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Head Tilt - Vibes for Smudge please

It's been a rough week and as much as anything I'd just like some vibes and some stories of people's experiences.

I lost my Dad suddenly last week, so have been staying with my Mum to help her out. The husband was in charge of the rabbits & cats. He called on Tuesday to say that my lad had developed a head tilt and was falling over but still eating and drinking. He was rushed to the vets who confirmed no ear issues so EC infection suspected. He is on Metacam and 28 days of Panacur, I have also put his two wives on panacur.
I headed home on Tuesday to a bunny that would walk around in their approx. 6x3ft 'bed' area and could get in and out of the litter tray. He was only falling over when running for pellets and was using a bowl. Maybe 50-60 degree tilt.

Then this morning I go in to feed them to find he's clearly been down most of the night as his side was wet and covered in urine and some uneaten cecotropes. He tried getting up but would often fall over again and could only right himself by going all the way over to the other side. Whilst doing this his 'top' eye would roll back a bit and his back legs would be shaking, I don't think it was a fit, more extreme effort. His head is at a full 90 degrees now.
He ate the panacur on some cabbage and the metacam was licked straight out of the syringe, but wasn't interested in hay or pellets. I syringed some water as I'm concerned he's having trouble with the water bowl.
I asked my husband in to help me decide whether he was suffering and it was time, I am aware I am very emotional right now. Husband rightly stated he's only been on the medication for 2 days and a dip is not unexpected, plus he perked up a bit with all the attention.

So I've popped him into a large carrier with fleece blankets on the bottom and sides, hay, pellets, a water bottle as don't want him falling in the bowl and not being able to get out. He ate 4 grapes and a tiny piece of pear but still no interest in the pellets. I will keep offering him these and water via syringe as he is still spending most of his time on his side.

Has anyone had experienced it getting this bad before it gets better? I don't want to jump in prematurely if he has a chance of recovery, but nor will I put him through the suffering if the prognosis is not good. I am wondering about taking him to the vets again to show the worsening of the tilt and balance issues, or whether this would be additional stress and to press the worsening symptoms firmly over the phone.

I feel so guilty as I know this will have been caused by my not cleaning out their room before I left for my parents. Also, that although my husband did his best, he's not an animal person so it could've been spotted earlier if I'd asked him to take them to rabbit savvy boarding.
Thanks for making it through to the end!
 
I'm so sorry to hear Smudge is poorly, I have no experience whatsoever with head tilt or EC but couldn't leave without sending you all some strong vibes. Someone will be along with experience/ recommendations shortly but in the meantime maybe you could call your vets and discuss his worsening condition over the phone and see what they say?
 
I'm so sorry about your Dad :cry:

Sending lots of vibes for Smudge. I have no experience of head tilt, but from other's threads on here it can be caused either by EC or ear infection. I'm not sure that it is possible for your vet to exclude the possibility of ear infection just by examination and so most vets will prescribe for both conditions to make sure. That would involve including an antibiotic.

It certainly seems to be the case that rabbits will be very much up and down in their recovery progress and it is usually quite prolonged. I think also that any movement, such as taking him back to the vets, is likely to make him more tilty. If I were you I would try to discuss the situation with your vet, rather than take him back if it's not necessary.

I do not belong to Facebook, but there is a Head Tilt Group on there, which offer advice and support, which others have found incredibly useful. I'm sure that someone will be along to give you the link. There is also a lot of experience on this forum of head tilt and so please don't think you are on your own. You can always ask for advice or support.

Lastly in my opinion whatever has caused Smudge's problem, it will not have been caused by not cleaning their room.
 
I'm so sorry about your Dad :cry:

Sending lots of vibes for Smudge. I have no experience of head tilt, but from other's threads on here it can be caused either by EC or ear infection. I'm not sure that it is possible for your vet to exclude the possibility of ear infection just by examination and so most vets will prescribe for both conditions to make sure. That would involve including an antibiotic.

It certainly seems to be the case that rabbits will be very much up and down in their recovery progress and it is usually quite prolonged. I think also that any movement, such as taking him back to the vets, is likely to make him more tilty. If I were you I would try to discuss the situation with your vet, rather than take him back if it's not necessary.

I do not belong to Facebook, but there is a Head Tilt Group on there, which offer advice and support, which others have found incredibly useful. I'm sure that someone will be along to give you the link. There is also a lot of experience on this forum of head tilt and so please don't think you are on your own. You can always ask for advice or support.

Lastly in my opinion whatever has caused Smudge's problem, it will not have been caused by not cleaning their room.
Fantastic advice :)

Can't rule out inner ear infection without xrays - best to treat for both and hope for the best - that Facebook group Omi has put in her post (help for head tilt hoppers) - join in, post what you're giving your bun, symptoms etc they'll give you such good advice and help you work out a small padded area if he starts spinning and falling down like you said is happening.

