Los Angeles – Paralyzed BABY bunny needs foster home ASAP (WARNING: Dangerously Cute)

[princessangrypeppers]

 From Zooh Corner:

 

 

Please help me find a home! This little boy is about 6 weeks, and is just a cute little fluffball of love! He’s eating, drinking & cuddling, with some use of his front legs – we’re starting physical therapy. He cannot walk or use his hind legs due to a spinal abnormality. He needs his bladder expressed 3 times a day, food kept within reach, and lots of love! His name is Liam, though I sometimes call him Squish. For more information contact Dr. Sari Kanfer at 626-303-7881  

 

 

[flippersmom]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He’s sooooooo cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigsis7]

Oh…my…GOSH!!! I’m moving closer to L.A.! My mind’s made up LOL!

[Sarita]

He’s cute. I do have to wonder though if that physical therapy will help. I would be concerned for his quality of life especially since he has to have his bladder expressed 3 times a day. I guess they must have some hope for him though since he is at the vet.

If he’s disabled he definitely needs an experienced and dedicated owner too as well as someone who is willing to spend the additional costs on vet bills that he will obviously require.

[MarkBun]

Who was it that had the two ‘turtle bunnies’ about a year ago? They had a great, albiet way too short life with her.

[TARM]

I wonder about quality of life too. Should a rabbit with problems that severe be saved just for the sake of saving him? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for saving the save-able, but would prolonging his life really be doing him a favor? He’ll never do a binky or explore the crevices in the couch. You know what I mean?

[MarkBun]

The thing about rabbits is that they don’t realize that there’s anything wrong with them. There was a pair of bunnies that had trouble with all of their legs. They could get around but they sort of looked like turtles flapping their flippers when they did it, and they needed traction to get places. They only lived a couple of years because as they grew up, their weight began to put pressure on their internal organs. However they had a blast munching on greens, checking things out and so on. They spent most of their time in a children’s plastic pool but they never had a complaint.

The person who was fostering them said that they were a handful, that they required extra work and she was sad when they passed so soon but that she would do it all over again.

[rabbitsmba]

I think it all depends on the severity of the injury. My friend has a little guy named Pip, no use of his back legs, front legs splayed, and he gets around wonderfully! He is such a happy little boy and loves to bounce around and scarf down his food. I think if a disabled rabbit eats well, eliminates well (even if assistance is needed) and is happy – and if someone is willing to go the extra mile (or two or three), then it’s okay.

[Sarita]

Those are all good points and apparently the vet must think that is the case for this little one.

I remember the turtle rabbits – they were so cute.

I did have a friend who had a rabbit who had no use of her hind legs and she had a little “wheelchair” to get around – she didn’t not have to have her bladder expressed though. I know my friend became very attached to this little bunny and had her routine with JB. Unfortunately when she went to have JB spayed she died under anaesthesia – she was heartbroken and so were we and the vet’s office. She thought long and hard about even putting her through the procedure at all but it turned out JB had pyrometra anyway so she was suffering from that.

[princessangrypeppers]

While I understand the concerns, I think they’re doing the right thing by keeping him alive. It’s impossible to know whether the rabbit wants to live or die, so unless he’s in constant pain or something like that, there’s no reason to euthanize him. Plus Dr. Kanfer is the medical director for the local rabbit rescue, and owns many rabbits herself. She knows what she’s doing.

And I’ve heard many people who take care of disabled pets say that their disabled rabbits are just as happy as their non-disabled rabbits.

I think that a combination of bonding Liam with another rabbit to keep him company, as well as tons of TLC on the part of the owner, would give Liam an outstanding quality of life.

I just hope he finds a great home. Shouldn’t be too hard–who can resist that cute little bunny?

[MarkBun]

Posted By princessangrypeppers on 04/22/2009 11:18 AM 
It’s impossible to know whether the rabbit wants to live or die, 

 

Actually, Marcy at SaveABunny says that she can tell when a rabbit has given up on people and life and just wants to move on.  Many of the rescues she does are of rabbits that most people would simply kill off.  Aurora was one such bun.  To see her in the cage you’d think that she just wanted to be left alone to die but once you talked to her, you could see that she still wanted to be with people and live.  There have been cases where Marcy has felt the rabbit has told her that she shouldn’t bother – eventhough there were no signs of pain.  I will admit that I am somewhat sceptical myself but after watching how much of a ‘bunny whisperer’ she is, I’m not saying it’s impossible.

