Oh God not again :( Pip-ear infection U/D post #53 all seems well

I don't even want to think about it. But this morning I was jarred awake by Pip flailing in her pen and I could barely calm her down. She appears to have problems getting on her feet properly, especially the left rear leg which she's holding out at an odd angle. To be perfectly honest, she was rolling and my first thought has been head tilt but she's trying to get about here on the kitchen floor and except for some sliding of her front paws (understandable on puppy pads) she's not going in circles like Mimzy did but she doesn't want any weight on her left side so it looks like she's leaning right all the time.

Wouldn't you know it...OH has just gotten back from 2 weeks in California at about 1 a.m. yesterday. I can't call him and tell him she's sick... he wanted me to PTS last time as it was.

It's not necessarily head tilt...right? God please don't let it be that.....

Trying not to panic here. I have to get her in somehow (it's 9 a.m. and I'm dead tired) but I'm a sniveling mess right now. Vibes please?

Oh no, it sounds more like an exacerbation of her arthritic condition rather than a vestibular problem. Obviously I cant say for sure though. Sending millions of vibes for her. Please keep us updated xx

I'm so very sorry to read this

I really hope there's a simple explanation and that she hasn't had a seizure. Perhaps a result of her arthritic condition?

I can only hope. She just tried to move and she is flailing right but staying somewhat on her feet. No nystagmus yet but while lying down she is listing right but then gets up to sit and is straight. I can't help but fear the worst.

Of course she weed all over me and the kitchen floor when I brought her out here. I don't know how clean I got it with ammonia wipes and then spray bleach. (Was careful not to get any cleaner on her of course but I'm worried about the other animals carrying any chemicals or wee I missed around the house.)

She's sat up and trying to have a wash but she didn't move too well just a second ago when trying to hop. She seems uncertain but she was mightily scared and it took forever to calm her. She could still just be afraid as she's not used to being out here a much as Mimzy is. Of course if she's hurt that leg she wouldn't be able to walk well but I'm not getting a pain response. But then Fiver didn't either when he had his lame leg problem.

She nibbled a bit of her favorite treat but hasn't wolfed it down as she normally would.
I know every minute I sit here trying to observe her is doing her no good but I'm terrified to take her in or call OH.

It really seems to bother her using her right rear leg and its out at an angle. It doesn't seem broken though. Trying to get video to show vet and a picture.

Sending tons of vibes!

No words of advice/wisdom but sending loads of vibes.

Hi there, Could Pip have had a stroke? My Ginny had one two years ago, then aged 6 years. She was flailing a bit and couldn't get her balance, she was also dragging her right rear leg. When we got to the vet, vet said her right eye wasn't responding to the penlight she was shining in it. She said she thought Ginny had had a stroke. She treated her for E.C. just in case but was almost 100% sure it was a stroke. Now two years later Ginny is now 8 and lives a very happy full life with her pal Widget. I keep a good watch on her right leg which she still drags a bit and occasionally gets a bit wobbly as she now has arthritis. Good luck with Pip. Love and healing vibes.

Thank you all so very much for the vibes

Okay we have an appointment at 2 pm (it's about 11 am here now) to see the doc who pulled her through stasis just last month. She seems a bit more relaxed and I'll bet you anything by the time we go in she'll be looking totally normal, but she doesn't want weight on her left side, she still "drifts" to the right (but Fiver did this too after his episode of flailing which was why we put him on baytril, almost fatally) but I've got her on a towel now and she seems much more comfy, albeit panics when the cat or the dog comes in the room. :roll:
Poor thing. I've had to resign myself to the fact that when the bunnies' time comes I can't fight it, but it always terrifies me that now is the time. Honestly, if she did have tilt I would have to make some very hard decisions because I don't know if I could pull her through with what a stresshead she can be, or if it would even be fair to try. It would certainly take more funds than I have at the moment and we are trying to move as well, but all I want to think of right now is making her comfy. She's such a good girl and a real love when she wants a fuss. I'd hate to just make a snap decision and cut that short.


Thanks Fluffybunny54, I did consider she might have had a stroke. She has also had a seizure in the past, but her former husbun came down with head tilt 3 years ago this month and that was what really scared me because she was rolling violently in her pen. I couldn't get her to stop at first. Once I did she was very disoriented but I did shine a flashlight at her eyes a bit and it doesn't seem like there's any problem with her eyes. Of course it will be on the list to ask the vet about. :wave: I'm glad to hear your bunny recovered and did well. Pip is about 8 years old now so I have to consider that each illness could be her last.

Okay...get out of that mindset.... (shakes head)

She is moving about a bit better just now. The towel definitely makes her feel more confident. Whether she's back to herself or not we'll go in, I want to be certain she hasn't done serious damage to that hindquarter. But there's no more flailing or skidding about at the moment. My poor diva
I want so badly to go ahead and give her metacam, but if the vet wants to do a steroid injection (I'd rather not actually) I probably shouldn't give her usual dose. But I'm afraid she's hurting. When she starts lounging out she is leaning far over on her right side and it's like she's slowly falling over in that direction as her head just drifts. And now I have no idea how to get her in and out of a litter box because that's likely what started all this.
ETA: Confirmed, just tried to put a litter box down for her and all she did was scrabble at it with her front paws. She can't get into it. I tried lifting her in and she didn't flail when I picked her up this time but she is terrified of sitting in the box and her respiratory rate shot up again. I am a terrible bunny mum.

