circling, rapid eye movement, tilted head

[Bunnylova4eva]

Ok, thanks! In case it ever happens that we have another head tilt bunny (it better not happen though!) I want to know what others have used with success as our treatment plan didn't do it (she may just have been too sick though).

 

[MiniLopHop]

ok, so I gave Becky 8 full weeks of panacur. She is still dizzy when I pick her up. There's no tilting or circling as long as I don't hold her.

The problem is that not picking her up makes her so upset. I can lay in her house and pet her for hours, she will purr and kiss. But come dinner time she hops over to the dish, thumps and turns her back on me. As soon as I leave the room she dives in. If I snuggle her then she gets dizzy but she won't give me the bunny butt at dinner! She looks horrible when she's dizzy, going in circles with her head tilted and eyes twitching. What is a doting mommy to do?!?

Is it worth giving ivomec, two doses 7 days apart?

Should I dose my other rabbits as a preventative?

A web site suggested they be given the ivomec every 3 months to prevent issues. Good or over medicating?

 

[gmas rabbit]

so is she running around getting dizzy trying to get you to pick her up or only when you do. Maybe in her mind the snuggles are just worth the discomfort?? As for the meds, if it isn't going to cause a reaction, it may be worth it.

 

[gmas rabbit]

Some of the breeder that use this and research it say it stays in the system longer, 80% sucess rate and very little side effects. I almost would use it in that case and see what happens. If there is little or no change you will probably have to attibute her dizziness to inner ear damage, but will know that the parasites themselves are gone. As for the others, if Becky can tolerate it, why not them, after all they are heavier and healthier. It is weird that the bigger breeds seem to have more tolerance to this disease, males over does.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Praying for little Becky

Yeah, I was just thinking that maybe it has to do with perminent inner ear nerve damage? Hopefully something more treatable, but just a thought.

 

[MiniLopHop]

Well, another hop backwards this morning. I am giving the ivomec once a week and she has had 2 doses. When I went to give her breakfast her head was tilted sideways again. She did eat oats, but not the pellets. I think it is time to have another discussion with the vet.

Do people here think she is suffering? I am totally not objective here because she is my heart bunny. I sit and pet her every night. She will curl up on my feet as I stroke her and she purrs. Other than that she's not moving around her space overly much, but she was always a couch potato. I just want to make sure I am still fighting for her and not just for me. How do you know when they are suffering and it's time to draw that horrible line?
:cry2

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Oh, Brandy, I am so sorry to hear about Becky's getting worse! I was just going to post and ask how things were going.

I really think you'll know yourself when its time to let them go. With Jelly, my heart bunny and headtilt bunny, one night (I had to stay up with her every night as she rolled so badly and so much) I noticed she was just not doing well. She was gettign no better and deep down, I knew I was hanging on too tightly, when she was miserable. I asked my family's oppinion and they thought she didn't seem to be fighting the same any more. Listless. She would still take criticare from me and that but I knew she was miserable.

I'm praying for you and Becki; I know how tough it is, especially after they've been battling it for so long.

*hugs* :feelbetter:

 

[MiniLopHop]

Thank you Mia for all your support through this :hug:

She isn't rolling or needing to be forcefed, so I think we should keep fighting.

It just occured to me when talking with Alma- I wonder if she gets weather related inflammation the same way I do? I was home sick yesterday and still feel like crap today. I'm going to add medacam and see if it helps her feel better.

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Brandy--just saw this thread. I'm so sorry you're going through this with your beautiful Becky. It must be heartbreaking. I don't know anything about this so I have no suggestions but I wanted to send love and prayers and say you're doing a wonderful job caring for her.


:brownbunnyink iris::brownbunny
ray:ray:ray:ray:

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

How's the little bun doing?

 

[MiniLopHop]

She totally confuses me! Over the weekend she went with the rest of the fmaily to Petsmart for their first meeting. I gave her dramamine an hour before to help with the dizzyness. The car trip still threw her for a loop. She sat there with a twisted neck swaying her head back and fourth. At least Houdini came over and gave her a little nose bonk hi.

Last night I was laying in her house giving her scratches. She blisses out purring with her eyes closed. Gary comes up and demands attention as well. I get in 3 pats when Becky opens her eyes and tilts her head, with the one eye stare- Just what do you think you are doing? LOL Apparently thoes were HER pats!

