Splayed leg bunny with ear problems

[Predawnisland]

I have a bunny that basically has the legs on her right side permenately twisted sideways. I had never really checked her ears before yesterday. Well when I was playing with her ears yesterday I noticed something in her ear. After I looked closed I saw that her ear was full of earwax and there was dry flaky skin on the rest of her ear. I quickly worked all the wax out and her ear is fine right now. I didn't get any pictures as I was more worried about cleaning out her ear. The other ear on the side with her good legs was fine. I know it's not ear mites as I have delt with that before in my other rabbit. Was her ear full of wax because she couldn't scratch it out?

 

[bright_eyes]

Sounds like wryneck (there are many names and causes for the symptoms), she will need treatment- and sometimes it cannot be cured depending on the cause. However, that doesn't mean she can't live a full, happy life. Just a little handicapped:

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/head-tilt.html

 

[Predawnisland]

I know wryneck as my neighbors rabbit had it and this is not it. The stuff was a normal yellow and was definitely earwax. Like I said she can barely move her right hind leg so I'm fairly certain it has something to do with that. Her ear is completely cleaned out now. I never noticed it because she doesn't scratch it and she doesn't shake her head. I normally have to clean out my other holland lops ears but none of them have ever had ear wax this bad. Her ear was completely full.

 

[squidpop]

I don't know that much about wax in ears, I haven't had that problem yet with my rabbits. But I found this post where someone has the same problem, wax on one side, and the expert Dana Krempels thinks it might be the at the rabbit has arthritis or something that keeps it from washing on one side. So I think your are right it might have something to do with your bunny not being able to clean one side. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/2009/5/hard-ear-wax-1.htm

But, I would probably want a vet to look at it to make sure its not an ear infection if it was my rabbit. You probably already did this but, I would also smell it to make sure it doesn't smell infected.

 

[JBun]

What squidpop said. Rabbits with arthritis can have the same issues because they have difficulty scratching and cleaning their ears due to pain and stiffness. So a rabbit with limited function on one side, could easily develop ear wax buildup on that same side. You will want to check them regularly and clean them if needed so that your bun doesn't develop an ear infection. If the wax isn't easily reached, you may need to use a rabbit safe ear cleaner. It would be good to discuss this with your vet.
http://www.disabledrabbits.com/ear-care.html