# Broken leg...options?



## Phoenixfyre

Hi all,
I have a 6 month bunny with a broken right hind leg. We had xrays done this morning. I thought she had a sprain up until last night! She was hopping around, playing, eating, pooping...just favoring the leg somewhat. Yesterday afternoon she was only nibbling at hay and refused her favorite banana treat. So off to the emergency vet. The doctor said the leg was most likely broken but that they are not able to do rabbit surgery and she'd need a rabbit doctor to see her. She treated her for the possible start of GI stasis and gave her pain meds and we came home. 

This morning we went in to a rabbit doctor and they told me that they could only amputate. More pain meds and we went home. So, I've now called the rabbit specialist that is 40 miles away and have an appointment tomorrow evening after work. There is a possibility that he can pin her leg. 

My question for anyone is...how good or badly do rabbits heal up with broken legs? And if I end up having to do the amputation..how well do they do? I know she is in pain now, even with the Metacam...and I am very worried about her gut shutting down since she isn't eating all that much. We went a round of syringe feeding Critical Care but that isn't going to work. She and I wore more of it than she ate. And she struggled so much! If she just keeps re-hurting the leg..and getting more and more pain..it isn't worth it to syringe feed.

Any ideas on what I can do to make her more comfortable? And reduce the risk of GI stasis? I do have Metoclopramide to give her as well. But she isn't producing much poop, and since she isn't really eating much today...I'm not sure how much good the meds will do her unless they give her back an appetite.

I'm so scared of what is going to happen with her. The break is clean, but really badly separated so there is no chance of it healing naturally either. And it's up high on her hip, so no cast/bandage can be put on it. The only options are surgery or euthanasia...


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## charade

Sorry to hear. My rabbit just broke his leg last Tuesday and it's been really stressful. It's a new experience for me too so I don't have much insight to give. I hope it works out for her.


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## missyscove

Amputation is probably the easier and cheaper option. Rabbits can definitely get around well with just 3 legs. Definitely keep giving her the metacloprimide as that should help keep her gut moving. I'm sure she's in a lot of pain so that metacam is going to be essential.

Is it the apple banana critical care? Some bunnies will eat that wilingly but most all won't go near the anise flavored critical care. Does she have any favorite veggies? Sometimes I've had luck with poking a bunny in the face with some parsley until they grab it out of annoyance and realize that they could eat it instead.


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## Phoenixfyre

I had no idea Critical Care came in flavors! I will have to check and see....nope, it is the Apple/Banana one. I've had her eating veggies up until yesterday, now she won't touch them (even Kale or Cilantro which are her favorites). The only thing she seems to WANT to eat is her sisal toy ball! And hay, if hand fed and continuously poked with it. Otherwise she just freezes in place staring into space and forgets that she was eating. I'm just worried that any good the Metacam is doing, is negated by trying to syringe feed her. But I can't sit with her all night and day hand feeding one strand of hay at a time...
I told her we'd figure something out, and thankfully we have Care Credit for the vet bill...but I am worried that the surgery (either one) will eclipse what the card limit is.


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## Sweetie

I had a bunny that broke his leg jumping from the top of the cage. He broke his right rear leg, but the break was right above his knee. The vet put a pin in the bone so that it would heal correctly. I had to keep him confined for the duration of healing. Keep feeding your bunny critcal care and water. You can give her some alfalfa hay for the calcium, but don't give too much. The vet and you should discuss the best option for this bunny. I have went through this, and the same two options were thought of. Oh also, make sure to keep up the metacam, that will help with the pain. If you can and it doesn't bother her too much, you can massage the leg very carefully to relieve the pain. 

So here is what you can do:
1) keep her fed and hydrated
2) keep her confined to a very small space, so that she doesn't use that leg and injure it further
3) keep giving metacam, for as long as the vet said, for pain control
4) massage the injured leg very carefully to relieve the pain
5) feed small amount of alfalfa hay for calcium so that the bone can heal


Have any questions you can message me and we can talk.


