Spondylosis, seizures and allergies - opinion pls

Hello :wave: all,

My rabbit is 3,7 years old (large breed, French Lop). He was diagnosed with a spondylosis (x-ray), after a few weeks from that, he had some kind of a seizure, run around like chased, trying to hide, he than fell and lost control of bladder and somehow got up, run kicking back, fell again as his hind legs spread, he let out two screams and his head fell to the side. He recovered after we gave him pain relievers as told over phone by a vet, thinking it was a back pain attack.

He is now on medication to relieve pain, but still grinds his teeth, and has a problem to stand long, leaning from one to another front leg as he sits, he prefers eating and drinking laying down now, rather than standing. He walks a bit and as he does his legs don't seem to be like before, like he has less control. Also had two more similar attacks but just run a bit and fell with hard breathing. To add to the case he also scratches his ears often, he sneezes (vet said it can be allergies) and grinds his teeth after, he snores and chews on empty mouth and also grinds his teeth, has smaller droppings, breeds faster, hi lost weight before it all started i can feel all his bones, his stomach is starched down and fallen in on the sides and his ribs show a lot.

He eats alot of hay and apple brunches and only wants to eat soaked pellets, he eats less vegetables since it is winter here and he drinks water. He also manages to run if he smells apples or bananas. He also grooms a lot and sneezes every time he does. Still doing flops on the side.

Any advice? :|

I have spondelosis and it's blooming horrible. I wonder if your rabbit's spine has slipped more? Sounds like it has xxx

Have his teeth been checked? It sounds like there may be two separate issues going on here :?

@stargrrlclaire
I'm sorry I don't understand the answer. English is not my laguage, so I don't get the "slipped more" and "Sounds like it has xxx" part, I know what the words mean but not the sentence. Sorry :?

@Hugo's There
His teeth are ok as long as he eats hay (and he does a lot lately), otherwise the molars start to sharpen. But at the moment they are fine.

Does anybody know if it is safe to give glucosamine to a bunny? I read it could ease the pain caused by spondylosis.

MrBunny said:

@stargrrlclaire
I'm sorry I don't understand the answer. English is not my laguage, so I don't get the "slipped more" and "Sounds like it has xxx" part, I know what the words mean but not the sentence. Sorry :?

@Hugo's There
His teeth are ok as long as he eats hay (and he does a lot lately), otherwise the molars start to sharpen. But at the moment they are fine.

Does anybody know if it is safe to give glucosamine to a bunny? I read it could ease the pain caused by spondylosis.

Click to expand...

Its good his teeth are OK. What pain relief is he on, what is the dose and how much does he weigh. It could be that he needs a higher dose of pain relief.

How long has he been on pain medication? It could take up to two weeks for it to start to help him for a chronic condition such as spondylosis.

And yes you can give glucosamine but I am not sure on doses

Yes it is safe to give rabbits glucosamine. It will not act as pain relief but will help to make the joints a bit more easy.

I would ask your vet to do an x-ray of your rabbit's spine and hips to check for arthritis in his hips.

My rabbit suffers from spondylosis too. Rabbits can take much higher doses of Metacam (pain relief) than cats or dogs. I would suggest your rabbit has its dosage increased.

Seizures need urgent treatment. Ask your vet for Diazapam Rectal Valium tubes. These need to be given during a fit to stop it and calm the rabbit down. Seizures can be very dangerous and will increase if not treated. If they continue you could also consider asking your vet for Epiphen which is anti-seizure drug.

I would ask your vet to thoroughally check your rabbits teeth as it does sound like the rabbit is having possible dental problems.

I hope this helps. :wave:

Glucosamine dosage is 0.5ml per kg of body weight. So for up to 5kg it is 2.5ml per day.

As this is a lot to take, I give my french lop rabbit who is 4kg, 1ml in the morning and 1ml at night.

Hugo's There said:

Its good his teeth are OK. What pain relief is he on, what is the dose and how much does he weigh. It could be that he needs a higher dose of pain relief.

How long has he been on pain medication? It could take up to two weeks for it to start to help him for a chronic condition such as spondylosis.

And yes you can give glucosamine but I am not sure on doses

Click to expand...

He has been on a 1/12 of a big pill, I forgot the name but i thing it is for dogs, for 10 days now. He is 5kg if not a bit less. The vet said the bigger doses can mess with his stomach, and it should be raised only if he hurts a lot.

BinkyBun said:

Yes it is safe to give rabbits glucosamine. It will not act as pain relief but will help to make the joints a bit more easy.

I would ask your vet to do an x-ray of your rabbit's spine and hips to check for arthritis in his hips.

