Harvey ill - strange symptoms - any ideas?

[Lagomorphine]

Our rabbit Harvey suddenly became unwell this morning. He has been to the vet twice today but they don't know what the problem is. Maybe somebody on this forum has any ideas?

History and symptoms: Harvey was perfectly fine this morning; he was fed at 8 am, he ate his breakfast with great appetite. He was given nothing new (kale, parsley, fresh hay).
At about 10 am he is usually given a treat (a small piece of apple or other fruit) and he mobs us when we go out to give him his treat. Today he was withdrawn and didn't touch the apple.
This is extremely unusual, so we took him to the vet where he had a thorough check-up. Everything is normal: no sign of infection, teeth are fine, the gut is making digestive noises, no diarrhea, normal body temperature.

Symptoms: he is lying on his side, lethargic. From time to time he makes an attempt to roll around, like he is trying to roll on his back. He seems to have some difficulty with his hind legs, when he tries to move, he is trying to pull himself with the front legs, but there is nothing obviously wrong with the legs (certainly not broken or injured). The vet says they have never seen anything like that. From my experience with horses, it looks a little bit like when horses have colic and try to roll around.

He won't take any food, even syringe feeding is practically impossible. He swallows a little but mostly rejects it and it flows out of his mouth.

He is of unknown age, we adopted him as an adult, but at least 6-7 years old.

Any ideas?

 

[KCG]

I'm so sorry for what you've been through. I hope the cause of your rabbit's problem is found and he gets better. I am not knowledgeable about this. But there are people on this forum who are knowledgeable about these issues. I hope they can give you an answer. Get well soon. I send so many vibrations for him. Xxxxxxxxxx

 

[mikek]

poor Harvey
i have no idea what it could be but hopefully someone here can offer some insight & i hope he feels better soon xxx

 

[InspectorMorse]

When you say problems with his back legs do you mean hind leg weakness ?

Did the Vet mention EC as a possibility. This does not always present with head tilt.

Is he fully vaccinated ?

 

[bunny momma]

Sending vibes for Harvey.

 

[Lagomorphine]

When you say problems with his back legs do you mean hind leg weakness ?

Did the Vet mention EC as a possibility. This does not always present with head tilt.

Is he fully vaccinated ?

Hind leg problems: it's weird. He is able to move around and when we tried to pick him up for syringe feeding him he can kick back with quite a force. Yet when he moves he seems to drag his hind legs behind and pull himself with the front legs.

He's vaccinated against Mixi and all variants of VHD.

Vet didn't mention EC.

Mostly he's just sitting in a corner very still.

 

[Shimmer]

EC would also be one of my thoughts.
Treatment is Panacur daily for 28 days, clean (bleach, steam, etc) on days 21 and 28 - anything that may have come into contact with urine, as it's excreted in urine.
It's a common parasite in rabbits and usually presents with head tilt and / or hind leg weakness. It can be a very sudden onset. I had one rabbit who hopped back in the front door normally, but was rolling and unable to stand by the time she got to the kitchen. It is treatable, although symptoms can worsen before they improve. If your vet agees that it coud be EC, ask for a course of anti-inflammatory meds as well, as this reduces the neurological damage done by the parasite - and it's these that give the typical symptoms.

I assume he had a full MOT and there were no signs of injury? eg spinal injury.

You do need to make sure he has food input to maintain gut function and reduce the possibility of stasis setting in, whatever else is wrong. If your vet has excluded any gut blockage, then syringe feeding is an option. Keep an eye on poo output as a way of monitoring food input & gut health.

Did you get any pain relief? Sometimes it can work wonders, even if you don't know what is wrong. It can be enough to just get them eating again and enable them to ride out whatever it was.

 

[Lagomorphine]

EC would also be one of my thoughts.
Treatment is Panacur daily for 28 days, clean (bleach, steam, etc) on days 21 and 28 - anything that may have come into contact with urine, as it's excreted in urine.
It's a common parasite in rabbits and usually presents with head tilt and / or hind leg weakness. It can be a very sudden onset. I had one rabbit who hopped back in the front door normally, but was rolling and unable to stand by the time she got to the kitchen. It is treatable, although symptoms can worsen before they improve. If your vet agees that it coud be EC, ask for a course of anti-inflammatory meds as well, as this reduces the neurological damage done by the parasite - and it's these that give the typical symptoms.

I assume he had a full MOT and there were no signs of injury? eg spinal injury.

You do need to make sure he has food input to maintain gut function and reduce the possibility of stasis setting in, whatever else is wrong. If your vet has excluded any gut blockage, then syringe feeding is an option. Keep an eye on poo output as a way of monitoring food input & gut health.

Did you get any pain relief? Sometimes it can work wonders, even if you don't know what is wrong. It can be enough to just get them eating again and enable them to ride out whatever it was.