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## Sweetie

Phoenixfyre said:


> I had no idea Critical Care came in flavors! I will have to check and see....nope, it is the Apple/Banana one. I've had her eating veggies up until yesterday, now she won't touch them (even Kale or Cilantro which are her favorites). The only thing she seems to WANT to eat is her sisal toy ball! And hay, if hand fed and continuously poked with it. Otherwise she just freezes in place staring into space and forgets that she was eating. I'm just worried that any good the Metacam is doing, is negated by trying to syringe feed her. But I can't sit with her all night and day hand feeding one strand of hay at a time...
> I told her we'd figure something out, and thankfully we have Care Credit for the vet bill...but I am worried that the surgery (either one) will eclipse what the card limit is.


 
When my bunny broke his leg, it cost me about $3,000. I would get her to the emergency vet if you can. I will pray that she feels better soon.


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## Phoenixfyre

Here is her x-ray showing the really badly placed break. It can't be taped, splinted, bandaged or casted...


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## Phoenixfyre

She was at the emergency vet, they can't do anything except give her meds. The other "rabbit vet" that I saw can only amputate but was too busy to give me a quote. The "good" rabbit vet is being seen tomorrow....but...$3,000? Really? I cannot afford it. I just can't. Maybe half of that, but not $3,000. I was out of work for months and basically used up my savings. I just got another job about 3 weeks ago and am trying to get back on my feet for bills, rent, and eventually savings. I have the Care Credit card but it only has a $1,000 limit I think. Oh god, I am going to cry. I feel so bad for her...I cringe every time I see her using that leg, and I know she is in a lot of pain. I may have to have her euthanized and that just sucks because she is so young and full of life...



Sweetie said:


> When my bunny broke his leg, it cost me about $3,000. I would get her to the emergency vet if you can. I will pray that she feels better soon.


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## Sweetie

It may cost less where you are. I sure hope it costs less. They can fix that break. Talk with the vet and see what would be the best option. Amputation might be cheaper, and bunnies can get around on three legs. DO NOT LET HER HOP AROUND, she will only injure the leg more. You want to keep her confined to a small space where she cannot move around very much if at all.

Where are you located? I am in Bremerton, WA and we have an emergency vet here called All Creatures, which is where I had to take Prince when he broke his leg and they are expensive, that is why it cost about $3,000.


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## Phoenixfyre

I'm in southern CA. She is confined to her cage but she has to move a bit to eat/pee/poop/drink...but I am trying to surround her with everything she needs so she doesn't need to move more than a couple inches. But this is why I don't want to syringe feed her anymore...she struggled SO hard. And I have nobody to help me with restraining her. I am trying to do things that won't repeatedly injure her and cause more pain but at the same time...she has to eat or she'll die from going into stasis.


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## Sweetie

Ok that is good. Hopefully she will feel better soon. 

If you go with the surgery, they will put a pin through the bone and put something around the break so that it will heal correctly. If you go for amputation, which I think would be cheaper, she probably will have a faster recovery.


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## Phoenixfyre

I'll go for whichever one the vet recommends tomorrow, providing I can afford either. He isn't an emergency vet thankfully, so *maybe* he won't be as expensive as your clinic was. It'll be the VCA hospital in Santa Monica though, and that city isn't exactly known for being inexpensive. So I'm apprehensive. However on the bright side, Cinnabun has started eating on her own a bit more!


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## missyscove

That is a rough break! Amputation will likely be the cheaper option and she should still have a good quality of life with an amputation so if it were my rabbit, that's probably the option I would take. I'm glad to hear she's eating!


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## Sweetie

I am glad to hear that she is eating. If you have to force her, try not holding her in your lap, but put her on the couch next to you and just open her mouth to put the syringe in her mouth to feed her. I did that with Prince when he wouldn't eat and I had to force him to eat. I do that with Sweetie when I have to give her gas meds, pineapple juice, etc. Of course Sweetie takes things willingly.


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## Phoenixfyre

As an aside...I seriously (not really!) want to know what is IN that Metacam! I might want to take some myself! She just FLOPPED!! And ON that leg too. My brother might be able to lend me some money in addition to the Care Credit, especially if they will take payments (doubt that but it's always possible). So, fingers are crossed! And work gave me the day off (can't afford that, but I do have some priorities!) so I can get her into the vet earlier than expected tomorrow.


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## Phoenixfyre

I actually had her on the floor between my legs as I was kneeling. So she couldn't back up, which she was trying to do when just left alone and using the syringe. But, she still wriggled, and jumped. I just can't subject her to that when not much gets into her anyway from it. Like I said, we both wore more of it than she ate. She will sit still for the meds though thankfully.


