Scared! Parasite on brain (Update)

I haven't been on here for ages but I got out the shower this morning to hear what I thought was Honey running around my front room at top speed! She was rolling over and over and couldn't stand up, she looked like she was fitting or having a stroke. I picked her up and held her tightly to stop her rolling and her little eyes were going all over the place. I put her in my dressing gown on the bed and held her and stroked her and she started rolling again before I got to to the vet. I have now left her there and they have said that she probably has parasites on the brain or something, I was crying too much I didn't hear. Apparently it can lay dormant and is passed from the mum. I'm so scared as they are putting her on a drug and trying to cure her but they don't seem to hold much hope, just say they will do alll they can. Can anyone give me any advice or explain, I'm so upset, not at work I've just got to wait!

It sounds as though your Vet thinks it is Encephalitozoon Cuniculi (EC)

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/ecuniculi.htm

Treatment is usually a 28 day course of Fenbendazole (Panacur/Lapizole), a non steroidal anti-inflammatory (Metacam) and a covering antibiotic (sometimes it can actually be a middle ear infection causing the problem and not EC)

Recovery is possible but it can take WEEKS AND WEEKS of intensive nursing care.

ETA: Two threads which may be helpful for you to read

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=178735&highlight=Wilsons+headtilt

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=227533

Aww I have no advice, but want to say I hope she's ok and sending lots of get well vibes xx

sending lots of vibes for you, I agree with Jane that it sounds like EC xx

I've just been reading about it. She was rolling over and over this morning and the symptons sound exactly the same. She has always been or at least seemed so healthy and happy! I just can't stop crying, can't go to work. She is only just over 2 years old.

LaLa said:

I've just been reading about it. She was rolling over and over this morning and the symptons sound exactly the same. She has always been or at least seemed so healthy and happy! I just can't stop crying, can't go to work. She is only just over 2 years old.

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Whilst it is very distressing to see please try to remember that she can get better. The road to recovery can be protracted and there can be many set-backs along the way. But it's far too soon to give up on her and if you read Wilson's thread (the first of the links in my previous post) you will see just what a struggle it can be but there can be a happy outcome.

Hopefully Denise (Bunnyaddict, Wilson's Mum) will see this thread. She is bound to be able to offer you good advice from her first hand experience.

Sending lots of get well vibes to Honey

Please keep going. I know it's hard, I've been there, but if they keep up the fight then they can make it through with no lasting symptoms.

Hi, I am so so sorry to hear that your Honey is poorly.
Im going through exactly the same thing with my Mimi at the moment She got ill about 10 days ago, she wasnt rolling at first but is now, quite severely and her head is extremely tilted. My vet has diagnosed an inner ear infection as opposed to EC but as jane mentioned the symptoms are very similar. Here is the link to my thread if you want to read it.
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=227533

Ive had some fantastic advise and support on there from other people who have been through it so you might find it useful.
I feel so so sorry for you because I know how distressing it is to see your beloved bun in such a state, especially at the very beginning. Please believe me that you will get used to it gradually as the days go on, and so will Honey. Theyre amazingly adaptable animals Just to warn you it might be a very long slog to recovery, possibly trying many different drugs, and she will need pretty much constant nursing. On my thread you will read about all the stuff ive been doing to keep my Mimi comfortable through this horrible illness. You'll also see that I have been at my wits end and that Mimi has good days and bad days. She is no way near recovered yet so I want you to know that I am going through this aswell and although I am fairly new to it too I have learnt soooooooo much in the past 10 days both from independant research and off the marvellous people on here so will help in any way I can. If you fancy a chat any time PM me your phone number (land line as I can call them for free ) and I can call you.
Keep your chin up and lets stay as positive as we can for our poorly girls, they really do pick up on our distress so Im always cheerful around Mimi.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Poor you and Honey, it must be terrifying experience watching your bunny do that. Loads of get well vibes for Honey from me and the Four Amigos.
Tammy x

As the others before me have said, just try to remember they can be ok. If it is E.C. then look at my two, we think Eddie had it from birth (after reading up about it) as he is blind in one eye, and shakes constantly, and that he's passed it on to Bindi. She had kidney issues with it last september, but they seem to have mostly resolved themselves, and on Saturday she had a fit. She was rushed to the emergency vets and normal vets who reckon it is E.C. rearing it's head again after the ringworm treatment she had. But if anyone else had seen Bindi on saturday (other than me, adn mum when I screamed) they wouldn't believe it was the same bunny as was hoping round happily a couple of minutes after she came round. They are both being treated for E.C. again with lapizole, but she seems perfectly fine and happy.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, it can be terrifying to watch them go through this, but they can be perfectly fine with it and carry on living normal happy lives. Sending you hugs though x

Hello,
My angel bun Kermit had this exact thing, he also had head tilt with this.
I found him in his cage rolling like mad and unable to stand still, with his eye flickering (nystygmus)
I thought that he had broken his neck!

The vets treated him for EC and an inner ear infection (IEI).
Your bun should hopefully getting panacur for the EC, Metacam got pain relief and anti-inflammatory. Does she have head tilt?

As people have said, bunnies can recover from this, but it is a long drawn out illness and at times you question yourself as to wether you should be continuing.