Don't give up, sending so many vibes, it can look pretty terrible but they can bounce back and definitely treat for ear infection also.

Hope I've quickly covered everything if not I'll edit later xxxx

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It's been a rough week and as much as anything I'd just like some vibes and some stories of people's experiences.

I lost my Dad suddenly last week, so have been staying with my Mum to help her out. The husband was in charge of the rabbits & cats. He called on Tuesday to say that my lad had developed a head tilt and was falling over but still eating and drinking. He was rushed to the vets who confirmed no ear issues so EC infection suspected. He is on Metacam and 28 days of Panacur, I have also put his two wives on panacur.
I headed home on Tuesday to a bunny that would walk around in their approx. 6x3ft 'bed' area and could get in and out of the litter tray. He was only falling over when running for pellets and was using a bowl. Maybe 50-60 degree tilt.

Then this morning I go in to feed them to find he's clearly been down most of the night as his side was wet and covered in urine and some uneaten cecotropes. He tried getting up but would often fall over again and could only right himself by going all the way over to the other side. Whilst doing this his 'top' eye would roll back a bit and his back legs would be shaking, I don't think it was a fit, more extreme effort. His head is at a full 90 degrees now.
He ate the panacur on some cabbage and the metacam was licked straight out of the syringe, but wasn't interested in hay or pellets. I syringed some water as I'm concerned he's having trouble with the water bowl.
I asked my husband in to help me decide whether he was suffering and it was time, I am aware I am very emotional right now. Husband rightly stated he's only been on the medication for 2 days and a dip is not unexpected, plus he perked up a bit with all the attention.

So I've popped him into a large carrier with fleece blankets on the bottom and sides, hay, pellets, a water bottle as don't want him falling in the bowl and not being able to get out. He ate 4 grapes and a tiny piece of pear but still no interest in the pellets. I will keep offering him these and water via syringe as he is still spending most of his time on his side.

Has anyone had experienced it getting this bad before it gets better? I don't want to jump in prematurely if he has a chance of recovery, but nor will I put him through the suffering if the prognosis is not good. I am wondering about taking him to the vets again to show the worsening of the tilt and balance issues, or whether this would be additional stress and to press the worsening symptoms firmly over the phone.

I feel so guilty as I know this will have been caused by my not cleaning out their room before I left for my parents. Also, that although my husband did his best, he's not an animal person so it could've been spotted earlier if I'd asked him to take them to rabbit savvy boarding.
Thanks for making it through to the end!

Firstly, my condolences for the loss of your Dad :cry: I am sure it was a dreadful shock :cry:

As far as Smudge's illness is concerned, head tilt caused by either EC or a middle ear infection can be very distressing to witness BUT it is possible for the Rabbit to recover. Yes, they may get much worse at first, but that does not always mean that all hope is lost. Treatment is intensive and often has to go on for many weeks, sometimes many months. Of course there are some Rabbits who cannot recover, but this is not always the case at all.

Please dont blame yourself for Smudge becoming ill, head tilt can come on in a matter of hours and even the best care in the world cannot prevent every illness in every Rabbit.

These links contain a lot of useful information which you may want to take a look at

http://www.veterinarywebinars.com/w...-are-caused-by-central-or-peripheral-disease/

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/head_tilt.htm

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

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

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Bacterial/BacterialOtitisMediaInterna.htm

https://www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-ar...cs-antifungals/disease-information/e-cuniculi

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

And finally this is a link to the FB Group that offers a lot of advice and support to those caring for Rabbits with head tilt

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelpforHeadTiltHoppers/

Sending lots of vibes for Smudge xx
 
It's been a rough week and as much as anything I'd just like some vibes and some stories of people's experiences.

I lost my Dad suddenly last week, so have been staying with my Mum to help her out. The husband was in charge of the rabbits & cats. He called on Tuesday to say that my lad had developed a head tilt and was falling over but still eating and drinking. He was rushed to the vets who confirmed no ear issues so EC infection suspected. He is on Metacam and 28 days of Panacur, I have also put his two wives on panacur.
I headed home on Tuesday to a bunny that would walk around in their approx. 6x3ft 'bed' area and could get in and out of the litter tray. He was only falling over when running for pellets and was using a bowl. Maybe 50-60 degree tilt.

