Rosie Rabbit
Mama Doe
Sorry first of all for the long post. On Sunday night we discovered Rosie sitting in her pen hunched up with her head tilted to one side. Her body was leaning slightly to one side as well and her eyes were half closed. She looked uncomfortable and flinched when we touched her neck gently.
I've read a bit about head tilt and its causes and I immediately thought of that and a possible E Cuniculi infection. But after a few hours, the symptoms had disappeared and she seemed her normal self again.
If it was head tilt, it wouldn't just disappear after a few hours would it? The other thing I was wondering was that she was maybe dashing round her cage and run and had banged her head. Or maybe it was some kind of small seizure.
The other reason why E Cuniculi was at the back of my mind was that she developed a cataract in her right eye last May, fairly quickly over a period of a couple of weeks. I've noticed some creamy specks in that eye recently too. The other eye has a slight shadow, but more on the retina, not in the lens of the eye. She has seen a vet specialising in ophthalmology and he said not much could be done. The cataract may just be part of the ageing process (we think she's about 4 or 5 years old). She seems perfectly happy though and has adapted to her blind eye very well. It was only when she had this funny turn on Sunday that I thought the two might be linked and thought of EC.
She is seeing the vet tomorrow night and after reading a lot of posts on here I'm wondering if she should be tested for EC. I know over 50% of rabbits will test positive but understand there is a newer test which can test for an active infection. Or should she just be put on a course of Panacur - should it be the 28 day course (for a suspected active infection) rather that the 9 day course preventative treatment of Panacur Rabbit?
I realise no one can answer these questions definitively here, but a lot of you out there are full of good advice and are much more experienced bunny mums (and dads) than I am.
Any advice would be very welcome. Thanks.
I've read a bit about head tilt and its causes and I immediately thought of that and a possible E Cuniculi infection. But after a few hours, the symptoms had disappeared and she seemed her normal self again.
If it was head tilt, it wouldn't just disappear after a few hours would it? The other thing I was wondering was that she was maybe dashing round her cage and run and had banged her head. Or maybe it was some kind of small seizure.
The other reason why E Cuniculi was at the back of my mind was that she developed a cataract in her right eye last May, fairly quickly over a period of a couple of weeks. I've noticed some creamy specks in that eye recently too. The other eye has a slight shadow, but more on the retina, not in the lens of the eye. She has seen a vet specialising in ophthalmology and he said not much could be done. The cataract may just be part of the ageing process (we think she's about 4 or 5 years old). She seems perfectly happy though and has adapted to her blind eye very well. It was only when she had this funny turn on Sunday that I thought the two might be linked and thought of EC.
She is seeing the vet tomorrow night and after reading a lot of posts on here I'm wondering if she should be tested for EC. I know over 50% of rabbits will test positive but understand there is a newer test which can test for an active infection. Or should she just be put on a course of Panacur - should it be the 28 day course (for a suspected active infection) rather that the 9 day course preventative treatment of Panacur Rabbit?
I realise no one can answer these questions definitively here, but a lot of you out there are full of good advice and are much more experienced bunny mums (and dads) than I am.
Any advice would be very welcome. Thanks.