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medical mystery, vet also mystified!

Mia

Mia

Warren Scout
a week or so ago, i noticed that my rabbit Miffy was flicking his head and eyes from side to side, like he was watching a tennis match, and his head afterwards was twisted to one side. This only seems to happen just before his dinner (between 6-7pm) and seems to be better after he has eaten.

It doesnt happen every day, and I immediatley thought it was head tilt/middle ear infection with this nystagmus (head and eye flicking) being a symptom.

I took him to the vets yesterday and the vet was not convinced it was head tilt after a thorough investigation. I too do not think it is as I have had a bunny with it and it doesnt just come and go! He shows no signs of brain damage, no swelling in eyes, softness on top of skull (he has not had x-ray). He is behaving and eating normally.

I am watching him now and he doesnt seem to be doing it now, the vet is going to do a bit of research, and I thought I would ask here to see if any bunny mummys/daddys have experienced this?
 
Nystagmus can be caused by disruption of the visual structures of the eye, the nerves to the eye, the balance centre (including ears), or even the brain itself.
Combined with an intermittent head tilt the most common causes in rabbits are otitis media (middle ear inflammation) and E Cuniculi infection. Other bacterial, parasitic and traumatic diseases can also be responsible but are relatively uncommon.
Marie
 
thank you, it just seems strange that its so intermittent. he has shown no signs of it for the past two days but had it several days before that. It doesnt seem to be as acute as it was in Scampi, who went downhill very quick and had obvious symptoms of middle ear infection.
Can he be tested for E-C? I dont really want to try all sorts of meds until one works, it seems like its always a guessing game with bunnies...
 
Mia said:
thank you, it just seems strange that its so intermittent. he has shown no signs of it for the past two days but had it several days before that. It doesnt seem to be as acute as it was in Scampi, who went downhill very quick and had obvious symptoms of middle ear infection.
Can he be tested for E-C? I dont really want to try all sorts of meds until one works, it seems like its always a guessing game with bunnies...
Click to expand...

testing for ec can give both false negatives and false positives no harm would be done in fact many bunsa re regularly wormed using the meds which treat ec, its a 28day course of pannacur so i would certaintly try this first, also it could be due to a stroke, tumour(behind eye or in brain) a middle ear infection in which case various antibiotics can be used the most common being baytril. if you want another rabbit expert vet opinion i can give you jason burgess's number he lectures on rabbit care and would happily give advise vet to vet though would never diagnose fully via phone , his number is 01452 520056
 
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