# RIP Apple Cinnamon has a hurt leg



## budgirl9 (Dec 7, 2012)

I have a sweet rabbit who hurt her back leg, it looks kind of flimsy. she can't walk on it at all. she is eating, using her litter box, and hopping on top of her house, she even comes when you call her. she doesn't seem to be in any pain. will this leg heal on its own. and would she be able to have litters with 3 legs.(she won't be ready till January to breed) she is such a good rabbit, I don't want to put her down if I don't have. need your opinion


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## Watermelons (Dec 7, 2012)

Please take her to a qualified vet!


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Dec 7, 2012)

The leg is probably broken. Even a vet can't do much for a broken limb on a rabbit, because they can't really be splinted or put in a cast safely. Instead, fill a travel carrier (or small cage) with soft bedding and coop her there for at least 2 weeks. Put in enough bedding, hay or straw to keep her from moving around too much, and be sure to keep it clean to prevent hutch burn.

After about 2 weeks, let her out to move around and see how she is doing. If she is moving around easily and seems well healed, you may let her exercise more and gradually move into her regular routine. If not, you may need to contain her for another week or two until healed.

The leg should heal on its own if you're patient. This type of injury comes up every once in awhile and if the rabbit doesn't seem to be distressed by the injury, it is worth taking the time to try and heal it.

Assuming she is "back to normal" (or as normal as possible) within that time frame, she should be fine to breed later in January. Many people have had does or bucks with previous injuries successfully raise litters for them later on.

Good luck!


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Dec 7, 2012)

I thought I posted here but it's not showing up. I'll try again!

It sounds to me like the leg is probably broken. It's difficult to safely splint or cast a rabbit. If she is not acting distressed or in pain, the best option is to restrict movement while the injury heals. You can do this by stuffing a travel carrier or small cage with soft bedding, straw or hay and containing her about 2 weeks. It's important to take extra care to keep the area clean, especially if she is on a solid floor.

After about 10-14 days, take her out and let her move around (calmly) so you can evaluate how the leg is healing. If she's doing better but still not 100%, you may choose to contain her for another week or two while she continues to heal. If she seems to be doing pretty well, you could start gradually transitioning her back to her usual cage and exercise schedule.

Many rabbits who have had leg injuries have gone on to successfully raise litters after they're healed. Use your judgement on breeding based on how she heals.

If she shows any sign of distress or pain at any point in time, you may consider euthanasia unless your vet has other suggestions. But usually, that isn't necessary. Good luck!


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## missyscove (Dec 7, 2012)

A non-weight bearing lameness could be the result of any number of issues from a sprain to a dislocation, although my first thought in a young rabbit would be a fracture. If she is not willing to bear weight on that leg, then surely she must be in pain. Without seeing the rabbit in person, we have no way of knowing what sort of injury she has. It sounds to me like a veterinary appointment is definitely in order asap, especially if it is a fracture as you want to be sure to position the ends in proper apposition to facilitate healing.


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## ams1786 (Dec 8, 2012)

I had a rabbit several years ago and noticed the same thing - leg looked a bit withdrawn and he wasn't putting any weight on it. Looking back, it was a couple weeks after an incident where he managed to jump out of my arms and screamed when he hit (only time I've heard it and I was young at the time and he was a bigggg bunny - awful and I still feel guilty about it to this day). But it's quite possible something happened without you seeing it. We thought it might be a club foot before figuring out what it was and brought him in to the vet - it was a fracture, and vet said to just keep him cooped up for a few weeks and then he was good as ever after that. It sounds like it could be what we went through with the fracture, but you never know with rabbits and it could be something else. Please, please take her in to the vet. If money's an issue, you can be assured that after the initial visit it probably won't cost you anything. But on the off chance it's something worse or a bad break, you don't want to risk it. They can be so good at masking pain and you'll rest easier if you know for certain rather than worrying for a month. You also need a vet to tell you how long to coop her up for, lest she start running around before its fully healed.

On the upside, if it is just a fracture and you can get a prescribed time for rest, then in all likelihood she should be perfectly fine in a few months!


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## Kipcha (Dec 8, 2012)

I would take her to a vet, it sounds like a break or dislocation to me. What do you mean by "it looks flimsy"?

