Head tilt in bunnies

[vintage]

Does anyone have experience rehabing a bun with head tilt?

Our very healthy and happy bun started acting strangely a couple weeks back. I took him to the vet and it turned out to be an ear infection/ear mites. At nearly four years old, he's never experienced this before. When I asked where the ear mites could have come from the vet said he could have had them since we got him (I thought this was unlikely but what do I know?!). I asked if the mites could've come from hay, the vet said that was highly unlikely.

Anyway, the vet treated him, and I will be going back for a check up on the 23rd. His head tilt is significant, getting him food and water has been a challenge. It's all very touch and go and I'm wondering if he can at some point have a decent quality of life. He's lost weight but is increasing his food intake. He does not enjoy the hand feedings, he wants to get up and eat but his balance is awful. Has anyone else been through this?

 

[cassie]

Are you sure the mites and the infection are gone?

 

[vintage]

Are you sure the mites and the infection are gone?

I will know for sure when we go back.

 

[The Cave]

Might need different medication based on the type of infection, when you go in for re-check make sure to not clean or medicate the buns ears that day so the swab findings will be more beneficial.

 

[cassie]

I have not had any rabbits with the head tilt you describe but one of my baby goats had it. Turned out she had an ear infection. A course of antibiotics cleared it up and she was fine from then on. My guess is that the same will be true for your bunny.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Are you sure it's not wryneck?

 

[vintage]

Are you sure it's not wryneck?

Yes, head tilt/wry neck. Caused by an ear infection, not E. Cuniculi.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

So the vet only treated your bunny's ears once? Did they run tests at all either? You can't say it's not something until it's been ruled out. I noticed you said ear infection/ear mites, but shouldn't the vet be sure which one? Ear infections can be very deadly if left untreated. My rabbit had one and I was seriously thinking he was going to die he was that bad, at least at first before treatment.

If it is an infection, or even ear mites, he should be getting daily treatments. For my rabbit, the vet gave us antibiotics to give to him to clear it up. I treated him for at least a week and he was a fairly touch-and-go like yours. It may have been longer, I can't remember since it was a few years ago.

Lion, my rabbit, didn't have terribly severe head tilt, but I'd say the best thing for yours is to keep him in an environment he knows and to remove or block off any areas where he could injure himself (like falling off of something). I just remembered now my vet also prescribed him some meds for his dizziness/head tilt, I think they were human ones actually for vertigo lol. Perhaps you could ask your vet if you can get something like that?

My rabbit Lion recovered just fine with no head tilt, although I know his balance is slightly off at times. I know from stories online that some rabbits never recover from headtilt, or only recover a little, but still lead very happy lives. You just have to accommodate for their condition is all.

One last thing: do you know of or have Critical Care? I use that to syringe-feed my rabbits whenever they are sick; it's extremely useful and great and I really think it's an important thing to have on-hand for rabbits. (and other animals too!)

 

[HorsesRMe123]

Does anyone have experience rehabing a bun with head tilt?

Our very healthy and happy bun started acting strangely a couple weeks back. I took him to the vet and it turned out to be an ear infection/ear mites. At nearly four years old, he's never experienced this before. When I asked where the ear mites could have come from the vet said he could have had them since we got him (I thought this was unlikely but what do I know?!). I asked if the mites could've come from hay, the vet said that was highly unlikely.

Anyway, the vet treated him, and I will be going back for a check up on the 23rd. His head tilt is significant, getting him food and water has been a challenge. It's all very touch and go and I'm wondering if he can at some point have a decent quality of life. He's lost weight but is increasing his food intake. He does not enjoy the hand feedings, he wants to get up and eat but his balance is awful. Has anyone else been through this?

If it’s just an infection or ear mites and not something like E. Cuniculi, there may be a chance your bunny can reduce or stop the head tilt from getting worse or even get rid of it all together. I’ve never had head tilt in rabbits personally but I have seen bunnies with it and they can still live with it and enjoy life just as much. I have had a rabbit who has had balancing issues where each time he hops, he seems to nearly fall over and it happens on occasion. Sometimes he’s totally fine and binkying around everywhere and sometimes he can hardly hop. But we’ve taken him a couple times to the vet and they say he’s all healthy. It could be that he is older, I mean he’s 8 years old now so that could be why.

A rabbit with head tilt will likely have some balance problems because that’s not the way their head naturally is held. Especially if the bunny is just starting to get head tilt it’s probably going to be unbalanced because it’s a new head position and trying to get used to that. I’m hoping for the best for you and your bun though! Wishing for your bunny to make a full recovery!

 

[vintage]

So the vet only treated your bunny's ears once? Did they run tests at all either? You can't say it's not something until it's been ruled out. I noticed you said ear infection/ear mites, but shouldn't the vet be sure which one? Ear infections can be very deadly if left untreated. My rabbit had one and I was seriously thinking he was going to die he was that bad, at least at first before treatment.

If it is an infection, or even ear mites, he should be getting daily treatments. For my rabbit, the vet gave us antibiotics to give to him to clear it up. I treated him for at least a week and he was a fairly touch-and-go like yours. It may have been longer, I can't remember since it was a few years ago.

Lion, my rabbit, didn't have terribly severe head tilt, but I'd say the best thing for yours is to keep him in an environment he knows and to remove or block off any areas where he could injure himself (like falling off of something). I just remembered now my vet also prescribed him some meds for his dizziness/head tilt, I think they were human ones actually for vertigo lol. Perhaps you could ask your vet if you can get something like that?

My rabbit Lion recovered just fine with no head tilt, although I know his balance is slightly off at times. I know from stories online that some rabbits never recover from headtilt, or only recover a little, but still lead very happy lives. You just have to accommodate for their condition is all.

One last thing: do you know of or have Critical Care? I use that to syringe-feed my rabbits whenever they are sick; it's extremely useful and great and I really think it's an important thing to have on-hand for rabbits. (and other animals too!)

The vet ruled out E. Cuniculi. What my vet told me ( I place a ton of faith in him because he's the only vet who specializes in bunnies in a 2 hour+ radius of me), is that the mites caused an ear infection which caused the head tilt. What I'm not so sure on is how the mites came to be an issue, like I said, the vet stated they could've been on him since adoption. It's plausible I suppose, but I do doubt it since he's been with use for so long and has never come into contact with any other rabbit. When I asked about hay being a factor, the vet quickly ruled that out, again I'm not so sure.

Post treatment Shino got worse before perking up. He's now on all fours, working through vertigo, eating and drinking well. We had to accommodate his current disability, but thankfully he's doing better. Yesterday was pretty awful, more touch than go I'd say. So I'm happy to see him up and living quite well today.

I have Critical Care, without it our bun would be in a much, much worse state than he is.