If I had given up on
Mr. Hops (it was suggested to me 3 times), I would not have the
wonderful, happy rabbit I do today. It took a year of shots,
pills, diapers, trips to the vet, syringe feedings, etc. Hops
knew he didn't feel well, but he enjoyed his food, the other
rabbits and affection.
Rabbits are
perfectly fine pets with blindness, deafness, paralysis,
amputation, etc. Euthanasia should be a last resort when
someone can give good care and attention. Even when rabbits
have a piece missing from an ear, they are sometimes considered
less than perfect and passed over in a shop or shelter.
A three legged
rabbit gets around fine and even paralyzed bunnies have good
lives with their people and other rabbit friends. The internet
is full of wonderful stories and I have listed several links to them
from people who have cared to share their experiences. See
bottom of this page.
Share Your Experience:
If you have a story or advice about living and caring
for a disabled rabbit, please write and I will put it on
Hopperhome and link it to this page.
What you need to
know:
It's a commitment
of time and energy to care for a rabbit. If you can't, then
perhaps you know someone who can help or who would be willing to
take on a disabled rabbit.
Bring the bunny in
the house if it is a hutch rabbit!
Bedding:
Get a couple of faux lamb's wool baby size blankets or DreamTime
Kennel pads and cheap
soft towels.
Litter Box:
Be sure the litter box is accessible and see
Scoop on Litter
for one idea or cut down one side of a cat box.
Forget the Cage,
if you can. Get a good size cat or dog pillow bed (instead
of a cage) that's washable.
Food & Water: Make
sure food, hay and water are close enough to reach.
Buy rabbit shampoo
(specifically for rabbits!) in case you need to clean up the
rabbit's rear. Make sure there are no flies in the rabbit's
area
Sore Hocks:
Get bag balm ointment (in the green tin at a drug store) to use
for sore hocks, raw skin, etc. Be alert for signs of sores on
the bottom of the rabbit's feet.
Get "Critical
Care"
prescribed from
www.oxbowhay.com
through your vet so you have it on hand in case the rabbit
looses its appetite or isn't getting enough nutrition. Also,
baby food like Gerber's carrots, etc. can help.
Take Your
Rabbit's
Temperature
and keep a bag of peas in the freezer in case the rabbit gets a
temperature and needs to be cooled down. Lay the rabbit over
the bag (wrapped in a hand towel) on its stomach for a few minutes.
Syringe Feed:
Keep syringes handy for feeding if necessary.
Monitor
Everything:
Monitor intake of food and water and switch to alfalfa pellets
and hay to keep weight on. Be sure the bunny doesn't get
dehydrated.
Grooming:
Help the
rabbit with grooming such as brushing with a soft brush.
Trim fur around the rabbit's bottom to help keep clean if
needed.
Activity:
Put the rabbit where there is activity, but not where there is a
lot of constant loud noise. Keep the rabbit out of drafts and
too much heat! They may not be able to move to a better spot
themselves.
Get a Companion
Rabbit:
Consider getting an older rabbit companion who is calm and would
be good for companionship, affection and keeping the disabled
bunny mentally stimulated.
Caring for a disabled
rabbit can be rewarding. All the people who told their stories on
these links think so and I can add my testimony to theirs. I have
seen my rabbits through different illnesses and I expect when they
become geriatric bunnies I will see them through more. All the care
is worth it!
Online Disabled
Rabbit Group
Amy from
Cats & Rabbits & More in
San Diego wrote me about an online group for people with disabled rabbits. Amy
started the group when her own rabbit, Bijou, became disabled. Now
there are over 250 people on the list.
Anyone who has a disabled rabbit or a geriatric rabbit should join
to share knowledge and help others. Go to this link to join
the group:
Disabled Rabbit Group at Yahoo
Living with a Disabled Rabbit
Very helpful information
and guide to living with a disabled rabbit. Lucky the rabbit has
partial use of one hind leg and full use of his paws.
Fuzzy's Dislocated Hips
Blow by blow description
of dealing with Fuzzy's surgery and care of this rabbit afterward.
Lots of pictures.
Rascal's Stroke and His Travels
This rabbit didn't get
left behind. A stroke left the bunny an invalid, but he had two
years good years with this wonderful couple. Very detailed with lots
of pictures.
How to Diaper Disabled Bunnies by Violet
Excellent instruction on
this difficult, but sometimes needed task when you have an
incontinent rabbit.
Quality of Life by Marinell Harriman
This is an excellent
article on the House Rabbit Society website about the "confusion
that exists in people's minds when dealing with crippled, deformed
or less than "perfect" animals. Very good advice from an expert!
Caring for the Partially Paralyzed Rabbit by
Mary Edwardsen
Mary's rabbit, Charles,
twisted his back and it resulted in an unhappy ending, but a month
long journey of intensive care for this rabbit. Instructions and
advice on care, keeping bunny clean and happy.
Barney's Story by Christine Bennett
Christine starts out by
saying that "if I told you the highlight of my day is taking care of
my paralyzed rabbit, you might think I'm off my rocker." She shares
how she took care of Barney to facilitate his quality of life.
K-9 Carts
Here's what these people
say about rabbits on their website and using carts!
"Rabbits do extremely
well in carts, especially if they have no use of the rear limbs. We
do use a special leg support system, as they have such long rear
legs. If they have minimal use or use of one hind leg, then the
appropriate changes to the cart design are made. We usually suggest
that you purchase a small harness that fits around the rabbit’s
front (like those used for walking pets). Additional measurements
required for making a cart are the height of your rabbit, both front
and back, taken in a crouched position. You may wish to place the
addition of a Catch-It-All on the cart, as this will help keep both
the rabbit and your home clean."
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