I have to drive in with her by myself so I hope the trip won't be too stressful for her. If we could have some safe travel vibes too, that would be ace! :thumb:
I hate the month of June....everything goes pear-shaped for me during this time of year.

Whoops...nevermind...she just got in to her box, weed (I think, her tail was up) and then hopped back out!
Still favoring that left rear leg. Okay...not head tilt then or she'd deffo not be able to do what she just did....whew!

So sorry to read this, hope you have a positive visit to the vets. Sending loads of get well/coping vibes across to you xxxxxx

Lots and lots of vibes winging their way to Pip and (((hugs))) for you too, such a stressful time for you xx

At the vets now. She's had an exam and he's taking her back for some bloodwork. He wants her liver and kidneys and metabolism checked.
Priliminary diagnosis is seizure or stroke. He hasn't ruled out e.c. but he doesn't think she's got head tilt. The car ride upset her but she didn't roll during it and so he's of the mind that she's stabilised enough so we'll wait and see how she goes the next few days. He is going to prescribe baytril as she has a bit of a sore looking eardrum on her right side. She was getting her equilibrium back pretty well before we drove in and as long as she can walk on something soft she is compensating well, but I think she seems in pain. Vet says she isn't because he's not seeing pain response in her leg. This reminds me so much of Fiver though and he wouldn't show pain either.

He's letting her have a "zen moment" to calm her down a bit before taking her blood so I'm just sitting on my hands...sort of.

Oh bless!! I'm so sorry to read this.


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Good luck and lots of vibes for Pip and you.

Sending even more vibes! Have been thinking of you both thru the day!!

We're home (been home for over an hour now, but I had to clean up her habitat and get her settled.)
She's still leaning right while she lays down. I will give her baytril to her a little later so I don't have to be up at 5 AM to give her first dose, plus she still needs her pain cover.
She is still able to get into and out of her litter box okay, but I think for awhile we're going to go without it, like I have with Mimzy, but I have more hope she'll get her habits back when she's feeling better, unlike Mimzy who has never used a pan since his tilt.

I'm beyond stressed. I will hear from the vet tomorrow as to how some of her bloods come back, but one he had to send out for culturing. Not sure if it was the E.C. titer or just a CBC but either way the equipment they have at the vet office doesn't thrill him so he sends this kind of thing to a proper lab. (Might just be a price booster, but it really wasn't hugely expensive considering what we had to do in house with her just a month ago. :roll: )

I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight. Every time she moves I'm going to be up like a shot. Thanking all of you for your vibes and if there are any more going spare that could come for my little girl, I would dearly love them. I don't think this is going to be a simple solution for her and an extended illness is going to take a toll on both of us.
Bless you all. Hug your bunnies/furbabies tonight...there's just no telling when the bolt will come out of the blue. xxxxxx

I really hope that now she is on treatment her symptoms will improve. Sending lots more vibes for her xx

Thank you Jane
The poor thing has a smelly bum this evening and I'm loathe to turn her up to clean it but must needs.
She actually just had the baytril about 7:30 PM and her metacam with it. I think we may have to do a syringe feed or two because due to the stress of the trip and her illness, she just hasn't eaten what I'd like to see her do. But she happily gobbled up some dandelions with her meds, so I am hopeful. Also she heard me rustling in a snack bag and that brought her up quick! :lol:

She's like a schooner in a brisk wind...just listing to starboard. But no more rolling and I still don't see any worsening, but we have the night to get through. I'm guessing she's exhausted poor girl, I know I am.

MimzMum said:

Thank you Jane
The poor thing has a smelly bum this evening and I'm loathe to turn her up to clean it but must needs.
She actually just had the baytril about 7:30 PM and her metacam with it. I think we may have to do a syringe feed or two because due to the stress of the trip and her illness, she just hasn't eaten what I'd like to see her do. But she happily gobbled up some dandelions with her meds, so I am hopeful. Also she heard me rustling in a snack bag and that brought her up quick! :lol:

She's like a schooner in a brisk wind...just listing to starboard. But no more rolling and I still don't see any worsening, but we have the night to get through. I'm guessing she's exhausted poor girl, I know I am.

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If she is eating a little for herself and has some output I would not be too concerned about attempting syringe feeds through the night. Doing so may be counter-productive if it stresses her out. Hopefully the abx will kick in over the next couple of days and she will start to feel a lot better xx

Okay, I'll hold off for now. That last stasis episode has me trigger happy on the Critical Care.
Is it likely that she is nauseous at all? She sure looked a bit green on the drive in and back. I wonder if I should've asked the vet if he thought she might need some meclizine at some point. Naturally I don't want to overload her so it's only if she can't stand at all or eat/drink/eliminate. I can imagine he didn't even want to offer fenbendazole to be on the safe side if he ordered labs to check her liver.

I did review the invoice and I don't see the test for E.C. I'll have to ask tomorrow if it was included in the CBC or the Abaxis.

BTW, I clicked on the link to Twickenham in your siggy, Jane...I had to do a double-take... that marmalade tabby looks just like the one who prowls our surgery!