Mootah's Updates with Pics *Previously is this lump normal*

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ButtonsPalace

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Ok. So several of you know what happened to my rabbit earlier. I have him downstairs in a large pet carrier. I had him laying in a meatloaf position because I've read it's best for them that way they'll heal right. But there's a lump. No pain when you touch it and it don't move. It might be normal for the way he was sitting but I'm not sure. It's not a big lump or a lump you can see if you just look at him but it's a bit bigger than his normal spine bump feeling. It's too big to be a disc and I don't believe it could be a disk or vertebrae. Should I be worried? He's still moving around and must be moving his hind legs. He keeps wanting to lay them out sideways I'm almost tempted to wrap him lightly in some cloth to hold him in the right position. When I do put him in the right position he flops over a bit because he don't want to hold himself up. So should I be worried about this lump? Should I watch this lump to see if it gets bigger or smaller? *Btw he has a willow branch, plantain leaves, pellets, a banana, hay and his water bottle, plus he's sitting on about 2+ inches of bedding.
 
I don't know if the lump is normal or perhaps swelling from whatever injury he sustained. I'd just watch it and see how he is by tomorrow. I don't know of anything you can do that you're not already doing. I second the meatloaf position but you may need to stuff something on the side he tends to fall towards to keep him upright. Try to determine if the tendency to stretch the legs out is because it is more comfortable or because he can't help it. If it is because he cannot help it, prop him in the meatloaf position. If you think he is in less pain with them stretched out, you may want to consider letting him do what feels best.

You're feeding him helpful things, especially the willow. Is he eating and drinking?

With this kind of injury there is not too much you can do except make him as comfortable as possible and wait to see if he improves. Time and rest sometimes do the trick . . . but not always.
 
He doesn't appear to have drank anything yet but he did manage to turn himself around, I've turned him back around so he's facing his water but he immediately starter moving back around again. I'll put him back in meatloaf form and see if I can find something to help prop him up... Maybe an old t-shirt I don't care about will work? I'll try that and see how it does. I believe the lump is swelling too.. From how I would envision his fall from the cage the lump is exactly where I would guess he would've got himself caught at. I figure it caught the spine and he wriggled himself loose until he hit the floor. I'd say there might be some bruising on his underside as well. I'll take the feeder off of my does cage tomorrow and take a pic of it because it's the same set-up as his cage was but it's on the side of the cage so the goats can't get to it. For now I will watch him and I'll keep everyone updated on this post. I'll post my next update tomorrow morning for anyone who's interested. Oh one more question.. Do you think it would be safe to breed him eventually? I mean I really want to because he is such a sweetheart and I love him so much and I know he'd make beautiful babies, but I don't want to risk hurting him and if there's any chance it could hurt him I won't do it.

-- July 17th, 2016, 10:10 am --

WOW! What a turn-around! His bump is under half the size and he is reacting to the pinch test. He wasn't yesterday but I think it's because his feet were swollen yesterday. He didn't do any of the what I would say normal signs of pain but when I pinched his foot he gave me this look like you might want to stop and then he slowly pulled his foot up in a "I'll kill you manner" so I took that as a good sign :) when I squeezed his other foot he kinda started breathing harder a bit and started to come at me with intent of biting so I didn't squeeze as hard the second time. *Mine you the first time I slowly put more pressure until he started saying ow* He pulled his foot up the second time. He's moving himself around the cage but isn't showing much interest in his pellets. But that's Ok :) Because in his cage he has an apple tree branch with leaves and a willow twig, he has some dandelion and plantain, He also has some banana but I need to give him more. He hasn't drank hardly any water but I figure if he's eating all these greens that's why plus his poop looks wet. It's like normal poop but it's wet on the outside, not mushy like diarrhea

