Listless Bunny

i'm very worried about my house bun, Teddy, i got up this morning and went to speak to him and he just isn't himself. He didn't seem interested in food which he normally dives into and it doesn't look like he has drunk much. Normally he is a very active bun, especially in the morning but today he just sat on the door mat.

He seems to be hanging his head to one side, only slightly. I've felt all over him in case he's hurt himself and in pain but felt nothing and got no response from him either. I took him upstairs to see if a change of scenery might wake him up and he hopped down the landing a little but then returned to just sitting, this is really unusual as he would normally be creating chaos upstairs!

He has a regular problem with his teeth and these need to be filed down regularly but it never seems to cause him any probs and they have only been done recently.

Any ideas what might be going on? He is a large french lop, about 4 years.

Thanks

I am not sure what to suggest but it sounds like he should see a vet today. Rabbits can deteriorate very quickly.

Bonnie

This is a hard question, does his body feel soft? Not able to support himself when you carry him?

Any change in diet last few days? Did he go outside? If so, his penis may have made contacted w/ the ground soil and caught some bacteria, travel thru to his body from his penis, and from that day on, about 24 - 48 hr. later, he would have an infection. That's how my last rabbit got sick.

He's able to support himself, i don't think he's been outside but he could well have hopped out whilst someone else was home with him. I think i shall go and ring the vets now, thanks for your ideas

Then it is most likely a curable bacteria infection. Even indoor, if there is some spot that has dust, dirt or some spot at the basement that has dust piled up for month, and he accidentally walk near it, his penis could still touch that spot and get an infection.

It could be from a dirty mop for all you know. At this pt., the right thing to do is get an urine test and a blood test from the vet.

Thanks for your help, i've got an appointment for him first thing tomorrow morning, so fingers crossed we can get it sorted. I had no idea they could pick up infections like that, it makes a little sense as he has just recently started sharing a house with more animals (had to move back in with parents!) so he could well have picked something up from them.

One question, how do you get a urine sample from a bunny??!

Hiya. As your Bun is tilting his head to one side this indicates an ear infection. Is it possible to get your bun to a Vet TODAY. An ear infection left untreated for even a short time can be very risky as the infection can go from the middle ear to the brain stem and cause meningitis. Dont mean to scare you but personally I dont think you should wait til tomorrow to see a Vet. Also, ear infections are painful which is why Teddy wont eat. Pain and not eating will reduce his gut motility and may lead to GI stasis and a very poorly Bun indeed. Good luck and please keep us posted re Teddy. Janex

Thanks, that has worried me and so i phoned the vets back and explained we think it may be an ear infection and they've advised me to bring him this afternoon. I'll keep you all updated as to what happens, poor little man is a bit of a tea break model i think!

Hope he's better soon!

Teddybun said:

Thanks, that has worried me and so i phoned the vets back and explained we think it may be an ear infection and they've advised me to bring him this afternoon. I'll keep you all updated as to what happens, poor little man is a bit of a tea break model i think!

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Great!! :thumb: Once he gets on some antibiotics/anti-inflammatories he will start to feel much better. You will need to syringe feed him til he starts to eat on his own. So I'd ask your vet for a few disposable syringes and some liquid feed such as Science Recovery or Critical Care. Hopefully Teddy will soon be back to his normal happy self. Janex

How's the wee man now? Did the vet give you any indication as to what the problem might be? I've a special interest in this bun's case as I have a head tilt bun too.

Just to add a bit more, it's not always necessary to syringe feed a bun which wont eat, their mouths are really really sensitive and some wont take to a syringe at all. Normal syringes are useless when giving liquid food, if it comes to syringe feeding, invest in a Mikki Feeding Kit, you can cut the nozzle to a wider guage which will make things a lot easier. I try using their normal food mixed to a stiff mush and rolled into little balls (many of the 'older' RU forum members call them Bunnyhugger's Balls :roll: :lol: ) and offered by hand feeding, there's more chance of the bun eating food it knows the smell of first, but if that doesn't work then Rabbit Recovery or Critical Care is the next step, first in balls and if that doesn't work, then by syringe. Hopefully though, he'll manage to eat by himself very soon and it won't come to that.

If you need any more help, feel free to ask.

JCO said:

Hiya. As your Bun is tilting his head to one side this indicates an ear infection. Is it possible to get your bun to a Vet TODAY. An ear infection left untreated for even a short time can be very risky as the infection can go from the middle ear to the brain stem and cause meningitis.

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Hi Jane

Can I just ask you where your information about the meningitis came from as non of my books have ever mentioned this in rabbits and I have just phoned a member off this forum who is a vet and she said she had never heard of it before :?

