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Head tilt and travel/ update. he can't travel

Hugo's There

Wise Old Thumper
We have arranged for a head tilt bunny to come to live with us. However he is deteriorating to the point that any change makes his start rolling. First it was moving a litter tray. Now its so bad he rolls if lights are put on and off :(

He is also on depocillian injections for pasturella. My concern is the infection has tracked to his brain. I am not at all happy about him doing a 2 hour journey to us and feel he would be better where he is with a vet and owner who know him.

Would anyone else risk the journey to get him a forever home as anyone who knows me knows i am over cautious!?


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He could stay where he is as he is getting good vet treatment but he has been handed into a boarding place so its not a permanent home as such but he has already been there several months. He would have more space here but i am not sure that positive outweighs all the negatives.....

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I think if he had lots of cushioning around him and kept in the dark he would be ok.

Yes we would do that anyway although there will be a motor way hand over.

There is also the fact that when he arrives there will be new accommodation and people to deal with. Also other rabbits and noises to cope with.....

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My Kermit was like this, if you moved him at all then he rolled.

The only way that I could get him to be ok was to put him in a large plastic box with the lid off, I rolled up towels all round and put him in the centre. Basically he couldn't move at all while in the box.

I am not sure what I would do re the long drive as it could make bun worse. If he is getting treatment and decent care where he is then I would be tempted to leave him, but if he could get better treatment and care with you then I would be tempted to take him.

Can you go and pick him up direct?
 
I am torn. He has a partner so don't know whether to separate for the journey so he can be wedged or whether this would stress him more.

I really don't know :(

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i would wedge them in together with fleeces etc but have someone travel with them (ie a passenger who has the carry cage on their lap) to ensure he does not end up underneath the other bun and unable to get upright.

sounds as though you may think there is more that can be done for him in the way of meds so yes `I think it worth getting him to you as a permanent home
 
I have no idea if we can help him re vet treatment. I know he is regularly going to the vet where he is but until i have notes and have met him i just don't know. It maybe there is nothing we could do differently :confused:

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Grim has a sort of head tilt due to his snuffles. His head moves to the right all the time and he circles.

If you take him, is he likely to recover after being left for a while? The off balance is worse than to them and it takes Grim a good three or four weeks to settle somewhere new now. I made him a much smaller enclosure with a door out to free range in the room. I shut him in the enclosure (3ft x 4ft) for over a month to get him used to it. And he's happy in there now. He's only once come out to free range of his own accord in about three months.

My advice is, if you take them, keep them together to travel. Keep them in a small enclosure that will always stay the same, but may have a door out into a bigger space. I would also check for abscesses on the ear. Grim's didn't show up for months and months after he started the head tilt and circling. With the vets advice he now has daily norocillin injections. I think I'm going to have to get the abscess operated on at some point if it gets any bigger, which I'm worried about.

Anyway, at first I thought the pasteurella had spread to his brain, but the vet assured me that his symptoms pointed to it spreading to his ear. he had flickering eyes etc. Even a lot of people on here thought it was neurological.

So if the head tilt is to do with snuffles rather than EC my advice might be some use, otherwise I'm not sure. :oops: If you feel he'd be in a better place with you, take him and with time I'm sure he'll settle in.
 
as others have suggested if you go ahead you could wedge him in with lots of support, id put his friend in another carrier but face it towards him so they can still see each other, id worry if she jumped all over him and unsettled him more, hope you find a solution
 
Liz, I really can't help with your dilemma, other than agreeing with the excellent advice already been given. Sometimes fate steps in and you find that the answer to your dilemma is staring you straight in the face. Whatever you decide to do, I know it will be with the very best of intentions and care for the bunny.
 
Thank you for all the replies. I am still no closer to making a decision. The current owner is speaking to their vet today to get his opinion. I just know I would never forgive myself if the journey made things a whole lot worse :(

I have gone back over the little info I have and there is nothing about the cause of the head tilt
 
i would say if you think his quality of life there isnt not as good as you could give him, then its worth the risk because he could be so much happier.

sometimes depending on the bun journeys are not that bad.. my buns have always been fine and not stressed out, but when I have traveled with friends buns they have not liked it a got stressed so its whether the bun is ok with it or not
 
Ok, continued searching and it seems the head tilt is thought to be EC and there is a history of pasturella with flair ups for the past two years. We will be their 5th home :(
 
Ok so the decision is made. He won't be travelling to us just yet.

He saw the vet this evening who strongly advised against travelling as he has deteriorated so much. She has outlined her treatment plan for him for the next 4-6 weeks which I am in complete agreement with. I doubt my own vet would have said anything differently.

If he improves after that then he will come to us. If he continues to deteriorate then we all need to consider his quality of life :(

We will of course keep his place open here for as long as there is a chance.

I am so glad I went with my gut instinct however much we wanted him here so we could care for him and love him.

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Such a hard decision. :( I am glad there is a bit of treatment time yet coming and I hope that he will improve so that he may eventually come to you with his friend.
(((((((((((((((Vibes for bunny & partner)))))))))))))))))
I have nothing but empathy for anyone who chooses to care for a head tilt bunny. It's been almost two years since Mimzy fell ill and as hard as it has been I will never regret my decision to continue treatment for him and when he has had enough I know he will let me know.
Thinking of you, Liz. xxxx
 
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