Emmy's head tilt

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Emmy-bun

Emmy-bun

Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
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Location
Northeast, South Dakota, USA
Hello. I joined so I could become more educated about my bunny. She is a mini rex and is 6 months old. Her diet consists of 1/2 cup pellets, timothy hay and greens (mainly parsley, red leaf and spinach) plus occasional treats such as banana or apple.

Last Tuesday I knew something was wrong when I was not greeted by a 'thump' in her home, her way of telling me it was time to feed her pellets. Normally she's up well before 7 am for her morning food. She usually acts as if she's about to starve to death but this morning she hadn't touched the pellets left from the day before and was acting strangely clumsy. I called our vet as soon as they opened but she was out of town so scheduled an appt with another vet who had some experience with rabbits. Since Emmy wasn't eating I wasn't waiting 24 hours to see the vet. Ironically she was scheduled to be spayed on Weds. but took sick. I can only think of how awful it would have been for her to get sick Weds. after surgery.

Long story short on the vet; she diagnosed her with an inner ear infection and prescribed Baytril. Emmy got an injection in office and a 10 day supply to see if she improved then we'd fill a longer course of Baytril (4 weeks or more). We then came home. Emmy would nibble just a bit on a few treats but that was it. Each day her appetite improved slightly and she was pooping some but her head began to tilt more and more.

On Sunday morning, about 6 am, Emmy woke me up with a lot of rustling in her home. (ie. cage) I checked on her and she was almost on her back struggling to get turned over. This was frightening to both of us! I helped her roll over then gently lifted her out of her home, wrapped her in a clean towel and snuggled her with me in bed the next couple of hours. Once I put her back she was calm and alert and ate better the rest of the day. She actually spent a good bit of the day eating hay and greens. I can see an improvement in this area but then her head is so tilted!

This morning, about 3 am, I was awakened again by Emmy rolling in her home. I again took her out and snuggled her until she calmed down and nearly smothered me with bunny kisses! I put her back in her home, gave her an extra towel and made sure it was safe since she obviously was having a hard time staying straight. Today she's not had any issues with the rolling or falling over. She's eating fine but seems sleepy. (as am I!) I have called my vet to see what's going on since in one way Emmy seems to be improving because she's eating and pooping as she should but then at night she's rolling around in her home like she can't get her bearings.

So, should I ask my vet about something for vertigo? Or a 2nd antibiotic to help her fight the inner ear infection better? I've never seen anything like this in all my years of owning pets and nursing them back to health. There is something incredibly heartbreaking about an animal that cannot stay on it's own four feet. Suggestions are welcome. Thanks for listening! And please say a little prayer for Emmy. :pray:
 
Thank you. I've been reading all the different stories since I posted. It's all very helpful. My vet will call me tomorrow once she discusses alternative meds with an exotic vet. One thing that gives me hope is her appetite improving but I am baffled by the dizziness she's experiencing just in the middle of the night. Just having other bunny parents that understand is immensely reassuring.
 
This sounds like a very similar story to my Jelly.
I ended up staying up with her all night every night for about the last week of her life as she was rolling and i was afraid of back injury/paralysis.

I'd agree with the others-Baytril I highly doubt is up to the task. Many vets use it, but it didn't make my bunny better. )': Also, I'm wondering is your bunny on Metacam or a similar pain med? My rabbit Jelly was on that and I think it helped her alot.

Do you have Oxbow Critical care to feed her? Bunnies should be eating pretty consistently (nibbling at least on something) and if they stop will go into GI stasis. Baytril seems to also cause stasis. I'd keep as many greens in her as possible to prevent it. If you don't have critical care and she's not eating all her food at some point, I'd ask your vet about getting some.

As far as the rolling: The emergency vet clinic I called when Jelly(my bunny) was rolling one night suggested taking old carpet, cutting it as high as the cage/pen and tacking it up so she wouldn't hurt herself.
The vet also recomended if the rolling was really bad sticking her in a carrier with rolled towels all around. It didn't work for my bun-I had to stay with her constantly, but maybe you'rs isn't so bad yet.

