# Broken Toe.



## Moro Ferret (Mar 23, 2010)

My little Brittania Petite has a broken toe. It is totally limp, and you can move it in weird ways with no resistance. I don't know how it happened, and he shows no signs of pain, discomfort, or trouble moving. At all. I just happened to notice it while holding him.

I could take him to the vet tomorrow, but seeing as he is in no pain, is going anyways next week to be fixed, and that human doctors don't to much for a person's broken toe, I am questioning doing so because I am not sure what they could do besides charge me for the appointment.

So...

Should I take him tomorrow, or wait till next week?
Is there anything I can do at home?
Is it common for rabbits to break toes?
Have you had one of your rabbits break a toe?
If his toe were to be set by me, a vet, or someone else, what would stop my little guy from chewing a cast or re-agitating the toe?

Thanks!


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## aurora369 (Mar 23, 2010)

Even though he is not showing outward signs of pain, he is probably still feeling it. Rabbits are very good at hiding pain as they are animals of prey.

Maybe you could call your vets and see if there was any way to bump your neuter appointment earlier so that his toe can be dealt with as well.

Are you located in Richmond BC? If so, there is a really good vet that just opened a new office in Steveston, and would probably be able to get your bunny in for a neuter and to look at the toe very quickly.

-Dawn


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## Moro Ferret (Mar 23, 2010)

I will probably have to stay with my vet, as they let me do a payment plan, and I am having several rabbits fixed the same day. They are also cheap, at $110 per buck and I think $160 per doe. Some places around here are a whopping $300+ for a rabbit to get fixed, and I can't do that. That's a terrible price, especially considering fixing a cat or dog can be done with chump change. Vets around here love to milk the fact that they can charge more for "exotics", just because they can get away with it (Like being quoted $400 for neutering a rat, THEN telling me they've never even done one so they weren't even sure he'd make it through the procedure). Besides, I have had two rabbits fixed with my vet, and they did a great job and even gave them treats and extra hay.  I would try the new vet, but unless they're as cheap and can do the payment plan, I don't see how I can. I might can go for just a toe visit.

My vet is on maternity leave, so the earliest slot is next Friday. 

I can just make an appointment tomorrow to bring him in for the toe earlier (I will if I need to, though a vet I don't usually see will have to look him over) I just am not sure what they can do besides look over it and charge me for the visit or maybe give him pain medication. If they'll give him meds I will probably go earlier, like ASAP, but I'd rather not go if all they will do is look over it and tell me it's broken -- which I already know. He doesn't seem in pain, but I imagine it does hurt.


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## Moro Ferret (Mar 23, 2010)

What is the name of the new vet? It can't hurt to call them.


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## tonyshuman (Mar 23, 2010)

I would take him in soon. Like aurora said, they can hide pain very well.


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## aurora369 (Mar 24, 2010)

Here is our rabbit savvy vet listing for BC:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12111&forum_id=9

Here is his website:
http://littlepawsvet.com/

I think you will find his prices are very reasonable. And he has done many, many spays/neuters on rabbits and small animals. Won't hurt to call 

-Dawn


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## Moro Ferret (Mar 24, 2010)

Thanks.


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## Pipp (Mar 24, 2010)

Ooh, you're lucky, Dr. Martinez is now in Richmond, one of the only true rabbit savvy Vets and a reasonably priced one. 

I think his spays/neuters are the same price or less. He'll probably give discounts for multiples. No idea re: a payment plan tho. He just opened up, I'm sure he's quite happy to negotiate while he's getting established out there.

His clinic is called Little Paws, its on No. 1 Rd near Steveston. I was just out three a few days ago. 

Haven't checked to see if the listings are updated. 



sas :clover:


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## Pipp (Mar 24, 2010)

Oops, Dawn beat me to it!


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## Moro Ferret (Mar 24, 2010)

Where is Steveston in relation to Richmond?


