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Smokey now seems to have a head tilt.- he's gone.

halfpenny

Wise Old Thumper
Smokey is my bun with respiratory problems and is on an inhaler and because his breathing takes up a lot of effort, even though he eats really well, he is thin.
Well, I noticed today he seems to have developed a very slight head tilt, and I'm very worried. I have spoken to the vet, I am reluctant to put him through the stress of taking him in the car to the vets, and they know him well. So his will be put on panacur tonight and will start on antibiotics again incase it is an ear infection.
I have asked the vet, who knows him best ( who also rides Bournville), to look at him on Sunday when she is out, to make sure we aren't keeping him going for our sake. I worry that because we see him ever day, we don't notice how bad he is. She will also check his teeth, just in case they are causing him to tilt his head, although I don't know what I'll do if that is the case. I dont' know how he would cope with an op.
I'm so worried about him, and what the vet will say. She's promised to be honest, even if I cry. I was crying today when I asked her, I really don't want to lose him!

can anybody think of anything else I can do.
 
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An anti-inflammatory might help. Unless he is on a steroidal inhaler..............


Yes, he is on a steriodal inhaler as well as a bronchiodilater one. I do worry that this may be the cause of him now developing various aliments. I don't regret using it though, as the vets said he would need to be PTS a year ago if we couldn't get his breathing sorted, and the inhalers have certainly given him this extra year.
I'm just hoping this isn't payback time!:( I keep bursting into tears tonight, he is fighting so hard.
 
Smokey doesn't seem to be interested in his food this morning, which is very unlike him. I've syringed a small amout of recovery into him, but didn't want to force the issue and stress him. He seems quite bright otherwise and his run is now littered with food everywhere to temp him. He was washing himself clean of the recovery food when I left him. I feel very torn as to what to do, he needs to eat, as his calorific output is so high with his breathing he will get weak very soon, but he still seems bright and that makes it difficult. I'll see how he goes today, but I have an awful feeling he won't be with us much longer.
 
I have had experience with head tilt.
When kermit first developed it he was very poorly. He didnt eat or drink without me feeding him.
Your bun seems a bit better than kermit was with the head tilt at the initial stages. Just try to tempt him with foods and get him to eat anything if possible.
Is he on panacur now? Kermit had 6weeks panacur & baytril......he still has head tilt and rolls a bit, but is recovered to a certain extent, back to near enough normality.
 
If they are eating a little but doing no poos would you be syringing water, recovery etc as would this just be blocking them up?

Sorry to hijack the thread

I have had experience with head tilt.
When kermit first developed it he was very poorly. He didnt eat or drink without me feeding him.
Your bun seems a bit better than kermit was with the head tilt at the initial stages. Just try to tempt him with foods and get him to eat anything if possible.
Is he on panacur now? Kermit had 6weeks panacur & baytril......he still has head tilt and rolls a bit, but is recovered to a certain extent, back to near enough normality.
 
Smokey seems no better this afternoon. I've taken him and Milly into the house. A major undertaking as Pumpkin was in the spare room while still on cage rest. ( Pumpkin is a cat who had major surgery to fix a dislocated kneecap.) He is now in our bedroom with every body else.
I've put Milly and Smokey in seperate cages, but next to each other so I can monitor Smokey better. I was a hard decision because when I went to take them into the house, I swear she was supporting him. He is struggling with his breathing and seems to have lost more weight already. I've got another antibiotic injection and a steriod injection- not ideal I know, but it will work as an anti-inflammatory and an appetite enhancer, at this stage I'm clutching at straws. He is also back on panacur, I treated them 3 months ago, and gave him an extended dose, just to be safe!
He has refused any syringed food, well mostly, but did eat a blade of grass when I put some in, I've now left him to settle and will be able to figure out if he is eating anything. I just wonder if I'm being selfish putting him through anymore.
Thanks everybody.
 
Well, Smokey is now eating grass, carrot and dandelion, he has also passed some droppings. He is in a warm room and knows that Milly is near by. His tilt isn't too bad, but he is unsteady on his feet, he is in an indoor cage and on towels, he also has nystagmus. I am giving antibiotics, fibreplex, panacur, and a steriod injection tonight, along with his usual meds, and offering water in a syringe regularly. I don't want to blood test him to see if he has E.cunnicli, as he is being treated for it anyway and again I don't want to put him through the stress. I think he wasn't eating because he couldn't figure out how to get to the food, although he has taken quite a lot this afternoon. We intend to get up a couple of times through the night to offer water and more food

What else can I do to maximise his chances of recovery.
I'm guessing if he is eating he isn't too stressed or in pain, is this right.
 
Well, Smokey is now eating grass, carrot and dandelion, he has also passed some droppings. He is in a warm room and knows that Milly is near by. His tilt isn't too bad, but he is unsteady on his feet, he is in an indoor cage and on towels, he also has nystagmus. I am giving antibiotics, fibreplex, panacur, and a steriod injection tonight, along with his usual meds, and offering water in a syringe regularly. I don't want to blood test him to see if he has E.cunnicli, as he is being treated for it anyway and again I don't want to put him through the stress. I think he wasn't eating because he couldn't figure out how to get to the food, although he has taken quite a lot this afternoon. We intend to get up a couple of times through the night to offer water and more food

What else can I do to maximise his chances of recovery.
I'm guessing if he is eating he isn't too stressed or in pain, is this right.

Does he still have Nystagmus ?
I am thinking that his chronic Respiratory Tract problems/infection have now spread to his middle ear/central nervous system.
He will probably eat if he's had a corticosteroid.
What abx is he on ?
 
I haven't given him the steroid injection yet, I will give it tonight when he gets his antibiotic.
His on baytril at the moment. When he had the the resp. inf. he was on baytril for 3 weeks and seemed really well after, do you think it could still be that. Is it better to be an ear infection rather than E. cunniculi-I mean is it easier to treat?
He still has the nystagmus, but is now managing to eat and pretty much get to the place he is aiming for. He seems to be struggling to use his left paw to wash, he was managing this morning, but he is still keeping himself clean and putting up quite a fight when I tried to syringe feed him!
 
Sending yoiu both vibes, Digger developed it last week and is on panacur, vet said no ear infection, i'm gutted. :cry:
 
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