our 3 1/2 year old ND Yalta has been suffering from shakes from time to time over the last year.
She will sit to begin with pressing her tummy against the ground and get very fiddgety never settling long in any position. She also shakes - and vibrates - especially when touched. The vibrating comes and goes lasting typically a few seconds before starting again a few seconds later.
In all the 'attack' lasts 3-5 hours - occasionally longer.
We thought initially that this could be bloat / stasis etc given the symptoms - which indicate that she could be in some pain or at least discomfort - but her tummy isn't bloated.
We of course took her to the vet every time that this has happened to begin with. The vet can't figure out what is wrong. Blood / Urine tests have been done - and we seem to have exhausted the vet advice opportunities here in Northern Ireland.
Rabbit experienced vets are very limited here - rabbits unfortunately are still seen as a hutch at the bottom of the garden pet - so there is nobody else we can take her too locally.
These attacks seem to last longer each time now - and each time we go through the same panic / concern, although we have a routine of leaving her alone for the first hour or so (which is what she seems to want) followed by attention and picking her up for the next while - before eventually leaving her back in her area.
Could this be a form of epilepsy ? or a fit of some sort ?
The attacks do seem to occur mostly immediately after starting to eat - but not always.
Her first attack was shortly after our computer blew up (literally) with a very loud bang - and a couple of other attacks have followed other noisy events. There have also been instances of loud noises which haven't caused anything - so we just dont know what is causing these attacks.
We've been eliniating things one by one from her area in case of reactions ie wooden items, shavings etc. the only things left now are:
carpet - which she does chew from time to time.
straw bedding in her litter tray (no shavings)
a few wooden 'toys' (bunny approved from bunny-bytes)
fleece.
cardboard boxes.
does anyone have any ideas ?
thanks
Martin + Pam
She will sit to begin with pressing her tummy against the ground and get very fiddgety never settling long in any position. She also shakes - and vibrates - especially when touched. The vibrating comes and goes lasting typically a few seconds before starting again a few seconds later.
In all the 'attack' lasts 3-5 hours - occasionally longer.
We thought initially that this could be bloat / stasis etc given the symptoms - which indicate that she could be in some pain or at least discomfort - but her tummy isn't bloated.
We of course took her to the vet every time that this has happened to begin with. The vet can't figure out what is wrong. Blood / Urine tests have been done - and we seem to have exhausted the vet advice opportunities here in Northern Ireland.
Rabbit experienced vets are very limited here - rabbits unfortunately are still seen as a hutch at the bottom of the garden pet - so there is nobody else we can take her too locally.
These attacks seem to last longer each time now - and each time we go through the same panic / concern, although we have a routine of leaving her alone for the first hour or so (which is what she seems to want) followed by attention and picking her up for the next while - before eventually leaving her back in her area.
Could this be a form of epilepsy ? or a fit of some sort ?
The attacks do seem to occur mostly immediately after starting to eat - but not always.
Her first attack was shortly after our computer blew up (literally) with a very loud bang - and a couple of other attacks have followed other noisy events. There have also been instances of loud noises which haven't caused anything - so we just dont know what is causing these attacks.
We've been eliniating things one by one from her area in case of reactions ie wooden items, shavings etc. the only things left now are:
carpet - which she does chew from time to time.
straw bedding in her litter tray (no shavings)
a few wooden 'toys' (bunny approved from bunny-bytes)
fleece.
cardboard boxes.
does anyone have any ideas ?
thanks
Martin + Pam