Baby Bunny sick after trip to the vet. Halp.

[Minty]

Bunny (4.5 months, female) saw vet yesterday for scratching ears and flicking head. Particularly right. For the last 3 months has been on selamectin (Revolution) for ear mites (diagnosed via microscope and ear scope). She seemed so healthy and a poo machine.

Vet swabbed ears. A lot of wax in right ear. In right ear some black worm like thing wriggling. Tried to get it out but bunny couldn’t handle. He said she needed to be sedated and then the procedure needed to be done. Bunny was there for a total of 5.5 hours as vet had another surgery. Things had gone well – however he didn’t see the worm and cleaned out her ears. Said they were red – ear infection..

Vet said antibiotics (Baytril 0.6ml x 2 per day for 14 days) and administered one dose.

Took bunny home. Nothing out of the ordinary except she didn’t go into her hutch but ran straight into her bedroom and was under the bed. A bit later I noticed her left eye was closed (very odd) and there was clear liquid around it on her fur. Called vet – they said saline wipe – if not ok by morning – come next morning. We closed light in her hutch area and she went in. Seems like light sensitive. She would occasionally open her left eye. Did saline wipe. Ate a bit of carrots (4 thin slices) and kale. Hay always there …

Next morning – not ok. NO POO! Pee was there though. Left eye still closed. Bunny has great digestion normally. She had her left eye open at the vet’s though. She seemed to have eaten a bit of her pellets. Went to vet – he said maybe because of pain. Gave her pain injection. I requested xray. No gi stasis. Vet decided not to give antibiotic dose -maybe later. Vet said infection in outer ear.

Partner stroked and hand fed her – kale, hay, she ate. Finally she did a bit of a poo. Seemed normal mostly – round balls but some liquid too. Not drinking water …

Now bunny’s left eye is closed again. Finally she ate hay a bit by herself. She seems less active. And keeps shaking her head – almost as if there’s water in her ears. Often cleans her left ear. I think even a drop of water got on me. What to do?

Vet is not a rabbit specialist. Very worried.

[Rain]

I’ve never experienced or read of something like this as I’m a new owner, but I definitely recommend getting her to a new vet, one who is rabbit savvy. You can type in rabbit vet finder, and the site will show you some rabbit vets that could be in your area. It’s not really updated (atleast not for my area) but you could still possibly find someone there. It’s good that she is eating and pooping again. I’m a little confused. Is the veternarian able to treat rabbits, but not speacialized in it, or are they just not giving the right treatment? I’m pretty certain Revolution is the correct medication for mites. Actually, everything done so far has been correct. I think she has mites, ear infection, and an eye problem. When did you get the bunny, and where from?
I don’t know if sedating is very safe for young rabbits. I think the stress of so many new medications and frequent vet trips may be upsetting the buns stomache, causing her to have a bit of issues. Young rabbits often have that problem if moved to a new environment or stressed.
If there is liquidyness in the ear, then it seems it is an outer ear infection. Did she give something for the ears? Because it seems the ear infection and parasite is the main issue right now.

[Minty]

UPDATE

Baby bunny Minty is now seeming to have interest in food by herself. Her left eye seems opened up too.

She keeps shaking her head though – like a dog does to remove water.

It seems that the sedation is wearing off actually … or she’s just calming down. 

I think she still has water in her ears. If anyone has any tips on this – please let me know.

Rain – thanks for the response but all vets would know about ear mites. He didn’t find any. There was just the “worm”. We had to take her to the vet this morning because she had not poo-d for 12 hours over night. 

[Minty]

UPDATE

Bunny did second poo and is more active. She seems to be mending … i think it’s all good. Sigh .

[Sirius&Luna]

All vets might know about ear mites, but it’s still very important to find a rabbit savvy vet. Rabbits require different treatment to other animals, and it sounds like he might have even put water into her ears, which any rabbit vet would know is not safe. I wouldn’t want to have my rabbit sedated by a non-rabbit savvy vet. I agree with Rain, I would get a second opinion, especially on this ‘worm’.

[Rain]

Oh dear, this water thing sounds strange. You don’t bathe her right? And they didn’t either? That’s the danger a lot of times when people bathe their rabbits. It would be a safer option to just look for another vet that’s nearby. You might have to even go far from your area if there is no body else, because you need a rabbit vet available at all times.

[Minty]

Rain – I didn’t read your post properly the first time. Again, thank you for your response. I will find a more rabbit savvy vet. I am in Sydney, Australia so the lists don’t seem to cover that.