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## Pipp (Mar 24, 2010)

Steveston Hwy is on the south side (it runs past the Richmond Golf Club), so the clinic is the south west corner of Richmond I guess. 

Does that help? 


sas


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Mar 25, 2010)

Which toe is this?

The dewclaw and the outer toe are naturally not very 'taut' against the foot, I guess you could say. If he's not showing any signs of favoring the foot or pain, it may not even be broken and if it is, it's probably an old injury.

I wouldn't consider this an injury to rush into the vet for. I'd just mention it when you go.  Rabbits do have some tolerance for pain, but you usually see some outward signs when something is wrong.


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## Moro Ferret (Mar 25, 2010)

I agree -- and he isn't showing any signs of pain. It's his right most toe on his right back foot. 

I just know they can't do much for people with broken toes, and they'll charge me $40 at the door, plus probably over $100 worth of x-rays to confirm the obvious, and they give me $15 of pain pills. I wish I could skip the other junk and just get him $15 of pain pills.

My vet is cool, maybe she can just briefly look him over with no visit charge and give him the pain meds -- she's done things like that before with me.


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## Moro Ferret (Mar 25, 2010)

Oh, and it is a fresh injury, though. I was clipping his nails this weekend and all was well. 

I wonder how he broke his toe? He is a total spaz, and probably did it while freaking out about God knows what.


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## Pipp (Mar 25, 2010)

*Moro Ferret wrote: *


> I agree -- and he isn't showing any signs of pain. It's his right most toe on his right back foot.
> 
> I just know they can't do much for people with broken toes, and they'll charge me $40 at the door, plus probably over $100 worth of x-rays to confirm the obvious, and they give me $15 of pain pills. I wish I could skip the other junk and just get him $15 of pain pills.
> 
> My vet is cool, maybe she can just briefly look him over with no visit charge and give him the pain meds -- she's done things like that before with me.


Martinez would do that, for sure if you book a spay/neuter. I don't think a toe needs attention either unless its feeling hot or looks 'wrong'. I would only suggest it part and parcel with a spay/neuter visit. 

If you tell him you're only looking for a little Metacam for a broken toe and that you'd like to meet him now that he's in the neighbourhood, but you don't think its worth a full visit, I'm sure he won't have a problem with that. 

He is one of the few vets who never gouge. He'd often not charge me when I saw him at the Arbutus Clinic, and he's quick to find cheaper ways around things and tell you truthfully whether you really need a test or a treatment, ditto when he moved on to a mobile practice. 

sas


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## Moro Ferret (Mar 25, 2010)

My vet also doesn't gouge, and I really like her. I started using her for my ferrets, and she seems rabbit savvy enough, though I have never needed to bring them in for something major. I am sketched out, because I am super close to my vet, Dr. Rice, but she is on maternity leave. I have never seen another vet at the practice, and I am slow to trust new vets because of some horrible past experiences (Lakeside Animal Hospital, home of Dr. Gonzales, the vet who murders your animals with her lack of knowledge or care, then gouges you for it and doesn't even send you a "sorry your pet died" card. Many animals go in those doors and come out dead.) My vet never gouges me, and the practice is good in general (the finance woman is a wonderful understanding person, who realizes that sometimes expensive vet care can't be payed all at once). My vet is frank with me, and when she says something needs to be done or isn't necessary, I truly trust her judgment. I have never been sorry. But a new vet will be fixing my bunnies next week, as well as looking over the toe if I bring him in earlier, and who knows if he/she will be the kind who likes to do pointless things to rack up a bill.

If Dr. Martinez has good prices and a possibility of doing a payment plan, I might go see him. I NEED the payment plan for anything major, always. It's the only way I have been able to put my ferts through much needed surgeries in emergencies, or have my bunnies fixed. If he does that, I would love to try him and maybe use him for my bunnies. He sounds like a very nice person.

Thanks for the help, everyone.


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