Mimzy's Head Tilt U/D for Oct 4 - An Unexpected Joy post 221

[MimzMum]

Just a quick update.
We've been off the CMP for a few days and now Mimzy is beginning to sneeze and his left ear is itching if his frantic scratching sessions are any indication.
He got his selamectin yesterday so I suppose it could be mites jumping ship. :?
I fear his infection is resurging and his stomach is not 100% yet. He's still not eating enough hay (possibly the oat could be an allergen but he seems to really enjoy it) and his poops are moist (he leaves botty marks on his floor that might be cecals). I am worried about his weight but don't have a scale to check it with.
I just went in to get his metaclop refill and I should have got another abx for him in case he relapsed.
I'll call them in the morning, but I doubt we'll be going the oral route this time.
Can I get some tips for injection success in case we have to give him Pen-G? I don't want him to accidentally swallow any and I'm certain to flub this up somehow.

Also...did I see someone using ear drops for this condition? If so can I get a name on that med so I could ask my vet about it, please?
TIA :wave:

 

[Jack's-Jane]

I know it is difficult but is there any way at all that one of your Vets could actually examine Mimz again ?

The thing is going on just symptoms you are seeing/hearing eg sneezing, scratching, small poo etc, is only giving you half of the picture.

For example, yes, there are some ear treatments that can be administered into the ear canal BUT not if the ear drums are perforated.

Metoclopromide may not be helpful in some cases of GI tract hypomotility and could make things worse/cause additional problems. Other prokinetics may be of more benefit.

What can be ascertained from a hands on examination is going to give a much more comprehensive overall picture of how Mimz is really coping.

I would be very reluctant to have him on lots more drugs without a full re-assessment by the Vet. But I also understand how just getting to a Vet may be too much for Mimz. I dont know if a Vet to come to you ??

 

[MimzMum]

I am so glad you are here, Jane. The voice of reason and experience.
I wish we did have a visiting vet but that kind of thing is reserved for extreme distances like outlying villages. We're not in the middle of nowhere but we can see it from here...lol.

I didn't know there was anything but metaclop for the gut. We've tried zantac before (ranitidine) but that's where all this trouble started. I think it interfered with his metacam absorption and something somewhere in his head started swelling causing the tilt.

I want to have him looked at, I really do...but after thirty miles in the late summer heat and our windy road I'm so afraid he'll be a mess when we arrive and the vets will be ready to PTS. But I know he needs reevaluation. I wish we were closer so he wouldn't feel as disoriented by the time we got there. However I'm aware I may have no other choice.
I hadn't thought of perforation. :shock: But wouldn't he be in enough pain with that to crest over his metacam? I can touch his ears, no problem, but it's as if it tickles him and he'll start digging at them again.

I really have to wonder if it's the hay? It's much dustier than the meadow grass...to the point even I am sneezing. I think he did get sniffly eating it once before which is why I don't usually feed it. Third cut timothy is on the way from Washington State.

I just want the best for Mimz. I will reconsider asking for more abx but I worry he might start rolling again and I'm not sure we could bring him back from the illness as well this time.

It's 4 a.m. here and I have to excuse myself to get some sleep...but I'll update his condition in the morning.
Thank you so much for all your help!

 

[Kermit]

How is Mimzy doing now?

 

[MimzMum]

He's still stabilizing, Kermit. Thanks for asking.
He actually had his first rapid fire sneezing fit that I've heard for months. However my allergies seem to be escalating also, so I hope it's just an irritant that we are both reacting to.
Bunny and bunnymom allergic to hay....not the best scenario.

I've gotten a few cute flop pix...if only my Snapbucket would cooperate! >_<

His input/output continues to fluctuate but he's doing well considering. He even periscoped without toppling this a.m. to see me...then proceeded to scare me witless about fifteen minutes later by sleeping so soundly I thought he'd gone. I hate those moments.

Still waiting to hear from the vet. As per usual. Will have to pester them again tomorrow.
Jenna (my Yorkie) actually goes in on Sunday for itchy ears and weepy eyes. Possible food allergy. Just want to ensure there's nothing serious going on in her ears.

Ugh....I need a break!

 

[Kermit]

You do need a break!

