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Netherland Dwarf, has trouble standing and flops over when trying to run

D

Dungeness

New Kit
We have five bunnies and our little ND has started about a week ago with a back leg, back, or neurological issue that makes it difficult for him to walk, run, or stand. It seems to be getting worse. There is no head lean and now he sits on is side most of the time. He has been in a large outdoor ground cage with another bunny for several years and there has been no evidence of injury that we can tell. The other 3 bunnies do not have access to these two. When he sits or lies down, he occasionally starts a front to back rocking motion with a period of about once every second. We think he still eats and drinks fine. Diet has not changed and consists of hay, grass from the yard, veggie scraps, and pellets. All other bunnies are just fine. We have an appointment scheduled in a week with our busy vet but in the mean time, we are looking for ideas. Thanks for the help.
 
Dungeness said:
We have five bunnies and our little ND has started about a week ago with a back leg, back, or neurological issue that makes it difficult for him to walk, run, or stand. It seems to be getting worse. There is no head lean and now he sits on is side most of the time. He has been in a large outdoor ground cage with another bunny for several years and there has been no evidence of injury that we can tell. The other 3 bunnies do not have access to these two. When he sits or lies down, he occasionally starts a front to back rocking motion with a period of about once every second. We think he still eats and drinks fine. Diet has not changed and consists of hay, grass from the yard, veggie scraps, and pellets. All other bunnies are just fine. We have an appointment scheduled in a week with our busy vet but in the mean time, we are looking for ideas. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

Hello

I assume that you are not in the UK ?

The symptoms you describe indicate that your Rabbit cannot wait a week to receive Veterinary attention. There are several possible causes for the symptoms you describe, these links contain some information



http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Differentials/paresis.htm

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/e-cuniculi/

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Signs/Cuniculi_signs.html

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Encephalitozoonosis.htm

You say that you only 'think' he is still eating. It is essential that a Rabbit always has food passing through the GI tract. If a Rabbit stops eating for just a few hours their gut motility reduces and eventually stops- 'Gut Stasis'

http://anyflip.com/dvpt/hzvv

I strongly advise you to try to find a Vet who can see your Rabbit as a matter of urgency. I hope that this is possible.
 
I would urge you to take your rabbit to see a vet as soon as possible.
Which country are you in?
 
Dungeness said:
We have five bunnies and our little ND has started about a week ago with a back leg, back, or neurological issue that makes it difficult for him to walk, run, or stand. It seems to be getting worse. There is no head lean and now he sits on is side most of the time. He has been in a large outdoor ground cage with another bunny for several years and there has been no evidence of injury that we can tell. The other 3 bunnies do not have access to these two. When he sits or lies down, he occasionally starts a front to back rocking motion with a period of about once every second. We think he still eats and drinks fine. Diet has not changed and consists of hay, grass from the yard, veggie scraps, and pellets. All other bunnies are just fine. We have an appointment scheduled in a week with our busy vet but in the mean time, we are looking for ideas. Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...


Hi there and welcome to the forum

I am sorry to hear about your little ND.

There could be one or more things going on with your little one, and only a vet can assess what's wrong. In my view one week is too long to wait for him to be seen.

There are some possible causes here:


http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/paralysis.html

http://rabbit.org/hind-limb-weakness-in-the-rabbit/

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Differentials/paresis.htm



It's possible there has been an injury, or perhaps it's to do with the parasite Enchephalitozoon Cuniculi:

http://www.vetfolio.com/parasitology/encephalitozoon-cuniculi-infection-in-rabbits

http://www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-are...cs-antifungals/disease-information/e-cuniculi

I am glad all your other bunnies seem fine. Good luck with getting a sooner vet appointment :)
 
Dungeness said:
We are in the US, Washington State. No one available in our town until next week and we are calling neighboring towns.

Let's try this link to a video.

https://www.dropbox.com/preview/Internal Share Folder/Percy.MOV?role=personal
Click to expand...

I cant get to the link, says the 'folder does not exist'.

Have you tried Posting on Rabbits Online for advice ? It's a US based Forum and there may be someone in your State who could recommend another Vet

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/
 
Dungeness said:
We are in the US, Washington State. No one available in our town until next week and we are calling neighboring towns.

Let's try this link to a video.

https://www.dropbox.com/preview/Internal Share Folder/Percy.MOV?role=personal
Click to expand...


Thank you for the video.

I really hope you can get some joy with seeing a vet in a neighbouring town. I realise you're very concerned for your rabbit and I am sure you will do your best.

Apart from the links I have given, let me know if I can be of any more help :)
 
The visit went well. The staff and doctors were just great. They even offered me coffee! The plan is to treat with Fendbendazole for a parasite. I can't remember the name of the parasite, but will get that today. Percy also received a NSAID injection to reduce inflammation. His appetite is fine as he ate some kale leaves while in his carrier at the doc's office. Thanks for all the concern.
 
