Splayed legs is the incapability of the rabbit to tuck the legs under their bodies, that normally project outwards to the sides.
Splayed legs can be seen in both the hind and front limbs, and in single or multiple limbs.
This issue doesn’t have a known specific cause, but amongst other things, genetical factors and environmental factors, like slippery floors, trauma, or E. Cuniculi, are thought to help develop the issue.
Some may say that it is the coupling of these factors that cause splayed legs.
Splayed legged rabbits continue to perform perfectly in any other range of action, but their movement may be hindered due to their legs.
Understanding the type of splay can be done with x-rays.
Some of these deformities include (Medirabbit, 2010):
-Pelvic hypoplasia (maldevelopment or lack thereof of the pelvic region) accompanied with femoral luxation (the bones are separated from one another).
-Torsion or subluxation (incomplete or partial separation) of the hip and a bone;
-Femoral neck anteversion, where a part of the femur is tilted inwards towards the body;
-Femoral shaft torsion, where the main body of the bone is rotated either inwards or outwards;
-Distal foreleg curvature, where the further part of the extremity is curved;
-Achondroplasia (maldevelopment of cartilage) of the hip or shoulder joints, and;
-Syringomyelia, or the development of a liquid-filled cyst within the spinal chord.
Most other causes cannot be treated but can be accommodated to, like ensuring low and accessible litter boxes, and ensuring the floor can provide grip and is not causing pododermatitis and other lesions, as rabbits with splayed legs have to drag their body.
Very, very rarely amputation may give the rabbit a better quality of life, but it is not recommended by experts because that may not treat the underlying issue.
To learn more about caring for splayed legged rabbits, you can watch our interview with Heather from The Bunnyjackpot Foundation, who is an expert on not just splay legs but other types of disabilities.
You can watch it by clicking here or visiting our video lounge.
The general gist of the conversation includes:
-Sufficient but enclosed and safe space for the rabbits;
-Keeping everything the rabbits may use at an able rabbit’s chest level (their head level); this includes toys, food, drink…
-Vet beds with pee pads under to ensure all the pee is caught on; some of the splayed alongside other disabled rabbits may have issues like incontinence.
-Ensuring they go to the vet often for ear and lower-end check-ups; they may have urine scald or pododermatitis, and wax may build up on their ears. It may be necessary to shave some parts of their body.
-Cleaning them will quickly become a common task; this is because, as they are dragging their bodies, they get all the faeces and urine stuck.
-Some creams (given by a vet) can help the rabbits feel more comfortable with the scald and pododermatitis.
-They play and behave the same as an able rabbit; they don’t even notice they’re disabled!
-They need company as much or more than any other rabbit.
If you want to learn more about splayed legs, you can visit:
The Unusual Pet Vets’ brief on Splay Leg in Rabbits.
Medirrabit’s page on Congenital Splay-Leg.