bunny back legs not moving after getting spayed

Question
My best friend took her bunny into the vet to get spayed yesterday and when
she brought the bunny home it's back legs are now not moving. We took her
back into the vet and they did an x-ray. They found out that she is not
paralyzed but may have a ruptured or herniated disk? They are not sure. They
gave us some anti-inflammatory medication and said we need to help her go
to the bathroom. She has no feeling yet in her back legs. Has this happened
to anyone else? The rabbit was healthy and fine when we brought her in. What
happened? Please help!!! We are absolutely devastated about this? Is this
malpractice?
Her back legs aren't just hurt, they are not moving. The vet did a pinch test
on it's feet and the rabbit did not even move. The vet also denied that they
had anything to do with it, but did not make us pay for the x-ray. Again, the
bunny was healthy and fine before we brought her in. She was in a little
carrier when we brought her home so she could not have damaged herself
during the ride home. She wasn't moving at all when we picked her up. She
moves her head and her front legs but not the back legs.  

Answer
Dear Melynda,

This is horrible.  Of course, neither of us was in the back room when the bunny was being handled and anesthetized for surgery, but this sounds *extremely* suspicious, and it really sounds as if someone handled the rabbit improperly and caused this devastating injury.

You have no proof, and that's the terrible thing.  The evidence is all circumstantial.  But I would take the bunny to a different vet, explain the situation (without naming the other vet) and get an opinion on what to do.  You can find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

You also can contact your state veterinary board and report the entire incident with all details.  I'm not sure they can do anything, but if this happens often at this particular vet's office, then an investigation of malpractice could result.

I am so sorry about this terrible mishap.  Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html

for more information.  I hope that the condition will improve.  But it really sounds as if someone at that vet's office did something horrible, and now they are not owning up to it (I've never heard a case in which something like this was admitted!)

You should also try to contact your local rabbit rescue group:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

and tell them what happened, making sure they know about this vet.  They may have more information that could be of use to you.

I hope this helps.

Dana