Dungeness said:
The visit went well. The staff and doctors were just great. They even offered me coffee! The plan is to treat with Fendbendazole for a parasite. I can't remember the name of the parasite, but will get that today. Percy also received a NSAID injection to reduce inflammation. His appetite is fine as he ate some kale leaves while in his carrier at the doc's office. Thanks for all the concern.
Click to expand...


The parasite is encephalitozoon cuniculi (E.C. for short).

http://www.vetfolio.com/parasitology/encephalitozoon-cuniculi-infection-in-rabbits

http://www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-are...cs-antifungals/disease-information/e-cuniculi


I am glad he had a NSAID injection. It's usually advised to keep on the NSAIDs whilst treating with the fenbendazole in order to minimise any inflammation from lesions in the brain. Have you been given Metacam to take away?
 
Dungeness said:
The visit went well. The staff and doctors were just great. They even offered me coffee! The plan is to treat with Fendbendazole for a parasite. I can't remember the name of the parasite, but will get that today. Percy also received a NSAID injection to reduce inflammation. His appetite is fine as he ate some kale leaves while in his carrier at the doc's office. Thanks for all the concern.
Click to expand...

I am really glad to hear that you managed to get to a Vet and that Percy is now on treatment. It seems that the Vet feels that Percy may have EC -Encephalitozoon Cuniculi. There is some information about EC on one of the links I posted in my previous reply :

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/e-cuniculi/

You mentioned that you have other Rabbits. If a Rabbit is suspected of having EC then all in contact Rabbits also need to be treated with Fenbendazole. This is because EC is spread by EC spores she in an infected Rabbit's urine. Did the Vet explain this ?

With regards to the NSAID, it is usually necessary for the Vet to prescribe ongoing NSAID treatment. With EC the spores circulating in the Rabbit's bloodstream migrate to various organs-primarily the brain and the Kidneys. As the spores erupt into organ tissue an inflammatory response occurs. It is the inflammatory response that causes clinical symptoms and longterm cellular damage. If the Vet has not prescribed ongoing NSAID treatment aswell as the Fenbendazole then I'd contact the Vet again to ask if it would be advisable to do so. The Vet may have a specific reason for deciding not to do so, but it'd be good to know what that reason may be :)

I hope that Percy will respond well to treatment x
 
We are on the Fendbendazole for a week but Percy only had one injection of NSAID. Percy is 2.05 pounds so the Fendbendazole dose is .18ml once a day.
 
Dungeness said:
We are on the Fendbendazole for a week but Percy only had one injection of NSAID. Percy is 2.05 pounds so the Fendbendazole dose is .18ml once a day.
Click to expand...


In order to eradicate the parasite E.C. the fenbendazole needs to be given for 28 days. If rabbits are within proximity to one another it should be administered to them as well for the full length of time. Reason is, it's spread through spores in the urine, so rabbits sharing a litter tray would reinfect one another.

http://rabbit.org/encephalitozoon-cuniculi/

There can be other causes for what you describe, such as inner ear infections:

http://www.veterinarywebinars.com/m...oads/2016/03/Study_Notes_Ear_Nose_Rabbits.pdf

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Otit/otitis.htm

I am guessing your vet wants to review the situation before deciding on a possible further diagnosis?

I also find this article really helpful:

http://rabbit.org/head-tilt-in-house-rabbits/
 
Last edited:
Dungeness said:
We are on the Fendbendazole for a week but Percy only had one injection of NSAID. Percy is 2.05 pounds so the Fendbendazole dose is .18ml once a day.
Click to expand...

Is the Vet going to reassess Percy in a week ?

With EC the course of Fenbendazole needs to be given for 28 days.

Fenbendazole
20 mg/kg orally every 24 hours for 28 days.
This is presently the only drug with published data showing it to be effective in vivo. It is not effective against clinical disease but in the elimination of the parasite from rabbits infected naturally. It has also been effective in vivo in preventing infection and serological conversion in animals experimentally inoculated with this parasite

Full details here :

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Parasitic/Encephalitozoonosis.htm
 
I have just seen that you have two bunnies living together, so Percy lives with a friend?

For the reasons I mentioned in my post above, Percy's friend would need to be treated also, to prevent reinfection - if E.C. is the cause.

In order to eradicate the parasite E.C. the fenbendazole needs to be given for 28 days. If rabbits are within proximity to one another it should be administered to them as well for the full length of time. Reason is, it's spread through spores in the urine, so rabbits sharing a litter tray would reinfect one another.



Sorry to be bombarding you with info! :)
 
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