Rehabbing Funny Bunny B’s Injury: Tendon Injury
“I have to put faith in the process, my veterinarian and most of all Buns that the interventions are helping… I want to know that my partner is going to be back at his full capacity, but the reality of it is, he may not be.”
A note to our readers: there are graphic images of an injury contained in this post. Proceed with caution.
If you read my first, second and/or third article about Funny Bunny B’s complex injury, you know he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. If you haven’t had the chance to read about the nightmare, here’s a recap: On October 7, 2019, Funny Bunny B (Buns) sustained an injury to his right hind leg. He has a fracture, torn tendon, soft tissue damage and an open wound.
On his journey to recovery I, along with In Stable Hands, have faced many challenges and educational topics that I would like to share. The first challenge I faced and discussed was proud flesh. Another issue I have been aiding is the fracture Buns sustained and now I’m going to enlighten you on his tendon injury.
Photo Taken by Cari Worley
While discussing Buns’ fracture and proud flesh I have eased you into the worst part of the injury, the tendon injury. Tendon injuries are so very difficult to deal with and can be career ending. They are slow to heal IF they ever fully heal. This part of the injury is the part that breaks my heart and gives me a never ending bout of heartburn.
When a tendon injury occurs where it is strained rather than severed, it takes months, possibly more than a year, to heal — and that’s the best case scenario.
Buns wasn’t lucky enough to have just strained his tendon. He really had to outdo himself with this one. He somehow completely severed his tendon and the vet had to cut off the exposed part. We’re hoping because of his age and otherwise healthy demeanor that another tendon will take its place and in time he’ll be able to return to his career without any restrictions. But, there is also a significant chance that Buns won’t be that lucky and his career is over.
Photo taken by Marcella Gruchalak
During Buns’ 30 day check up it was noted that another tendon had not yet started to take the place of the injured one. There was still a lot of damage to the injury and not much was happening in regards to the tendon issue, but I was reassured that tendons are a slow to heal, so we will continue to provide the injury with all the resources it needs to heal.
Most of the resources thus far have been the same for all the different issues going on within Buns’s injury. I may sound repetitive when I speak of the interventions, but they are so very important in aiding healing. From proud flesh to his fracture to his tendon injury, each component utilizes many of the same interventions. Each of the interventions that I have written and written…and written about work together to promote healing that will hopefully result in a full recovery.
With that being said, I’m going to discuss the different interventions that are being used to aid in healing Buns’s tendon injury:
Stall Rest
Buns is going to be on stall rest for a LONG time. He could be enjoying his stall anywhere from six months to over a year to allow healing and tendon repair. I can not say this enough — and it’s something I keep telling myself mostly because I don’t want to believe the truth in it — tendons are slow to heal. This means it’s imperative that he rest it as much as possible. I have been educated on the importance of tendons needing rest to heal. Any inflammation can be a sign that the tendon is not getting the rest it needs.
Banamine
Banamine, Banamine, Banamine — and then no Banamine. Flunixin — brandname Banamine — is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). As a nurse, I know right away the properties of this kind of medication, but for those who are not in the medical field, this means a pain reliever that will decrease inflammation as well.
At the beginning, it was one of Buns’s best friends. The Banamine worked well to diminish Buns’s pain and worked wonders decreasing swelling at the injury site. Per the instructions from the veterinarian, Buns was receiving Banamine for a few weeks post injury to work to keep the swelling down to promote healing.
He was then given his last dose as Banamine’s has properties that can also cause Gastrointestinal issues such as gastric ulcers and we did not want to create any additional health issues.
Swelling has been remaining minimal. Photo taken by Marcella Gruchalak
Red Light Therapy
This is the intervention that excites me the most. I was unable to start this intervention due to the open wound which is just about healed. With that said, I should be able to start this therapy within the next week. Red Light Therapy has so many benefits to it. One benefit is that it aids in the healing of tendons. It improves blood flow to the area and stimulates fibroblast proliferation.
For those who are wondering what fibroblasts are, they are the cells that help connective tissue to form. I can not thank Skye’s Spirit Wildlife Rehabilitation Center enough for lending me her Red Light to aid in Buns’s healing.
Physical Therapy
Another intervention that will be starting soon is a physical therapy program. The physical therapy will start in 15 minute increments and will begin with very minor exercises that will put emphasis on basic range of motion techniques. This will also help blood flow to the injury and will build strength around the injury site resulting in aided healing.
Recent wound photo. Photo taken by Marcella Gruchalak
Aside from these interventions, time is what will really help Buns heal. It’s scary to think that anything could happen in a year’s time and that the tendon may not heal the way I’m hoping and praying it will. Anything could happen from this point and the last time the tendon was checked, nothing was happening.
I have to put faith in the process, my veterinarian and, most of all, Buns that the interventions are helping and another tendon is taking the place of the one that was removed. I’m not going to lie, it induces stress, makes me sick and is downright scary. I want to know that my partner is going to be back at his full capacity but the reality of it is, he may not be. It won’t be the fracture or the proud flesh that hinders him; his downfall is going to be the tendon injury.
