Dizzies tilted head

Iv had my rabbit Dizze now for about 3 years.
I rescued him from a farm where the dogs had attacked him and he had just been left in his cage, so i kinda robbed him XD (they never noticed he was gone tho!)
I took him to the vet and he had puncture wonds on his shoulders and on his back where the dog obvioulsy had had him in his mouth.
He was on antibiotics for months, and had to be injected twice a day with some different antibiotics too.
But through all his treatment he was SO lovley and has never ever bit me or kicked out (which you thought he'd do) all he dose is lick you and snuggle up to you, it's like he's greatful for everything.

Over the year he developed a tilted head, where he always had his head on one side, it didn't seem to bother him, he just fell over every now and then, we took him to the vets incase it was something serious and she just gave us more antibiotics for an ear infection that he obvioulsy didn't have, so clearly that didn;t help the problem.
Recently though in the past few month he can no longer hold his head up =[ he's just constantly falling over and will spend ages just lying on his back.

He can still eat and drink and everything fine, so its not like he can't eat etc, it's almost like he's lost all his neck muscles.
I put a padded guinea pig tunnel in his cage for him to prop his head up onto, and he smeemed to really like having something to put his head on
He must get such neck ache =[

I don't want to take him to the vets cus i no they'll just put him down, and i think that'll be unfair after everything he's gone through, he's survived pretty much everything.
He's just like a new born baby and cant support his own head...

Is there anything i can do for him, or make that i could put around hiis neck to support his head, would putting a cone around help, cutting it down so it dosnt cover his whole head

He's such a happy little bunny, he's just a bit disabled

RosieHardy said:

she just gave us more antibiotics for an ear infection that he obvioulsy didn't have, so clearly that didn;t help the problem.

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A lot of the time after having head tilt, the bunny's head just doesn't go back the right way up. Ear infections are what normally causes headtilt I believe, so your vet did do the right thing... Not that I'm an sort of expert.

Also, if you're still worried, just take the bunny to the vet? It's not fair to deny him vet treatment he may need just because you're frightened he'll be put to sleep...

:wave:

I think he really does need a vet. He might have an ear infection or EC which will need treatment.

I've heard that Alfreton Park Veterinary Hospital is good with rabbits if that's anywhere near you?

He hasn't got an infection they treated him for everything, they think it was just due to the attack and he had a stroke.
He's head the head tilt for about 3 years now so if it was an infection i'm sure it would have killed him?

RosieHardy said:

He hasn't got an infection they treated him for everything, they think it was just due to the attack and he had a stroke.
He's head the head tilt for about 3 years now so if it was an infection i'm sure it would have killed him?

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It could be a recurring ear infection? Lots of rabbits have chronic ear problems that go away and come back every so often. Their head doesn't necessarily straighten up even if the infection goes away.

He didn't have an infection tho in the first place, they think he had a stroke, iv took him back a few time because of it and they just say the same thing.

I'm planning tho on taking him on Monday now, i don't want to cus i have a horrible feeling theyll put him down...
Is there anything i can do tho to keep his head up right?

abbymarysmokey said:

It could be a recurring ear infection? Lots of rabbits have chronic ear problems that go away and come back every so often. Their head doesn't necessarily straighten up even if the infection goes away.

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RosieHardy said:

Is there anything i can do tho to keep his head up right?

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I don't think so. He'll probably feel like his head is the right way up as it is...so if you straighten it, he might feel dizzy.

Lots of luck for the vet appointment. Let us know how it goes x

A good vet will not put down a happy bun that is able to eat and drink 9even if he needs a bit of help).

May I suggest that it may be time to try for a different vets such as the one suggested earlier in the thread. that is not to say your current vet has not been good trying to get your bun well again - but sometimes buns need a specialist rabbit vet as they do get things wrong with them that many vets have not had time to research.

If the one suggested is not close to you then try posting a new thread entitled 'Specialist Rabbit vet needed in XXXX' (wherever you are) and people will reply with advice on where to go with a special problem like this. Specialist rabbit vets are no more expensive than others but can often help a lot where others have given up.

A hope that helps and you are able to have many more years with your bun!!.

I took Dizzie to the vets and they checked his ears and things to check to see if he could have an ear infection but they vet said it looked like he had a stroke, she checked his eyes and he had got internal bleeding to one of his eyes which she said was a sign of a stroke or a hemorrhage.

In the end he had to be put down; the vet said even if they tried him with drugs etc to rule out the possibility of an ear infection his head wouldn't straighten up, and because of the bleeding in his eye he would need nerve operations and could end up loosing his eye in the process.
But beecause he could no longer support his head and had the bleeding in his eye it was a recommended that he got him put down =[

parsnipbun said:

A good vet will not put down a happy bun that is able to eat and drink 9even if he needs a bit of help).

May I suggest that it may be time to try for a different vets such as the one suggested earlier in the thread. that is not to say your current vet has not been good trying to get your bun well again - but sometimes buns need a specialist rabbit vet as they do get things wrong with them that many vets have not had time to research.

If the one suggested is not close to you then try posting a new thread entitled 'Specialist Rabbit vet needed in XXXX' (wherever you are) and people will reply with advice on where to go with a special problem like this. Specialist rabbit vets are no more expensive than others but can often help a lot where others have given up.

A hope that helps and you are able to have many more years with your bun!!.

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I'm sorry you lost him

I'm so sorry. Binky free Dizzie

I'm so sorry for you loss and also for not replying on this thread until now xx