MEDUSA HAS ARTHRITIS

[poopy]

In my previous thread, I mentioned Medusa went to the chiropractor for her uneven face, which was actually a jaw issue. Today we went back and got her x-rayed and it turns out she has arthritis in her right jaw joint from trauma….which means she was probably stepped on the face or something before the Bunny Bunch rescued her. Though I nearly cried when I heard the word arthritis, I’m so glad I found that out, now through adjustments the chiro will open up that jaw joint to relieve any pain and keep more tension from forming. Her right neck is also a little out as a result of the jaw being so tight on that side.

In the long run, I hope this prevents dental problems from forming.

[wendyzski]

Since you took her to the chiro, are you interested in learning more about alternative remedies for arthritic buns?

I’m a member of a yahoogroup called The Natural Rabbit, and I know there are some people there having some success treating arthritic buns with supplements to lessen pain and improve quality of life.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/thenaturalrabbit/

I joined for help when I was trying to bond Pepper and Frisco, and stuck around because they are generally good people.  I’ll bet they would have lots of suggestions to keep Medusa happy and comfortable.

[Spacehopper]

Nooooo Poopy!!! I read this literally seconds after showing the boyfriend the nonchalent bun as her mammah interrupted her chomping & pooping. Hope Medusa is ok!

[poopy]

I think the chiro can adjust her jaw down. What makes me mad is that someone would injure her like that smash her face in, then let her run free in the wild. I doubt something like that could happen in outdoors unless a huge size rock just happened to fall on her head. Someone probably stepped on her!

Here is a top view of her head, you can see on the right (since its rotated, would be the bottom) circular thing (EDIT) is her sinus. Chiro thinks she may have a blocked sinus. Also notice the shape of her face, the asymmetry…YIKES!

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh my word Poopy, I am so sorry to hear about Medusa and the trauma she suffered.  Every time I hear horror stories of abuse, I just can’t fathom how anyone can take such a thing into their head and act upon it.  Unfortunately day in and day out it happens far too much.  That’s great you’re having a chiropractor treat her, does he also do acupuncture?  I like the natural remedies mylsef as well and see a vet that is really into complimentary medicine and open to the hollistic approach. I really must check out that Yahoo group…

Anyway, my thoughts are with Medusa and I hope that with time she will make a compfortable recovery to make her life here easier in the long run.

[poopy]

Thanks, I’m sure she will be fine now that we caught the issue early on. I will definitely consider accupuncture in the future if it becomes apparent to me that the joint has worsened and she is in pain. For the present now she seems to be eating fine and not in pain. Plus I’ve already spent like $200 for the chiro + xrays so far.

I guess the point of this post was to show how sometimes Chiros can catch problems that vets dont. My vet looked at it before and just thought it was muscle atrophy and that didn’t think it was a problem as long as she was eating right. Generally, that’s how medical doctors (for humans) think too. Whereas Chiros recognize that structural problems even if they are asympomatic, can cause major problems as well.

[MooBunnay]

Hi!
So is your chiro a bunny chiro? Or is she/he some other type of animal chiro? Thats really great that you were able to find out what was going on with her – hopefully it won’t cause her too many problems in the future. What a lucky bun she is to go from being beat up to getting a home where she gets taken to the chiro (I’ve never even been to one of those!)

[Spacehopper]

Poopy, you’re an star! Medusa is one hell of lucky bun.

I would never go just what the vet is telling me, I’ve found arming myself with info from this site and the net first, and going into the vet has actually meant the vet has been entirely wrong in their assumption, and I (or rather WE, as i include all you people in this) have been able to teach them a few things. Vet’s can be fools. Not all, but some!

Poops, i have one last thing to say, “Look at the ears, look at the ears…i’ve got an urge to jiggle those x-ray ears”.

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

Bunny x-rays are weird! Haha. Is it ridiculously expensive to get bunny chiropractic?

[poopy]

The Chiro is Dr. Bodenbender she is a human & animal chiro (you have to get licenses for both) so she is not actually a vet. She has had some (but not a lot) of experience treating rabbits, which I think is due to the fact that not that many people would even take their rabbit in to see a chiro in the first place! Really only dog, cat and horse owners would bother, which she has lots of experience with. However, she owns a house rabbit so she has first-hand experience with how fragile they are, and she practices with hers at home.

She charged $65 for initial, $35 for each follow up and the xray was $50….not horrible. In LA they charge about $65 each time and I could not find anyone who would be good for rabbits. I’m going to tell the Bunny Bunch about her….I’m sure she would be great for some of the rescues who have major orthopedic problems.

I would definitely say its worth it….because vets would not be able to treat a problem in this way. There is a great article on chiropractic at HRS: Harry Goes to the Chiro

You should only take your rabbit if your noticing asymmetry or crookedness anywhere, like in the spine. Or in the face, if one eye is bulging more than the other (One of Medusa’s eyes is squished by the tight jaw which is causing slight redness & irritation).

[poopy]

Here are some pix from our last chiro trip:

Videos (gotta love her wiggling nose):

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

Do they give her meds to keep her calm or is she actually that relaxed? (aside from the picture where she looks like she wants to choke you)

[poopy]

No, no meds. In foreign environments she would never try to run away. The chiro said buns are one of the easiest animals to work with (compared to dogs for example) because they stay still and let you do anything to them.

She also didn’t have to take anything for her xrays, she just stayed still.

[wendyzski]

*giggles*

That first video, there is a moment when the chrio stretches her neck and her little eyes go O.O!

[lucygoosey]

Dude my bunny would never sit still like that! Lucy is such a fusser and when she realizes she can’t run away she does this little pity whine that sounds like a dog whine except not as high pitched!

I’m sending all my prayers to little Medusa and hope she feels better soon!

[poopy]

Don’t your guys’ buns stay still at the vets though? Because they get scared in the car ride then they are scared at the vets office.

[wendyzski]

Pepper isn’t afraid of nuthin!  (at least she’d like us to think that)

When I first took her to the vet I let them know she was a fusser, so they bring an assistant in as an extra set of hands to keep her still, and/or burrito her so fast she hasn’t got timre to react. And she thumps all the way home, and sulks for a day or so about the indignity of it all.

[poopy]

I guess bunnies have different reactions to frightening situations. Some freeze and others panic and go crazy. Medusa can freeze for the longggesstt time. When she was introduced to Pookers, she stayed in the litterbox the entire day & entire night (didn’t even come out for water), frozen.

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