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Why is my rabbit limping on his front paw? What can I do to help?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Rabbit | Female | unspayed | 3 years and 11 months old | 4.4 lbs

Hi, my pet rabbit has been limping and I'm not sure why or what to do. It appears to be his front paw. We cut his nails today in case that was the problem, but he's still limping. What do I need to do to help him? And what could it be?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jeffrey Milner

Veterinarian

Published on October 18th, 2017

The most common reason for a young rabbit to be limping would be generalized musculoskeletal pain from something traumatic. Certainly as you said nail length can contribute or a wound on the affected limb. However, if you have eliminated these as possibilities, I would say that the next logical assumption is there is a bony or soft tissue injury affecting your bunny. She would probably benefit from a physical exam to see if an area can be isolated, and possibly if warranted, some x-rays could be obtained. Anti-inflammatory and pain medications are also available for rabbits and might provide some significant relief. In the mean time until you can get him in, I would just try to limit his mobility and confine him to a smaller area. Hope this is helpful.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 5th, 2017

    That could be due to a trauma (involving either the soft or bony tissues). If he is using the leg the injury should not be that severe, but some pain killers and anti-inflammatory would be ideally needed to speed up recovery. If the signs do not resolve in 24 hours I would recommend a check up. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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