So I am leaning towards her being happy still, just ears damaged so she can't be moved comfortably. I am giving her metacam at night because she gets much better mobility with it.

We just play it day by day. I'm sure she will let me know if she has had enough. As long as she's guarding the attention and eating well then we will keep going.

 

[gmas rabbit]

she sounds pretty content, I tend to agree with you.

 

[cerigirl]

Oh my goodness Brandy! I just read this and I just wanted to cry. I have never had a head tilt bunny and I hope that I never do. You are being such a wonderful bunny mom.

 

[MiniLopHop]

It is really emotional, and I would never wish it on anyone, but it really isn't that bad most days. I think it has made me a better bunny mom because I have to read her very carefully. The other bun kids will jump up in the chair if they want attention, or in Gary's case jump on my head when I'm laying on the floor. I have to go to Becky, but she gets so happy with getting attention it is worth the effort. I cheer and my heart over flows with joy if she makes it out of her room during play time. She can't binky, but she does the cutest little head toss to tell me she's still just as happy. It makes me really appreciate differently abled pets.

SShhhh, don't tell the others, but Becky is still my favorite. :love:

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

MiniLopHop wrote:

It is really emotional, and I would never wish it on anyone, but it really isn't that bad most days. I think it has made me a better bunny mom because I have to read her very carefully. The other bun kids will jump up in the chair if they want attention, or in Gary's case jump on my head when I'm laying on the floor. I have to go to Becky, but she gets so happy with getting attention it is worth the effort. I cheer and my heart over flows with joy if she makes it out of her room during play time. She can't binky, but she does the cutest little head toss to tell me she's still just as happy. It makes me really appreciate differently abled pets.

SShhhh, don't tell the others, but Becky is still my favorite. :love:

This is how I felt with my head tilt bunny. Totally. It is a terrible illness but to me, being the one to be able to care for them all the way through it is amazing in and of itself-they rely on you and get such a deeper trust for you through it. If Becky's still fighting and it isn't a constantly dizzy/head tilt thing every moment of every day, then of course, I'd agree! GO BECKI! Keep fighting arty0002:

 

[HEM]

You guys are both fighters and we're happy that you are still fighting. We are also hoping that one day soon when you get up you will find Becky back at 100 percent.
Keep fighting and we are thinking of you and Becky
Our Dilly sends her wishes to Becky too!!

 

[MiniLopHop]

Last night I had a WTF moment with Becky. I was laying on the floor petting her for her evening attention session. She was all happy with half closed eyes and purring, her head upright. The tendons in her neck were really tight, so I thought a massage would be a good idea. When I was a vet tech years ago I also had a pet massage therapy business, so I am trained. I also have the massage for rabbits book so I learned bunny specific anatomy and how to extrapolate from dogs and cats to rabbits.

Anyway, I massaged her neck and shoulders for less than a minute when she started in with the eyes twitching, twisted head, and going in circles! WTF?!? This should help her relax and feel better, not worse! How did I trigger this? I am so confused.

I have given her full body massages before with no adverse effects, she seemed to really like it. Since she has been sick I massage her ears daily, but this is the first time I went to her neck and shoulders. I posted on FB to see if anyone had a clue what is going on, but anyone here who has ideas I would appreciate it.

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

Just a wild guess...is it possible that she is holding off the episodes by keeping certain muscles tense and when you relax her with massage it releases and precipitates an episode?

I really believe in massage...I would have said WTF, too:?

Sending love and prayers to you and your beloved Becky! I really believe she's going to rally and recover!

 

[MiniLopHop]

Katherine, that is a good guess. The right side was tigher, which would be the area pulling her head up against the tilt. So would the massage give her a chance to relax and help, or would it be a stressor?

All of my kids get regular massages. The cats will stick out their feet with toes spread to get me to massage between the pads of their feet.

Thanks, it has been such a leap of faith.

 

[katherine at sacred stories]

More wild guessing...would it be possible to support that side for her with one hand while you massage the muscles with the other? Hold her head in place on the right side while you massage? I don't know enough about the condition, so I don't know if having the episode in itself does damagage.

I do know that she's lucky to have you loving her and touching her and not giving up