Sweetie said:


> I am glad to hear that she is eating. If you have to force her, try not holding her in your lap, but put her on the couch next to you and just open her mouth to put the syringe in her mouth to feed her. I did that with Prince when he wouldn't eat and I had to force him to eat. I do that with Sweetie when I have to give her gas meds, pineapple juice, etc. Of course Sweetie takes things willingly.


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## Sweetie

Do you talk to her while you are feeding her with the syringe?


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## missyscove

I can actually answer that question and call it studying for my test tomorrow. Metacam (meloxicam) is an NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) analgesic and antipyretic that works by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) and preferentially COX-2 over COX-1 (which is good because COX-1 is somewhat protective of the GI). COX converts arachidonic acid into prostaglandin H2 which is the first step in synthesizing prostaglandins which are an inflammatory mediators of sorts. 
It's similar to aspirin and ibuprofen, although neither of those are COX-2 selective.


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## Phoenixfyre

Thank you :biggrin2: I was being facetious really though, just because I was happy that bunny is flopping.


missyscove said:


> I can actually answer that question and call it studying for my test tomorrow. Metacam (meloxicam) is an NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) analgesic and antipyretic that works by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) and preferentially COX-2 over COX-1 (which is good because COX-1 is somewhat protective of the GI). COX converts arachidonic acid into prostaglandin H2 which is the first step in synthesizing prostaglandins which are an inflammatory mediators of sorts.
> It's similar to aspirin and ibuprofen, although neither of those are COX-2 selective.




And as for talking to her...yes, I do...but she really has no interest in anything I have to say. Especially now. Much as I TRY to explain that I am doing this for her own good, and it will help and make her feel better...she isn't buying it.


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## JBun

That's really good that the metacam is starting to help. It might also be a good time to encourage her to eat, since she isn't in as much pain. Feeding the critcal care is a bit tricky. She needs food, but you don't want to aggravate the injury. It might be best to hold off on the critical care unless absolutely necessary, as trying to feed it to her is going to make her struggle and make the injury hurt even worse, and make her less inclined to eat on her own. Hopefully now that the metacam seems to be helping, you won't have to try and feed the critical care again.


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## Phoenixfyre

I so hope not to have to Critical Care her ever again! She has started eating on her own again since the flop, I don't know how much but it's an improvement over the amount earlier. I'm leaving her alone though, since I just stress her out when I go into her cage (she's actually friendly in her cage, but she thinks I am out to get her today....wonder why? LOL) I'll check the hay situation and poops when I give her the last dose of the Metoclopramide later. But she is really digging into the hay....I am so relieved.


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## Sweetie

That is good she is digging into the hay. I wonder if putting ice or heat on her leg for a few minutes would help with the pain.


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## Zeroshero

Will she lap the Critical Care from a bowl? My bun was syringe fed from 7 days old and he protested with the vet showing me how to "force feed" him anitbiotics. Try mixing the Critical Care in a bowl and see how she does. 

Holding thoughts for a good outcome for you and your bun.


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## Phoenixfyre

I am going to ask the vet about ice/heat, but in the event that she stays for surgery it won't matter. I don't want to try it without knowing if it's a good idea, or if she'd tolerate it. The Metacam is really helping her and we have an appointment in 5 hours which will determine what happens for her.

No, she DETESTS the Critical Care. My first thought was to try the bowl routine to see if she'd eat it that way, but she was not impressed at all and turned her back. She is eating on her own though, and will let me hand feed her hay as well so I am not going to try the Critical Care again unless absolutely necessary. I tried wetting & warming some pellets too but that didn't go over with her either.

The thing that makes me cringe the most at the moment is watching her scratch her ear. Just the fact of her USING that leg for that makes me shudder. I tried scratching it for her, but apparently I don't do a good enough job for her preferences!


Thanks all for the good wishes! Keeping my fingers crossed for later!

FYI, I added Cinnabun as my avatar...so you can now see her with fur, not just her bones


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## Zeroshero

Awe I love her, she is adorable.


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## Sweetie

She is adorable! Is she a lionhead? Sweetie, black bunny in my avatar, is a lionhead mix and I love her so much. She is my heart bunny.


