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When do you know it's time to let go. E.C

the fact you are unsure means in your gut you know its not time yet... i know you wont believe the line "you will know" until you experience it first hand (i didnt) but it honestly is the truth..

your little angel will tell you when its time by giving up and refusing to live on.

loads and loads of get well vibes xxxxx
 
My bam bam had ec and dragged her back legs and had a head tilt. Even though we put her on panacur she never really lost the dragging of the legs a little but she was amazing she would out run thumper for a treat and would over compensate and coped brilliantly. I loved her and she loved life and she continued that way for two years like that, she lost her life to a separate problem which was an abscess. If your bun has the spirit and fight stick with it she will come thru xx
 
I'm in the same position with my bun Sparrow. He has EC and has had head tilt before (feb 10) but he now has it again much worse. He started with it a week ago and I have seen some definate improvement although he is rolling and can't move around easily. He is standing in a more normal position now though and he has never lost his appetite throughout although he has to be hand fed and is being stringed a mash of oats, pellets and probiotics throughout he day. He is having treatment for his down eye and is being looked after by his 3 bonded friends in a pen in the house where he's confined to a small area. Been the vets tonight and he is pleased at the care he's getting and is happy that there is improvement if only slight. This forum and the people with similar experiences give me so much hope when I look at my boy and I really believe he has a chance
 
Rykat said:
It's such a hard thing to witness and remain strong and positive, I've been through it also x

Have you started Cookie on Stemitil? I was recommended it (suggestion from RU member!) and it stopped the rolling completely and she's now 100% fit again :)
Click to expand...

What dose of stemitil do you use and is it used in place of any other medication being given?
 
It sounds to me like he is still fighting strong to get passed this and if he is still eating and drinking then there is a VERY GOOD chance he will pull through.

My Poko had E.C and it took her about 3 months in total to recover. I had to syringe feed her water and I wrapped her in a towel "bunny burrito" and kept her warm and to stop her from rolling and hand fed her spinach leaves and hay and other food etc. I also kept her in a small box lined with towels so that if she rolled she had the soft walls and towels to stop her from hurting herself. I kept her by my bed side and tied a hot water bottle to the side of the box to give her warmth (this was in the middle of winter here).
I nursed her for about 6 weeks straight and watched her all day. This is the most important thing - you need to have the time to invest in caring for your bun as if they are a real baby, they cannot be left to their own with E.C.

The first time I realised this was when I went to check on my bun in her hutch and saw that she had rolled over onto her food bowl and her neck was twisted and her head was sitting in the bowl upside down and she looked so uncomfortable and could not correct herself - from that point on I knew I had to nurse her and watch her.

She also got much worse before she got better, at one point I actually thought she was going to leave us as she went very cold, was barely breathing and would not eat. Then miraculously three hours later she picked up and was back to normal.

Sometimes the head tilt will not completely return to normal but most rabbits adjust and learn to live with it.

My girl Poko is fighting fit and is so healthy and happy and her head tilt is completely gone!
You have to keep fighting with your bun!
 
I don't have any experience with EC but he doesn't sound like he is ready to give up yet.:love: Sounds like there are other meds that could be tried from what people have said on here, it's worth a try.

Good luck, sending lots of vibes to Cookie (and your canary).
 
caismeister said:
What dose of stemitil do you use and is it used in place of any other medication being given?
Click to expand...

No its used aswell as the other meds. Its a human anti vertigo drug so is thought to help with the dizzyness and rolling. It is unknown for certain whether or not buns actually feel nausea during head tilt but if so itshouldhelp with this aswell.
Its definatly worth a try :wave:
 
Gemmapookie said:
No its used aswell as the other meds. Its a human anti vertigo drug so is thought to help with the dizzyness and rolling. It is unknown for certain whether or not buns actually feel nausea during head tilt but if so itshouldhelp with this aswell.
Its definatly worth a try :wave:
Click to expand...

I was told with Mischa that the nystagmus was almost certainly giving him nausea and that he wouldn't want to eat so I'd have to syringe feed him. He ate a little on his own when I fed him cos on his own he couldn't get it out of the bowl. The nystagmus stopped pretty sharpish though and then his (ferocious) appetite came back.
 
The vet said today that Cookie is to come off all meds :shock:
His head tilt is severe and no improvement :cry: I do not understand why on earth he wants him on nothing. The vet is German and he said he's had lots of exerience in Germany and this is the treatment that is given.
My husband took Cookie to the vets so didn't question it too much and he's gone with the vets word.

Do you think it's worth speaking to my vet again and asking him to email Bristol, I did email him yesterday about this.
 
mmmm I have to say I'm a little surprised he's taken him off all meds, given Cookie is still experiencing rolling episodes :?

Is the vet you've been speaking with a different one to the vet your husband saw today? Or the same one?
 
:shock:I'm surprised he's pulled all his meds too.

It can take several months to recover, and it sounds like he's not ready to give up yet.

