Woke up this morning to a sick (?) rabbit. She is my breeder doe, age 11 months. Had kits 8 weeks ago. Been doing wonderfully well, until now. She has been in the nest box for a good 24 hours, before I realized that she hadn't gotten out of the nest box. I picked her up this afternoon and placed her on the floor of the cage by the water dish, and she drank and drank. Then when she tried to move, she acted like her back end was partially paralyzed. Can't be real sure if it is one side or the other. She tried to jump up onto her ledge, and didn't make it. She dragged her back end across the cage and tried to get back into the nest. I picked her up and examined her closely, and here is what I see; no diarrhea, but, a messy bottom (looks like she couldn't move and simply sat in her mess), she is fat, and her furr looks wonderful; ears are up and perky; no discharge from nose,mouth or ears. She allowed me to pick her up and examine her, and then, when I put her down and offered her water and a piece of carrot, she drank and ate her carrot just fine. Her feces are firm and normal. Any ideas? Could she have simply injured her back? Thankyou for your thoughts. In His Grace, Sissy

-- Sissy Barth (iblong2Him@ilovejesus.net), January 20, 2002

Answers

Sissy, I think you're right. Rabbits can injur their backs quickly. Most don't recover. If you have time you can feed and water her several times a day. You'll have to continue to keep her clean. If the back isn't broken time might allow swelling to go down, something out of place to pop back in, etc. More than likely, she won't survive. I had several with broken backs and never saw what happened or had one heal. It's sad to see them like this. Good luck. I hope she heals.

-- Robin (follette@ainop.com), January 21, 2002.

Sissy, I am not sure of the answer but I just started a new board for rabbits. You are welcome to join us and post your question over there. Tracyhttp://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=Raising%20meat% 20rabbits%20for%20profit

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), January 21, 2002.

Try the tender loving care for a few days and see if she gets better. If not you may have to do away with her. I do that as a LAST resort because I get so attached to all my bunnies.

I had a buck, Madison, that some how got his legs stuck in an area of his cage a few months ago and I tried feeding him for a couple of days and he was so bad that my husband had to do him in. It was on a Sunday and I couldn't take him to a vet to have the vet do it.

best wishes.

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), January 21, 2002.

I agree with Robin and Suzy, give her a couple days and see what happens.If you havent yet, move the babys and fix her a nice nest of hay on the floor of the cage.Be sure to offer water off and on through the day.I had one of my angoras get caught on the cage and my husband came out to find him hanging like a bat. He took him to vets and xray showed no break so after a week of rest he was fine.Hope she gets better.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), January 21, 2002.

Thankyou everyone for your thoughts. I have placed the doe in a seperate cage with hay and food. She is eating pretty good. Not like she used to, but, she is not losing weight so far. She seems a little better today! I am hoping that it is not my imagination, and I don't know if she will fully recuperate, but we have left it in the Lord's hands. In His Grace, Sissy

-- Sissy Barth (iblong2Him@ilovejesus.net), January 21, 2002.

Sissy, hope she is doing better.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), January 26, 2002.