Update on Lucky Bunny

MrsFarley

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It’s been touch and go with his eating and drinking. Then I noticed some new behaviors. Shaking his head, holding his ears up. And a few nights ago, what appeared to be a seizure. It happened again yesterday morning and I rushed him to the local animal hospital. We are treating him for ear infection. Bacterial and yeast. They kept him over night on IV. Poor guy is so dizzy. This has been a lot of work and worry! If he isn’t showing signs of improvement by Monday, the vet will start a treatment for a parasite common in rabbits. He has a head tilt, and head drop and shakes his head side to side like Parkinson’s. But he IS eating on his own and hasn’t fallen over since I brought him home and his ears are staying down. His head stops shaking when I pet him. I think the head shaking is from vertigo.
The vet did warn me that it might be a brain tumor but he DEFINITELY has the ear infections, so we are treating that to see what happens in the next couple of days.
(FYI: the bill wasn’t bad. I was really surprised!)
 

MrsFarley

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The Parkinson’s like shaking of the head has almost stopped this morning. He’s eaten on his own a little. His ears have stayed down, except for right after the ear drops were put in. He actually cuddled a little when my husband held him for the syringe feeding and medicine.
I was so scared watching his head shake last night. I am glad that has changed. I felt so bad for him. I am guessing it was vertigo.
 

MrsFarley

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Wanted to let y’all know that Lucky Bunny responded to treatment. He’s eating like crazy again, pooping all over his cage and hopping around like his normal self. I haven’t let him roam the house yet bc he has only been stable on his feet for a day, eating normally for a day and he’s still not drinking as much water as I’d like. But he is healing nicely and I really thought he was going to die this time last week. It was just an ear infection. Who’d have thunk it?
 

Bunnylady

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The parasite is called Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Otherwise healthy rabbits can apparently keep it in check, but when they are stressed, an outbreak occurs and the rabbit develops symptoms, frequently a head tilt or some other neurological signs. An interruption in normal eating/drinking (like a water bottle that gets clogged and isn't noticed for a day or so) often seems to act as a trigger (most likely because of things like changes in pH in the digestive system). Flare ups that are mild may resolve on their own, but some may require many weeks of antiparasitic treatment, and some animals may get stuck with a permanent tilt. In cases with really severe symptoms, the animal may die before any improvement is seen.

I'm glad to hear that Lucky is doing better :celebrate, but just because he is showing improvement with this regimen doesn't mean that E. cuniculi isn't part of the problem. I'd suggest that you read up on it, and take reasonable precautions to avoid future flares - but no parasite treatments just yet; he's dealing with enough right now.;)
 

MrsFarley

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The parasite is called Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Otherwise healthy rabbits can apparently keep it in check, but when they are stressed, an outbreak occurs and the rabbit develops symptoms, frequently a head tilt or some other neurological signs. An interruption in normal eating/drinking (like a water bottle that gets clogged and isn't noticed for a day or so) often seems to act as a trigger (most likely because of things like changes in pH in the digestive system). Flare ups that are mild may resolve on their own, but some may require many weeks of antiparasitic treatment, and some animals may get stuck with a permanent tilt. In cases with really severe symptoms, the animal may die before any improvement is seen.

I'm glad to hear that Lucky is doing better :celebrate, but just because he is showing improvement with this regimen doesn't mean that E. cuniculi isn't part of the problem. I'd suggest that you read up on it, and take reasonable precautions to avoid future flares - but no parasite treatments just yet; he's dealing with enough right now.;)
So, he could still have that Encephalitozoon but be getting better?
 

MrsFarley

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Thought I’d update. Lucky is completely well now. Eating and drinking well. Hopping and playing. Happy and cuddly again!
I’m excited about warmer weather. I am going to build an enclosure for him outside and bring him in at night.
 

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