My young (5 month old) Californian doe with the sore feet (all four) definitely seems to have a separate problem/condition. Her front legs stick out at right angles to her body in a most unnatural way, and I think she's unable to stand up on them. Now it *could* be because of the pain from the sores on her feet but when I pick her up the legs remain sticking straight out as if they can not hang normally. At Showbunny.com I found a reference to a condition called splayleg, but it seemed to involve the hind legs--there really wasn't much information. It was mentioned that this condition is incurable. I'd appreciate any comments about this as I want to put her down if she's doomed to be in pain and not get over it.

-- Elizabeth in E TX (kimprice@peoplescom.net), August 08, 2001

Answers

probably time to put the rabbit down, its not as common for this to happen with the front legs but it is highly possible. Did any one tell you to try preperation h for the sore hocks? We have had a lot of success with this. Also we put an unpainted piece of sheet rock in the cage for the rabbit to rest on and that prevents the problem. Yes they do chew it but vet said it was good for them.

-- (abbysnanna@hotmail.com), August 08, 2001.

Elizabeth is it hot were you are? rabbits splay there limbs out in the heat to help cool them.have some one who shows rabbits look at her. check arba web site for breeder in your area.Put her on the lawn and see whether she trys to run around,give her a few minutes if she has never been out of a cage for her to get the idea of moving around.If she wont then you defintly have a problem.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), August 08, 2001.

Thanks for the advice--she died this afternoon, just as I was considering putting her down. She was unable to use her front legs and even before she died the hind legs grew stiff and I think paralyzed. I am baffled and will keep a very close watch on on my remaining four rabbits. They all have boards in their cages now and seem fine. It has been very hot here but they past few days we've had some cloudiness, also, I have a fan on them. All day today I had her in the house to keep her cool and gave her water every hour because she couldn't go drink on her own.

-- Elizabeth in E TX (kimprice@peoplescom.net), August 08, 2001.

Elizabeth, sorry to hear about your loss, sterilize every thing well with bleach and wash any clothing you wore around this doe!There are a couple of things which could have caused this but my guess is she kicked out in her cage and broke her back.If any others start acting weird let us know as there are a couple things that it could be.How long did you own her? Are there a lot of mosquitos were you are?Its hard to lose a animal especially when they are so young.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), August 09, 2001.

Elizabeth, in the hot weather, we freeze 2 liter bottles full of water and put them in the cages next to the rabbits. They love it, and it helps cool them off. If they overheat, they can die.

-- phyllis (fortner@argontech.net), August 09, 2001.

Kathy, I don't think she broke her back because with her sore hocks she was mostly just sitting still, and she started slowly going downhill well before she lost the use of her hind legs. By then she was lying down in a hayfilled cardboard box in the house and not moving at all--but she would kick with her hind legs when I picked her up. Then she sortof grew stiff several hours before she died. Could it be tetanus? I had her about 6 weeks. The mosquitos aren't bad here right now, and I had a fan on the rabbits and keep them in a cool place that's in the shade all day.

Phyllis, I've started freezing the bottles, as you suggested, and they really like the coolness! Thanks!

-- Elizabeth in E TX (kimprice@peoplescom.net), August 11, 2001.

elizabeth,sounds like tetnus but rabbit book dosnt list it so dont know if rabbits get it.The book list something called, abnormal parasite larva migration in the central nervouse system with these symptoms, none to partial or complete paralysis. treatment none, prevention control urine contamination in rabbitry.only other disease listed close to it was infectious myxomatosis.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), August 12, 2001.