# Splayed legs? Other med condition?



## trixi87 (Oct 30, 2012)

Hi there! I work at a pet store and recently one of my coworkers came to work and found a bunny (Carlo) abandoned in his cage in front of the store, complete with food and a 'note' about him.
He might be a Netherland dwarf. He has soft charcoal fur and short erect ears. According to the note, he's 4 yrs old, has no health issues and is a little over-weight. He is definitely not overweight, and seems a little bony, but the biggest problem is that his two front legs are bent to either side. He constantly leans forward on his chest and moves around almost like a turtle swimming.
When he first came in, he had a large cage that was filthy and was sitting in his pee even though there was a little litter box for him. I'm glad I made the decision that putting bedding in would be better for his underside so that at least it soaks the urine. I have also noticed that his undersides, particularly around his genitals, don't have much fur. As well as changing his bedding, we've been using pet wipes to clean his bottom off.
He's been eating well (Martins Little Friends Original rabbit) and drinking a lot (or possibly the water dish just keeps tipping over; I can't find a water bottle that doesn't empty into the cage). He attacks his carrots and treats with relish, and he seems to be doing well with the bedding in his cage. His back legs are quite powerful (he's quite the flier -- he's uncomfortable in the temp cage while I'm cleaning his cage and jumps back into his own cage).

I found an old post about splay-legs and some of the posters were suggesting that there could be damage to the organs from the splay and that amputation may help him. However, his splay is his two front legs and I'm unsure of whether amputation would help as he would still be using his chest to move forward. I'm also not sure we'd be able to afford amputation.

I'd like to know whether there is anything else we can do for him before he sees a vet. Is there anything we should be looking for? Barring amputation, is there anything else we can do for him?
Also, the post I read mentioned that splaying could happen from walking on a slippery surface. The other bunny we have in store is possibly a palomino and we put her in a playpen during the day to get exercise, but now I'm worried because it's a slippery floor. But she'll eat anything we put down.

Does anyone have any advice? And thanks in advance!


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## Imbrium (Oct 31, 2012)

ray:

I have no experience with this sort of thing, but hopefully someone does!


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## missyscove (Oct 31, 2012)

Welcome to RO and thanks for taking this guy in! Unfortunately I can't think of anything you could do that you aren't doing already. A vet appointment is probably the best next step in this situation.


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## JBun (Oct 31, 2012)

If he really is 4 years old, he's obviously adapted well to his deformity. As long as he's not suffering and in pain, with the right care, he could have a good life. I think just keeping him clean, dry, and comfortable til he sees the vet, is about all you can do. And a few nose rubs if he likes them 

You'll want to be careful with the treats. Sometimes rabbits can develop digestive problems with sudden changes in diet and also too many carbs and sugars in the diet. Feed lots of grass hay, limited pellets, and make sure the water doesn't run out. 

It's so sad they would just dump him at your door. I suppose it could have been worse, but I'm glad you all are willing to help this little guy.


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## Nancy McClelland (Oct 31, 2012)

Sounds like your doing it right by him. Probably a vet check would be a good idea.


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## caustin4 (Oct 31, 2012)

I have done quite a bit of research on splay leg since my English lop Floppsy has splayed back legs. Much of what I read said there's no way to fix it, it only gets worse, and it usually couples with inner problems. I've had her for a year now and it turns out she doesn't seem to have other issues, her legs haven't gotten worse yet, and if anything her muscles have gotten stronger and she slips less. 

The main thing to note is there are multiple causes of splay leg and different on set times. One is genetic and usually occurs bilaterally in the hind legs, but can be front. If its genetic then the bun has splay leg from birth. This is when people worry about other issues coinciding with the splay leg. But just because the splay leg is genetic doesn't automatically mean there are other genetic issues, just that the bun may be predisposed to other health problems.

The other cause is environmental. This can be unilateral or bilateral depending on the situation. The splay leg can appear shortly after birth, or in older rabbits. It can be caused by being housed on slippery flooring when young, so the legs grow in wrong. In older rabbits it can be from years of housing on slippery floors that eventually cause one, two, or even more legs to splay. Poor nutrition from birth, or throughout life, can cause poor growth of the joints causing splay leg as well. 

The splay leg can also be caused by a number of factors all together. Maybe a rabbit born without great joints is housed on slippery floor and malnourished. There isn't any way to prove the cause without having the bun from birth. To me, it sounds like your buns splay leg is mainly do to environmental factors. Though it can never be fixed, you can help aid the bunny and prevent it from worsening. Definitely keep the rabbit off slippery flooring. Carpet is a great floor to use that will limit sliding. Get the bunny on a proper diet. And make sure the bunny stays clean and can access food, water, and a litterbox without struggling. The bunny can most certainly enjoy life, and probably doesn't even notice the splay leg. Especially if you help accommodate this need, your bun will act as though nothing is wrong. You can also give the bunny glucosamine to help slow progression, reduce pain, etc. Amputation is not an option when it's two legs, only one.

If you have the money, I would HIGHLY recommend taking the bun to see a rabbit savvy vet. The vet will check the bunny out for any other problems and see if he is otherwise healthy. Even if you can't fix the splay leg, a bun that's been neglected could really benefit from a vet visit. Clearly the abandoners had no clue how to care for the rabbit, or the decency to respect another creature. Their note about no health issues shows their neglect, and proves they flat out lied. You're doing a great thing helping this guy. As far as the palomino, maybe throw a fleece blanket down before she exercises just to prevent slipping. Let me know if you have any other questions!


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## jamesedwardwaller (Oct 31, 2012)

caustin4 wrote:


> I have done quite a bit of research on splay leg since my English lop Floppsy has splayed back legs. Much of what I read said there's no way to fix it, it only gets worse, and it usually couples with inner problems. I've had her for a year now and it turns out she doesn't seem to have other issues, her legs haven't gotten worse yet, and if anything her muscles have gotten stronger and she slips less.
> 
> The main thing to note is there are multiple causes of splay leg and different on set times. One is genetic and usually occurs bilaterally in the hind legs, but can be front. If its genetic then the bun has splay leg from birth. This is when people worry about other issues coinciding with the splay leg. But just because the splay leg is genetic doesn't automatically mean there are other genetic issues, just that the bun may be predisposed to other health problems.
> 
> ...


--you will need to care for this bunz,pet stores sell animals before they get sick,-i have zero faith in them..-here is a link which will shed a spot light on the bunz serious condition http://www.medirabbit.com --sincerely james waller


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## majorv (Oct 31, 2012)

Christine did a good job of summarizing splayed legs. As far as the environmental factors, yes, young kits should not be on slippery floors or tiles as it can weaken their leg development. Something I learned recently is that heat can also be a factor when young kits are growing and their legs are developing. In order to show rabbits at the ARBA Convention held recently we had to breed in the summer. This is not something we normally do, and it turned out that two of our Tan babies developed splayed front legs. One is very slight and the other is a little more pronounced,though both run fine. We knew the problem was not genetic, but it wasn't until we went to convention that we found outthat hot summer temps cando it, too.


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