• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Neurological issues.

H

halfpenny

Wise Old Thumper
We have a 4 year old Nethie who had a head tilt a month or so ago, so we started her on panacur and antibiotics.
She seemed to recover but then developed a lip sided look, the vet diagnosed Horner' syndrome or similar facial nerve damage.
She seemed to get more wobbly on Monday and has lost 100gms (10% of her body weight).
She did seem to be eating ok, but less so over the last few days. I will start to syringe feed her, she's back on antibiotics and panacur, but is there anything else I can do for her.
 
halfpenny said:
We have a 4 year old Nethie who had a head tilt a month or so ago, so we started her on panacur and antibiotics.
She seemed to recover but then developed a lip sided look, the vet diagnosed Horner' syndrome or similar facial nerve damage.
She seemed to get more wobbly on Monday and has lost 100gms (10% of her body weight).
She did seem to be eating ok, but less so over the last few days. I will start to syringe feed her, she's back on antibiotics and panacur, but is there anything else I can do for her.
Click to expand...

Sounds as though she may have a middle ear infection.

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/BacterialOtitisMediaInterna.htm

Has she had skull Radiographs taken ?

Is she on a NSAID eg Metacam and have any bloods been done (checking renal function in particular) ? What abx is she on ?

I hope that she can recover xx
 
Last edited:
No bloods or x-rays yet. On bay trail. She's a really feisty little thing and we saved her from being pts for aggression, so any handling tends to stress her out.
Thanks for that Jane, I'll speak to my vet tomorrow, gives a lot of other ideas.
She's eating rabbit royale scattered on the floor, so it may help. I just tried syringe feeding and it didn't go well!
 
Last edited:
halfpenny said:
We have a 4 year old Nethie who had a head tilt a month or so ago, so we started her on panacur and antibiotics.
She seemed to recover but then developed a lip sided look, the vet diagnosed Horner' syndrome or similar facial nerve damage.
She seemed to get more wobbly on Monday and has lost 100gms (10% of her body weight).
She did seem to be eating ok, but less so over the last few days. I will start to syringe feed her, she's back on antibiotics and panacur, but is there anything else I can do for her.
Click to expand...


I would suggest adding in Metacam, a non-steroidal anti inflammatory.

There's some info here:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?208051-Facial-paralysis

Parsnipbun has experience of this and put it down to EC and facial nerve damage.

The symptoms you describe can also be the result of a stroke.

There are various causes listed in this article:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Differentials/facial.htm

If it's an ear infection, the Baytril may help, but in the long term she may need perhaps penicillin to knock it on the head. It will be impossible to know if it's an ear infection without head X-rays.

I hope you can build her weight back up, and her immune response will be better x
 
halfpenny said:
No bloods or x-rays yet. On bay trail. She's a really feisty little thing and we saved her from being pts for aggression, so any handling tends to stress her out.
Thanks for that Jane, I'll speak to my vet tomorrow, gives a lot of other ideas.
She's eating rabbit royale scattered on the floor, so it may help. I just tried syringe feeding and it didn't go well!
Click to expand...

Thats OK HP, her being feisty could in part be due to pain from her ears, aswell as being part of her individual character. Also, being picked up may make her feel especially dizzy due to the vestibular disturbance. So getting her onto a NSAID ASAP would certainly help. Also, ear pain can mean a Rabbit stops eating certain foods. IME usually hard feed (pellets etc).

Each case is different, but abx your Vet may want to consider instead of/aswell as Baytril are:

Penicillin injections

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Chem/ChComplex/Penicillin.htm

Azithromycin

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00Chem/ChComplex/Azithromycin.htm

There is a FB group offering support and advice to carers of head tilt Rabbits, one of the Admin used to be a regular RU contributor and I highly respect her dedication to Rabbit welfare

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelpforHeadTiltHoppers/
 
halfpenny said:
No bloods or x-rays yet. On bay trail. She's a really feisty little thing and we saved her from being pts for aggression, so any handling tends to stress her out.
Thanks for that Jane, I'll speak to my vet tomorrow, gives a lot of other ideas.
She's eating rabbit royale scattered on the floor, so it may help. I just tried syringe feeding and it didn't go well!
Click to expand...


