Help---mobility problem, or central nervous system UPDATE

[Zan]

Sorry--first post here and it is going to be long, but I want to give the full picture in case someone can help.

Cotton is a 6 year old spayed doe, who lives with my other rabbits freeranging from a stone byre to a 12m square stoat-proofed run. None of them are cuddly, handleable rabbits though they are all friendly---all rescues.

For the last few months I have occassionally seen her lying on her side apparently having trouble getting up, but when I went to investigate she would leap to her feet and run off, so I thought I was imagining it and that she had just been enjoying rolling in the dust.

On Wednesday I let a new rescue out of his adjoining pen to meet the others under supervision.. He was castrated 3 weeks before that. Harvey, 10 years old and also castrated started chasing him, jumped on him and they started kicking each other. As I rushed to seperate them, Cotton joined in to help Harvey and jumped on Robert the newbie, kicking furiously with both hind legs. I got to them seconds later and both the boys ran off, but Cotton lay on her side trying to get up amd not managing. I picked her up, had a look at her, put her down again and she hopped off fine.

Next morning she was just sitting when I went in and I couild walk right up to her and pick her up. At first I thought she was ill with Pasturella or something, but quickly realised she wasn't moving right. She ws sort of shuffling forward. Eating fine though and alert. The vet I usually take small furries to is 30 miles away, but he is not there this week, so I took her to the local vet. We thought she had hurt herself the day before.Good reflexes in both hind feet when pinched so looking quite hopeful.He put her on Metacam.

Today she is much worse. When I go in she is flat out on her side. If I prop her up she is fine till she tries to move forward then she rolls over on to her side and can't get up. Still eating if I put stuff in front of her. Phoned the vet again and all he can suggest is changing her onto steroids, which I don't really want to do because of all the stress etc. if her immune system is compromised she might succumb to some bug.

If anybody has come accross anything like this or knows of something I can try, I'll be able to get this vet to give it to me. My own vet isn't back till the end of next week, which is going to be too late by the look of things.

 

[elve]

well it's a bit quiet here on Saturday, but you might find if you PM Jaypot or JCO that they will be able to help you - both have lots of experience with disabled bunnies.

Could it be e-cuniculi?

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Hi.
Have you noticed any head-tilt and or nystagmus (flicking of the eye-balls)
It is POSSIBLE she may have been infected with a parasite called Encephalitazoon Cuniculli. Once in the bloodstream the parasite sheds spores that migrate to various body organs, usually the Brain and Kidneys.
As you noticed some symptoms before the fight it may be that the stress of the fight has exacerbated the symptoms of EC.
If she does have EC a course of either Fenbendazole or Albendazole would be required along with antibiotics if secondary infection is present and ant-inflammatories.
I would get her to a Vet ASAP as IF it is EC the sooner it is treated the less longterm permanent damage to magor body organs will occur.
Also, if the Vet does suspect EC ALL in contact Buns will need treatment with Fenbendazole/Albendazole as the EC spores are excreted in an infected Buns wee.
Hope your Bun is soon well again.
Janex

 

[Zan]

Thanks for replying. The vet I saw did mention this but there has been no head tilt and no eye flickering (he checked very carefully and examined her eyes with a light), so he ruled it out. Would these symptoms definitely be present?

This is why I travel 30 miles to my normal rabbit vet---I don't trust "ordinary" vets. Just really bad luck that he is away.

 

[elve]

e- cuniculi has a variety of neurological symptoms - depends on which part of the body or brain the protozoa lodges in. You can determine e-c from a blood test, but if it's suspected it's wise to start a course of panacur (fenbendazole) immediately - there's certainly no harm in it and it's cheap - It won't cure damage already done, but it will stop further damage by the parasite. All your rabbits will need treating, although it's reckoned that a lot of rabbits carry the parasite without being affected adversely by it - here's a good article about it (I do wonder why vets can't read these articles - it's daft that I know more than some vets when the internet is there for everyone!)

http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/rwf/articles/ecuniculi.htm

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Well the only way you can tell for certain that it is not EC is via a blood test. A negative titre would rule out EC. However, a positive titre does NOT confirm active infection just exposure to the parasite.

Other symptoms of EC, aswell as those I've mentioned, can include changes in behaviour, seizures,urinary incontinence(neurological as opposed to 'mechanical') and unco-ordinated muscular action (ataxia).