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## Phoenixfyre

She is a Lionhead, or maybe a mix...but mostly Lionhead. And she is a love! She's thoroughly exhausted right now, we just returned from the 3rd vet visit in 3 days. The "Miracle Doc" loved her. He quoted me $1200 - $1500 for the pinning surgery, and said he would absolutely NOT recommend amputation (for her...not as an absolute). BUT...he said that honestly, if she were HIS rabbit...he would do nothing and let her heal on her own! I was astonished...but also secretly very relieved as I did not want her to have to undergo surgery if it weren't completely necessary. Basically he said that yes, he can pin the leg but because of how clean & smooth the break is there isn't anything for the bones to "grab" onto so he would need to wrap wire around it as well as pin it. He said that she would be in more pain than she is now for nearly a week or more. Which, could start the GI stasis issue up again. He said that right now, her leg will heal up fairly quickly and every day she should be in less and less pain. Because of how well she is sitting on it and using it, he said he'd just prefer to leave well enough alone. She won't have pretty x-rays (if they are ever needed) but she should be healthy and happy on it. And since she was actually EATING in her carrier while AT the vet's....I really have to agree with him. She was trying to climb out to visit him too.... silly rabbit. I have a butt load of Metacam for her and only have to give her the Metoclopramide once a day now and just stop it as soon as she is pooping normally. I am so happy and relieved, you can't even imagine! If she understood any of this, I bet she would be too.


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## Zeroshero

Awe bless, I am so happy for you both it brought tears to my eyes. Hoping for a speedy recovery!


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## JBun

That's so great! I'm so glad she's going to be ok and doesn't have to go through surgery or have an amputation. It already sounds like the injury isn't hurting her as much now.

Your vet sounds really good. If you get a chance, you may want to add a personal recommendation of him to the CA vet listings in the library section.


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## Sweetie

Not recommending surgery for a rabbit that has broken a bone in two, is not sound advice. Yes the rabbit has to have surgery on the broken leg to put the pin in and wrap wire around the bone so it will heal correctly. But this vet said that he would leave the leg as is and not do anything, that would be a red flag to me. The bone will not heal correctly and the rabbit may re-injure her leg even more. The price is good, cheaper than what I had to pay here in Bremerton, WA for Prince when he broke his right rear leg.

It does upset me that he recommended no surgery for the broken leg. There has to be surgery for putting in the pin and wrapping the wire around the bone so it can heal correctly.

JBun: the injury isn't really hurting her anymore because she is getting metacam to relieve the pain. Once that is gone, then what? 

Phoenixfyre: are you going to have the vet put the pin in and wrap the bone so that it can heal correctly?


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## Zeroshero

I have seen clean breaks on hocks of cattle dogs heal up just fine without surgery or casting. I don't know of any veterinarian good or bad that doesn't have the best interest of the animal at heart when they make a recomendation. I have also learned that until I see DVM next to someone's name to take their opinions with a grain of salt. Hope your bun is doing good!


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## Sweetie

With a break like that, the bone won't heal correctly, it needs to be pinned and have wire around the break so it will heal correctly. Prince had the same break but it was above the knee. Plus this rabbit could injure its leg even more by hopping around on it. A broken leg, when it is fixed by a rabbit savvy vet, will heal in about 8 to 10 weeks. When left alone, you risk infection and other complications. If this was my bunny, I would have the leg fixed, I wouldn't just leave it be.


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## LolaPi

I had a rabbit who shattered his femur a few years ago. Amputation was the best option, and he was quite happy on 3 legs. It cost me about $1800, and the vet was able to put me on a payment plan, so I paid it off over a few months. Ask if that would be an option. Hope it works out.


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## substars

Just wanted to second that I think a wait-and-see approach is fine advice, since bunny is eating and drinking and you are managing pain. Waiting sucks but it's not like you can't amputate later if it comes to that.

My rabbit Ivan broke his leg pretty badly in 2007. Our vet tried splinting it, but after a month it hadn't healed at all. That vet told me amputation was the only option, as did a second vet. I finally talked to a third vet who offered to send x-rays to a local orthopedic surgeon, saying, "the worst he can say is that you'll have to amputate the leg". He ended up pinning the leg, it cost almost $500 less than then the first two vets quoted me for the amputation, and Ivan healed up pretty well and has gotten another six years and counting out of the leg in question.

In short, I'm glad you sought out a knowledgeable source, and I hope everything works out well for the two of you!