-- July 17th, 2016, 7:20 pm --

Sunday, July 17 at about 8:10pm...
~So I went down to check on him and found he was covered in poo and pee *Yesterday I was checking him hourly and there was never anything so today I checked him this morning and once about midday and there was little to no poop or pee. But this past time I went there was quite a bit.* So I went and got some baby wipes and I massaged all the poop out of his fur and I cleaned him up the best I could as well as removing the soiled bedding and putting in new bedding.
~ I've done the pinch test and it appears to me it hurts him to move his back legs. But when I pinch his feet he starts eating but when he bites he bites hard and chews hard. Similar to what someone in pain would probably do. Now he won't move much when I'm around other than trying to get away from me because I'm the no fun person who is having to carefully, gently move him around to clean him and his cage. But he loves my boyfriend, he calls himself dad, the bond between them is incredible. But when his dad came over to see him he pricked his ears up and pushed/pulled himself forward. He used his back legs a bit during this to push himself.
~ Since he had sticky poo I've took away his pellets and am going to be feeding him solely willow branches and plantain. I've been trying to look for Shepard's Purse even though I haven't got to look yet because of the rain. He hasn't drank much if any but he's eating. His water bottle is low hung but I'm debating giving him a water bowl because I wonder if he knows his bottle is there.. It's definitely low enough for him to reach, I made sure of that.
 
A water bowl would be a good idea. Many rabbits, especially when not well, do better with a bowl. Lapping at ground level is easier than reaching up even a little, especially if he is in pain.

If you have plain kitchen oatmeal you can give him some of that too. And, of course, he should have hay. Shepherd's purse is very effective, as is plantain. And don't forget the leaves of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry plants.
 
Haven't seen any of the last three but tomorrow I'll put on some leggings and my rain boots and wander over to the property across the road and see if I can find and of those. He has hay but I need to replace it. I do have some oatmeal! And I'll replace his pellets with some oats on one side and water in the other *It's one of those small plastic two sided feeders.* I've been speaking to someone else who's rabbit got injured (I met her on FB) and she recommended I join a disabled rabbit group and that I shave his bum and diaper him as well as put corn starch on him to help him stay dry. I'm going to make a diaper out of cloth and use period pads as a liner and I'll set a timer to change him every two hours.

-- July 17th, 2016, 8:45 pm --

Quick question. Would it be a good idea to mash up some bananas and mix them with the oats? he don't seem too interested in the plain oats..

-- July 18th, 2016, 5:20 pm --

He stretched himself out into this position. I tried to get him to stay in meatloaf with a support on one and then both sides but it seems to hurt him so he has been laying with his hip stretched out. I couldn't keep his bum dry or clean so I shaved him. Soo much easier. I've joined a Disabled Rabbits forum on FB if anyone's interested and has a disabled buns I'd love to give you the info. I've been told a lot to go to the vet but financial issues are preventing that. Here's some pics of Mootah :)
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-- July 18th, 2016, 6:28 pm --

Just found out Dandelion is a great anti-inflammatory! PLUS it helps with upper respiratory infections,Bronchitis, Pneumonia. I have Sailor who has snuffles, he's in quarantine and special measures are took for him. He's been sold I'm just waiting for the girl to come get him. She has boot camp for two months so I think December-January is when she'll be picking him up and taking him to Texas where he'll be an indoor pet. I have explained to her she can't have any other rabbits or animals around him and she says she only has a snake and that her rabbit got killed a few months ago. I've known her for quite a bit because we play a game together and she's a really nice woman. So time to go pick dandelion! :up: :clap: :clap2: :bounce: :walk: <br /><br /> -- July 18th, 2016, 8:21 pm -- <br /><br /> I actually have a question now. Is it possible for him to become paralyzed? I've been watching him and he's been nibbling and I suppose sipping water. It's not very hot so I don't expect him to drink a bunch. There was a oat piece in his water which leads me to believe his is still drinking. He's also moving himself around little bits which makes me think he isn't paralyzed because he's shifting. Someone on the disabled rabbits forum said it was good he was moving because he is stretching different muscles. Is there anything I can do for him to help make him mobile maybe? I'm going to finish shaving him tomorrow and then I'm going to measure him for a diaper and I'll be making a diaper for him :)
 
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