My rabbit...

L'Oiseau Noir · 05-12-2008, 05:37 PM

We just took my rabbit Speckles to the vet today, and apparently her hind leg is so bad they have to amputate it. I'm so fucking worried for her. I don't know if she'll be able to get along all right with just three legs; the very idea of it is making me want to cry. But it's in her best interest, so either way we'll have to go through with it.

I just wish we had gotten to the vet sooner; the vet said she may have had a damn good chance to save it if we had. We didn't have the money though at the time, so the option wasn't open.

Has anyone else had experiences with tripod rabbits--or animals--at all? If so, were they getting along okay?

Godslayer Jillian · 05-12-2008, 05:57 PM

Life is resilient. So long as you love her and take good care of her, she'll survive and live a life like any other. Unless she enjoyed running a lot, her life won't change in an insuperable way.
On the deviant side, I'm sorry but as soon as I read the first sentence I thought of keeping that rabbit leg as another amulet.

L'Oiseau Noir · 05-12-2008, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godslayer Jillian

Life is resilient. So long as you love her and take good care of her, she'll survive and live a life like any other. Unless she enjoyed running a lot, her life won't change in an insuperable way.
On the deviant side, I'm sorry but as soon as I read the first sentence I thought of keeping that rabbit leg as another amulet.

Trust me, it's nothing you'd want to keep. The foot looks horribly mangled.

I just hope all the love I give her will be enough for her to adjust as a tripod. I think she'll pull through, but the thought of having your pet's leg taken off isn't precisely a thought that brings comfort, even if it's in her best interest.

HumanePain · 05-12-2008, 06:31 PM

How did it become mangled?

My neighbor where I used to live 8 years ago had a tripod cat, an orange tabby. I never learned his original name, but everyone in the neighborhood just called him Tripod. He got along pretty well I must say.

Xombie · 05-12-2008, 06:39 PM

My rabbit died because it had maggots living in its asshole. Mmm.

L'Oiseau Noir · 05-12-2008, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HumanePain

How did it become mangled?

My neighbor where I used to live 8 years ago had a tripod cat, an orange tabby. I never learned his original name, but everyone in the neighborhood just called him Tripod. He got along pretty well I must say.

We're not sure how it became mangled. One day we went out onto the porch to check on the bunnies like we always do, and we saw little Speckles limping with a dead foot. It was flopping around and everything. I was terrified. We tried splinting it for temporary care, but she tore it off; and as I said before, going to a vet was out of the question because we had no money, and were on the brink of being tossed into the street.

korinna5555 · 05-12-2008, 07:32 PM

I had a hamster who was born with three legs, and he managed FINE. He used to "scratch" with the leg that was missing

MotherofMercies · 05-12-2008, 08:33 PM

There's a cat in my neighborhood that has a backwards foot. She hops around pretty good, although we do have to fend off other cats that want to fight her. But I don't think your darling bunny will be gettig into any fights.

I hope all goes well.

Solumina · 05-13-2008, 01:55 AM

I've known a few tripod cats and dogs and they all got on just fine. I knew one cat who's foot got run over by a car. The owners and vet tried everything they could do to save the foot, and they did, but the cat wasn't quite the same (the owner even sent him to a pet psychologists for PTSD). A few years later the cat somehow got a really nasty infection in that same foot and they had to amputate. Once the cat recovered from the amputation he was back to his happy old self again. So maybe it isn't such a bad thing that your bunny will be a tripod.

honeythorn · 05-13-2008, 04:17 AM

My brother's guinea pig had to have his left foot amputated and he's absolutely fine. He does try to scratch with a foot that isn't there though, which is funny and I know I shouldn't laugh really. My brother has to scratch that side for him.

I don't know how well the rabbit will move when he's had his leg off, as their style of walking is different to other animals of course. He'll understandably be very wonky when he moves about, but other than that he should be fine.

You say you went out one morning and his leg was just mangled? Do you think he had caught it in something? some part of his cage? That's how my brother's guinea pig fucked up his leg ( he fell coming down a ladder and got caught, he was hanging upside down )

Were there any signs of some predator having tried to get at him? If so perhaps they only managed to grab his foot through the cage before he managed to break loose?