I found Jelly rolling every now and then at night earlier in her illness. As it got worse and worse, it got to be during days as well. That's why i had to stay with her.

Anyway, I"ll be praying for a quick, speedy and successful recovery for Emmy! Head tilt is a very difficult thing to deal with. :pray:
 
Bunnylova, thank you. I'm afraid of Emmy dying from this. I held her last night worrying when she was very still that she had passed on. Then she'd do a little bunny purr and I'd feel so relieved. I'm simply afraid.
 
Your story sounds so familiar: my 8 month old lionhead is still recovering from head tilt, she got sick about two and a half weeks ago.

Definitely request meclizine, Gracie didn't eat for a full two days until she started getting it, and she went from anorexia to eating as much as she had before getting sick in about two days. My vet prescribed liquid Panacur and half a Zenequin pill daily, and it really helped clear up the infection quickly once I figured out how to get her to take it.

(she's boxed every syringe she's ever seen, so I had to grind up her Zenequin and Meclizine and mix it, with her Panacur, into a teaspoon of applesauce. I didn't like giving her extra sugar everyday, but it made giving her her medicine completely stress free on both our parts as she would eat it all on her own and she didn't hate me for force feeding her. I made the applesauce myself to make sure there was nothing extra in there)

Two weeks later, her heads almost rightside up, and I haven't seen any sign of the horizontal nystagmus she presented at the beginning. Her balance in general seems to be getting better too, partially due to a book I got called the Relaxed Rabbit, which had a section on special needs bunnies including head tilt. One of the methods described placing your arm along the side that their head is facing away from. It helps their instincts kick in as to trusting themselves on which way is up. After I started using some of the techniques, I definitely noticed Gracie becoming more confident about some of her movements, and she started jumping up on the bed on her own again.
 
Thank you, kitty! I put rolled towels around the edges of her home last night and they worked! We had a peaceful night and she looks more alert today than she did yesterday! She's already eaten a good bit of spinach and fresh hay! She is now completely stretched out, feet andall, looking peaceful and comfortable! Her head is still tilted but I'm going to speak to the vet about another antibiotic and if Emmy tolerates it we'll try the tip from Relaxed Rabbit.
 
The vet has added Panacur (sp?). If there's no improvement with it then we'll switch to a different antibiotic. Emmy is eating well though so that gives me hope.
 
Emmy is eating well though so that gives me hope.
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Me too. That's a very very *very* good thing. make sure she keeps pooping normally- when they're on meds like this, and stressed, then stasis can easily be a problem. Prevent it by giving lots of veggies.
 
IMG-20111122-00307.jpg


Here's a pic of Emmy with her bunny bumpers and her baby. She seems content and comfortable.
 
what a cutie!!! She looks soo much like my mini rex, Taffy!
About her head tilt~some encouragement from me:
My head tilt bunny, Jelly, had head tilt was alot alot ALOT more tilted. soo, it was very encouraging to see the pic-if you can get the right meds into her at this point before it gets too much worse, I think you have a very good chance of getting her all better! :) Keeping her in my prayers!

:sickbunny:
 
Thank you for the encouragement. Her head tilt is much better when she's laying down and it seems that she's dealing with her occasional 'roll over' better. She doesn't seem to panic over it but just rolls once then rights herself. I feel encouraged though! She's a sweet girl!
 
Update on Emmy: She is alert and bright eyed this morning after a breakfast of kale, spinach and parsley. I discovered that her Baytril can be made into a paste and her kale dipped in it. She ate it with no hesitation! This is far less stressful than forcing it on her by syringe. Her Panacur may still have to be done via syringe but it's only 10 days for it as opposed to a month for Baytril. She's been using a make shift litter box which is simply Carefresh in the corner with old hay on top of it. She's grooming herself and harassing her stuffie while tolerating the occasional roll over. Her head tilt is the same. I have a pic that I'll post for reference. I know others will come to this forum, like I did, looking for answers and hope. That's why I keep posting. I was scared to death when this began a week ago but I'm hopeful now that Emmy will pull out of this. One other positive thing to come from our experience is the bind that Emmy and I now have. I knew she loved me before but she was reserved mostly. Now she is more expressive
in how she shows her affection towards me. I know I've earned her trust because I didn't leave her and I held her for as long as she needed me to in her worst moments. I love her more than ever!