Lou has nursed lots of buns through this. Some haven't made it, but it was clear that they had had enough and it was time to let them go.

We have a few headtilt buns in the sanctuary that live full and happy lives:D.
 
It would be worth having a chat to him to check he got your email just in case he never saw it.

Did your hubby mention any of the other meds people on here had suggested?
 
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bunny babe said:
It would be worth having a chat to him to check he got your email just in case he never saw it.

Did your hubby mention any of the other meds people on here had suggested?
Click to expand...

Hi, sorry I've only just got back to you.
Yes Andy mentioned the meds off here.
 
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My bunny Lola made a full recovery from EC last year. She had 2 bouts of EC. Her first one was in the July and she recovered quickly and went off to a new home as she was my foster bunny at the time. She had a really bad relapse in September time and spent about 4 weeks with round the clock care with Sharon at Blackberry Boarding in Gloucester and then she came back to me in November. She was still a bit wonky then so we kept her on the metacam for another 4 weeks reducing the dose to be sure she wouldn't relapse again and now she is fine.

I think Metacam really made a big difference to her recovery and it helped that she loved taking it and would run up to the syringe so it wasn't stressful!

Would you be able get a second opinion from another vet who specialises in rabbits?

Hopefully the fact that you bunny is eating and drinking so well means he's got the fight in him to get him through this. We were discussing getting Lola put down because of the damage she was doing to her eye by rolling so much and now she's a completly normal healthy bunny again.

Good luck Cookie!
 
My little pipkin went through the same thing and it took awhile to get better and went on to live for another very happy year and a half (he was always slightly wonky) before he became ill again this time we fought it for a short time but he told me when it was time. one day he just stopped - eating, drinking, playing - his little thistle kept going up to him and sticking her head under his chin for her kisses and he just ignored her, i knew he had already left me.
It sounds like cookie is a real fighter and if it were me i'd keep going. He'll let you know if its time.

Good luck!! x
 
When you have a sick bunny, you don't need a vet who you cannot communicate with. I would get the vet to get a second opinion on stopping the meds from Bristol and he needs to do it this week.
 
Not read the whole thread so apologies if I'm repeating anything.

Personally, I think it's time to let go when the bun stops fighting. As long as they're still showing a will to live (nomming away, coming up to say hello, refusing meds etc) I'd keep going.

I have had two buns with EC, Vinnie, the most recent, was battling it from November to April and had several courses of treatment, she improved then rolled back again once we stopped. She died in April, I found her in her favourite hiding place so I think she knew she was going and went to her special spot. She fought right to the end, loved her basil and was a menace to get panacur into.

Anyway, sorry, going on a bit. Her story with description of her fight is on page five of the link in my sig. As long as the bun shows that they want to go on, I'd stick with it. People may call you cruel but you know what's best for your bun, Vin had to wear nappies for a short period and one of my friends went nuts about it, but she's never had rabbits so what the heck would she know. You'll know when it's time, you know your bun. Best of luck with it and lots of vibes.
 
Coineanach said:
Not read the whole thread so apologies if I'm repeating anything.

Personally, I think it's time to let go when the bun stops fighting. As long as they're still showing a will to live (nomming away, coming up to say hello, refusing meds etc) I'd keep going.

I have had two buns with EC, Vinnie, the most recent, was battling it from November to April and had several courses of treatment, she improved then rolled back again once we stopped. She died in April, I found her in her favourite hiding place so I think she knew she was going and went to her special spot. She fought right to the end, loved her basil and was a menace to get panacur into.

Anyway, sorry, going on a bit. Her story with description of her fight is on page five of the link in my sig. As long as the bun shows that they want to go on, I'd stick with it. People may call you cruel but you know what's best for your bun, Vin had to wear nappies for a short period and one of my friends went nuts about it, but she's never had rabbits so what the heck would she know. You'll know when it's time, you know your bun. Best of luck with it and lots of vibes.
Click to expand...

My feelings exactly :)
 
I had just had Bonnie PTS because of EC.

Monty got it first, and being the old, weak blind bunnie that he is i thought I would loose him. It took more than four months but he survived. He never stopped fighting.

Bonnie was a very large, round plump, fierce French lop. She loved nothing more than to chase unsuspecting visitors and bite them. to clean out the aviary i had to pin her down with a broom and put her in a different run. I also had to put carboard down my socks in the summer....No bare legs in there for me!!

Although she was on panacur from when Monty was ill she became very ill almost overnight. She lost about 75% of her body weight in the first week. She wouldn't eat and made no attempt to move around.

It was totally different to Monty.

Then on Sunday the day she was to go back to the vet to be PTS it was like a miracle happened. She was up cleaning Monty and moving around.

By monday morning she was on her side ridged and her head almost all the way back around on itself, and i just knew i was going to have to let her go.

I think you know your bunnie in your heart and thats what you have to go with

good Luck
 
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