I love the wee moments like when he periscoped, makes you really smile and be happy that they are doing 'normal' things even if only now and again. Kermit used to sleep so sound and look dead, but luckily for me he also snored quite loudly so I could tell he was OK - haha!

Such a shame you can't get any dust free hay over there!

 

[Bink]

Just wanted to say I am sending you lots of hugs and sending Mimzy loads of vibes xxxxx

 

[helenpitt]

My bunny has this

My bracken bunny has this, exactly the symptons you are describing and exactly the same ear looks a mess response.
Baytril is ok, but if you can get them to prescribe you ceporex, it is much better and my bracken has been on it for two years, if I stop the antibiotics he gets worse, so you need to find a vet that doesn't have the " you can't give bunnies long term antibiotics " stance. Give his ears a good syringe with saline, best way to do it is wrap him tightly in a towel so only his head is poking out (sorry if it's not a he I can't remember now I've started typing lol) anyway wrap tightly in a towel and hold him between your legs on the floor or chair. get a torch you can hold in your mouth, some kitchen roll and cotton buds.
Put some saline in his ear, hold it upwards - it will make him want to roll at first as you'll be making him dizzy with the pressure change. give his head a good massage from behind his eyes up the ear canal, which starts behind his jaw somewhere and try and ease the gunk out, it will be vile if you can get it out as it probably just really sticky at the minute.
The best long term treatment, and one that will help shift all the gunk in there. Is to get a nebuliser unit. I can let you know which one I have if you like, fit it into a box and put bunny in there, your vet should be able to prescribe F10 disinfectant, they use it to disinfect things for foot and mouth disease, but it works on abscesses too, the main constituent of which is pasturella. Get him in there, three times a day at first and massage his ears afterwards. You can also buy a mummy oteoscope so you can look into his ears and see for yourself if you are managing to move the puss stuff around, mine was £10 from amazon I think, but allows me to see exactly what is going on.
As for mixing with the other rabbits, Bracken has been with three rabbits in the house all the time and none of them have been affected at all, pasturella is like the m.r.s.a bug they all have it in them and so long as they are healthy there body keeps it undercontrol, so unless your other bunnies are really poorly they should be fine.
Keep a check on his breathing, I only say that as my bracken got pneumonia when it first started, but with extra care he came back. now he is a happy little boy and pretty well under control, but he still has his ceporex and nebuliser everday and an ear wash every other day. if you can't sort the antibiotics out yet, the nebulising and ear washing will still help, you know when you have a really bad cold or ear infection and your balance goes, its like this and if you can get the stuff moving out of his ears, he will thank you for it.
If I can help with anything, let me know, but don't lose hope.
p.s. ceporex is injections, but injections are much easier than oral, you just need to do it. Happy to talk you through it and your vet or nurse should be happy to show you too.

 

[jerseygirl]

Oh MM, I feel your pain re those penG injections! I've been botching them too. That stuff is difficult to work with. I suppose practice makes perfect and I havent had too many tries yet. So I'm keen to hear anyone's tips on that also.
How much were you giving Mimzy?

 

[jerseygirl]

After doing some reading, I found a new little tip i haven't tried yet. Draw the penG, squirt it back into bottle then draw again. Apparently this sort of lubricates inside of needle/syringe.
Another is to use one needle to draw, then a new one to inject (larger one).

 

[MimzMum]

Hello everyone!
Sorry to be incommunicado for so long. I've meant to get back here and update for awhile but my whole family is knee deep in flu right now and I've been laid fairly low by it. I just don't cope with it as well as I used to when I was younger.

Mimzy remains a 90 degree tilt bun. He continues to have moderate nystagmus when startled or being moved or stressed (usually at medicine time) and a few wobbles here and there. Last week he was doing quite a few "up on two wheels" balancing acts but this week he's more stable. We just got over a period of unseasonably warm weather and then a cold front blew in and it's been raining almost nonstop for days now. I'm ready to start building an ark! :shock:

His meds are only the 0.25 mls twice a day metacam, 12.5 mg meclazine twice a day and 0.1 ml twice a day of metaclopromide which I hope we can begin to cut back soon as he's eating, drinking and eliminating on the mid to low end of normal now.
I still worry about an impending dental. My vet doesn't want to put him through GA unless it's life threatening and even then gives me no guarantees of his recovery.

