Case report: 8 week old Wyatt suffering from a broken knee

Kim Chilson

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Wyatt is a little 8week old bunny who had been found with a wounded right hind leg. Due to his leg problem, Wyatt could not hop around easily and using a litter box was difficult. As a result, his perianal region is soiled with urine and fecals. I am worried.

Young Wyatt suffering from his right hind limb and a soiled perianal region.

After examining Wyatt, the vet decided to operate his leg and try to repair it. He put permanent stitches in the inside of his right knee, scraped out scar tissue and - if understanding it correctly, cut ligaments on the outside of knee, as they were pulling too much to the outside of his body.

Wyatt 2 days after the surgery on his right hind limb. At least I got back a rabbit with four legs; but I wish they would not have shaved off all the fur he has been trying so hard to grow back in !

He wanted me to keep vet wrap around both feet, securing them together, and above the knee, so that it forced the knee to bend. However, there was a chance that this would cause too much breakdown of skin in fold, so then, I was to try to position him in that same stance in an upright position forcing the knee to bend and bear weight inside of some small container such as a round garbage can.

Well, problem: none of those ideas worked. I am continuing the physical therapy, as they showed me, but the knee is quite swollen today-the fourth day after the operation- and although I was propping him up on the foot, it is only about 1-2 minute before he falls down.

He is getting Baytril (enrofloxacin), and Metacam (meloxicam) for drugs, and about every hour I go to bend his knee towards his body. The thing is, the swelling is making it more difficult to bend in a nice straight line, up to his little chest. I have been putting some cold packs (not ice- frozen flax seeds in a small bag) on the knee, but the swelling does seem pretty much in the way. The vet indicated he wanted me to keep it bending, but I am not sure about the increased swelling.

I have vet wrap, and I did just try wrapping the "bad" foot, so he could get traction, but it comes off the foot so easily, and did not seem to be helping. I just don't think this is going to help this guy one bit. :(

The vet decided to put vet wrap around both feet. I think pink is too girly for him, but he will just have to get over it....huh?

Wyatt a few months later. His hind leg never took the right position and remained crooked under his body. His right front leg bended to the front, a probable ligament weakness related to increased weight on one limbs. he managed to move around with his disability well and found a way to sleep. Although Wyatt did not live long, but did enjoy the life of a happy spoiled bunny.

Wyatt bunny learned do deal with his disabled leg well for his daily chores and for sleep. His front right limb bended due to ligament weakness and weight bearing (arrow).

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