# Broken or dislocated?



## Icarus (Sep 13, 2010)

One of my sweet little Dutches managed to get out of the hutch, three days later I finally managed to catch her in the garage. I snagged hold of the bunny by the scruff and she kicked like mad. I tranced her out as quickly as possible (she was extremely skiddish) and brought her back to the other bunnies. 

Then I noticed her left hind foot looked a little funny. I set her down a moment and it was sticking out to the side a bit. She put weight on it, but it stuck out. 

I brought her in, wrapped her securely in a towel and tranced her out again. Upon initial examination, I found no signs of a break. The problem area is specifically in the ankle. Bunny showed no signs of pain when foot, ankle, or leg was handled. I applied very light pressure and felt something pop back into place. 

Ankle has full mobility and now sits in the normal position. Bunny puts weight on it and it doesn't seem to bother her. BUT. There was something pressing against the skin on the inside of the leg. It was immobile to light pressure and felt like cartilage. 

I wrapped the foot and ankle temporarily to immobilize it and placed her in a quiet cage in the back of the house. She was NOT happy about having a wrapped foot and is still very skiddish. 


Do you think it was just a dislocation? Or a break? Should I splint and wrap the foot for at least a week or two just to be on the safe side?

I have a small (and calm) little Dutch that can stay with her for company. Rabbit is otherwise fine, but seems to have cut or scraped herself (it's scabbed over) on her shoulder. VERY fat and healthy looking otherwise. She's calming down again and last I checked on her, she had her back legs stretched out and was napping. 

What do you guys think? Please don't say vet, if I told my dad I'd like to take my $10 rabbit to the vet he'd book me in a mental institution.


----------



## BunnieRosanna (Sep 13, 2010)

I would say go to the vets so that they can take an X-ray and be 100% sure whether it has broken. Otherwise, you can leave it 2-3 dys to watch for improvements without the bandage on.

You say you don't want to hear the obvious - as a rabbit owner, the full responsibility has to be taken to see through any medical issues despite you saying the bunny cost you $10.The cost of the animal has nothing to do withit, it's giving the propermedical care when required.You obviously care enough to put this on the forum but this bunny needs to see a vet if the leg does not get better.

All animalscan beexpensive when it comes to bumps and lumps; it comes with the territory of owning them.

Good Luck!


----------



## Nancy McClelland (Sep 14, 2010)

a trip to the vet and an xray is the sure thing.


----------



## Icarus (Sep 14, 2010)

I splinted and wrapped the leg. Now monitoring. 


Sorry, but the cost of one visit would be obscene, taking also into consideration time and gas. Rabbits around here have three options, stay healthy, heal yourself, or be PTS. Obviously my buns have a fourth, receive care, but vet? No. The bill, including gas to drive 1-2 hours (maybe more) to a vet who will care for a rabbit, would be in the range of $600-$700. Probably more. It's not going to happen.


----------



## jcottonl02 (Sep 15, 2010)

I do apologise if this sparks a debate, but why did you get rabbits in the first place if you know without doubt that a vet trip is always out of the question?

She's not just 'a $10 rabbit'...she is part of your family that feels extreme pain as much as you do.
I don't think money would be an issue if you broke your leg.

:grumpy:

Jen


----------



## mistyjr (Sep 15, 2010)

She might have have a hairline fracture. My blue dutch by had this with hes back leg also. The vet didnt do anything to it just told me to keep him in a smaller cage and its take 6 weeks to heal. The only way to find out if it is an X-Ray. It cost us $90 but she also told me that a hairline is worse then a break. So I would also keep the rabbit in a smaller cage so she cant move as much.


----------



## mistyjr (Sep 15, 2010)

*Icarus wrote: *


> I splinted and wrapped the leg. Now monitoring.
> 
> 
> Sorry, but the cost of one visit would be obscene, taking also into consideration time and gas. Rabbits around here have three options, stay healthy, heal yourself, or be PTS. Obviously my buns have a fourth, receive care, but vet? No. The bill, including gas to drive 1-2 hours (maybe more) to a vet who will care for a rabbit, would be in the range of $600-$700. Probably more. It's not going to happen.


And it will not cost that much in the vet bill. We just had to pay for the X-Ray and the office call.


----------



## Icarus (Sep 15, 2010)

jcottonl02 wrote:


> I do apologise if this sparks a debate, but why did you get rabbits in the first place if you know without doubt that a vet trip is always out of the question?
> 
> She's not just 'a $10 rabbit'...she is part of your family that feels extreme pain as much as you do.
> I don't think money would be an issue if you broke your leg.
> ...



Because 99% of my rabbits come from less than satisfactory homes. When I take them in they often have bleeding hock sores and are severely underweight. Some are worse, with matted hair on their rumps, soft stools, lacerations, worms, and fleas. One poor rabbit had two inch toenails on every foot, plus hock sores. 
Not every rabbit makes it, but the majority recover into fine, happy little bunnies. 
At the moment I have a beautiful little chestnut with epilepsy living the good life on fresh, sweet grass and good grain. Thankfully her condition is only triggered by being turned over, so she should be able to enjoy several more years yet on a careful diet. 

I have the Dutch because I always enjoyed the breed, and found the little doe to be awfully cute. I would take _every_ rabbit to a good vet but it is just not feasible. The nearest rescue is five hours away. 

And if I broke my leg, you'd still have to drag me kicking and screaming to a doctor. Unless the bone is sticking out of the skin or I'm bleeding to death, I try my hardest to avoid the hospitals in this town. 

mistyjr wrote:


> She might have have a hairline fracture. My blue dutch by had this with hes back leg also. The vet didnt do anything to it just told me to keep him in a smaller cage and its take 6 weeks to heal. The only way to find out if it is an X-Ray. It cost us $90 but she also told me that a hairline is worse then a break. So I would also keep the rabbit in a smaller cage so she cant move as much.



She is confined to a relatively small cage (she can easily access her water, grain, and hay, turn around, and stretch out) and her leg is padded and wrapped for stability. When I have time she lays in my lap, stretches out, and dozes off.
Eating and drinking good, she's adjusted to her 'cast' very well, and does put weight on it.

I would have to include gas, time, and find a car capable of making the distance to a half decent vet that will care for a rabbit.


Now, since we've cleared up the vet issue. If you have any good advice or tips for little Blue Bird please share. So far, so good.


----------



## mistyjr (Sep 15, 2010)

I gave good advice


----------



## tonyshuman (Sep 15, 2010)

Have you thought about giving her any pain meds, like ibuprofen, aspirin, or metacam? Here's a dosing site for ibuprofen and aspirin, if it seems like she's uncomfortable. 
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rx/drugcalc.html


----------