My rabbit suffers from spondylosis too. Rabbits can take much higher doses of Metacam (pain relief) than cats or dogs. I would suggest your rabbit has its dosage increased.

Seizures need urgent treatment. Ask your vet for Diazapam Rectal Valium tubes. These need to be given during a fit to stop it and calm the rabbit down. Seizures can be very dangerous and will increase if not treated. If they continue you could also consider asking your vet for Epiphen which is anti-seizure drug.

I would ask your vet to thoroughally check your rabbits teeth as it does sound like the rabbit is having possible dental problems.

I hope this helps. :wave:

Click to expand...

Vet said that the "seizures" are just him trying to run away from the pain, and that his movement should be restricted to a small space till he recovers a bit. It is very cold here right now so he said the weather changes are making him hurt more.

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r72/Raven_blessing/Bibi zdravstveni/DSCN1226.jpg Here is the x-ray

I got glucosamine but it is in capsules 500mg how do I divide that? :?

Binky how does you bunny behave now with spondylosis?

I think I could get my hands on it, I didn't even know about it.

Fond the name of our medicine.. it is Rimadyl and the pill is hudge and he has 1/12 once a day, and i also found this and some more posts on metacam.

Thank you very much, I'm just sorry I haven't this found the forum earlier :\

I would definitely change to liquid Metacam pain relief. Make sure to ask for the Dog Metacam as it is stronger. Metacam can be taken safely by Rabbits in larger quantities when needed for bad pain like Spondylosis. Rabbits tolerate Metacam much better than cats or dogs do. Your rabbit should be on about 1ml twice a day. This is what my French Lop Rabbit is on.


You need to buy the Glucosamine in liquid form. I buy a product called Arthri-Aid. It also contains other vitamins which help. I buy from this shop and it does ship internationally. But check first if you can get it in your own country as this would be quicker and cheaper for you.

http://www.petdrugsonline.co.uk/site.aspx?i=pr182806


Below is a link to information on safe pain relief for Rabbits. You can print it off and show to your vet. It states Meloxicam (Metacam) is safe for long term use in Rabbits when needed.

http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Analgesics/safe_analgesics.htm

This link below shows you photos and information on Seizures in rabbits. If this looks like what your rabbit is doing then you need to print this page and show it to your vet also.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/seizure.htm


When my rabbit first started having seizures, my vet wrongly diagnosed them as pain spasms from the Spondylosis. When they kept happening I got this information I have given you and my vet agreed to start proper treatment for seizures. This has really helped my Rabbit. Seizures only get longer and worse if left untreated and can result in death.

I hope this helps.

hello and welcome:wave:

yes metacam is the drug to help your rabbits pain..my rabbit has it twice a day.

my rabbit is also a french lop rabbit and his first seizure the vet said it was a pain nerve response.

Even with yet another fit she said the same.

I took him to a different vet when he had another one and they told me he was having seizures due to an infection he already has in his body..its called snuffles or pasturella.
he was given epiphen liuid but he didnt like it and it made him go weird.

now he has the pills...PHENOBARBITOL and he has one tablet twice a day.

he gets ear infections because of the infection in his body. Maybe your bunny has one too. Lift his ear up and sniff inside..if the ear is a bit smelly and always being scratched then take him to the vet. He will need eardrops.
Ear infections are very common in rabbits having seizures..it can make them happen a lot more than if there was no ear infection.

Like binkybun said...ask for RECTAL VALIUM TUBES...they are exactly the same for humans. When my 6kg french lop has a seizure it lasts longer and longer each time...and he screams and bites himself..its very scary. to help the fit stop and be shorter..i have to gently insert the tube just into his bottom hole and squeeze the drops in. It is scary when you first do it...you think you cannot do it...but when your bunny is having a seizure..you wil find a way.

my bunny after a fit walks arund then washes his chest for a long time...but if you look..he isnt getting his tongue where it should be..this is an after seizure state called POST ICTAL...he will be very confused and feel awful..just let him do what he wants...dim the lights..turn the tv down...and speak quietly..

Your bunny sounds like he has molar spurs....these can be very tiny and the vets say..leave it ..theyre very small. Or they say i cannot see anything..meaning they cannot see the back teeth properly. This can only be properly seen when the bunny is having an anaesthetic for a dental. My bunny has a terrible time and goes off his food and is in a lot of pain with what the vets say are tiny spurs. Some rabbits find pain different to other rabbits. So now the vets know if he has any spikes no matter how small..they have to be filed or burred down.

Rabbits grind teeth a lot when in pain....it could be from the spondylosis by itself...or it can be that he has a dental problem on the top of it.

You will have to go back to your vet and ask him...and tell him about the metacam syrup too. good luck.:wave: