rabbits ear is drooping

[Victoria]

Hello

I was wondering if anyone knows or seen something like this. My rabbit is 2.5 years old his name is Black and he is a dwarf mix. Yesterday he jumped out of my fiance’s hands and hit his head on the side of the bed (soft mattress part of it). He seemed fine. Later about 1 hour after that, I noticed that his left ear is now lop like (he is not a lop rabbit). It was like this before I went to sleep last night and was like this from time throughout today. He also looks a bit sad, but he eats, he also likes to lie around more than usual. He lost some weight earlier about 2 months ago but we gave him more greens and he picked up a bit of weight now.

He also when he went to his litter box I noticed his droppings were about half the size of normal, but he goes regularly and his stomach looks normal.

I am a bit worried and thinking what this may be.

I would take him to the vet but I wont be able to afford it this week unless it is emergency and I can borrow some money to do this. (if need before I get paid next week). Our vets here are very expensive and one visit and medication costs over $100 and have health problems myself so I cant afford much at the moment.. any way just wanted to find out if anyone can see anything in this situation with Black that I may be missing because I dont know what it is with him .. I dont think he hurt his ear when he fell.

 

[Pipp]

Is his head at all tilted? Even slightly?

He definitely has an issue. He's feeling pain or something else is causing him to act 'off'. Keep him de-stressed, warm, hydrated and eating -- maybe canned pumpkin will help -- but you have to figure out what the problem is.

Have you felt any lumps or anything around his jawline or ear? The bump may have exacerbated an existing condition like an ear infection, tooth issue, etc, or it could have caused a neurological or vestibular (middle ear) 'event'.

PS: Could you have not noticed that he hit his ear directly? I've never had a rabbit with a cartilage injury, but it seems that might be a common reaction -- a lopped ear and some pain. Anybody else familiar with this?


sas :?

 

[Victoria]

His head looks slightly tilted to the side where the ear is down looking. He had a head tilt about 3 months ago and was treated successfully. this is what I am worried about that the head tilt is starting again.

 

[Victoria]

The rabbit did hit his head but not the ear. His ear comes up now and then. But the tilt is definitely there but only slight.

 

[Pipp]

I checked with a friend and it's pretty common for an injury near the base of the ear to cause the ear to lop. The ears are held up by the cartilage that can be weak genetically (thus the breeding of lop eared bunnies), become weak with age or be compromised by an injury. It's quite possible that he did get a knock that caused this, and the lack of an appetite and the small poops are a reaction to the pain.

You can try giving him just a little Ibuprofen -- I use an eighth to a quarter tab of Baby Motrin -- but ONLY after he has eaten and drank a good bit. It can be hard on an empty stomach and deadly to a dehydrated kidney.

If he perks up, you'll know he's been in pain, although if it's not gone in a day or two, you'll have to keep looking at the origins.

Is the base of the ear tender or hot, btw?


sas :clover:

 

[Pipp]

I replied before I saw your reply.

Even with a slight head tilt, it can probably be considered an emergency, you really have to nip that in the bud.

Was it an ear infection a few months ago? Was he put on meds? What kind? Do you still have any?

In this case, I wouldn't give him the pain meds without seeing a vet. It can just mask the symptoms and make him a lot worse in the long run.


sas :clover:

 

[Victoria]

thank you. This could be it. He now goes and does normal droppings and his ears are getting more straight, so he is better. The base does not feel and ddinot feel hot my fiance said.
I just came out of hospital with kidney infection (and going again to get the stone removed if it does not stop), it is not easy right now to look after him as well . most of exams of the rabbit are done by my fiance and he does not feel he is hot near the base or any other things right now. but if he does get worse he is going with my fiace or a friend I hope they can do this. But he does look better. thanks!

 

[Victoria]

oops I replied before too. I cant take him since I am too unwell myself. I was worried about head tilt. When he had the problem he was given 2 antibiotics - bicillin by injection and baytril by mouth and also panacur. all of this was around 7 to 10 days. I have only baytril at home.

 

[Victoria]

we wont give him ibuprofen

 

[Pipp]

Just watch him really carefully for any further sign of head-tilt. If it gets even slightly worse, I'd put him back on the Baytril and see about getting a refill of the bicillin.

The vet shouldn't charge for a visit if you're just picking up a prescription, and if you're careful to make sure you're getting exactly the same drug, you can probably find a cheaper source -- maybe a feed store or a human drugstore. Its not an expensive drug.

If it was a knock to the base of the ear and the pain was causing his discomfort, by now he should be on the mend regardless. So just watch for any further issues -- even slight ones.

Glad he's feeling better. Good luck!



sas :clover:

 

[Victoria]

Hi
He actually seems like having some more digestive symptoms - he likes to lie down a bit more than usual and looks like it is stomach that bothers him most.. hope it wont get into stasis. Our vet charges for new meds if it is within more than several weeks of the previous (or is it two months?) whatever it is we re out of that time so we have to pay and the meds are really expensive too - baytril around where we are just 100ml is also about $150! so thats why this is difficult. thanks for advice>
I am observing him.

