Specialist teams work together to save pet’s leg after complex fracture. A miniature rabbit is jumping for joy once more after a team of veterinary specialists collaborated to repair his badly broken leg.Brumpy, a five-year-old dwarf breed rabbit, was referred to the Hospital for Small Animals following an accident at home.X-rays showed that his front left leg was fractured in multiple places. Precision surgerySpecialist vets from the Hospital’s Rabbit and Exotic Practice, Orthopaedic Surgery and Anaesthesia Service worked together to plan and perform surgery to repair the rabbit’s fractures. Weighing less than 2kg, his small size was an additional challenge, as there was a high risk his fragile bones could shatter further when trying to repair them, which would have resulted in amputation.Orthopaedic surgeons fitted a stainless steel, lightweight frame, which was 4.5cm in length, anchored with 0.8mm wide pins placed into the bones in Brumpy’s leg to stabilise the fracture while healing occurred. Brumpy the rabbit, who fractured his front leg in several places, had an lightweight frame fitted to his leg by specialist surgeons, that anchored pins less than 1mm long to his fragile broken bones while they healed, saving his leg from amputation. Full recoveryBrumpy was discharged into the care of his owners with a recovery plan, which included restricted exercise.The external fixator stayed in place for 8 weeks before being removed under a general anaesthetic. Brumpy then had a further 6–8 weeks of gradual return to normal activity to help rebuild his strength and confidence.His owner reported how happy they were to see their rabbit back to performing binkies - joyful leaps and twists that rabbits do when they feel happy, excited or secure. I can’t thank everyone involved in Brumpy’s care enough, from reception, to the student vets, the incredibly skilled orthopaedic team and the phenomenal exotics vets. I felt that Brumpy’s wellbeing was at the heart of every decision that was made, and during his recovery, the team were on hand to answer any questions or concerns I had. Brumpy’s owner We’re delighted with how well Brumpy has recovered. Thanks to the specialist multidisciplinary care and expertise we can provide through the Dick Vet Rabbit and Exotic Practice at the Hospital for Small Animals, we can confidently treat complex fractures in small animals such as Brumpy. Professor Dylan Clements RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, Hospital for Small Animals. Our Specialist-led team provides routine and emergency referral appointments to treat a wide variety of rabbit health problems, including bone fractures. Rabbit medicine is constantly advancing and we pride ourselves on offering them a high standard of veterinary care. Dr Jenna Richardson RCVS Specialist in Small Mammals and Head of the Rabbit and Exotic Practice. Brumpy’s outcome highlights how coordinated veterinary expertise, and the application of the specialist equipment, can make limb-saving surgery possible, even in technically difficult fractures. About the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a one-of-a-kind centre of excellence in clinical activity, teaching and research. Our purpose-built campus, set against the backdrop of the beautiful Pentland Hills Regional Park, is home to more than 800 staff and almost 1400 students, all of whom contribute to our exceptional community ethos. The School comprises: The Roslin Institute The Roslin Innovation Centre The Hospital for Small Animals Equine Veterinary Services Farm Animal Services Easter Bush Pathology The Animal Welfare Centre We represent the largest concentration of animal science-related expertise in Europe, impacting local, regional, national and international communities in terms of economic growth, the provision of clinical services and the advancement of scientific knowledge. Tags Small Animals Vet School Publication date 01 Apr, 2026
