my bunny hurt his leg & vet chages $120 just to look at him. what do i look for to see if it's serious?

Question

He's limping and it's obviosly sore. He won't put much weight on it and when he tries to he stumbles. i can't feel anything abnormal but he doesn't like me touching it. He's at least still eating. Please help me I can't afford the emergency vet fee and i can't wait until tues. when the clinic opens.

Answer 1

Do call around to other vets, but also check to see if there is any swelling anywhere on the leg. Find what spot is the most tender to him and inspect it thoroughly. If he is an outside/inside bunny he might have gotten stung by a bee. If you can't find anything like that then he's probably sprained or even lightly broken the bone. Even so, as long as he's still eating and his poo is normal he may be in a little pain but he can wait until the vet opens Tuesday. Last summer I had to fix a dislocation myself because the only four vets listed in the book got together and took a vacation.

Answer 2

Get a friend to help you hold the bunny and examine the leg very carefully. Check the toenails. Bunnies often have overlong nails and can pull the nail off or injure the toe. If there is no swelling yet then an abscess is unlikely. If your cage setup has a wire floor, bunnies are often injured twisting to release the foot from the wire. This often results in a fracture which will require professional medical attention. Perhaps a friend or family member would be willing to help you out with their credit card. Good luck.

Answer 3

will the emergency vet take payments??? what was he doing when this happened? did he jump off of something too high?? Make sure he is drinking and eating, do not try to be the doctor, it could make it worse. Check to see if they will take payments on the emergency fees, if not just watch him until you can get him to the clinic, or see if there is another one open tomorrow.

Answer 4

120 is very high for an office visit. Now if that included medications, and treatments, it is more reasonable.

You need to find a vet who will see a rabbit for the more normal 35-45 visit. But rabbits are often considered exotics

Answer 5

Check for lumps, or if the bone is positioned incorrectly. It is more than likely a sprain. The important thing is that he is eating and drinking. If there aren't any sores that could be infected, then it could wait to be seen. I wouldn't let him out of his cage or anything to risk further injury.

Answer 6

I've raised a virity of rabits in 4H when I was a kid, and I am telling you bunnys are fragile creatures, temp, damp in the air, just little things can cause a rabbit to fall ill. You should take him/her to the vet when he/she is ill. It's better than waking up to a dead bunny...it sucks.

Answer 7

Take him to the vet. If you feel your vet is overcharging take him to another vet.

If you have pets then you must be prepared to take care of them. Its not too good doing accounting on medical costs for pets.

Answer 8

There are other vets out there and they all charge different prices. Call around and find a cheaper one. If it is broke and you let it heal this way that is definately not cool.

Answer 9

If it were me, I would find a clinic that is open today and take him, even if you have to drive further. I can't stand to see an animal in pain.

Answer 10

well first you need to make sure there is nothing puncturing the skin. then u need to feel to see if it is capable of bending. it might just be sore like when you twist your ankle. try putting ice on it. is there any swealing? If nothing looks to be adnormal wait to see if it starts to use it a little.