 

[Victoria]

We are in Australia and we dont have the same stores like Canada or USA, we cant buy from human pharmacy and we only can buy from a vet who all charge a lot. (we cant get a prescription to get from a farm pharmacy or something like that).

 

[Pipp]

I'm pretty sure agricultural outlets there will stock antibiotics for farm animals. You only need the prescription to make sure its the right type. Or see what they might have instead and post the info here, somebody may be able to give you more info.

If you have an SPCA or Humane Society, or a rabbit rescue, they may be able to swing some suggestions and/or discounts.

But right now, he may be in pain from his gut slowing down and causing gas. I'd definitely give him baby (or adult) gas meds containing mostly Simethicone. I use baby gas drops and give my 3lb bunnies a full cc (yes, more than a baby gets) every hour for three hours. Its a very safe drug.

I also do long tummy massages (I use a vibrating toothbrush on and off for a good hour). And gentle exercise is good.

Canned pumpkin will help fight off the stasis, so will lots of fluids. I put a capful or two of apple juice in a dish for Pipp to flavor it, it makes her drink more water. (Leave the regular water out as well and be sure to throw the juice-spiked one out at the end of the day before it starts to ferment).

If he's not going to the vet, then I'd consider going back to the Ibuprofen/Baby Motrin idea, at least for one dose. The pain could be causing the digestive upset (or vice-versa).

But if its a reoccurring ear infection, it's only going to mask the problem.

How much Baytril have you got left? If it is an ear infection issue, you may not be able to knock it out with Baytril alone, but it might help keep it at bay. But first you need to be certain that's the problem.


sas :clover:

 

[Pipp]

PS: The vets say we can't buy from a human pharmacy or feed store here, either, but there are ways around it. I'm pretty sure its policy, not law.

 

[Victoria]

thank you for all the advice, we will do the tummy massage now my partner is doing it. it is defin. is tummy now (dont know what was before). he has no broken bones. He is off food now and looks in pain. we will try RSPCA I did not think of it before they do help.
We have about may be 50ml of baytril.
he will not have any seeds and the like in the future - it always happens when he has seeds (it is not even predominantly seeds but he seems unable to have any )
Victoria

 

[Victoria]

thanks again it helps to think of things we can do. he also is exercising by being out of his cage. and the toothbrush is an idea - I am charging mine.

 

[Pipp]

Victoria wrote:

he will not have any seeds and the like in the future - it always happens when he has seeds (it is not even predominantly seeds but he seems unable to have any )
Victoria

Its good to remember that stasis and gas are almost always symptoms, not causes. It's usually not a coincidence that a stomach upset comes on the heels of an injury or another issue. The pain and even just a temporary food intake slowdown can send the gut off-kilter.

That said, the seeds may have caused a gut slow down or a blockage, so make sure he keeps pooping, if the poops stop, or they continue to get really tiny, it's a problem. If canned pumpkin doesn't fluff them up, it could be a blockage. Treatment is still as above, but a lot more intense, including some fluids given via an under-the-skin transfusion.

Just something else to watch out for. I'd still keep a close eye on the ear.

And watch for any even slight changes -- white bits in the corner of the eye, wet nose or mouth, unusual movements, etc.. They can all mean something.


sas :clover:

 

[Victoria]

I will keep an eye on him. I was at the hospital and my partner was with me, so we did not feed him the usual diet for a day or two - we did feed him but just had about 10 hours with no food and then gave them hay and greens and also seed mix. My rabbits are a bit spoiled may be or it is just normal, but we usually feed them twice a day with snacks here and there and they used to having food available whenever we are at home so their diet (oops I have died in my mind I spelt it died first )changed suddenly when I got unwell and had to go to ER. they just stayed in their cages, not much exercise and I think that is how he got this way. He is a bit better now after running around. He nibles on a tomato and some hay, so hope he gets better soon. I heard rabbits can get very sick or die fairly fast so I was really worried.

 

[Victoria]

also how long can a rabbit go without food without any problem? - because I was at hospital so I think he was not fed for 24 hours not 10 like I thought

 

[Pipp]

Oh, poor you! And poor bunny. I'm sure you were both really stressed.

I think 24 hours is pushing it, if they stop eating naturally, 24 hours is considered an emergency.

Depends on the bunny. My dwarf can get her dinner a few hours late or get pellets instead of greens and she ends up with problems. But my Flemish boys seem to have guts of steel -- they jump in the compost bin and start chomping away on rotting who-knows-what and show no ill effects.

A diet upset will cause the tummy issues, but the original issue was still the droopy ear, and unfortunately, a stressed bunny will have a compromised immune system and thus be a lot more receptive to opportunistic nasty bacteria like the one that probably caused his original ear infection.

So you are still back at the beginning -- he may be having a reoccurrence of his ear infection in addition to the general upset caused by the diet disruption.

Just take it slow ... keep him eating as much hay as possible. Hay, water and canned pumpkin are great sources of fiber. Veggies are okay if they're not upsetting his gut, but push the hay and water. And stay calm, especially around him. They pick up on your stress.

Is he eating and pooping pretty normally? Any sign of a tilt? Is his ear staying up?


sas :clover: