• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Rummy and Head Tilt

B

brigitte

Warren Scout
Hello,

I have a little Holland Lop named Rummy and he has a case of "head tilt". I took him to my local vet (not my rabbit savvy vet) and she prescribed Orbax - 22.7 mg - a half tablet once per day. That wasn't helping so I took him to my rabbit savvy vet yesterday and he prescribed Panacur.

Rummy is eating very well - pellets, timothy hay and fresh veggies (kale, collard greens, parsley, cilantro). He is also voiding and pooing just fine. I do syringe feed him water as it is hard for him to drink from his water bottle and he just spills his water bowl. Other than the head tilt, he is doing fine.

Does this sound like E.C. or an inner ear infection? And is there anything else I should be doing? He is kept inside and I have him in a small cage with pillows along the cage so he doesn't hurt himself as his balance is off from the head tilt.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Brigitte
 
Poor Rummy. Sounds like you are doing a great job. Don't really have any advice just to wish him well. Wesley had headtilt a few months back. I think there is some sort of test which can be done to find out for sure. Someone more knowledgeable will let you know about that.
 
it could be EC or inner ear infection, if you are not sure of the vet you saw you should see your savvy rabbit vet urgently (I would do)

and I send lots of good vibes for your little rabbit
 
Your Rabbit needs a non steroidal anti-inflammatory such as Meloxicam (Metacam). It is inflammation which causes the symptoms of head-tilt.
If it is EC you are dealing with then anti-inflammatories are especially important to try to minimise the inflammatory response to the EC spores which will cause cell destruction and consequently permanent longterm damage.
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. I did take Rummy to my rabbit savvy vet yesterday and he thinks it could be E.C. so he prescribed Panacur. I will see how he does with that and hope it's just an inner ear infection. I lost one of my buns to E.C. about 2 years ago and Rummy's symptoms seem more like that of an inner ear infection - one of my other rabbits had that and recovered completely.

Wishful thinking, I guess.

Brigitte
 
I just called my "rabbit savvy" vet to get some Metacam and he doesn't think that will help but is willing to give it a try.

This vet was recommended by the House Rabbit Society in the states - is there a reason why he is hesitating on prescribing this medication or maybe I should find a different "rabbit savvy" vet?

I also called my local vet to see if she would prescribe this medication but haven't heard back from her yet - can anyone tell me what the dosage would be for a 3.8 pound Holland lop (neutered buck).

Thanks,

Brigitte
 
brigitte said:
I just called my "rabbit savvy" vet to get some Metacam and he doesn't think that will help but is willing to give it a try.

This vet was recommended by the House Rabbit Society in the states - is there a reason why he is hesitating on prescribing this medication or maybe I should find a different "rabbit savvy" vet?

I also called my local vet to see if she would prescribe this medication but haven't heard back from her yet - can anyone tell me what the dosage would be for a 3.8 pound Holland lop (neutered buck).

Thanks,

Brigitte
Click to expand...

Metacam is a non steroidal anti inflammatory. With EC it is the tissue inflammation caused by the EC spores which causes clinical symptoms eg Head Tilt. The spores erupt destroying cells. It is important to minimise the inflammatory response to the EC spores to try to minimise the longterm permanent damage of the effected organs/central nervous system.
Metcam is well tolerated in Rabbits and here in the UK our Vets are advised that it has a wide safety margin and can be prescribed at a dose rate of 0.3mg/kg every 12 hours. Please note that I am not a Vet so I cannot advise you as to the dose to give to your Bun

I hope his symptoms improve very soon.
 
Hello again,

I just wanted to update everyone on Rummy. I went back to the vet and he prescribed the 28-day course of Panacur - evidently the paste is not available here in the states, so I am mixing 20 grams of the Panacur granules daily with a bit of mushed up banana or banana baby food. He is also getting .3 ml of Metacam orally daily and .4 ml of liquid Baytril orally.

He seemed more alert before introducing the Baytril and Panacur daily. Am I over medicating him?

He's stilll eating and drinking and voiding and pooing although I've noticed his poo's are a bit softer than usual. I have cut back on the collard greens and he is eating his pellets and Timothy hay.

Thanks for your advice.

Brigitte
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

dex179
Head tilt but it's not E Cuniculi - Help!
2 3 4
Replies
70
Views
2K
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
A
Need help treating head tilt!
Replies
4
Views
264
bunny momma
bunny momma
H
Medicating a rabbit with head-tilt
Replies
15
Views
1K
bunny momma
bunny momma
Back
Top