I do hope, as he seems stable, that we can get him in before snow hits for a recheck. I want her to see him in the fur, but worry the trip will disable him to the point that she won't believe he is as well as I say he is at home.

I'm beginning to suspect that his headtilt and Pip's seizure back in June were resultant of severe mite infestation. For some reason three vets at the practice have been unable to detect them but new info has come to me that makes this a huge possibility. The sad part is that this may have been deliberately missed (my suspicion) for the sake of greed. I will be researching a new practice sooner than I had anticipated and this doesn't thrill me at this time.

For now, all my animals will have to endure monthly treatments of selamectin until we get this infestation under control. All three bunnies are now beginning to scratch again and not quite three weeks into their last treatment. Perhaps the advent of cold weather is driving the pests further into the warmer places of their bodies.
Even both dogs are showing signs of something going on in their ears, but still my vets claim no mites. Jenna's eardrums are reddened and she is constantly scratching and losing fur to the point we thought she had Cushing's... but instead she is being treated for food allergy. I'm just going to fly by the seat of my pants and order the selamectin doses for all the furries...that includes our three cats. That will NOT be fun to administer to at least two of them who hate any medication/treatment.

Mimzy has had ratty fur for almost a year. I just thought he was having frequent and incomplete molts. Now I realize that, sadly, it was probably poor, innocent Jenna who originally brought them into the house. I've been treating her for suspected seasonal allergies for over a year. It took the two and a half years she's been here for all 3 bunnies, 3 cats and now the pup to be affected by what she was probably carrying and for me to figure out what's been going on.

Anyway...plain and simple...Mimz is still with us and holding his own. He may never return to his old self completely but as long as he is still happy, which I feel he is, we continue to put one foot, and paw, in front of the other.

Hugs and blessings to all here. xx.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Thank you for the update. I hope that you and all your family are feeling much better now. Flu really can knock you for six.

I am glad that Mimz is still managing to cope with his problems. Long may that remain to be the case for him xx

 

[Kermit]

I am so glad that the wee trooper is still fighting on

 

[natsusakura]

So glad to hear he's still here.
Hope you manage to find another vets soon xxx

 

[MimzMum]

Over three months now...

...and still no change in Mimzy's tilt.
I despair of his head ever coming right now.

The last week or so he's been a bit wobbly to his left again. He's very restless at night and scratching his ears and face a bit. His appetite is not great.
He's to the point he starts to fight me even to take his metacam. He hates the meclazine and I wonder if it's even working anymore.

He seems tired and sometimes uncomfortable. But still looks to me for treats and fusses. Our forage is dwindling but when I can find the odd longrasses or dandelions he'll eat those up.
Hay doesn't appeal to him much, but he does eat it.

Could he be reaching the end? I don't want to think about it but I can't help it. How do you know for certain when a headtilt bunny is just going through a bad patch or relapsing or is ready to give up?

If only my good vet hadn't left I'd feel less unsure of having him seen again. But I fear that long trip in to town may be necessary...trouble is...no one will be treating him now who saw him when he was well or when he was first ill.
I need someone who has history with him...and I don't have it. Hence I'll likely hear those horrid three words no bunny mum ever wants to hear.

Not sure what to do at all.

 

[Barn Yard Bunnies]

Unfortunately I know very little about head tilt, other than seeing photos of other peoples head tilt bunnies.

Maybe you are just stressed, as you have had a hard week with your dog and a new vet and worrying more than usual.

Sending Mimzy nose rubs. xxx

 

[Jack's-Jane]

On an average day would you say he has more 'OK' times than 'not good' times ?

Is he interested in his surroundings ?

For me a chronically sick/terminally ill Rabbit has to get more from life than just eating. I think they need to show some signs of interacting with their companions (Rabbit or human) and be interested in environmental changes such as a new chew toy, an empty cereal box (with that stray bran flake still in it to sniff out). If not and all they do is eat and sleep then IMO that is no life for a Rabbit.

