Wild baby rabbit with non working front legs

[PurpleThistles84]

DH was walking the dog when something caught his eye, closer look and it was a little rabbit flopping about, trying to hop but front legs just don’t seem to work. Back ones do. He ended up bringing it home because he couldn’t leave it, he did try but he is a big softie. Currently ‘Stumpy’ is wrapped in a fleece blanket as he felt really cold and we are waiting for the sspca, but my friend has just said they will probably just put stumpy down. I phoned the vet to ask if it might be something treatable but they just told me to call the sspca. I don’t suppose anyone that has rabbit experience has any idea what might be up with him and if the only option is to put him to sleep?

How did it get there if the legs didn't work? Sounds like it had had an accident, poor little thing.

My friend “finishes off” very injured wildlife quickly. It makes me feel sick but I know he is doing the right thing and putting them out of pain. I couldn’t do it. He lives rurally and is used to it but it’s beyond me

@LaurieFairyCake I agree with you and it’s a shame that people are posting about fleas . It’s not a particularly nice death if something doesn’t get to it either, my neighbour left a squirrel paralysed for 14 hours thinking it was kindest for leave it.

If there are no predators that come across it, it’s a horrible thing to leave it cold, wet and dehydrated.

I would try a wildlife rehab centre than relying on mumsnet.

The quickest way to euthanise is to very quickly separate the bones connecting the head to the body, you need to do it quickly to minimise suffering. If you can’t, then wait for the SSPCA. We’ve had to do it when the dogs have brought us wild ones. It’s horrible, but next time, leave it where it is or you’re going to stress about it dying and it will be hugely stressed by being handled.

Well the sspca took wee stumpy away. I doubt they will let us know how he gets on as I’m fairly certain they will put him to sleep. The sspca guy seemed to think it was likely something called ‘floppy bunny’ but he did say stumpy will be checked over before they decide what to do.

Spatchrab?

Floppy Bunny... ! is a real thing.

... says they usually recover within a week, too.

DH had to euthanise a rabbit on our way home recently. It had obviously been hit by a car and had a broken back/neck but was still alive 😭

I don't know if Miximatosis (sp) is still a thing but it was rife when I was growing up in the country in the 70s. My dad, a farmer, would dispatch suffering rabbits he came across very quickly. It was horrible but necessary.

I'm sorry OP but I think poor stumpy is not long for this world.

You did the right thing op. Someone I know found a fox in a similar position. When the wildlife rehabbers came for it they said she'd have to be pts.

However, they were able to save her. She made a full recovery and was released back into the person's garden. The next year, the vixen brought her cubs back with her (fox had a distinctive mark and slight limp so they knew it was her). She's returned with x2 litters a year for the last three years.

On the flip side: I've called wildlife rehab for x2 different foxes in the last few years. Both died, but they died in comfort and not a lingering death in pain in the wild.

myxamatosis is still a real thing in the UK although this year doesn't seem to bad for it.

OP, wild rabbits are vermin. As someone else has pointed out, if your cat brings home live kittens you need to learn how to dispatch them quickly. I'm not going into details here, and that's not just because of the 'ickle bunny' brigade. You need to do it if you come across one with myxy as an act of mercy.

That’s great op and he seems quite knowledgeable, it sounds as if it could recover.

It’s funny how some animals get labelled as vermin, cats would be on my list tbh but they all feel pain, fear etc.

And treasure a Dh who cares like yours does.