We raise and show Mini lop rabbits. I recently had a doe who caught her toenail while we where moving her cage, she spooked and must of just jumped wrong, when she landed she seemed fine. I moved her later that day and didn't notice anything, she didn't seem in pain or anything, I put her in a different cage (she is due to have a litter on the 6th, so I moved her to a bigger cage). I noticed she sat a bit funny when I put her in there. The next day I noticed she hadn't eaten, I looked her over and noticed she is holding her back left foot out. When I pick her up it just hangs loosely. When I set her down she puts her weight on the other feet.
I contacted the breeder I got her from who said I should try to find a vet to set it, or put her to sleep. I contacted a few vets who all said they either have never set a rabbits leg, or that if they have the rabbit chewed the cast/splint off and it did no good in the long run. They said the rabbits generally did fine with one broken leg. Obviously I won't be able to show her again, which makes me super sad, but I am hoping she will be able to stay as a brood mom. Since she is already about two weeks pregnant I would really like to wait and see how she does before I make a decision. However I also don't want her to be in pain and suffering, I am bringing her in tonight (we have a set up for a house rabbit) and the babies that I had in here just went to new homes, so that way she is in a cage with a solid floor, and I will be able to closer monitor how much she is eating, and drinking.
What are your opinions? Pay the $200 to the vet to try to splint the leg, even though the vet says that its probably not going to work, and that if it was their rabbit they wouldn't.
Leave it be and just watch her?
Or have her put to sleep?
Any ideas on how to manage the pain??
I contacted the breeder I got her from who said I should try to find a vet to set it, or put her to sleep. I contacted a few vets who all said they either have never set a rabbits leg, or that if they have the rabbit chewed the cast/splint off and it did no good in the long run. They said the rabbits generally did fine with one broken leg. Obviously I won't be able to show her again, which makes me super sad, but I am hoping she will be able to stay as a brood mom. Since she is already about two weeks pregnant I would really like to wait and see how she does before I make a decision. However I also don't want her to be in pain and suffering, I am bringing her in tonight (we have a set up for a house rabbit) and the babies that I had in here just went to new homes, so that way she is in a cage with a solid floor, and I will be able to closer monitor how much she is eating, and drinking.
What are your opinions? Pay the $200 to the vet to try to splint the leg, even though the vet says that its probably not going to work, and that if it was their rabbit they wouldn't.
Leave it be and just watch her?
Or have her put to sleep?
Any ideas on how to manage the pain??