5 day old with swollen head (RIP)

[tomorrow264]

I just took out the babies and looked them over indiviually which I hadn't done in a few days and the smallest ones head is swollen and it feels like there is fluid in it. I'm going to call the vet first thing in the morning but does anyone have an idea what it could be? I'm so upset right now they have been doing so good I wasn't expecting this.

 

[tomorrow264]

I did some searching on the web and what Ive found makes me think it may be Encephalitozoon. What do you guys think? I'm so worried they are all going to get sick.

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

What breed are they? Can you post pics of them all together? I am wondering if the baby is a peanut. Peanuts tend to have large heads and small bodies. They also have very small ears which I don't see with your baby.

Sharon

 

[tomorrow264]

They are mixed breed. The parents weigh around 9 lbs. Its head isn't just large its soft on top none of the other babies heads feel that way. It also looks even larger this morning then it did last night. Heres a group shot from the 20th.

 

[pamnock]

Hydrocephalus can have a number of causes including vitamin A toxicity or deficiency(probably not the cause in this case). Hydrocephalus can also be inherited as a simple recessive gene mutation.

Pam

 

[tomorrow264]

I just got back from the vet. I had the baby put to sleep. The vet said it was a birth defect where the skull didn't form properly and that the baby would of slowly and painfully faded away.

 

[tonyshuman]

I'm so sorry. I agree with Pam and the vet that it was water on the brain (hydrocephalus) probably caused by brain swelling due to improper skull formation. You did the best thing for her.

 

[tomorrow264]

I'm releaved that it was what it was and not an illness that I have to be worried about the others getting.