• 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.

Dutch rabbits head drooping?

F

foresthills

New Kit
Hello everyone. Just found these forums while looking for some help.

We have a 31/2 year old Male Dutch rabbit called Gizmo. Tonight he has gone very sleepy and when he sits his head lops off to one side.

He was up and on the go a wee while ago and while running looked normal again but once he sits back down the head lops and he looks sad and unhappy.

There have been no other symptons and he was his hyperactive self earlier but thats just vanished.

Any ideas?

Will take him to the vet in the morning but if our Budgies are anything to go by there are far more knolegeable people on forums than our local vets.

Thanks
Carl

This is him normally:
dsc000144hj.jpg


This is the best drooping head shot I can get as he keeps sitting up when I take a photo:
dsc002056xa.jpg
 
I don't have personal experience of this but have read about it on here before, the symtoms you describe could be caused by a few things: it could be something simple like an ear infection of some description, which should clear up once Gizmo is prescribed antibiotics. Or could be something more serious, head tilt can also be caused by a bacterial infection (E.cununculi), this is less easy to cure but obviously the earlier its caught the better.

You say he's very sleepy - is he still responsive? is he eating? drinking and pooping? If he's not responsive I'd get him to the vets now, otherwise I'd go first thing tomorrow.

I hope he's OK. Do a search on here for head tilt and ear infections and you should find out more info.
 
Thanks Bev - will do the search now. If I go to play with him he is very responsive indeed - runs and jumps etc but as soon as I stop he collapses into a heap. This is very unusual for him at this time of night.
 
I had a look through some other threats and most say that the most common cause is an ear infection, which is fairly nasty but treatable.

I'm glad he's being responsive, bunnies can go down hill very rapidly so keep an eye on him over night if you can. One thread I just read said it might make him feel better to give him something to prop himself up against, and also to make sure he can drink/eat.

Have to go to bed, I hope all goes well at the vets tomorrow. By the way, welcome to the bunny forum, there are lots of very helpful and knowledgable people here - I've learned loads since joining. :D
 
Thanks - im up 4 times a night with the 2 week old baby so I will keep checking on him. He was eating hay not too long ago so hopefully he will be ok until tommorrow.

Was looking through the threads myself and some are quite depressing - hes never been ill before so hopefully he will be fine.
 
post subject

My boy had head tilt back in the summer the signs where tilt of head but he had loss of balance and was a bit floppy.

He went to the vets and was diagnosed with inner ear infection he had a course of panacur wormer and injections. He made a full recovery, but i wish i had taken him to the vets sooner.

But the symptons came on so very fast.

If in doubt always a trip to the vets.
 
Well we've been to the vets. She had to clean tonnes of wax out of his ears so she could actually have a look - Giz wasnt impressed.


She didnt actually see anything while looking in his ears but gave him an injection and I have some Panacur and Batryl to give him ever day. .5ml of each.

Cant really tell how healthy or unhealthy he is at the moment as he pretty much sleeps all day normally but his head is only sitting slightly off at the moment. Fingers crossed he improves from here.
 
Aaw - poor Gizzy-bun. Let's hope things improve from here - with clean ears, Panacur and Baytril, things certainly should.

I guess you'll know if he's feeling better at rabbity play time later on today.

Take care, and gentle nose rubs to Gizmo,
xx
 
Glad to hear that Gizmo is no worse today, hopefully all the treatment will kick in and start taking effect shortly and he will be back to his normal self soon.

Janice
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Bunny still off food and hay, drooling and teeth chattering
2 3
Replies
49
Views
1K
twistedtiggerz69
twistedtiggerz69
Moonstone
Older mini lop going off food - probable lymphoma
3 4 5
Replies
83
Views
1K
Moonstone
Moonstone
keletkezes
Barrie has lost a lot of weight
Replies
17
Views
467
a reader of books
a reader of books
Back
Top