If she isn't putting weight on it, she's obviously in pain. We had a rescue bun come to us that had breaks that had been allowed to heal on her own and she was crippled, never hopped right and never binkied without falling over, it really was a sad sight.

Please just take her to a vet and have her looked at properly. If you had a broken leg, surely you would just expect it to heal on its own. She's in pain and needs meds.


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## majorv (Dec 8, 2012)

Rabbits have a high tolerance to pain. It does sound like it could be a break and, if possible, you should at least go to the vet so they can confirm this or not. If it's broken chances are the vet will ask you to restrict your rabbit's movement to a small area and keep her on solid floor for about 4-6 weeks. He may also give her something for pain.

We had a rabbit who broke her ankle and dislocated her toes. The thing is she acted completely normal except that her foot was swollen and she was keeping it up under her. After 10 days on Metacam and the above treatment she healed fine.


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## Kipcha (Dec 8, 2012)

majorv said:


> Rabbits have a high tolerance to pain.


 
I know they do, when Flynn dislocated her hip she showed hardly any signs other then elevating her foot and not eating quite as much as normal. Heck, even after a surgery where they cut away bone she was still ready to get up and run around when she got home. But I don't agree with anything being in pain if it can be prevented, or even just dulled a little through meds. 

Just my opinion though, if it was me I would want some type of pain management.


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## majorv (Dec 8, 2012)

Kipcha said:


> _I know they do, when Flynn dislocated her hip she showed hardly any signs other then elevating her foot and not eating quite as much as normal. Heck, even after a surgery where they cut away bone she was still ready to get up and run around when she got home. But I don't agree with anything being in pain if it can be prevented, or even just dulled a little through meds. _
> 
> _Just my opinion though, if it was me I would want some type of pain management.[/_QUOTE]
> 
> I agree, and I don't think I said anything to the contrary. I was just stating a fact. As I mentioned, our rabbit got pain meds...no reason to make any animal endure pain if it isn't necessary.


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## Kipcha (Dec 8, 2012)

majorv said:


> Kipcha said:
> 
> 
> > _I know they do, when Flynn dislocated her hip she showed hardly any signs other then elevating her foot and not eating quite as much as normal. Heck, even after a surgery where they cut away bone she was still ready to get up and run around when she got home. But I don't agree with anything being in pain if it can be prevented, or even just dulled a little through meds. _
> ...


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## Imbrium (Dec 8, 2012)

I agree with a vet visit... they might be able to do something beyond just having you confine her and even if they can't, they'll at least set up a pain med regimen - broken bones hurt like hell for humans, so I imagine the same is true of rabbits even if they don't always show it.


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## Maureen Las (Dec 9, 2012)

Just read through this. Rabbits do not have a high tolerance for pain; Because they are prey animals they tend to hide injury and pain so they do not appear vulnerable.
That is why it is so important to notice any slight changes in a rabbit as they will not show a problem until it is really advanced.


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## budgirl9 (Dec 13, 2012)

thanks for everybody's replies but i have to decide to put her down, she is a sweet bunny, but now her foot has swelled and she seem to be in pain, I can't have her living this way. I want to do whats best for her.


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## JBun (Dec 13, 2012)

Sorry to hear about her condition getting worse. You may still be able to help her if you get her to the vet and get her on pain meds and antibiotics, but it'll depend on the severity of her injury too. I hope you are able to find some way to help her so you don't have to put her down, but I agree that you don't want her to be suffering and in pain.


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## majorv (Dec 13, 2012)

Of course, you need to do what's best for your situation. When I took our rabbit to the vet for her foot he took an xray, gave us the Metacam and told us what to do. If you take her to the vet to have her put down you might consider asking the vet his opinion if it might be worth trying to treat her. Just a thought...


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## Kipcha (Dec 14, 2012)

Is there no way you could just amputate the leg? Tripod bunnies do surprisingly well.


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## budgirl9 (Dec 15, 2012)

I bought my Apple Cinnamon to vets yesterday, I decided to put her down. the vet said her leg was a major fracture. I will miss my sweet little bunny.


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## Kipcha (Dec 15, 2012)

I'm very sorry to hear that


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## Imbrium (Dec 15, 2012)

oh wow... poor little girl...

binky free, Apple Cinnamon! ray:


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## HEM (Dec 17, 2012)

Sorry to hear about Apple Cinnamon
Binky freel lil one


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