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## Phoenixfyre

No Sweetie, I am not. Since you are not a vet I understand your concern. However, you also do not know this particular situation or why the vet recommended this. He is a very good vet and knows what he is doing actually. I spent nearly an hour with him going over what would happen in each scenario, and as my initial thought had been a sprain and to just leave it...the fact that he would also choose that option just reinforced it. Yes, she will not have pretty x-rays but so what? She isn't a show rabbit. And no, there does not have to be surgery...she would be in more danger from that than from letting it heal. If she were not using it, if she were not sitting on it in a natural position, if she were not happy and bright...he said he would pin it. But she is, and balancing the risks vs rewards she is better off as is. Have you had a rabbit go into GI stasis? She was starting to, and most likely after surgery would have again. The vet said that of course she is in pain, it is a broken leg afterall BUT she would be in a lot more pain after surgery and it would probably last at least a week or more. The pain she had after the break is lessening daily though. Do you know how likely it is that she would stop eating again after surgery though? Very. Right now she is playing, eating, flopping, and you would never know anything was wrong. Sure, yeah she is on pain meds...but, she is doing those things 24 hours after her last dose yesterday morning. I will continue to give her the medication of course, but she is doing very well even without it in her system. She is STANDING upright on her hind legs, she is scratching her right ear again, she is grooming with both front feet...all things that theoretically she should not be able to do if that leg weren't healing. I respect that you are thinking of her and her pain, but I doubt you would feel the same if you could see her daily. About the only thing she is upset about is the fact that she is not allowed out of her cage...

Also, it is mainly due to where the break is that he doesn't want to do surgery on her. If she had the same break that your Prince had, then he said he would definitely do the pinning. 

And the amputation was not an option for her. She was doing just TOO well on the leg for that in his opinion. She kept trying to climb out the top of the carrier to go visit him! She would only sit still if he kept his hand in the cage petting her. And she was eating in the office on her own and by hand. Had I wanted to do surgery I would have elected to do the pinning, it turned out to be more reasonably priced than I thought and I could have put it on the Care card.


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## tmaddox9

Just a quick hint about syringe feeding critical care. Go to the store and buy a can of 100% canned pumpkin...not the pie filling with sugar and eggs but the 100% pumpkin. Mix that with critical care and water. I work with rescue and I have never seen a bunny that doesn't love the pumpkin plus it is very high in fiber and helps the rabbits digestive system move things through. I am never without a can on hand. Make sure to offer plenty of wet greens and make certain your bunny stays well hydrated. Bunnies seem to do quite well with amputations even managing to continue their binky ballets! There is some thought that it may increase the risk for spinal arthritis down the road in their elder years but that too can be dealt with. Good luck!


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## ZoeStevens

Also, if I'm not mistaken, she has had this break for at least 11 days now. The bone is presumably partially knit back together and surgery to set it properly would require breaking it again, no?

I too have seen broken bones heal relatively well without being set. It may be that you need to monitor her for pain forever in case she gets an ache from bad weather or over exertion.


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## Ebunn

Hi there,
I just saw this msg thread for the first time and I'm really curious to know how you bunn is doing with that bad leg. How bout an update?

Thanks ~E


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## squeeki

Hi! Do you have an update on how your bunny is doing? My bunny broke her leg yesterday morning and the vet said the only 2 options are surgery and euthanasia. I cant afford the surgery so I'm hoping it can just heal naturally with pain meds and that critical care stuff.


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## katlupe

My bunny broke his leg back in 2015. He had just appeared in my barn one day a few months before that. He had been picked up by an owl, I think. He had a wound on his side but would not let me get near him to doctor him. It healed on its own and he was in the barn with my horses. One day I went out there looking for him because I had not seen him all day. I found that he had been stepped on a horse. His leg was just hanging there. I was able to get him now. I took him in the house but my husband would not consider taking him to a vet because we could not afford it. So I researched online and discovered the world of house rabbits. I also found a post a woman wrote about her bunny's broken leg and keeping him confined for 6 weeks in a cat carrier and his leg healed. I put Rabbit in a box with hay near my bed. Well in a matter of days, he was hopping around and his leg was not hanging anymore. It had reconnected on its own. I made him into a house rabbit that was free roaming but had to get him neutered so I told the vet about his leg and he looked at it and said it was fine. Now it is 4 years later and him and I moved from my house and my marriage and live in a studio apartment and he is doing just fine. A very active free roaming bunny! You would never believe me if you saw his leg that it had ever been broken. He jumps, hops and stands on his back legs just fine.