Hope she's OK. I'd be interested to hear what your feet says halfpenny x
 
A quick update on Mocha.
Her head tilt is much worst, about 90 degrees now, but she is still feisty and fighting.
I have her on trimethoprim, metacam and panacur, I'm also applying eye drops to try and protect her eyes.
She was losing weight but I realised it was due to being given pellets, she couldn't eat them, so she is now on rabbit royale scattered on the floor, along with short cut grass and grated carrot. I am also offering water via a syringe a couple of times a day to ensure she has plenty of fluids.
She's flown out on my arms 3 times while I've been trying to medicate her, which shows how strong she is and i'm pretty good at holding jumpy bunnies!
I don't know what the outcome will be for her yet and the volunteers find it quite traumatic, I get a report every day from at least one that they are worried about her. I admit I find it frustrating, I too am worried, but I'm not giving up on her if she's eating, getting around and still even managing to wash her face. I try to explain that she is still adapting to the head tilt and many rabbits can live long and happy lives with one. She may not recover but with weekly weight checks her weight has remained consistent.
Anyway, we are now just waiting and supporting her to see how she will react to this.
 
halfpenny said:
A quick update on Mocha.
Her head tilt is much worst, about 90 degrees now, but she is still feisty and fighting.
I have her on trimethoprim, metacam and panacur, I'm also applying eye drops to try and protect her eyes.
She was losing weight but I realised it was due to being given pellets, she couldn't eat them, so she is now on rabbit royale scattered on the floor, along with short cut grass and grated carrot. I am also offering water via a syringe a couple of times a day to ensure she has plenty of fluids.
She's flown out on my arms 3 times while I've been trying to medicate her, which shows how strong she is and i'm pretty good at holding jumpy bunnies!
I don't know what the outcome will be for her yet and the volunteers find it quite traumatic, I get a report every day from at least one that they are worried about her. I admit I find it frustrating, I too am worried, but I'm not giving up on her if she's eating, getting around and still even managing to wash her face. I try to explain that she is still adapting to the head tilt and many rabbits can live long and happy lives with one. She may not recover but with weekly weight checks her weight has remained consistent.
Anyway, we are now just waiting and supporting her to see how she will react to this.
Click to expand...


Really sorry to hear the head tilt is worse :(

Does your vet think it might be an inner ear infection? Or is the cause not known yet?

I'm glad she has a fighting spirit. That will keep her going - and you too, if she carries on flying out of your arms!
 
halfpenny said:
A quick update on Mocha.
Her head tilt is much worst, about 90 degrees now, but she is still feisty and fighting.
I have her on trimethoprim, metacam and panacur, I'm also applying eye drops to try and protect her eyes.
She was losing weight but I realised it was due to being given pellets, she couldn't eat them, so she is now on rabbit royale scattered on the floor, along with short cut grass and grated carrot. I am also offering water via a syringe a couple of times a day to ensure she has plenty of fluids.
She's flown out on my arms 3 times while I've been trying to medicate her, which shows how strong she is and i'm pretty good at holding jumpy bunnies!
I don't know what the outcome will be for her yet and the volunteers find it quite traumatic, I get a report every day from at least one that they are worried about her. I admit I find it frustrating, I too am worried, but I'm not giving up on her if she's eating, getting around and still even managing to wash her face. I try to explain that she is still adapting to the head tilt and many rabbits can live long and happy lives with one. She may not recover but with weekly weight checks her weight has remained consistent.
Anyway, we are now just waiting and supporting her to see how she will react to this.
Click to expand...

It can be very distressing to see a tilted Bunny if you have never seen it before and seen how some Rabbits can eventually adjust to living with quite profound disabilities. There is no 'one size fits all'. Some Rabbits just cannot adjust and cope, others may bumble about alot and take several weeks to re-learn how to balance. BUT they remain in top form psychologically, seeing their issues as an 'inconvenience' rather than something to make them miserable. It sounds as though Mocha has a feisty fighting spirit and I am sure you would not even think of pushing her on if she were suffering.

If any of your Volunteers become especially upset about the situation maybe get them to have a read of this FB page. It contains lots of input from folk with first hand experience of looking after Rabbits with head tilt

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelpforHeadTiltHoppers/
 
Thanks for that Jane, just asked to join.

