There are many possible reasons a rabbit can lose the use of the back legs,
including, but not limited to
If your rabbit
Trauma
Prompt medical attention in the case of traumatic injury is absolutely critical to ensuring the best chance of recovery. As injured tissues swell with inflammation, damage can be increased by loss of blood supply and pressure on important structures. Rapid administration of anti-inflammatory drugs by a qualified, rabbit-experienced veterinarian is essential. (DO NOT attempt to give your rabbit any type of drug without veterinary supervision, as many over-the-counter medications can be very dangerous to your rabbit.) Whether the damage is treatable must be determined by the vet who may recommend radiography to see the extent of the damage.
Degenerative Processes
Treatments for Mechanical Problems
NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as Metacam, or even corticosteroids in the case of severe traumatic injury may be prescribed by your vet to help reduce inflammation contributing to paresis.
Some practitioners have reported that
glucosamine supplements appear to offer relief from arthritis and other
degenerative skeletal problems. These will not be useful in a case of trauma, but might be something to ask the vet about if your bunny is suffering from a chronic problem.
Physical therapy can help increase movement in a rabbit suffering from chronic skeletal problems (although physical therapy or manipulation should NEVER be done if you know your rabbit has suffered a traumatic injury, as this can make things much worse!).
Some rabbit caregivers have reported success at restoring a bunny's movement by enlisting the services of a
qualified, licensed veterinarian who is also a skilled acupuncturist.
Massage, acupuncture and skeletal manipulation can sometimes make a
great difference in the bunny's mobility and quality of life.
Encephalitozoon cuniculi
Because "positive" or "negative" titers are largely uninformative, many
vets who do take blood to confirm the presence of E. cuniculi prefer to
run a paired titer, with blood drawn
twice, two weeks apart. A "rising titer" means that the second blood
sample has more antibodies than the first one, and a "falling titer" means
that the second blood sample has fewer antibodies than the first one.
Accurate interpretation of either result is still problematic, since:
Although the presence of E. cuniculi has been linked to
neurological problems, such as torticollis and
hind limb paresis, many rabbits with a positive titer never show
symptoms. Similarly, we have seen rabbits suffering
from symptoms commonly linked to E. cuniculi whose blood tests come back
negative. In short, there may be other, unknown causes for hind limb paresis, but
in some immunosuppressed or particularly susceptible individuals, E.
cuniculi may contribute to both neurological problems (e.g.,
torticollis or hind limb paresis) and renal disease.
Some practitioners have reported success in restoring mobility
and stopping the progression of neurological symptoms with the administration of
one of the benzamidazole drugs (albendazole, oxibendazole, or
fenbendazole, which is metabolized into the active form, oxfendazole.
The latter is sold as Panacur in the U.S.). These inhibit the normal function of
tubulin protein, which is an essential part of the feeding/infective
apparatus (a modified Golgi apparatus) of microsporidian parasites such as
E. cuniculi.
A recent study in Switzerland indicated that rabbits treated with
20mg/kg fenbendazole once per day for 4 weeks went from seropositive
for E. cuniculi to negative, and histology revealed no evidence of
parasites present in the central nervous system or kidneys (the usual
places they show up) of animals that had been infected with the parasite
and then treated with the drug. Although fenbendazole may eliminate the
parasite, there is no evidence to suggest that it can reverse
neurological damage already done. However, if some of the
neurological/behavioral
presentations of E. cuniculi infection are due to inflammation
and/or the immune response itself,
elimination of the parasites along with administration of
anti-inflammatory drugs may be helpful. Anecdotal reports from several
veterinarians and rabbit "parents" suggest that rabbits showing
neurological symptoms show reduction or even loss of symptoms following
treatment with one of the benzamidazoles.
Ponazuril (marketed as Marquis in the U.S. by Bayer, Inc.) is another drug that shows promise for the treatment of E. cuniculi. It was developed to treat a similar parasite in horses, and a few vets are now attempting "off label" treatment of rabbits with ponazuril in an attempt to kill the E. cuniculi parasite.
Whatever the cause of your rabbit's hind limb weakness, it definitely requires an in-person examination by a rabbit-experienced veterinarian so that appropriate treatment can be started as soon as possible. As with most ailments, the sooner treatment is begun, the better the chances for full recovery.
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Paralysis is defined as loss of the ability to move a body part. Paresis is defined as slight or
partial paralysis. Unfortunately, companion rabbits sometimes suffer
paresis of the hind limbs that makes them unable to stand with those legs,
and to locomote normally.
For a complete overview of this condition, read Hind Limb Weakness in the Rabbit by Susan Brown, DVM.
it is wise to get him/her to a rabbit-experienced veterinarian as soon as possible. Prompt treatment of any cause of hind limb paresis (particularly trauma) is essential to give the best chance of full recovery.Mechanical Problems
If hind limb weakness is caused by a disorder such as a break, strain, degenerative damage or other physical process, treatment will be different than if the problem is caused by a pathogen (disease-causing organism).
A rabbit who has been injured by a predator or in an accident involving incorrect handling can suffer severe damage to the spine and soft tissue. This can result in temporary or permanent inability to use the back legs. If you know or suspect that your rabbit has suffered a traumatic injury, keep him as still as possible and do not attempt to manipulate the injured area. Placing the bunny on a firm, stiff surface (on a soft towel) to immobilize him for transport to the vet on a stiff will decrease the chances of exacerbating the injury during travel.
Arthritis, vertebral disc deterioration, spondylosis and other degenerative processes can cause hind limb weakness and paralysis in rabbits. If these are suspected, your vet may wish to get a positive diagnosis via radiography. The exact treatment will depend on the cause of the problem. Pathogens
Disease-causing agents or organisms are sometimes at the root of the onset of paresis. Bacterial infection or infection by certain types of parasites can cause a rabbit to lose mobility in the rear or front limbs. Treatment for this cause of paresis will, of course, differ from that given for mechanical problems.
Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a microsporidian (single-celled eukaryotic) parasite that resides in the renal and
nervous tissue of infected rabbits. Positive diagnosis of this infection is difficult. A biopsy of renal and/or nervous tissue might reveal encysted parasites, but the risk of such a surgery presents far greater risk than the benefit of a positive diagnosis might warrant.
Presence or absence of the parasite may be
indicated via blood titer test, in which the laboratory analyzes
the blood for the presence of antibodies against E. cuniculi, but the value of this test is controversial. A
seropositive titer--in which the lab finds antibodies against E.
cuniculi in
the blood serum--means only that the rabbit has been exposed at some time in
his/her life, and does not necessarily indicate an active infection.
However, a negative titer does not necessarily indicate that the bunny has
never been exposed, since antibodies eventually can leave the system. In addition, a
rabbit unable to mount an immune response to E. cuniculi (for genetic or
other reasons) may have a seronegative result, even if the parasites are
present.
A rising titer may indicate either that
Because the results of a paired titer cannot always be reliably
interpreted, some veterinarians will save the expense of a blood sample, and
simply treat for the parasite as a precaution.
Similarly, a falling titer may indicate either that