RIP-Something's wrong with Arwyn- head tilting

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Maukin

Maukin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
187
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Location
Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, USA
Hi everyone.

I hate for this to be my first post after a rather long hiatus. I've been working my proverbial rear off for the last couple of months and have not had tons of time for much outside of that. My buns (NOT my proverbial rear) have not suffered too much, though I have not been able to let them out to galavant through the house as much as I woulkd like.

Anyway. I was giving the buns their treats this morning like I always do before going to work and I noticed that Arwyn was tilting her head to one side. She let me pick her up (with is NEVER done without vast protest) and I set her down to run about the kitchen. She is continuing to tilt her head and she is very lethargic. I'll call my vet when I get home, but I'd love to get a few theories from you guyes.

My differential diagnosises: Protein toxisity- I feed my guyes 18% Manna grow with ahandful of calf manna thrown in. I used to feed Bue Seal, but my dealer went outof business. Arwyn's urine hasbeen cloudy, but I did not think it was unusual.

Poison- I fed them dandilion greens out of the yard and they have been grazing for a bit every so often, but I don't treat my yard.

Change- Her and Dugan's cages have been moved to where they are on top of the dog crate and they only way for them to get on the floor is to be picked up and put down. The puppy cries sometimes during the night. Do bunnies suffer from sleep deprivation?

Attention- Little booger is just trying to scare the crap out of me because I've not been paying enough attention to her.

My heart will break if I lose her. She and I are the only women in a houseful of boys.

Maukin
 
Update: I just called my husband and he told me that Arwyn's third eyelid is out on her left eye and the eye is bulging. She's not moving and when Walker picked her up to take her over to the couch to give her a cuddle, she peed all over him which she has NEVER done before.

Walker said "If she were human, I'd say she had a stroke." A six month old rabbit having a stroke? I guess anything with a brain can have a stroke, but what could have caused it?

I'm calling the vet now.
 
Update 10:21am- Called my vet and they said I had a "VERY sick rabbit" and refered me to another vet. They said it might be as simple as an ear infection.
 
:pray:prayers for you and Arwyn. I really hope it's something that can be easily treated. Please let us know how she's doing once you know more.
 
I've been looking at the symptoms of an ear infection and it looks as though that might be the answer. I'm hoping so. I'm looking for places to buy Baytril in my area. I'll try a course of that before anything more drastic. Won't hurt.

Her head is not tilted too badly, just kind of like she's saying "Huh?" like the RCA dog.

The third eyelid out, that would happen with any great stress, right? It happens when I pick her up and she fights me. Getting hard to heave her up, she must be at least 13-15 pounds by now.

Peeing on dad..... Hmmmmm.... Just stress????
 
Hi,

I have lots of experience in dealing with ear infections. They are not simple norare they easy to treat. Baytril is most likelynot the drug to use as many of the pathogens with ear infections are becoming resistant to this drug (my non-professional observations). Most vets are far too conservative in treating ear infections. The drug chart that was posted has some glaring mistakes and omissions. The best thing to do is get a culture of the debris in the ear to find out exactly what the pathogen is. In the past, we always assumed pasteurella but we can't assume that any longer as we have seen bacteria in rabbits that we have never seen before. I treat ear infections with the "big guns"....I don't play with them. I have two rabbits here now with issues related to improperly treated vestibular infections. One will be severely tilted the rest of his life due to a misdiagnosis. The other was properly diagnosed but too late and then the people didn't follow treatment advice. Her brain stem became infected from the improper treatment. She now has serious neurological deficiencies that will never correct. My point here is not to frighten you...but to demonstrate just how serious a vestibular infection can become in a rabbit....and it can escalate into a major issue quickly. A drug that you might discuss using with your vet is Chloramphenicol. It does have some side effects (mostly for the humans handling the drug) but is very effective at controlling most of the bacteria that can be found in a vestibular infection. Pain meds, anti-inflammatories and husbandry support (including SQ fluids) most likely will be in order. Please stay on top of this and push for aggressive medical intervention. Best wishes to Arwyn.

Randy
 
Arwyn is hanging in there. I was not able to get a vet appointment today. She is still eating and drinking normally. Head's still tilting, eyelid is still bulging. I'm pretty versed in administering antibiotics, might any of these that we have been talking about that would help her be able to be purchased with a prescription?
 
My heart is breaking! I'm sorry to deliver the following message from Maukin:

Arwyn passed this morning. Whatever hit her was quick and virulent. She had a head tilt on Wednesday. Was still eating but was off on Thursday and I found her gasping for breath this morning and suddenly, she was gone. My son is in tears and I am heartbroken.

My sympathy and condolences to you Maukin... I'm so sorry. She was the most beautiful, sweetest Flemish. A real ambassador to her breed. :sad:
 
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