Rabbit having seizures / fits

Hi there,
I posted here not long ago about my rabbit having trouble with her back leg mobility - this has now improved lots but she's started having seizures. All the symptoms were pointing to EC so she and her boy have been treated with a 28 day course of Panacur. The seizures are short and I think they started about halfway through the Panacur treatment. That course ended almost a month ago but she's carried on having the fits. I hadn't seen her have one for a month but she's had about 3 in the past couple of weeks.
She's going back to the vet today and I'm going to ask about anti-seizure drugs for her.

Does anyone have any experience of their rabbit having fits or being on medication, and has it worked?

She's fine apart from them, she's getting stronger in her hopping and still has a love for life. Eating, drinking, pooing, coming to me for treats, loving cuddles and purring. Just want to stop her having these fits

Sorry to hear about the problems your bun is having.

Sorry I've no advice. I do wonder if the EC has maybe caused damage, and that is why she is having fits?

Just wanted to wish you luck at the vet.

Hi hun :wave: I'm replying to your email now xxxxxxxx

i don't have any experience of this but just wanted to say i hope you find out what is happening and something that may help. x

Same issue

Hi There,

My rabbits have both been having the same issue.

They are 10 weeks old and both showing the same problems. They literally fall on their side and cannot get back up, we had one on our sofa this evening and she started doing it, when I tried to pick her up she was literally a dead weight, totally heartbreaking. But like 2 mins later she was bouncing around again... so confused as to what this is.

We took them to the vet a couple of weeks ago and they put them on a 28 day course of Panacur thinking that it might have been a parasite from untreated hay, only half a graduation doses. We originally thought this was working but they have both been doing this all day today. I have a video I can send someone if they need to see.

Please help!!! I'm worried sick!!

Thanks
Amy

Seizures and fits are often part of the EC prticulrly in younger or older buns

Is the bun on metacam/meloxivet to aid reducing inflammation in the brain/nervous system that EC causes in addition to the Panacur?

Lily is on Metacam for her spondylosis (arthritis) anyway, but has finished the panacur. do you know if they get resistant to panacur eg if they were to be treated again in a few months?

My Darcy, 8 year old frenchie, suffers from fits too which are suspected caused by EC. He was treated for EC with panacur but the fits continued and got worse. Even once the EC is treated the after affects of it can cause other conditions unfortunately.

All buns with fits please get your vet to give or prescribe rectal valium. You get a box of 5. You need at least five to start with. As soon as your bun has a fit, give them the valium during the fit. This will calm him/her down and stop the fit and also stop more coming later hopefully. If fits are left untreated and happen frequently they can cause brain damage and coma.

I keep a calendar diary with a record of all Darcy's fits, the time, how long it lasts, whether a single, double or triple fit (one that stops then starts). I used this to show the vet to get the right meds and dosage sorted asap. Darcy is now on Epiphen solution liquid (anti-eplipsey/fit med). He has been on it for over 3 months now. He was having several fits a week which were long horrible triple fits that some lasted for 5 mins. Now we have the dose right 0.3ml twice a day (its a very strong drug) and he has not had a fit in nearly two months. Fingers and paws crossed I don't jinx it by saying that!

Darcy is also on a high daily dose of metcam for his Spondylosis in his back and arthritis in his hips. The metacam also helps his fits by reducing any swelling in the brain.

If you need any help/info just pm me. xxxxx

BinkyBun said:

My Darcy, 8 year old frenchie, suffers from fits too which are suspected caused by EC. He was treated for EC with panacur but the fits continued and got worse. Even once the EC is treated the after affects of it can cause other conditions unfortunately.

All buns with fits please get your vet to give or prescribe rectal valium. You get a box of 5. You need at least five to start with. As soon as your bun has a fit, give them the valium during the fit. This will calm him/her down and stop the fit and also stop more coming later hopefully. If fits are left untreated and happen frequently they can cause brain damage and coma.

I keep a calendar diary with a record of all Darcy's fits, the time, how long it lasts, whether a single, double or triple fit (one that stops then starts). I used this to show the vet to get the right meds and dosage sorted asap. Darcy is now on Epiphen solution liquid (anti-eplipsey/fit med). He has been on it for over 3 months now. He was having several fits a week which were long horrible triple fits that some lasted for 5 mins. Now we have the dose right 0.3ml twice a day (its a very strong drug) and he has not had a fit in nearly two months. Fingers and paws crossed I don't jinx it by saying that!

Darcy is also on a high daily dose of metcam for his Spondylosis in his back and arthritis in his hips. The metacam also helps his fits by reducing any swelling in the brain.


If you need any help/info just pm me. xxxxx

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Sorry to say same on here as other post - rectal valium can be very tricky for inexperienced bunny owners or unconfident or when bun is younger - I would really not recommend it for anything other than mature bun with experienced owner (such as Binky Bun!) . Oral is better or injectable even better if confident to do that.

parsnipbun said:

Sorry to say same on here as other post - rectal valium can be very tricky for inexperienced bunny owners or unconfident or when bun is younger - I would really not recommend it for anything other than mature bun with experienced owner (such as Binky Bun!) . Oral is better or injectable even better if confident to do that.

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This is where I have to respectfully disagree with you. Firstly, I posted this info for others who many experience the same problem now or in the future. The original poster is already experienced now with giving the rectal valium.

When a bun is fitting it would be far more dangerous to try and put anything his/her mouth. One, you could damage the neck trying, two, they could choke and three, it would probably just dribble out. I would also not want to or advise, to go near a fitting bunny with a needle. If you ever see a fitting bunny it is very violent to their poor bodies.

During a fit, the rabbit's botty hole is opened naturally already. So administering the rectal valium is tricky but easier as it just slips in to administer the meds. It does not harm them. It is essential to stop the fit.

When Darcy started having fits, I was completely inexperienced too. I was lucky that a wonderful RU member whose bunny was going through the same advised me about the right meds to check with my vet and how to administer. She supported me through it and with her and doing it for Darcy is what gave me my experience. I am just doing the same for another bunny mommy.

BinkyBun said:

This is where I have to respectfully disagree with you. Firstly, I posted this info for others who many experience the same problem now or in the future. The original poster is already experienced now with giving the rectal valium.

When a bun is fitting it would be far more dangerous to try and put anything his/her mouth. One, you could damage the neck trying, two, they could choke and three, it would probably just dribble out. I would also not want to or advise, to go near a fitting bunny with a needle. If you ever see a fitting bunny it is very violent to their poor bodies.

During a fit, the rabbit's botty hole is opened naturally already. So administering the rectal valium is tricky but easier as it just slips in to administer the meds. It does not harm them. It is essential to stop the fit.

When Darcy started having fits, I was completely inexperienced too. I was lucky that a wonderful RU member whose bunny was going through the same advised me about the right meds to check with my vet and how to administer. She supported me through it and with her and doing it for Darcy is what gave me my experience. I am just doing the same for another bunny mommy.

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We will indeed have to disagree. I have been rhe long term carer for two buns with seizures. One sadly very extreme However if vets can disagree about meghods of administration then i am sure we can do so amicably as well:wave:

parsnipbun said:

We will indeed have to disagree. I have been rhe long term carer for two buns with seizures. One sadly very extreme However if vets can disagree about meghods of administration then i am sure we can do so amicably as well:wave:

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Of course :wave: xx