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## Niomi

katlupe said:


> I also found a post a woman wrote about her bunny's broken leg and keeping him confined for 6 weeks in a cat carrier and his leg healed. I put Rabbit in a box with hay near my bed. Well in a matter of days, he was hopping around and his leg was not hanging anymore. It had reconnected on its own.



What a great idea. I thought of doing this when I had a rabbit with a broken back, and I was supposed to keep him confined. I couldn't figure out how to clean the carrier without moving the rabbit around. Did you have to remove the rabbit for cleaning? I am just asking in case the situation ever comes up again.


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## TreasuredFriend

Our nearly 12 y.o. house bun Tiny mysteriously broke her femur in January. A closed fracture, not the bone piercing thru the skin. 

Diagnosed by radiograph. I got her to the clinic immediately as an ER appt. when I saw her leg was not right. Vet gave 4 options after the xray: surgery, amputation, euthanasia, or _ 4) the option I choose - some wait 'n' see time in a Small Confined Space to allow bone remodeling to occur. Tiny would not have done well with surgical intervention, especially at her age. Not to mention the $3K costs and overnight recovery, et al.

Tiny's fx'd femur healed! The bone remodeled in the 2-3 months I kept her confined on soft bath mat bedding in a 36_inch L x 24 W dog kennel crate. All one level, no jumping or hopping into a litter pan to upset or hamper bone remodeling. Her leg is not perfectly aligned comparing her leg to all our sanctuary crew members, but she can periscope and hop in her ex-pen. One of the vets at the clinic implying "no way" would her leg heal without the surgery or amputation still bothers me to this day. I was happy to do the course the other 2 DVMs felt was worth a try. 

I consulted with others. Listened to adopters who had bunnies heal with confinement, plenty of suggested pain meds. Always follow-up with a rabbit savvy DVM or xrays to determine the best course for healing. Tiny's fx'd femur didn't require a PTS. 

I've broken bones so I'm aware of the pain!


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## TreasuredFriend

Through another rescue in our state, my bun friend adopted a girl who's bone was fractured. She did okay via specific healing instructions. A friend of mine adopted a bun from a shelter who was later diagnosed with a broken back when taken to the DVM, after she adopted him. She noticed his spine didn't look right, and of course his mobility was "off."
He healed with proper care.

A friend went thru a bone fracture with her house bun. She was told no other options. Surgery was imperative. A decision perhaps made too quickly? Pin (or pins and fixation device) surgery was done on his fx'd bone. Pin/s came loose. Leg was later amputated. He developed sepsis. PTS was needed several weeks later. 

Many bun-focused parents on Disabled Rabbits or Elder Rabbits Facebook forum can explain their experiences. Even a tripod bunny forum!

Squeeki - I am thinking of you. I'd look into all options. Did you get an xray? Confer with others? My elder girl healed with confined space!!! Gabapentin and Meloxicam to alleviate the pain. I'm not sure how to link her xray, but a PTS was never considered as the quick fix or an option.


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## TreasuredFriend

I know our clinic learned from my Tiny girl's experience and my choice to _not do_ surgery. Certainly not a quick PTS at the ER work-in appt that Saturday morning. PTS decisions are Not Reversible. It's good to read the experiences of others to choose what's beneficial for our furry loved ones.

ZoeStevens, the clinic wanted to re-xray Tiny's leg but I opted out. One of the 4 vets there said; to do so may stress her out and cause add'l concerns for the bone remodeling already taking place.


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## squeeki

my bunny broke her leg 2 days ago and that day I took her to the vet and got an xray and some meds and critical care. the xray showed that the part of the leg where it bends was broken and the bone was going to mend back to the top part of the leg bone. the vet said that it would cause a callus that would have the potential of being broken again. she said the only 2 options are surgery and euthanasia but as of now after giving her meds and that critical care she seems to be happier. shes moving around more even though I don't want her to because she's making her leg flop around in awkward positions. and shes eating and drinking water. I plan on taking her to another vet to get a second opinion.

Thanks for all your help! Its making me feel a lot better knowing its possible for her to heal naturally. shes only 9 weeks old so I'm afraid of her getting too stressed out from the surgery, and its also super expensive.