You have to just take it a day at a time, get your bun on the meds, and if she is still eating and drinking, then i feel that she is trying to recover and trying to fight this.

My boy really was in a terrible state, but he managed to get over it (he still had a squinty head).

Good luck vibes from me, i do hope your baby gets through this x

Just been to the vets to see her and she is wrapped in a blanket, with heat pads and her ears are wrapped. She is just on her side as she has no movement. She has food all down her little mouth where they have fed her and she looks very scared. I was sroking her and talking to her but I guess she can't hear but when I stuck my hand under her nose she started trying to lick me, which really made me cry as she is so poorly. Thanks guys for the comments and advice, much appreciated x

Aw bless her, trying to give you a lick she knows you were there and thats th emain thing. She's in the best place and sounds like she's being well looked after, i've got everything crossed she pulls through, and sending lots of positive vibes for you both xx

Sorry to hear about your bun . . I have had four head tilt buns (all EC).

One who had it at birth, and three who came down with it out of the blue at about 4-6 years old (not together).

the good news is all mine recovered and have lived long and happy lives - with only a hint of a tilt (the one who had it very very badly just after birth is part blind and one of the others went half blind - but this is genrally not a problem for a rabbit).

I am rather rushed for time (as ever) and know that others will point you to treatments etc but just to say it can al end happily

Spent an hour with Honey at the vets with her on my lap she is all dripped up. It's so awful she is paralysed and is so trying to move her head. I'm just so distraught I've had to leave her.

LaLa said:

Spent an hour with Honey at the vets with her on my lap she is all dripped up. It's so awful she is paralysed and is so trying to move her head. I'm just so distraught I've had to leave her.

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She is in the right place at the moment as she needs intensive care.
I am sure your visit helped her. Hopefully you'll be able to see her again tomorrow.

Just take one day at a time. Or sometimes it's just one hour at a time. The Vet will do all he/she can and the meds need a chance to get to work.

Please keep us updated about Honey, I really hope that she will pull through xx

Jack's-Jane said:

Whilst it is very distressing to see please try to remember that she can get better. The road to recovery can be protracted and there can be many set-backs along the way. But it's far too soon to give up on her and if you read Wilson's thread (the first of the links in my previous post) you will see just what a struggle it can be but there can be a happy outcome.

Hopefully Denise (Bunnyaddict, Wilson's Mum) will see this thread. She is bound to be able to offer you good advice from her first hand experience.

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Hi, sorry I've only just seen your thread about Honey

Jane is referring to me, as we have a headtilt bun Wilson. He became very poorly last April with headtilt - which we didn't find the exact cause of However, very long story short - we had Wilson on all sorts of different meds.

To start off with he was just on baytril (antibiotics), panacur & metacam - this was when his head was only slightly tilted. He then got progressively worse & his tilt changed sides - it was so bad his down eye was almost horizontal to the floor. We then changed him to steroid injections, depocillin injections & panacur - again sadly these did nothing for him.

He was having severe rolling episodes & we had to confine him to a padded cage for around 6 weeks. Eventually after bunny mad lisa on RU suggested it - we talked to our vet about Zithromax - it's an antibiotic that is used for humans & not licensed for rabbits, but Lisa had, had great results with it her for her headtilt bunny - so we felt we had no options left but to try it.

We switched him onto Zithromax & also started him on stemetil (human anti sickness drug) - continued with his panacur & I *think* his steroid injections. After just over a week of this treatment he was well enough to come out of his cage & go back with his partner Alice. We'd kept them in the same room at all times, but had to confine Wilson to a cage so he didn't hurt himself or Alice.

I have been told & read that the best way to deal with headtilt is to treat with as much strength of medication as possible - I think basically to try to beat the infection before it gets worse.

Wilson's original thread is below - warning though it is very long, as we had another 2 sick buns at the time

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/sh...lsons+headtilt

I don't know if any of this will help, but it might be worth mentioning the drugs we used to your vet to ask their views?

Thankfully Wilson has recovered but still has a very wonky head - but he copes remarkably well Over a year since he became ill, he lives life to the full & bombs about like a good un!! He's just the same as before apart from he has a wonky view of the world

Kirsty (Kermit's mummy) also has a lot of experience in nursing bunnies with EC. It was her threads & how her & her OH cared for Kermit that inspired me & my hubby to carry on nursing Wilson & willing him better. One of the main things is to try to stay as positive as you possibly can - very difficult I know when it's incredibly distressing to see them so ill

As Jane says it is a very, very long haul - but Honey is absolutely in the best place & I pray she can get through this. If you want to pm to ask anything etc, then don't hesitate. If it would help to for me to ring you or you to ring me - then just let me know.

I hope it helps to know buns can get through this, sending Honey lots & lots of vibes & hoping she'll be better soon, take care, Denise xxx

No advise but I just wanted to say that I am sure your visit helped Honey, she knows you love her and want her to get better and that is why you have had to leave her there, she will understand that.
I know how hard it is to have to walk away without your baby though, I hated it when Jims had to stay in for 4 days due to statis I was lost and inconsolable, if you need a virtual shoulder please do not hesitate.
Vibes for Honey xx

Hiya,
How is honey today??
Hope hes feeling abit better xxxxx