Then this morning I go in to feed them to find he's clearly been down most of the night as his side was wet and covered in urine and some uneaten cecotropes. He tried getting up but would often fall over again and could only right himself by going all the way over to the other side. Whilst doing this his 'top' eye would roll back a bit and his back legs would be shaking, I don't think it was a fit, more extreme effort. His head is at a full 90 degrees now.
He ate the panacur on some cabbage and the metacam was licked straight out of the syringe, but wasn't interested in hay or pellets. I syringed some water as I'm concerned he's having trouble with the water bowl.
I asked my husband in to help me decide whether he was suffering and it was time, I am aware I am very emotional right now. Husband rightly stated he's only been on the medication for 2 days and a dip is not unexpected, plus he perked up a bit with all the attention.

So I've popped him into a large carrier with fleece blankets on the bottom and sides, hay, pellets, a water bottle as don't want him falling in the bowl and not being able to get out. He ate 4 grapes and a tiny piece of pear but still no interest in the pellets. I will keep offering him these and water via syringe as he is still spending most of his time on his side.

Has anyone had experienced it getting this bad before it gets better? I don't want to jump in prematurely if he has a chance of recovery, but nor will I put him through the suffering if the prognosis is not good. I am wondering about taking him to the vets again to show the worsening of the tilt and balance issues, or whether this would be additional stress and to press the worsening symptoms firmly over the phone.

I feel so guilty as I know this will have been caused by my not cleaning out their room before I left for my parents. Also, that although my husband did his best, he's not an animal person so it could've been spotted earlier if I'd asked him to take them to rabbit savvy boarding.
Thanks for making it through to the end!


I am so very very sorry to read about the loss of your Dad :(


Head tilt is distressing to see and I've cared for rolling bunnies so I know what it's like ...

Have you joined this group?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HelpforHeadTiltHoppers/


There's also some good info here:

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/head-tilt.html

I also tried a gentle massage, as once the muscle has gone into spasm, you need to gently coax the head to a normal position again:

http://www.disabledrabbits.com/physical-therapy.html


My vet also uses this therapy and swears by it's efficacy ..

https://www.twickenhamvets.com/laser-therapy-amazing/



Regards the E.C., it's a good idea to clean and bleach the environment on days 21 and 28 of treatment to ensure you interrupt the life cycle of the parasite. It's been quoted that a 10% bleach solution is needed, but research has shown that 1% bleach is sufficient.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/sh...for-E-Cuniculi


Also, and this is the difficult bit ... try and relax a little yourself, as they will pick up on your stress. It's really hard, but this condition takes time to improve, and it's a change for all of you xx



Some reading here on the various causes of head tilt and loss of balance ...

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

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

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/head-tilt.html

I hope something helps and loads of vibes x
 
EC is a common parasite and many rabbits have been in contact with it with no symptoms.

Rabbits with symptoms of suspected EC often get worse before they get better. It can be quite a rollercoaster ride with them, but it is treatable - and with appropriate supportive care - often there is little or no residual impact. So my advice is to hang on in there. Take it week by week. Keep him warm, dry, clean, fed and watered - and keep medicating. I would expect to see an improvement in about a week, although he may go downhill temporarily again as well. Puppy pads are useful if they can't walk or use a litter tray as usual. Rolled up towels help to stop them rolling too far. Moistened pellets on a saucer will be easier to eat and provide additional water if they can't eat normally and can't move much, otherwise spoon or syringe feed every few hours / a couple of times a day (depending on what he can eat for himself) to keep up their intake and maintain weight. You may need to keep his bum clean - especially in warmer weather when there is an increased risk of fly strike.

The rabbits often cope better than their humans do, so do a realistic assessment of how the rabbit is coping and any improvements. It's easy to panic with the symptoms, but it may not be bothering the rabbit as much as you think. PTS is always an option if needed.

Some cases need more than one round of treatment (Panacur as an antiparasitic and metacam to reduce the neurological damage caused by the parasite). Often an antibiotic is also given to cover for an ear infection, etc as it's cheaper and easier than running full diagnostic scans - then see if anything works before further tests if needed.
.

Don't forget to do a full clean of anything that has been in contact with urine on days 21 and 28 of Panacur treatment. The parasite is excreted in the urine and this helps to prevent reinfection at key stages in the lifecycle of the parasite. A bleach solution will do nicely on hard surfaces, bowls, toys, etc, or wash any fabric. Completely change any hay, litter, etc as well.

Hang on in there and keep doing what you are doing.
 
Thank you all for your replies and advice, I am feeling more positive about the potential outcome and treatment now.

I'll call the vets to ask about antibiotics and pick up some puppy pads. In the meantime, lots of reading and trying to tempt him with tasty things!
 
Food - there is lots of fresh grass around now. Herbs often go down well. He needs to keep up his fibre intake to keep his gut going. There are powdered recovery foods that can be syringe fed, either as complete feed or as top ups. Mashed up pellets (soaked in boiling water) also works. Mix with some veg based baby food to make it smoother (eg apple or carrot puree).