Miss Cogs · 05-13-2008, 11:32 AM

Don't worry. I'm sure that her not having a hind leg will not change her personality at all. Just love and take care of her. I'm very sure she'll be fine. ^^

My rabbit has an attitude and scratches me up so it could be worse. ^^;;

DeathToLems · 05-13-2008, 11:41 AM

If the rabbit looks in pain when walking on this leg its probably better to get it amputated, which will cause the rabbit to learn to walk with 3 limbs rather then 4 with one damaged leg.
I'm sure it'll learn a way of hopping around just fine.

Paigeybobert · 05-13-2008, 03:47 PM

Hah. I thought this thread was going to be about the sex toy "Rabbit."
I've never had a tripod animal.

AngelikDemonik · 05-13-2008, 08:09 PM

There was a tripod dog in my neighborhood. He seemed to get along just fine. He was a big guy, too.

I wonder if your rabbit will have the whole "phantom limb syndrome". I'm sure he will be fine. It may take a while for him to adjust, but it will all come together in due time.

Anyway, I hope your rabbit recovers fully!

Renatus · 05-13-2008, 08:19 PM

The phantom limb syndrome is presant in all species actualy from what I've read. Lord Nelson once felt phantom pains in his non existant arm.

L'Oiseau Noir · 05-14-2008, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeythorn

You say you went out one morning and his leg was just mangled? Do you think he had caught it in something? some part of his cage? That's how my brother's guinea pig fucked up his leg ( he fell coming down a ladder and got caught, he was hanging upside down )

Were there any signs of some predator having tried to get at him? If so perhaps they only managed to grab his foot through the cage before he managed to break loose?

Sorry for the late reply, Honeythorn.

Anyway, we believe it was a cage-related injury. We have another rabbit, Patches, and she and Speckles often chase one another. What we think happened was Patches chased her, and Speckles (being smaller) fled, got her leg tangled in the cage, and broke it. But we're not entirely sure.

Crying_Crimson_Tears · 05-14-2008, 04:26 PM

Aw, I am so sorry L'Oiseau. I hope all continues to go well. Just keep loving her and I am sure she will pull through.

*Hugs*

gloomcookie · 05-21-2008, 03:38 AM

A friend of mine has a three-legged rabbit. He gets on fine minus a leg, but they hop funny and I think other rabbits take the mick.

Dancing_in_rain · 05-23-2008, 12:20 PM

One of my friends has a beautiful (but slightly dim) standard poodle who got bone cancer in his back leg and had to get it cut off. He dealt with it very well...apart from the fact that unfortunately, now the cancer has spread to his neck and he doesn't have very much time to live. That's selective to the case though. Poor Loooooookeeeee. *whines* He's so sweet though! Nooo!

Kanedawg · 06-20-2008, 11:56 PM

You have ny sincere sympathies. My cat of 18 years died recently and I felt that I could have done more for her. She had been sick and I found her near death when I came home one night. I told her that I loved her and that she should go and she died probably less than 5 minutes later. Now my rabbit is without her.

I would think your rabbit can probably get on with 3 legs without too much trouble.

In lighter news I started a second job as a nightwatchman tonight and found a flightless dove that I got rescued by some dedicated wildlife peeps. Best of luck to you and your rabbit.

Chazz · 07-02-2008, 02:22 AM

I know how you must feel, athough none of my pets limbs have had to be amputated in anyway.

But my first cat (Tinker) Caught a disease from another cat whilst fighting in our back garden.

We had two choices, he would live for about 1 more week, painfully, dying..

Or we put him down that day.. It was awful, yet it took me no longer than 2 minutes to decide to put him down. I was 7 I think..

That was the first time I ever walked home by myself, sobbing my eyes out past the church, I got in and lay in my room for days sobbing, I had to be sent home from school the next day because of it..

dabbadmc · 07-02-2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chazz

I know how you must feel, athough none of my pets limbs have had to be amputated in anyway.

But my first cat (Tinker) Caught a disease from another cat whilst fighting in our back garden.

We had two choices, he would live for about 1 more week, painfully, dying..

Or we put him down that day.. It was awful, yet it took me no longer than 2 minutes to decide to put him down. I was 7 I think..

That was the first time I ever walked home by myself, sobbing my eyes out past the church, I got in and lay in my room for days sobbing, I had to be sent home from school the next day because of it..

I'm so sorry to hear that. My friend recently had to put her cat down too, she was totally devastated.