Emmy11-23-11.jpg


Emmy this morning. Her head tilt is pretty much the same but she doesn't seem so dizzy even if her head is tilted a bit. Her eyes still look OK too and they aren't 'tracking' as if she feels like she's moving. Thanks to those who posted, you were very helpful! :D
 
keep us updated and don't forget i'm praying for you. she'll make it through because you love her too much to let her pass.
 
keep us updated and don't forget i'm praying for you. she'll make it through because you love her too much to let her pass.
 
Honestly, I think your girly needs stronger medicine. Panacur is not an antibiotic, it's an anti-parasite. My boy Ned came down with head tilt this summer. Here is his thread: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=66773&forum_id=16 His tilt was really very mild and he never rolled or anything. He's also crazy about food and thankfully didn't lose weight or go off his food. The nystagmus (crazy eyes) and walking in circles stopped within less than a day of the medication and the tilt was mostly gone after a couple of weeks, but it took him 7 weeks to recover completely. He started on Baytril and was switched to Zithromax because the Baytril wasn't doing the trick. He also got Panacur for the first couple of weeks and a shot of Pen G once a week for the entire 6 weeks. Bunnies are all different of course, but since Ned didn't get better on just the Baytril, I'm afraid your girl won't either. You don't want to mess around with head tilt.
 
SnowyShiloh wrote:
Honestly, I think your girly needs stronger medicine. Panacur is not an antibiotic, it's an anti-parasite. My boy Ned came down with head tilt this summer. Here is his thread: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=66773&forum_id=16 His tilt was really very mild and he never rolled or anything. He's also crazy about food and thankfully didn't lose weight or go off his food. The nystagmus (crazy eyes) and walking in circles stopped within less than a day of the medication and the tilt was mostly gone after a couple of weeks, but it took him 7 weeks to recover completely. He started on Baytril and was switched to Zithromax because the Baytril wasn't doing the trick. He also got Panacur for the first couple of weeks and a shot of Pen G once a week for the entire 6 weeks. Bunnies are all different of course, but since Ned didn't get better on just the Baytril, I'm afraid your girl won't either. You don't want to mess around with head tilt.
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hate to say it, but I agree ^^



the line up there about head tilt not being something to mess around with is 150% true. They treated Jelly with Baytril, and it didn't work. I ended up having to have her put to sleep. Now that I read these things on the forum, I still feel like I wish sooo much i'd knew this and kept trying with a different vet who'd give the Pen G etc.

Panacur I think would have to do with them thinking it could possibly be E. Cuniculi, which if you're pretty sure (as I was about my bunny) that its ear not parasite then that won't really help.



Anyway, I'm praying for you and Emmy. Head tilt is one of the toughest trickiest things in my mind in the way of bunnies to deal with. :pray:






 
Thanks for posting and sharing your thoughts. Yes, the vet put her on Panacur to rule out the parasite which neither of us is sure about so we felt it was better safe than sorry. If there's no improvement after the Panacur then she'll go on another antibiotic. I definitely agree that head tilt is serious and is nothing to make light of. I thought she was going to die and at times when I held her when she was rolling around in her cage in the middle of the night she'd be so still that I thought she had died in my arms. That's why I have read everything possible on this forum and others like it to learn all I can about this and it's why my vet has consulted with an exotics vet who has experience with this, so Emmy can have a chance at making it. One thing I've learned is that this is not a one size fits all thing and I believe that three things are vital to a bunny surviving this; 1) Prayer. I firmly believe in prayer. 2) A will to live. Holding my bunny seems to be one thing that gives her a will to want to go on. I saw a turn after the night I held her for hours when she couldn't stand up straight. I believe it was because someone loved her and she knew it. 3) A vet that is willing to listen. My vet has been researching, calling a fellow vet and listening to me. We're working together to find a solution and save Emmy's life.

Thanks everyone for your prayers for Emmy!
 
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