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## katlupe

Niomi said:


> What a great idea. I thought of doing this when I had a rabbit with a broken back, and I was supposed to keep him confined. I couldn't figure out how to clean the carrier without moving the rabbit around. Did you have to remove the rabbit for cleaning? I am just asking in case the situation ever comes up again.



I did remove him from the box to clean it and then because I bought an a-frame cage for him and it came in a few days. He laid in the cage but never appeared to be in pain. He limped but his leg was not dragging like I thought it should be. I think he was more scared than anything else because he had never been in the house before. I didn't even know rabbits could be free roaming in a house, but he stayed on a newspaper while I cleaned the cage. He recovered very fast. I have a photo where he was in the box (with high sides) on Feb. 1, 2015 and then on March 3, 2015, he is standing on his back legs checking out my bed. He is fully recovered and runs and binkys all over the place.


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## TreasuredFriend

We kept our elder girl Tiny in the d/k crate with tons of padded towels surrounding any places where her legs or arms could be inadvertently trapped and that would hinder the callous formation. Which is how she may have incurred the fractured femur in the 1st place. Either her foot got trapped in a jingle toy or she hopped off a chrome stand entrapping her limb. 

She was surrounded by stuffie partners, stuffed animals to groom, and rested on hay on one side as her litter box, and always clean towels on the other side of the small space crate. 

I'm happy you'll seek a 2nd opinion and perhaps check out Facebook forum on disabled rabbits. I was shocked when one DVM at our clinic thought PTS or surgery were my senior girl's only options. 

Tiny girl can get out of the large x-pen door when I'm cleaning - and boy oh boy, she will scoot into carpeted areas too quick for me to follow her! Yup, about 3 months after her injury she was feeling spry.
Rabbits hide pain but emotions can be detected in their eyes.

Pain meds and careful monitoring (for bone remodeling) will hopefully help your youngen live well into her senior years. I consulted with an etherbun forum and got lots of tips wrt bunny bones healing quickly.


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## Allie_Bear

I wish I had known of natural options as we dropped close to $4k on the vet. It was a horrifying experience mostly for our bunny but also for us. I went to see our bun after the surgery and she was shivering, coated in some kind of greasy substance. They had also almost killed her giving her meds made for dogs. They told me this; a student "trainee" made the mistake. Our bun barely responded to me as though I were torturing her. This was a university in Ga. Just the trauma alone has made me feel guilty for years for taking her there. They fused her joint and she survived without amputation, but she couldn't hop normally after that.


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## katlupe

Allie_Bear said:


> I wish I had known of natural options as we dropped close to $4k on the vet. It was a horrifying experience mostly for our bunny but also for us. I went to see our bun after the surgery and she was shivering, coated in some kind of greasy substance. They had also almost killed her giving her meds made for dogs. They told me this; a student "trainee" made the mistake. Our bun barely responded to me as though I were torturing her. This was a university in Ga. Just the trauma alone has made me feel guilty for years for taking her there. They fused her joint and she survived without amputation, but she couldn't hop normally after that.


Oh I am so sorry you went through that. One reason I never told anyone before that I did this with Rabbit is due to how horrible people react when you don't take your pet to the vet. I have found throughout the years though, that is not always the best option for your pet. I doctored many cats that a vet would have advised to put down who lived long, happy lives. Now Rabbit did go to the vet about 3-4 weeks after this happened (to be neutered) and the vet looked at his leg and didn't even understand what I was talking about as it was normal. He was hopping and now at 5 years of age, he still has no problem with it. So sorry about your little girl and how it turned out.


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## Allie_Bear

Just curious, do you think it's possible the leg was just dislocated and it popped back into the place?


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## katlupe

Allie_Bear said:


> Just curious, do you think it's possible the leg was just dislocated and it popped back into the place?


No, because it was just hanging there, like part of it was not connected to the rest. He was stepped on a by a big horse. Those first days, I kept him in a big box with hay in it and he stayed pretty still. When the cage arrived, he just kind of laid in the corner looking out the glass doors. Soon though, he got used to being in the house and was moving around a bit. I wish I had taken a good picture of it at the time.


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## Allie_Bear

Thank you. I hope not to ever run into this situation again, but it's nice to know
there are "natural" options.


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