Peanut is doing well today. She’s not having the greatest success with staying upright, but she is eating hay and drinking water on her own. In addition, she’s eating three meals of Critical Care throughout the day, and she’s already begun to put weight on. No more choking incidents and no signs that our scare earlier this week will develop into anything.

One of the things that’s been frustrating to me has been the dearth of information regarding the care of partially disabled rabbits. Sure, there are a lot of sites out there for paralyzed rabbits, and a few for head tilt bunnies, but they’re short on practical tips for living with a balance-challenged bunny. Here are some things that I’ve learned:

Learn what is, and isn’t, helpful touch. For instance, if you touch Peanut on her right side, she will fall right over. She responds to the touch by leaning into it and losing her balance completely. Conversely, touching her left side will cause her to lean into the pressure and by doing so, she will stand straight.

Provide a means to “brace” their legs. Rabbits that are struggling to maintain balance and frequently falling over will flail their back legs in an attempt to find something solid to push against. Of course, if there’s nothing against their back, they’ll just push themselves until they flip over and start the whole thing again. Giving Peanut a rolled up towel and placing it near the edge of the pen gives her a place to nestle, her back to the pen (crib bumper protecting her from the metal) and her feet against the towel. She sleeps soundly and securely in that position. In the same way, Peanut enjoys our naps together, where she leans up against my body and presses her legs against my arms.

Fleece is your friend. Peanut, like most disabled rabbits, can’t make it to the litterbox 90% of the time, so keeping her clean and dry is of utmost importance. Here’s what I’ve found works for us: puppy pads (disposables are okay, but washable ones are better, both for absorption and for the environment), then a layer of microfleece, and on top, a layer of faux sheepskin. Sheepskin wicks away moisture, and fleece provides an extra barrier for urine.

Both the microfleece and faux sheepskin can be found in the fabric section of your local craft store or Wal-Mart. On top of that I usually add small towels and fleece blankets for the bunnies to snuggle on. They’re the first to get dirty, but they’re easy to wash, and they keep the pen clean.

Several times throughout the day I’ll “spot clean” by picking up pooties, and all of the bedding gets changed daily. I suggest you check out cloth diapering sites for information and tips on laundering for maximum absorbance. It seems like a lot of extra work, but once you get into the rhythm, it doesn’t take long at all. I have two back-up sets of bedding to make cleaning the pen more efficient.

Butt baths. Unless you have an unnaturally fastidious disabled bunny, you will have to deal with this at some point. More likely it will be many, many times over the course of their illness. Two BIG reasons why you can’t ignore a messy bottom: fly strike and urine scald. The first is a truly horrifying condition that can happen to even the most well-attended bunny, all it takes is a dirty bum and one fly. You can read more about it here.

When Peanut manages to get soft poop in her fur (illnesses and some medicines can cause stomach upsets – see below), the only solution is to wrap her in a towel and wash her bottom with a washcloth, warm water, and a little bit of pet-friendly shampoo. Towel-dry, and give lots of kisses and praise for suffering such an indignity.

Urine scald is not so serious, but it is very painful. We’ve had to deal with this once already. I followed the dry bath procedure outlined on this site, and then spread cream over Peanut’s exposed skin (her fur was already short from clipping) I prefer all-natural products like Weleda Calendula Cream, which is gentle and non-toxic. Afterwards your bunny will be clean, dry, and much more comfortable.

The Poop Factor. While diarrhea and runny poops are not normal (and require immediate vet attention), soft poops are to be expected. They’re called cecotrophs and they are necessary to help a rabbit absorb as many nutrients as possible from their food and also help maintain proper bacteria balance in the gut. That’s right, they eat them. Healthy rabbits do, at least. Disabled rabbits may find it difficult if not impossible to coordinate such an activity, and if they have some modicum of mobility they will often get fresh cecotrophs smeared into their fur.

It’s advantageous to catch those soft poops before they’re smashed because disabled or not, the rabbit still needs to eat them. If you’re squeamish about feeding your rabbit crap (literally) put on some gloves or get a friend to do it. Just tell yourself, it’s for their health. Your rabbit won’t care and will likely be pleased to receive such a treat.

There are many other things you’ll learn as you deal with a disabled or chronically ill bunny. The most important thing is taking the time to know your rabbit. Know when they’re happy, when they’re feeling sick, when they’re in pain. Because someday down the road you may find yourself in the unenviable position of knowing when to say “no more”. It’s not something we like to think about, but knowing your rabbit may be the difference between the right decision and a haunting one.

I’ve had people express wonder over the lengths I’ve gone to care for Peanut, because after all, she’s “just a rabbit”. Peanut does require an extraordinary level of care and at times it’s physically and emotionally draining. My dad remarked that with the money I’ve spent on vet bills, I could have made a down payment on a car. I thanked him for rubbing that in, but said that a car wouldn’t perk up just because I walked into a room, or snuggle next to me and fall soundly asleep. 

It’s certainly not glamorous, but it is rewarding, and for whatever reason, God has brought this sweet, special, albeit sickly bunny into my life, so I trust that things will work out in the end. I have always said that I will fight for as long as the animal is willing to, and that I’ll respect their choice to go no further. Peanut has made it clear she is nowhere near ready to give up, and neither am I.