Hey everyone, I’ve been navigating this site since 2013 but never made an account, I’ve recently just made one because one of my rabbits has come down with head tilt.
Jubilee is around 6-7 years old (she’s a rescue so we don’t know the exact age). We believe she’s a mix between a New Zealand White, and a Rex. This all started last Saturday, we immediately took her into our rabbit savvy vet the moment I noticed her head tilting just slightly to the left. We all seem to think it’s an inner ear infection, due to her never being outdoors, and her bonded mate Hershey has absolutely no symptoms. Her nystagmus is 100% horizontal as well, pointing to an ear infection. She loves to dig, especially in her litter box, and we think she may have been digging and a small piece of hay got into her ear, causing this inner ear infection. Although, that’s what the consensus is, we are still treating her with Fenbendazole just in case. She has been on Baytril (for the infection), Meloxicam (for inflammation and pain),and Fenbendazole since Saturday, and just yesterday our vet prescribed her some Chloramphenicol for the infection as well. We’re waiting on our vet to prescribe us some medication for her dizzyness, as in the beginning this wasn’t an issue with her. She HATES taking anything from a syringe and constantly fights us, we end up tucking her into a bunny burrito, and hope that she forgives us afterwards. But not by any means is she weak, and that’s the good part.
There has been a very slight improvement as she is now eating much more on her own. She prefers wet romaine lettuce, and parsley. Still will not eat her pellets. From Saturday till now, she would barely eat, we’ve had to syringe feed her Critical Care since then, however she drinks regularly, we just have to tilt her water bowl over so her mouth can reach. She’s always been grooming herself (and Hershey), she even still digs at her blanket, but for a very short time. She seems to have enough energy to do so, until she begins to walk, she then rolls. Her rolling has started yesterday and is the most distressing part of this whole ordeal. We’ve had to sleep on the couch near her pen in order to hear her throughout the night in case she rolls. Her tilt has gotten a tad worse since Monday, but since then it has stayed the same.
I’d like some advice from others who’ve experienced head tilt. Advice, reassurance, and encouragement is always welcome- especially with her rolling episodes!
Thanks,
Adrianna