reply. Thanks xx

{{{Mrs Oggy}}} You loved her and did what was best for her.
She was clearly a much loved bunny. xxx