hard decision - bit long sorry

our lovely bun poppet continues to have head tilt, it seems to be getting worse not better, unfortunately our normal vet is off and we've had to see a locum this week which is never the same, i just dont think the same knowledge is there.

our feeling is that if it was e cuniculi she would be showing small signs of improvement after almost a week of treatment. her balance around hutch is reasonable but when we take her out to medicate and feed she just lies on her side and then struggles to find her feet. once she's up her head goes so far over she rolls again.

she's drinking on her own but we're still syringing food, just got hold of some supreme recovery to try and build her strength but she hates it.

this morning i decided it would be kinder to let her go so we're taking her to vet later but now i tried again with apple and she wolfed it down, the first food she's eaten herself for almost a week, now i feel that if she's still fighting i should fight with her. i don't want to give up on her but i don't want to prolong her misery.

i know that nobody else can make the decision but i just need to get my mixed feelings out, i don't feel as though people who don't have bunnies (ie most people i know) really understand. someone said to me "it's only a rabbit" and i nearly cried because she's my lovely bun and i've had her for nearly seven years. (now i am crying )

Awww chick xxx big hugs to you xxx

aawww what a horrid decision to have to make.
We are all here for you whatever you decide is the right thing for your bunny

Poor Poppet Are you sure that the tilt is caused by Ec? Could it be an inner ear infection? What medication is she on?
I ask these things as we have a headtilt bun and he has a wonderful life - it took him time to get over it all and he still has his tilt but he lives with it and is fantastic We had the rolling and spinning at first but we gave him anti-sickness tablets to help with that as well as him being medicated for both Ec and inner ear infection.
If she wants to eat by herself then that means she wants to fight but it is ultimately down to you. You know her better than anyone - she is your bunny. If you know that she is unhappy then you know what you have to do - but if you know that she can learn to live with the tilt and is prepared to fight, then again, you know your bun and know what you have to do.
Positive and healing vibes being sent to Poppit and calming ones to you. - xxxx

It is an absolute horrible decision to make, I had a bun with cancer which I had to make the decision for that you are about to have to make. As regards EC the bun I had with cancer had actually got EC last Nov, but her symptoms wern't head tilt. I had to give her Panacur and also all my other buns (just as a precaution) they also put her on milk thistle, after a couple of weeks she was back to her normal self (except for the cancer).

Good luck and give your bun a hug from me.
Kay

aww honey I know excatly what you are going though...... splats had EC a couple of months back and was falling all over the place and had head tilt. It is horrible to see your bun like that and there were many nights I sat by him thinking it would be better if he just passed away and wished he would either go one way or the other as I hated seeing him look so helpless, it really upset me.

Luckily he went the right way and after a week or so on granofen (same drug as panacur) for EC his head tilt and balance started improving but we continued the drugs for another couple of weeks treating both buns to be on the safe side.
He still remained a bit on the wobbly side for a couple of months often falling over when hopping round the garden, but now he is pretty much back to his old self.

I never thought he would get through it as he is getting on a bit, but he did, ....so don't dispare your bun might just need more time to get over this.... but definately take her back to the vet again if you are worried....just in case there is another reason for her head tilt.

Hope your bun is better soon

Alice

hi

This is hard for Poppet but it's probably harder for you to see her like this - she may not be suffering as much as you think, especially now the medication seems to be kicking in a bit (I think most medication takes at least a week or 2 to kill all the pathogens causing an illness) - good luck with her.

Do you know it is definately a stroke causing the head tilt? Or could it be something else?

I had a little bunny who had head tilt along with the rolling around etc, it all came on very suddenly, the vet said it was inner ear infection. Now it took weeks and weeks of treatment and ongoing care and only very gradually at first the bunny showed improvement (obviously this could be very different with a stroke- i dont know).. eventually my bunny gained back his balance, stoped rolling and therefore came off the treatment.. my bunny was left with the head tilt but was fine with it and very happy once again. My bunny then went on to have a very very happy life and was the sweetest ever.

It is your decision and you know your bunny best but I read that as long as your bunny is eating hes not ready to give up the fight yet.

Good luck with whatever you decide, I'll be thinking of both you and your bunny. xxxx

thank you all so much for your thoughts, before logging back on i tried her with some brocoli leaf and she ate a small amount and my gut instinct was to let her keep fighting. it's such a relief to know that others have been through it and with time come out the other side. another of my bunnies had a middle ear infection 4 1/2 years ago and he came through and lived a happy 4 years after that.

i think time makes us forget the worry they put us through when they're ill, we didn't think he would come through but i think they can be very determined little creatures (they probably want revenge for all the yucky medicines :lol:

i think it's also hard because our vet has been excellent with the bunnies and we're dealing with someone new. the other vets i've used in past haven't been very rabbit savvy, this one swung her to see how bad her balance was even though i'd told him, i wasn't very impressed

Bigs hugs to you honey XXX And all vibes to Poppet XXX

Ive been there too with 2 of my previous bunnies and it is a very hard decision to make. If she is still eating I would see how she goes for a few days before making any decision. Take care and sending big hugs. xxx

i've just phoned vets to cancel, we're going to keep fighting with her. although it's distressing to see her rolling around i have to remember that for most of the time she manages reasonably well. i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's the right decision and i'm going to buy every rabbit edible i can think of to tempt her, even if she doesn't the others will enjoythe treats!!!

IF a rabbit is in serious pain, she'll make high pitch scream noise, if that happens, you may want to put her them.

But I'm a firm believer of letting nature takes its course, my rabbit is my best friend, I won't never put him/her down.

honey said:

i've just phoned vets to cancel, we're going to keep fighting with her. although it's distressing to see her rolling around i have to remember that for most of the time she manages reasonably well. i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's the right decision and i'm going to buy every rabbit edible i can think of to tempt her, even if she doesn't the others will enjoythe treats!!!

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Glad to hear that. xxx

Think you've made the right decision. It's a horrible one to make, but le her keep fighting! Patch had something completely different (osteomiliitis sp.?) and the first vet I saw wanted her pts straight awat, the second said that she seemed happy enough and I'd know whent the time was right. One friday night I knew she'd had enough and made the very difficult decision to take her to the vets, but she died in her sleep that night. They know.
Best of luck with this, hope Poppet is feeling better soon.

This is Lucky, he has quite severe head tilt due to an inner ear infection.


The first vet (his owner's own vet) wanted him pts but we felt it he should be given a chance so we took him to our own vet and she took over his treatment.

The unaffected side of his brain has taken over the duties of the affected side and has compensated well. His head will never straighten up now but he's a wonderful bun and copes so well. He can fairly shift and even attempts binkies. He's a grand wee man and we love him so much, he's such a character.

Good luck with your bunny and we're all here for you whatever your decision.