Can a rabbit with hind limb paralysis become normal again?

The most common cause of sudden hind limb paralysis is acute trauma to the spinal vertebra. In the best-case scenario the paralysis can be due to a swelling or minor injury to the spinal cord. Trauma to the vertebra can often be seen on x-ray.

The injury often results from someone dropping the rabbit, picking it up/carrying it the wrong way, or when the rabbit becomes panicked and tries to escape. A rabbit that has just been injured will require shock treatment and pain relief at a veterinary clinic.

The prognosis is very poor if all motility and feeling is lost in the hind legs; euthanasia is then recommended. If there is some feeling and motility left it is possible to care for your pet at home once it has recovered from shock. This, however, requires a lot of dedication. In addition to administering medications you will need to clean your rabbit from urine and faeces daily, ensure it can eat and drink, etc. It can take anything from a few months up to a year until the rabbit improves. If there are very little signs of improvement it is in your rabbit’s best interest to put it down.