The eye problem only came up after the visit to the vet – maybe 30 mins after we got home.

The vet said he cleaned her ears. I’m not sure, but I think he said he flushed them …

I would like to get another opinion due to the water in her ears. I don’t want to take her to the vet again – she needs to calm down and be her normal self. However I cannot even talk to a vet, they always tell me that I need to come in. 

She seems better now in any case and perhaps has gotten the water out of her ears by herself.

[Rain]

Oh no, then that’s probably the cause. That’s the main reason you never put water near a rabbits ears. Hmm it’s good that you are looking for another vet. I’m sorry the vet finder won’t work for you. I’ll try to see if I can find any vets in Sydney. I’m glad I can be of assistance!

[Sirius&Luna]

There’s a few Australian BBers, so might be worth making a new post asking for vet recommends in Sydney – one might have similar list to the HRS one at least.

Flushing ears out might be the normal treatment for ear mites, I’m not 100% sure, but water should definitely not remain after as that can cause infections.

I’m glad she’s feeling better though!

[Bam]

I’ll alert forum leaders Jerseygirl and Azerane to this thread. They’re Australian (not in Sydney) but maybe they still know something.

[jerseygirl]

This is a list of some vets considered rabbit-savvy: http://www.rabbitrunaway.org.au/bunny-savvy-vets

I’m wondering if it was a millipede that the vet saw?

[Minty]

Thank you all for the support – it’s very kind!  And thanks for the link. She still seems to have fluid in her ears as of last night. A millipede! Maybe it crawled out …

The vet prescribed antibiotics (Baytril 0.6ml x2 per day for 2 weeks). I really don’t want her to be on antibiotics because she is so small (5 months) unless absolutely necessary but I have started it to be on the safe side. She is a mini lop (I think that’s like a holland lop in USA).

The cleaning of her ears and antibiotics was for an outer ear infection and “black worm like thing wriggling”.

I found a vet at a vet hospital who owns rabbits herself near to me (7 min drive) – Dr Jenni Taylor.

There is a rabbit specialist vet hospital (SERV) but that is a 40 min drive away:

https://www.exoticsvet.com.au/about-us/ 

What I’m going to do is call the vet near me and ask who they refer to if they have a serious rabbit case. If they say SERV then I will go straight to SERV .

[LBJ10]

Just going off my personal experience, but it sounds like swelling and irritation within the ear canal. This can happen when the ear is cleaned. Sometimes an ear is so bad that any kind of deep cleaning will cause the whole area to become aggravated. This can explain the tearing in her eye. That ear probably became more aggravated than the other, since it sounds like both ears were cleaned. Swelling in the ear can cause symptoms in the eye because they are connected. The head shaking could be due to aggravation of the ear canal as well.

To prevent swelling after Wooly has his bad ear cleaned, my vet will give him a “squirt” of Otomax afterward. Now Otomax does contain a steroid. This greatly reduces the swelling. However, you do have to be cautious with using steroids with rabbits. It seems “external” use isn’t as bad as “internal” use, but I still remain cautious. That being said, it has made a HUGE difference for Wooly. If your bunny doesn’t have her ears cleaned regularly though, then it probably isn’t anything you would need to pursue anyway.

[Minty]

 Thanks! I think you’re right about the eye. With your ear cleaning is there ever what seems like fluid left afterwards? If yes, how long does it take to clear out?

Yesterday when she was lying on her left side … I could swear I felt a bit of wetness on her left ear when I was petting her – just to see if anything was coming out. But still it could be my imagination. It really seemed like water.

I’m considering holding Minty upside down to get fluid out … only problem is I don’t know how to hold her – she doesn’t sit still, even to do the bunny burrito. I am thinking to hold her today, no matter what as the vet nurses seem to do it, even if she gets upset with me.

I wish I could sedate her sometimes to do things like this.

I wish vet had given her an external antibiotic instead of an internal one.

[LBJ10]

His ear is wet from the Otomax, I suppose. That is oil-based though, so it’s really just “greasy” looking. If I use earwash at home, there will be liquid in his ear. But he will shake his head to get it out and the dampness is gone by the end of the day.

I wouldn’t suggest holding her upside down. That will only stress her and, if there is any liquid in there, it probably wouldn’t come out that way. Plus you wouldn’t want her to struggle and hurt herself.

As for the antibiotic, an oral one is often the first choice for ear infections.

[Minty]

Thank you very much for your informative post! Yes … definitely don’t want to stress her …

[Author]

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