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head tick/nystagmus - calling all vets

Mia

Mia

Warren Scout
Hi

I came on here a while ago to talk about Miffy who has had nystagmus (flickering of the eyes and moving head from side to side like watching tennis)

After x rays, bloods and all sorts, it transpired that it was possibly EC and that Miffy also had the beginnings (very beginnings) of renal failure. We gave him a big dose of antibiotics and a months course of panacur. After that he seemed completely better.

Until 2 days ago when it started again! Just slightly at first, only when i put him "to bed" in his hutch with his brother. They have been in every night all winter but its now warm enough for them to go back into their hutches.

He has just had another spell of it, but strangely he can still trot round in straight line and clean himself?

What do you guys think this is? The vet really was not sure last time, even being in constant touch with an exotic vet. I will speak to vet about this tomorrow and get an appointment for him next week, it doesnt seem to be troubling him and he is the happiest he has been.

Any ideas at all??
 
I'm not a Vet but did you treat all in contact Rabbits with Panacur too and did you bleach clean their environment on days 21 and 28 of treatment ?
 
It does sound rather like a flare up or re-infection.

Panacur/Lapizole is usually now recommended for all rabbits in contact ,and living areas thoroughly bleached out . . (tricky if running on grass or in home!)

Having said that . . EC often jumps back in if the rabbit is stressed (alying dormant otherwise) - has he been stressed at all in the last couple of days? I see that you say he has gone out to hutch again - this may well have caused stress enough for the EC to leap back in . . or maybe the hutch was still harbouring stuff (though the period for actual infection again would be longer than a couple of days - which is why I am thinking a flare up).

My EC rabbits used to often just go on the tilt (tilty head) if they were stressed or dehydrated for some reason (hot and bothered!).

PS I'm not a vet either:oops:
 
Last edited:
thats interesting what you say about it flaring up after a stressful time ie going back into the hutch, as I was wondering if it could be that too.

Yes all three bunnies were treated for EC with panacur. I am ashamed to say I did not thoroughly bleach their hutches on the 21 day etc, simply because I didnt know you were supposed to do it. :oops:

Essentially they have not been out in their hutches for so long I stupidly thought that any infection may have been frozen out in that ridiculously cold weather:oops: :roll:

Ok so a thorough clean may be in order, I remember asking ages ago whats best to clean out a hutch and someone said normal bleach is fine?

Any other theories chaps?
 
With regards to the bleach, I believe it is one part bleach and nine parts water - after Buttercup our little girl lop having EC in February, we have continued to bleach their cage and the floors where they play (they are house rabbits) every week just in case. I have read that the bleach only need be in contact with the spores for a very short time (30 seconds I think) to kill the spores / parasites.

Our buns like yours had a month's dose of panacur and Buttercup herself is still on metacam not for its painkilling purposes but for its anti inflamatory use as EC apparantly causes inflamation in the brain. From next week onwards we have been told we can start reducing the dose as a 'weaning' off effect.

I wonder if something like metacam would help your bun? You could try asking your vet?

Hope this helps

Good luck! :wave:

Ruth
 
thanks for your advice so far everyone, are there any vets out there who have come across this before?

ps Miffy seems to be quite fearful at the moment, I went over to cuddle him earlier and his eyes went like saucers, he then had a mini nystagmus moment, so I really do think it could be stress thats the trigger, but doesnt that mean that the EC never went away????
 
I've been told by my vet that they only go in dormant after treatment. one of my bunny had it and kept picking back up and eventually she died, possibly from renal failure. :cry:

Now I treat my others with panacur every 6 months and clean the area as often as i can just in case...

Hope yours will be ok.
 
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