Might Max, my vets are not sure what is going on, she also seems to have some facial paralysis, so I assume that may point more towards an ear infection? It could even be a brain tumour, but at 4 years old, I hope not.
 
halfpenny said:
Thanks for that Jane, just asked to join.

Might Max, my vets are not sure what is going on, she also seems to have some facial paralysis, so I assume that may point more towards an ear infection? It could even be a brain tumour, but at 4 years old, I hope not.
Click to expand...


Yes, there are several possibilities with facial involvement. Some info on this thread:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?208051-Facial-paralysis


Other ideas might be:

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/head-tilt.html

If it were to be a stroke, the link above says this:

'One side of his face will droop, he may drool, and one eye may not function properly.'

There's also some info on this thread, where the vet has administered a steroid injection:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?164417-Rabbit-had-a-Stroke-Help!!

It could also be the result of a seizure. I had this happen to one of my rabbits, and eventually over time this settled down. There are several different possibilities described for facial asymmetry here:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Differentials/facial.htm

It's also possible as you say, that there is some ear infection - 'facial paralysis may be observed when the infection is located in the inner ear' as this article states.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Otit/otitis.htm
 
halfpenny said:
Thanks for that Jane, just asked to join.
Click to expand...

It can help to see that some Rabbits who have a marked head tilt can still have a good quality of life. For anyone who has never seen the condition before it is understandable that they may think it 'cruel' to keep a Rabbit going with such a severe disability. As I said previously, each case needs to be assessed individually. I have had one Rabbit who had severe neurological problems due to both EC and Otitis Media, this included headtilt and daily seizures. He lived a very happy life with his 3 'wives' for almost 8 years. On the other hand I had one Bunny who presented with acute otitis media and he could not cope at all. I had to let him go almost straight away.

IME most cases of head tilt that also involves facial paresis/palsy is due to Otitis Media. Also IME otitis media is unlikely to be 'cured' by systemic abx treatment. Early surgical intervention may be one option for some Rabbits. But the surgery is brutal and there is no guarantee that it will solve the problem longterm. Recurrence of infection is very common. I am yet to hear a first hand account of a successful longterm outcome for a Rabbit with Otitis Media who has surgery. Or in some cases numerous surgeries. Systemic abx can 'hold' the infection and buy the Rabbit some extra time.
 
halfpenny said:
So are you saying OM is terminal?
Click to expand...


Absolutely not!

I have two people I know who's rabbits have had surgery. They have come out perfectly and never had a problem again.

This link I gave above:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Otit/otitis.htm

Gives some detailed info on the subject. It may not be that of course!!

Some more info here:

http://www.veterinarywebinars.com/m...oads/2016/03/Study_Notes_Ear_Nose_Rabbits.pdf


Skull radiographs would be the next step, if that were suspected.
 
I'm pretty sure if we get through this she will be left with a severe head tilt, but as long as she is happy and pain free, I will be content.
I'm just worried as each day her head looks more tilted, do not sure if rolling will be next.
 
halfpenny said:
I'm pretty sure if we get through this she will be left with a severe head tilt, but as long as she is happy and pain free, I will be content.
I'm just worried as each day her head looks more tilted, do not sure if rolling will be next.
Click to expand...


To stop the head continually tilting more, you could try warmth and very gentle massage of the neck. The muscles go into spasm, and if they can be encouraged to stretch and relax, the tilting may not get worse.
 
halfpenny said:
I am doing this daily.
Do you, Jane/ max, think I should add in a penicillin injection?
Click to expand...


Personally I think yes, that's what I would do.

I don't think you've time to spare if you think the tilting is getting worse.

Trimethoprim is a very good drug, but doesn't have the penetration of injected penicillin. Although Baytril and Trimethoprim Sulfa have shown to be effective in cases of ear infection, penicillin on the whole tends to work better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
Advanced EC suspected in elderly rabbit
Replies
2
Views
57
dex179
dex179
B
Abcess or possible tumour - UPDATE
Replies
16
Views
280
tonibun
T
E
My bunny has renal failure
Replies
7
Views
329
joey&boo
joey&boo
Back
Top