I've done some background research on EC and you may well be right. The vet did a very thorough health check, there is definitely no physical injury. They didn't give us any pain relief, just something the get the gut going and liquid food.
We've tried to feed him and managed to get some food down him but it was very difficult.

To be honest with you, the way he is, lethargic and passive, I'm not very optimistic. There is a point when animals just want to be left alone and I'm picking up that feeling.

 

[Shimmer]

Rabbits are good at hiding symptoms - they are prey animals, so have to rely on it.

I think it's worth asking if you can have some oral Metacam (or equivalent) to see if it makes any difference over a few days, even though there's nothing obvious, except that he's definitely not right. Sometimes you can see the difference within a few hours of the first dose.

 

[chillybonkers]

We're having a similar experience with our rabbit. Was absolutely fine ine minute and then all week and a bit wobbly the next. Nothing changed diet or housing etc just no idea what's happening. Hes not moving nor eating. Weve got meds for pain relief and to get his gut moving as the vet thinks GI statis but cant help thinking its something else but cant put finger on what. We are syringe feeding and fluid to try to get him going again but he is up and down. He seems to lose his balance somehow and swings his head occaisionally

 

[InspectorMorse]

We're having a similar experience with our rabbit. Was absolutely fine ine minute and then all week and a bit wobbly the next. Nothing changed diet or housing etc just no idea what's happening. Hes not moving nor eating. Weve got meds for pain relief and to get his gut moving as the vet thinks GI statis but cant help thinking its something else but cant put finger on what. We are syringe feeding and fluid to try to get him going again but he is up and down. He seems to lose his balance somehow and swings his head occaisionally

Sounds like EC too. Is your Vet Rabbit savvy ? If you are unsure seek a second opinion from elsewhere

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-welfare-association-fund/our-work/rabbit-friendly-vets/

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-...abbit-friendly-vets/rabbit-friendly-vet-list/

Lagomorphine, I suggest the same for you. If it is EC time is of the essence to instigate treatment and even if it is not EC personally I think a second opinion may be the best option.

 

[Lagomorphine]

A quick update: Harvey is much better!

I was sitting with him yesterday evening, trying to tempt him to eat but he was just sitting in a corner, lethargic. At about 9:30pm I stuck his water bowl right under his nose and he drank a bit. At 9:45 he started grooming himself. At 10pm he got up and started eating. By 10:30 he had eaten a large bowl of food and was running around exploring the house.

This morning he seems quite normal. Overnight he had produced a large amount of normal looking poo. He moves around like normal, the hind leg paralysis is totally gone.

Well, I'm not sure what to say. He was at death's door at 9pm and back to normal by 10:30. What was that?

 

[bunny momma]

A quick update: Harvey is much better!

I was sitting with him yesterday evening, trying to tempt him to eat but he was just sitting in a corner, lethargic. At about 9:30pm I stuck his water bowl right under his nose and he drank a bit. At 9:45 he started grooming himself. At 10pm he got up and started eating. By 10:30 he had eaten a large bowl of food and was running around exploring the house.

This morning he seems quite normal. Overnight he had produced a large amount of normal looking poo. He moves around like normal, the hind leg paralysis is totally gone.

Well, I'm not sure what to say. He was at death's door at 9pm and back to normal by 10:30. What was that?

Wonderful update. It can happen,especially if cause of his discomfort/issue has gone away. He passed poo so you got his gi moving again and he is comfortable again. Drinking water can do wonders as can pain/anti-inflammatory mentioned by shimmer.. Did vet give fluids because they can help the gut to move and also flush his urinary system.

 

[mikek]

A quick update: Harvey is much better!

I was sitting with him yesterday evening, trying to tempt him to eat but he was just sitting in a corner, lethargic. At about 9:30pm I stuck his water bowl right under his nose and he drank a bit. At 9:45 he started grooming himself. At 10pm he got up and started eating. By 10:30 he had eaten a large bowl of food and was running around exploring the house.

This morning he seems quite normal. Overnight he had produced a large amount of normal looking poo. He moves around like normal, the hind leg paralysis is totally gone.

Well, I'm not sure what to say. He was at death's door at 9pm and back to normal by 10:30. What was that?

great news!

tbh, i would still get him checked for EC, just to be sure.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Was one of the medications given by the vet Buprenorphine AKA Vetergesic/Buprecare ?

 

[Lagomorphine]

Was one of the medications given by the vet Buprenorphine AKA Vetergesic/Buprecare ?

Nope.

The vet gave us Emeprid (0.5 ml to be given every 8 hours) and some critical care food for syringe feeding: Burgess Excel Dual Care and Selective Science Recovery liquid feed.

Update: Harvey is fine, we checked on him all day today at about every 15 to 30 minutes - he's eating, drinking, pooing and running around like normal.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Glad to hear he is now fully recovered