I think if she were my Bun I would ask for the blood test and to start treatment for EC straight away. Hope you manage to get to see the more rabbit savvy vet very soon.

Welcome to RU BTW!!

Janex

 

[Zan]

Not going to bother with the blood test at the moment , but i am going to start her on the panacur. Thanks very much for that article---I got the dose there. The vet didn't know a dose :roll: , but he was saying pretty much what I had read---except he is very dubious about Panacur helping.

 

[Zan]

Here's a pic of Cotton, and her best friend Harvey in the background. Please keep your fingers crossed for this feisty little girl.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Sending lots of healing vibes to Cotton

Janex

 

[Happy Hopping]

The reason Cotton gets up right away when you walk near her is because rabbit by nature is afraid of any prey animal, so their defense nature kicks in, and acts as if she is fine to protect herself, but in actual fact, she is not.

I don't know what the disease could be, I can say that a thorough blood test is absolutely necessary to examine any abnormal level from the norm standard.

 

[Zan]

I take your point happy hopping, but I am her friend so don't think she ever sees me as a threat. I think I can be forgiven for mistaking less than a handful of isolated incidents over a long period as sunbathing or dust rolling when she appeared fine in every other way. It is just with hindsight that I have brought these incidents up IN CASE they might be significant.

She will of course have blood tests done as soon as I can see a competent vet. I don't know what it is like in the States, but here there are a lot of vets who have very little knowledge of rabbits. I have found a great vet, but he is not available at the moment, so I am doing the best I can for Cotton until she can see him.

 

[AlisonA]

Whereabouts do you live Zan, someone here may be able to suggest another good vet near you that you can see before your usual one returns?

Cotton looks gorgeous, I hope she recovers well x

 

[Happy Hopping]

I take your point happy hopping, but I am her friend so don't think she ever sees me as a threat. .

No, that is not the nature of rabbit. Rabbit and birds are still consider as wild animal, and in the wild, if you appear sick, a prey like a tiger can kill you. So they pretend they are well. You have to understand the nature of rabbit.

If it got to the point that a rabbit is no longer alert, then that rabbit is suffering some very serious illness.

By contrast, dogs and cats are not like that, as they are domestic animals.

Based on your observation, it seems whatever is bothering your bunny is something serious. Over here, blood test is not done by vet, but by the lab. So the vet extract the blood, and in 24 - 48 hr., a lab will fax the report to the vet clinic. And those people at the lab really know what they are doing. And the vet simply has to interpret the results.

 

[elve]

I've PMd you Zan

 

[Zan]

Whereabouts do you live Zan, someone here may be able to suggest another good vet near you that you can see before your usual one returns?

Cotton looks gorgeous, I hope she recovers well x

Thanks but I have a pretty extensive knowledge of all the vets within reach. I'm going to phone my vet's practice first thing and if he isn't back tomorrow they'll probably have someone there who can help.

I've been searching similar posts( a great help) and have increased the amount of Metacam I was giving her. She hasn't got any worse since yesterday, so fingers crossed. She's very alert and eating well.

 

[Zan]

Got Cotton to rabbit vet today. X-rays showed she has severe arthritic changes and spondilosis in her spine---especially her neck and upper torso. That might account for her occassional difficulty getting up if she has been lying awkwardly. When she kicked Robert she has hurt herself lower down, and the combination of the two things means she can't get up at all or move around without rolling over on to her side, though thankfully there is no sign of a fracture or slipped disc, so we are hoping it is inflammation.

She had a steroid injection and I've got another two to give her tomorrow and Wednesday and then back onto Metacam on Thursday. She is already sitting up a bit more and when I have gone to check on her she has got herself over to her water bowl herself ( before then getting stuck again :roll: ) so I am trying to be optimistic.

Thanks everyone for your help and support.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Poor Cotton must feel very sore
I really hope the treatment helps her feel more comfy.
Backache is the pits

Janex

 

[elve]

aww poor girl Maybe she'll be on metacam for life now, but at least she'll have a happier time I hope.

 

[Zan]

I know---poor babe. I was horrified when I saw the x-rays. It just shows how difficult it is to do your best for a rabbit---they cover up so much pain. Up until this she looked the picture of health and happiness.

If she comes through this, at least some good will have come out of it---I can keep her on Metacam and she will be more comfortable.