I found it useful to keep a brief diary of progress - just a couple of lines a day. It helps to look back and see what progress has been made. Include eg what he has eaten for himself, weekly weigh-in, amount of head tilt, how much control he has over his movements, etc. For example:
Syringe fed 3 times (half a sachet). Able to eat pellets, grass and leaves within reach. Not able to reach water bottle - topping up water intake by syringe. Can't stand but has stopped rolling. Bum bath today. Comfortable and taking medication.
 
Thank you all for your replies and advice, I am feeling more positive about the potential outcome and treatment now.

I'll call the vets to ask about antibiotics and pick up some puppy pads. In the meantime, lots of reading and trying to tempt him with tasty things!

:thumb:

I love feeding fresh grass and herbs - coriander, parsley and dill go down well here :D
 
Thank you all for your replies and advice, I am feeling more positive about the potential outcome and treatment now.

I'll call the vets to ask about antibiotics and pick up some puppy pads. In the meantime, lots of reading and trying to tempt him with tasty things!
I'm glad, it's definitely not easy to see, and sometimes may feel like it's getting worse but there's a good chance :)

Also sorry was in a rush earlier but wanted to say I'm very sorry for your loss xxx

Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk
 
So sorry about your dad and your bun :(

Please don't blame yourself as that won't be the cause (difficult I know). Head tilt can come on so suddenly and can require weeks / months of treatment, but I have heard of some good outcomes.

I'd definitely recommend using puppy pads, we lined a shallow box when one of ours couldn't get up and it worked well.

All the best xx
 
I am sorry about your losing your dad suddenly and then having to deal with an ill bunny.
You are not alone. I spent one night with my mom the day my dad passed away, leaving my bunnies in the care of my spouse, and I came home to a critically ill bunny. That was long before I realized how quickly bunnies can become ill, and also how well they can recover.

My Gemini recently had a head tilt. My spouse had to clean his litter box and give him his evening care because I hurt my back. My spouse did not tell me Gemini may not be OK until he mumbled something at 3am when I came back from icing my back. He did not eat his greens and he did not drink as much as usual. I suspected he was having dental or digestive issues.(again). When I checked him an hour later, he still did not have any eye movements or head tilt, but he was falling over when he made sudden movements. A few hours later he was on his way to the vets and was having eye movements and more balance issues (which I initially thought was due to the drive). He was prescribed an antibiotic and medicam. That evening he declined further and by the following morning, Gemini was even worse.
His condition allowed me to hydrate him with sub Q fluids prescribed by the vets. I still gave him wet greens and water.
As others mentioned, I also offered him recovery food. Gemini had recovery food for dental issues before. It took patience to hand feed him during his head tilt because he had to be fed slowly.
After he initially got worse, he began to improve more each day. Gemini has no residual tilt. Some of my past head tilt bunnies were left with a slight tilt. This is remarkable if you saw them at their worst.
I know it is hard to see a bunny in this condition. However, your bunny may still recover and live a long, happy life with his two wives.
Others on the forum have given you wonderful references on caring for a bunny.
 
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Thank you everyone for taking the the to reply and your kind & useful words, they really have been of great help.

Smudge had some improvement and started being able to get himself on his feet temporarily on Friday/Saturday morning, happily eating grapes and fresh grass by himself. However by Saturday evening he had deteriorated and developed an eye infection so I took him to the vets again. He was dropping rapidly and so the decision was made to end his suffering. The vet felt there was additional neurological complications as he was no longer able to focus or keep his eye from rolling. Perhaps another infection in the brain stem or a stroke from the stress.

Either way, he is no longer suffering and went more peacefully than he perhaps would've. I'm moving his (fortunately completely uncaring!) wife buns so I can deep clean their room and avoid another infection. They will remain on the 28 days of panacur, fingers crossed its all over.
 
Thank you everyone for taking the the to reply and your kind & useful words, they really have been of great help.

Smudge had some improvement and started being able to get himself on his feet temporarily on Friday/Saturday morning, happily eating grapes and fresh grass by himself. However by Saturday evening he had deteriorated and developed an eye infection so I took him to the vets again. He was dropping rapidly and so the decision was made to end his suffering. The vet felt there was additional neurological complications as he was no longer able to focus or keep his eye from rolling. Perhaps another infection in the brain stem or a stroke from the stress.

Either way, he is no longer suffering and went more peacefully than he perhaps would've. I'm moving his (fortunately completely uncaring!) wife buns so I can deep clean their room and avoid another infection. They will remain on the 28 days of panacur, fingers crossed its all over.

I am so sorry to hear that Smudge was unable to recover :cry: May he now rest in peace xx
 
I'm sorry to hear this. You knew it was the right decision to make for him. X

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