Also, is hands on care and medicating now something that is hard for him to cope with ? Having to handle and medicate a stressed Rabbit for a prescribed time to achieve a cure is one thing. But to have to handle and medicate a stressed Rabbit every day for the rest of their life with no chance of recovery is, IMO, a different thing all together.

Quality of life is something I know you always have in the forefront of your mind when it comes to Mimz and however hard it will be for you I am sure that when the time comes to have to let go you will do it.

There is no easy answer, I wish there was. But for me I dont see PTS as 'giving up' on a Rabbit, but of gifting them a final act of compassion-freedom from illness and a dignified passing.

((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))))

 

[Kermit]

My Kermit often had bad days when he was rolling a lot, seemed panicky etc. I just kept on with his meds and persevered. He was never off his food, even at the worst stages my Kermit could be tempted to eat. Kermit was always happy to see me, and even used to lick my hand when he was really ill, I just knew that he was fighting on.

What else could your vet do? If Mimzy is on all the meds that he could get then a trip to the vets would maybe just be unnecessary.

 

[MimzMum]

On an average day would you say he has more 'OK' times than 'not good' times ?

Yes, for the most part. He just seems a bit unsteady and his ears are bothering him. He seems obsessed with washing more than usual. :?

Is he interested in his surroundings ?

Yes.

For me a chronically sick/terminally ill Rabbit has to get more from life than just eating. I think they need to show some signs of interacting with their companions (Rabbit or human) and be interested in environmental changes

He does interact still and is quite sharp for 'intruders' in his space. Sometimes I wake him from his naps no matter how hard I try to be invisible when attempting to look in on him.
I wonder if now wouldn't be a good time to reintroduce his wifebun or perhaps even Fiver as companion, but my fear of cross contamination is huge. I don't need more than one wonky bun. Plus I don't want to stress him more. Can't help but feel he's lonely though. Any thoughts on this?

Also, is hands on care and medicating now something that is hard for him to cope with ?

He copes, he's just getting tired of the meclazine. I can't imagine it tastes good and nothing I mix with it helps mask the flavour.

He still sleeps in his storage crate at night to keep him secure but I have to find a way for him to be in his xpen 24 hours now. He moves about well enough, it's just the idea of the cats harassing him while I sleep that irks me. No way to shut them away from him at present but I'm working on that.
He seems to have odd shaped and limited poos during the day but by evening they are full and round again so I attribute this to the overnight accommodations which are too small and were only meant to be temporary. I was hoping his tilt would be resolved before I had to redesign his living space, but that is obviously not happening.

Quality of life is something I know you always have in the forefront of your mind when it comes to Mimz and however hard it will be for you I am sure that when the time comes to have to let go you will do it.

There is no easy answer, I wish there was. But for me I dont see PTS as 'giving up' on a Rabbit, but of gifting them a final act of compassion-freedom from illness and a dignified passing.

Thank you Jane. I see it this way too...I just want to be as certain as possible that I am not jumping the gun.

((((((((((((Hugs in return)))))))))))))


Thank you BYB and Kermit for your replies also. I plan to phone my vet and see if we should try another round of panacur or abx in case of reinfection. He might have something afoot in those inner ears again.

 

[R.P.B.G.G]

My Blue will always have his tilt, some days he looks almost back to 'normal' other than his BIG ears (that both lop the same way) and other days he looks really wonky,
He has some wobbly days a year on, we bonded him with wifey bun the beginning of August, and it has brought his right out of his shell, he used to come out his hutch but never really run around, now he is like a bat out of hell and the 2 of them keep us busy, the terrible two they are nicknamed, always causing disruption and mayhem lol

Are you comparing him to what he used to be like before he got a tilty head or against other buns?
If so, it will take some time for him to adapt to the 'wonk'
Blue also used to over groom his ears, he used to scratch them until they bled,
Having Wife bun has definitely lifted his spirits, they hurtle around the garden, binkying and as above, causing havoc,

We built them a 9ft+x3ft+x2.something ft high hutch for him and wifey bun (never actually measured the hutch), that is on the floor (raised a few inches) so he has easy access to the garden and doesn't need lifting or climbing up and down levels or ramps, although he jumps up and down the patio well enough,

Maybe introducing him back to his old routine, back in his larger space of a night will lift his spirits, if he isnt rolling badly.