Dates: March 4th, 2015 (transported) - Passed away on Friday July 26th, 2019
Dutch Female (not spayed).
BACKGROUND:
Transport. Once in a rare blue moon I volunteer with The Rabbit Haven. The director contacted me and ask if I could transport a rabbit that was being surrendered living in poor conditions. After making the 4 hour round trip the rabbit was transfered from Pittsburg to San Jose and handed off to Sarah for eval/treatment.
Angel was dirty, had very long nails and had (partial?) splayed legs from what I could tell.
After Sarah had her for a few hours she sent me a picture of her resting safe, see below (Thanks Sarah!).
They are hoping that the splay legs are a result of poor housing/no exercise vs injury/genetics. With time she might be able to reuse them fully. Sarah renamed the rabbit Angel.. so I'll go with that. If you want to read more see the links below from facebook and The Rabbit Haven's webpage. Update #1: 2 Pics from The Rabbit Haven's adoption event on 3-15-15.
Update #2: Sarah sent over an update and new pic. She is slowly getting better, learning to eat the correct rabbit food and has bonded with a plush bunny :)
Update #3: April 1st, 2015- "We took Dora to visit Dr. Hawklyn in Aptos last week. The doctor showed us her x-rays and there appears to be no broken or malformed bones, she is hopeful that with some practice, a good envronment and a bit of physical therapy, Dora might learn to stand and move normally. We had her staying with us overnight and there were times when she had her front feet under her and held a normal sitting position, which is very encouraging. In the meantime, she gets along scooting around on her chest pretty well. She needs to learn to eat hay, and lots of it. She's discovered that she likes greens quite a bit. And you will never find a more engaged and loving bunny. She is crazy for being petted. She is currently in the loving hands of foster mom Sarah."
"Rob, Dr. Hawklyn wasn't positive of the cause but that does seems likely. She said that, while she was a bit chubby internally from eating crappy food her muscles were badly atrophied from inactivity. It looks like the wire mesh she was kept on was too open for her to be able to place her front paws down without them constantly falling through. She may have develped the splay in her front legs from pushing sideways on the mesh for support or else she just gave up and laid on her chest all the time causing her legs to flatten out and grow weak from disuse. I really hope that muscle development will fully or at least partially solve the problem. I'm eager to read the update."
Update #4: April 3rd, 2015
"Dora was examined and had additional x-rays at Aptos-Creekside Veterinary Hospital by Dr. Sarah Hawklyn, DVM. Dora will require long term care and support to help her regain function in her two front legs. Given the long term muscular atrophy and the way the bones are positioned, a new plan of care was developed for her. Fecal tests were also done and showed no parasites."
"Dora is receiving physical therapy to help correct the muscular atrophy she suffers due to cage housing in an improper small cage for three years. Prior to her rescue, in a 2 x 2 wire cage with a wire floor that prevented her from being able to move. She had nothing to do, no exercise, bad food, and no medical care. Her front leg muscles did not develop. Her x-rays revealed that she had no broken bones in her front legs. The bones and joint simply have inadequate muscular support. One of her front legs also has lost joint function. The muscles around the front legs have not developed. Dora has been give a PT plan and special housing considerations to help her live more comfortably Dora is the sweetest girl and gives her foster mom kisses after her PT sessions. She can place both weakened leg under her in the front and every day she improves ever so slightly."
"Dora is an explorer and such a loving bunny. She is a deeply loving bunny. Dora is a happy girl now. And she adores her foster mom. It is heartbreaking to see this beautiful girl with this handicap, however Dora is doing very well. Dora is somewhat frustrated by her challenges however she manages to move about pretty well. She must know she is loved now and that all we do is in her best interests. She is a loving, trusting bunny. After eight weeks of physical therapy, light exercise and correct housing we hope to see a difference. Watch the web for updates on Darling Dora."
Update #4: May 11th, 2015
"Beautiful Dora continues to blossom in her new life. Although we are uncertain if she will ever regain normal mobility in her front legs, Dora considers herself to be a very capable rabbit. When she first arrived in the Haven, she had little understanding of proper rabbit food, but she's learned to love her greens, Sherwood pellets, fresh water, and is even doing pretty well with her hay (though we want her to do even better). Little Miss has slimmed down and is developing healthy muscle tone. She's currently in the middle of a heavy molt and is growing soft, glossy new fur."
"Dora often binkies for sheer joy and dashes around during playtime, she begs for treats like nobody's business, and she tosses her toys and food dish like a pro. She's definitely a clever little dutchie, and is incredibly sweet and loving. She and foster mom hope that maybe someday a doctor-approved nice gentle bunny will come along to be her special companion. Dora loves to be petted and give kisses. She grooms her plush bunny and even tries to groom the resident kitties - much to their bewilderment. She's a champion digger and loves to scoot everything around in her litter box."
"Dora truly is a gift. She still splays her front legs. Therefore she needs special flooring, Palace Pet Beds, which helps her to have better traction for hopping and jumping, and the thick padding protects her chest. She also needs an extra low-entry litter box and very careful pick up & hold techniques. We monitor her closely for any signs of discomfort. But she says, "You just keep petting me and everything will be A-ok." We are very grateful for the love and support she has received from around the world. Next month she goes for a recheck with Dr. Hawklyn of Aptos-Creekside Veterinary Hospital and we will be sure to post an update."
Update #7: September 10th, 2018 -
"Beautiful Dora was rescued by The Rabbit Haven in March 2015. A good Samaritan reached out to the Haven when she realized little Dora had spent the first three years of her life in a small carrier sized wire-bottom cage under a table in a dark room. The Haven rescued her immediately. Due to Dora's age and cancer risk, she was spayed at the first available veterinary clinic. Since then she has been a beloved member of The Rabbit Haven family and due to her disabilities (full splay legs ) she has been cared for in a sanctuary site. She is a determined sweet-natured gentle bunny, but fragile. Dora needs regular medical support to manage the health and emotional issues caused by poor care during her first three years of life. She has been blessed with a great team of veterinarians, vet techs, and volunteers who make sure Dora is thoroughly loved."
Dora's foster mom recently discovered a small swelling on her abdomen. We visited with Dr. Carolynn Harvey of Chabot Veterinary Clinic this weekend, and she diagnosed a cystic mass in Dora's right mammary gland. We are hopeful that it will be benign, but best practice demands its removal and biopsy as soon as possible. Dora will need a set of x-rays on the day of surgery to ensure she is as fit as she can be. Dr. Harvey suggested that if she does well at surgery, we also remove a uterine stump granuloma that we have been monitoring since her spay. With this condition, the stump can eventually adhere to other parts of the abdomen causing serious problems."
Of you want to help dora have her surgery and heal please donate today to her fund. Her estimate of service will be around 900.00 – We think she is so worth it. Donate for Dora!! - Scroll to page 7. Not sure who the vet is, but it discusses the uterine stump granuloma issue. FHB paper on neutering and complications of surgery.
The Rabbit Haven is a 501c3 Rabbit Rescue Group based in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you want to adopt, foster or bond a rabbit you can contact Heather at 831-600-7479 or director@therabbithaven.org.
Update #8: Feb. 24th, 2019
"Dora a very special bunny with spay legs had a Binky Time at the Bunny Hop."
INFO:
Rest in peace sweet Angel 