[Lisa_43]

The member that had two disabled bunnies was Leaf and the bunnies were Holiday and Fiesta.

[MarkBun]

Ah yes, those two.  I’m so happy that they found a saint like Leaf

[princessangrypeppers]

Posted By Sarita on 04/22/2009 08:28 AM
I would be concerned for his quality of life especially since he has to have his bladder expressed 3 times a day.

You seem to think the bladder expressing part is the worst of his problems. From what I’ve read on taking care of rabbits with urinary incontinence, expressing a rabbit’s bladder is easy, and shouldn’t cause the rabbit any discomfort.

 

From catsandrabbitsandmore:

Urinary incontinence may cause the paralyzed rabbit’s skin to burn and become infected. This can be prevented by a daily bathing of the rabbit’s hindquarters, periodic expression of the rabbit’s bladder, and/or use of rabbit diapers. Helping the rabbit to empty its bladder frequently is perhaps the easiest. Hold the rabbit over a pad or plastic container and press gently on the bladder. (If the bladder does not empty, do not press hard, as this could rupture the bladder. Consult with a veterinarian.) If performed 2-4 times per day, expressing the bladder will help keep both the rabbit and his bedding clean and dry. Diapers can also be cut and fitted to a rabbit to help keep him dry. Surprisingly, some rabbits appear to accept the cumbersome diapers quite well.

[Sarita]

Yeah, I’ve expressed my rabbit’s Twizzler’s bladder as needed and some of my other rabbits with sludge. But I don’t think I could commit to doing it 3 times a day as I work full-time…luckily I have not had to do that (yet). That was just one of the concerns I would have for someone.

So it would take someone who could commit to be able to do this 3 times daily along with many other things to care for this little rabbit.

This rabbit happens to be young and I don’t really know what a spinal abnormality would do to a rabbit and what the future problems would be…I guess someone would need to talk to the vet to see if they forsee any future problems, etc…I think my concern is that he has problems with the hind and the front legs too at least what I can tell from reading the post.

Don’t get me wrong – I hope someone will adopt him and take good care of him – I just think they would need to know what they are committing too.

[princessangrypeppers]

Yeah, not everyone can commit to taking care of a disabled rabbit.

[wendyzski]

Posted By Lisa_43 on 04/22/2009 03:01 PM
The member that had two disabled bunnies was Leaf and the bunnies were Holiday and Fiesta.

 

I remember them well – two little floppy-turtle buns.  They didn’t have very long lives, but they comforts and care,  had each other AND they had GREEN BEANS!!! 

[jerseygirl]

I had a look back at Leaf’s bunnies…amazing.

Obviously for each of these situations, the rabbit needs to be assessed to determine that a good quality of life can be acheived.  Plus they have to have a dedicated carer.  I think there are options out there for bunnies like this one.  If he can be helped with mobility issues that may help with his bladder.  He also may be happy with a companion too.

Check out how this girl gets around.  http://www.youtube.com/watch

[PEPPA GEORGIE]

Ow are leafs bunnies on here somewhere can i get to look at the pics, i just saw the utube one, sooo cute i love stories like this is so nice to see them so happy and able despite their difficulties xx

[Lisa_43]

https://www.binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/a…fault.aspx

 

 

 

[Dana033]

oh what a cutie!!

*faint*

Dr. K knows what she is doing!!

an experienced…and compassionate bunny care taker I am sure will give this little guy a bunderful home

he surely deserves it.

of course a disabled bunny can have ‘quality of life’!!

~Dana

[princessangrypeppers]

I just found out that the bunny, Liam, was euthanized after his health took a turn for the worse

Liam’s bunspace:

http://bunspace.com/view_bunny?bunid=10446

 

 

Rest in peace, little guy…

[jerseygirl]

Thanks for the update and link. It was heartening to see that at least for a short time, he had a loving adoptive family plus a bunny one!
Now he can binky like he never had the chance to before.
*Binky Free Little Liam*

[Moon_Bunny]

Rest In Peace little Liam.

[Author]

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