She also said that head tilt can be caused by other things too like a neurology problem

Just wondered if you could give me some more info on it as meningitis is rather worrying

Denny said:

JCO said:

Hiya. As your Bun is tilting his head to one side this indicates an ear infection. Is it possible to get your bun to a Vet TODAY. An ear infection left untreated for even a short time can be very risky as the infection can go from the middle ear to the brain stem and cause meningitis.

Click to expand...

Hi Jane

Can I just ask you where your information about the meningitis came from as non of my books have ever mentioned this in rabbits and I have just phoned a member off this forum who is a vet and she said she had never heard of it before :?

She also said that head tilt can be caused by other things too like a neurology problem

Just wondered if you could give me some more info on it as meningitis is rather worrying

Click to expand...

Info from 'Notes on Rabbit Internal Medicine' by Richard A Saunders and Ron Rees Davies. Published by Blackwell Science, first edition 2005. 'Meningitis' being the term used to describe 'inflammation of the meninges' or 'lining' of the brain. This can be caused by a number of things, bacterial infection being one of them. Head -tilt in itself can indicate 'neurological' (brain) involvement but is likely to also be accompanied by nystagmus (flicking of the eye-balls). A VET on RU who hasn't heard of it.... :shock: :shock: :? :? Janex

JCO said:

Denny said:

JCO said:

Hiya. As your Bun is tilting his head to one side this indicates an ear infection. Is it possible to get your bun to a Vet TODAY. An ear infection left untreated for even a short time can be very risky as the infection can go from the middle ear to the brain stem and cause meningitis.

Click to expand...

Hi Jane

Can I just ask you where your information about the meningitis came from as non of my books have ever mentioned this in rabbits and I have just phoned a member off this forum who is a vet and she said she had never heard of it before :?

She also said that head tilt can be caused by other things too like a neurology problem

Just wondered if you could give me some more info on it as meningitis is rather worrying

Click to expand...

Info from 'Notes on Rabbit Internal Medicine' by Richard A Saunders and Ron Rees Davies. Published by Blackwell Science, first edition 2005. 'Meningitis' being the term used to describe 'inflammation of the meninges' or 'lining' of the brain. This can be caused by a number of things, bacterial infection being one of them. Head -tilt in itself can indicate 'neurological' (brain) involvement but is likely to also be accompanied by nystagmus (flicking of the eye-balls). A VET on RU who hasn't heard of it.... :shock: :shock: :? :? Janex

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thank you Jane

I have sent her the link to this topic

Do you get all your info from Books :?: are there any you would recommend :?:

Denny said:

JCO said:

Denny said:

JCO said:

Hiya. As your Bun is tilting his head to one side this indicates an ear infection. Is it possible to get your bun to a Vet TODAY. An ear infection left untreated for even a short time can be very risky as the infection can go from the middle ear to the brain stem and cause meningitis.

Click to expand...

Hi Jane

Can I just ask you where your information about the meningitis came from as non of my books have ever mentioned this in rabbits and I have just phoned a member off this forum who is a vet and she said she had never heard of it before :?

She also said that head tilt can be caused by other things too like a neurology problem

Just wondered if you could give me some more info on it as meningitis is rather worrying

Click to expand...

Info from 'Notes on Rabbit Internal Medicine' by Richard A Saunders and Ron Rees Davies. Published by Blackwell Science, first edition 2005. 'Meningitis' being the term used to describe 'inflammation of the meninges' or 'lining' of the brain. This can be caused by a number of things, bacterial infection being one of them. Head -tilt in itself can indicate 'neurological' (brain) involvement but is likely to also be accompanied by nystagmus (flicking of the eye-balls). A VET on RU who hasn't heard of it.... :shock: :shock: :? :? Janex

Click to expand...

thank you Jane

I have sent her the link to this topic

Do you get all your info from Books :?: are there any you would recommend :?:

Click to expand...

I think the two best 'clinical type' books I have are the one I've already mentioned above and The Textbook of Rabbit Medicine by Frances Harcourt-Brown. Having nursed lots of poorly Buns I suppose I have tried to learn from each experience. Of course there are lots of Vets who disagree amongst each other re various 'bunny issues' but I really respect FHB's work. The books are a bit pricey but I think they are worth it. Some of the topics scare me half to death though!! :shock: :roll: :roll: :roll: Janex

Teddybun said:

Thanks, that has worried me and so i phoned the vets back and explained we think it may be an ear infection and they've advised me to bring him this afternoon. I'll keep you all updated as to what happens, poor little man is a bit of a tea break model i think!

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Any news on Teddy today? Really hope he is MUCH better by now. Janex