rabbit tibia fracture

Question
our pet bunny roxy , 1 year old , female, broke her tibia 3 days ago. took her to the vet who x rayed her diagnosed a brocken tibia and recommended we 'put her to sleep'as she thought the break although very clean was unlickly to heal and that it would be cruel to amputate the leg as bunnies cant survive with an amputated leg in the same way that cats and dogs can as they are so dependant on them. i would not allow her to put  roxy to sleep and she now has a cast on her leg and appears to be doing very well ,bright, alert ,loving being petted and eating and drinking really well. i questioned the vet about how her fibula was and she said rabbits dont have a fibula , only a tibia. is this correct? and how likely is it that the leg will heal?the vet thinks it highly unlikely and thinks the only option is to put roxy to sleep. i need a second opinion, please help.


Answer
Dear Steven,

I have one word for that vet, though I will have the courtesy not to write it here, since this isn't a private message.  But I'll give you a hint.  It starts with an "m" and rhymes with "boron."

Please do not ever take your rabbit back to that vet.  She should NOT be practicing on rabbits if this is the attitude she has about them.  (1) OF COURSE rabbits have a fibula.  (Did that vet learn her anatomy off the back of a cereal box?) (2) A broken leg is no reason for euthanasia in a rabbit.

The level of veterinary ignorance is simply shocking.  You obviously know more about your rabbit than she does, so to save your friend's life, steer clear of that "special" vet, and find a better one here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Even if the bones don't heal (which they should, if it was a clean break and set properly), a rear leg amputation is really not a big deal.  Tripod rabbits do very well, especially with a rear leg amputation.  (Front legs are a little more tricky.)  We've had several, and while the occasional bunny decides to live in pampered splendor on a padded hospital bed, most of them race around almost as if nothing is wrong.

Please warn anyone you know who has a rabbit to stay away from that vet you saw.  

I would go ahead and get your bunny to a different vet now, anyway.  Given that first vet's attitude, I would not be confident that she did a good job setting the leg, perhaps even to be able to say "I told you so."  It sounds sick, but I have heard of things like this happening, especially with particularly egotistical practitioners who simply cannot stand to be shown wrong.  

I hope the list above will get you to a good rabbit vet who will take your bunny seriously as a patient, and respect your intelligence as a client. (Your intelligence is obviously far greater than that vet's, lucky for your bunny!)

I  hope this helps.

Dana