3 week old kit with broke foot

[Duckcomando]

I noticed today that one of my 3 week old NZR kits has a broken back foot. I watched the kit jump in and out of the nest and eat. I really don't know what to do at this point. Do I cull or wait and see if the kit makes it? My doe had 7 and we lost 2 due to them getting out of the nest on cold nights. now I'm trying to keep as many as I can without it being a unfair life to the kit.

 

[jessie15273]

Popsicle stick splint? We use a pvc pipe splint on baby goats and by the time they are grown your never would have known it

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I had a doe jump out of here cage on the top row and break her rear leg. She had fairly young kits, but they could have survived without her.

I couldn't bring myself to cull her, but watched for her to grind her teeth, which is a sign of pain... amazingly, she never seemed distressed at all. :shock:

She ultimately healed up and I got another litter of kits out of her.

You could try splinting the leg, but that didn't work very well for me.

It will likely heal on its own, but do keep an eye on him for signs of distress.

 

[Duckcomando]

The kit hops around with the bad foot in the air. So its not walking on the foot.

 

[ladysown]

How long has it been broken?
Where is it broken?
... if above the "knee" cull it. You are just asking for trouble over time unless you splint and restrict movement.
....if below the knee it will do just fine as long as no bones are jutting out anywhere. It will be slower in growth for a couple of days but then pick up again.

 

[Duckcomando]

The break is right above the heel in what would be our ankle.

 

[ladysown]

that's not a good break then. (if we are thinking of the right spot)

okay.. .looking at the pics from Obsidian http://athomepets.weebly.com/medical-advise.html
Are we talking the tibia or the tasus bone?

if the tibia not a good break. needs to be splinted or culled.

if the tasus leave it be, it should heal up just fine.

 

[Duckcomando]

The tasus is what looks to be broke.<br /><br />__________ Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:39 pm __________<br /><br />Got a couple of pics. Its the right foot in the pic. The bunnies left rear.

 

[SyP]

Good looking Reds Comando. Glad to see I'm not the only person who looks likes they slash their wrists regulariy unk:

 

[ladysown]

It looks like it should heal up just fine. Sometimes young break their feet. sometimes the reason is known and other times it's a complete mystery.

 

[Honorine]

As long as the foot isn't dangling and turning around in circles it will fuse. Rabbit will have limited mobility with that foot. Have had problems with Flemish Giants breaking a foot, the one I gave to a friend grew to a good adult size and just had a foot it could not move all the way.

 

[Duckcomando]

Good looking Reds Comando. Glad to see I'm not the only person who looks likes they slash their wrists regulariy unk:

First sign of a true rabbit breeder is to check the arms lol

 

[Beekeeper10]

I once moved one of my nest boxes and one of the kits had it's foot through the wire on the bottom of the nest box and I broke it's foot. Since then I changed the wire to 1/4" hardware cloth on the bottom of my nest boxes so that won't happen again. I don't know if that is what happened but that is something to look out for.

Tommy