Hi Dozed,
EC is a very misunderstood issue. Nearly every rabbit in the US has been exposed to this protozoa...usually from it's mother at birth but it can be spread by contact with urine from an infected rabbit. The immune system normally keeps this little problem under control. Our rescue is dedicated to the memory of our first rescue, Sabrina. We knew she was a very sick little girl but at that time, there were very few vets that would even look at a rabbit much less know how to treat them. We now know that she suffered from EC and it is in her memory and honor that I have made it my mission to learn as much about rabbit health issues as possible...especially this nasty little protozoa.
EC can only be positively diagnosed post mortem (not a desired result) by looking for lesions in brain tissue. There is a blood titer that can check antibody levels in the blood. To get anywhere near a good report, several titers over a period of several weeks are required. And even then, there is still a lot of room for interpretation. Bascially the idea is to see if the antibody levels are rising or falling and if they are rising, the event is escalating or peaking and if the levels are falling then the event is maturing. Not a very accurate test but a valuable tool in the overall picture.
EC usually presents itself initially as a "lazy" leg....and every case we have had here has shown in the left rear leg. The rabbit would appear to stumble or even fall over some times. Next, as the spores of the protozoa shed thru the kidneys, the urine will become very concentrated and smelly. It might be diagnoses as a UTI. Then the immune system will mount a counter attack and things will improve. But EC is a wasting disease and will eventually win. Every rabbit we have lost here that was infected with EC was due primarily to renal system failure as the spores devastate the kidneys.
While EC can cause hind quarter paresis, it is not directly responsible for head tilt. The immune system in EC positive rabbits is so overwhelmed by the protozoa that it almost ignores the "tag alongs" which are opportunistic infections that usually affect the ears, urinary tract, eyes or respiratory system. I would take a very serious look at the ears due to the tilt. We have had numerous cases of tilt here....and some were EC bunnies....but in all but two cases, we traced the tilt directly back to an ear infection. The other two were obvious head trauma. We have a wonderful fellow named Sparky here. He was misdiagnosed with EC but his tilt was caused totally by a bacterial infection in his ear. He will always be tilted as the damage to the ear can't be repaired. We have another, Snow White, that was properly diagnosed but her owners didn't follow thru on the treatements. The infection devastated her ears and entered her brain. She suffered tremendous brain damage. We have controlled the infection but she is blind in her left eye, partial vision in her right and is deaf. She also "scans". While she will never regain her sight or hearing, she is getting healthier every day. She loves to be petted and seems to be very happy.
The standard treatments in place now for ECare the "bendazoles". Fenbendazole is the latest and greatest of these wormers. Their effectiveness is open to debate. The drug has a difficult time penetrating the blood/brain barrier. The "bendazoles" need to be administered every day for at least 28 days...we usually do 60. In my experience, the best treatment is one that supports the immune system and attacks these opportunistic infections. It will be the immune system that can suppress this attack and put EC in remission....and it can happen.
I see you are in NC. If you are anywhere near the Raleigh or Charlotte area....I might can get you some additional help (I am in Rocky Mount). There is a drug being used to fight a similar infection in horses. That condition is Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). On paper, the organism that causes EPM in horses and the one that causes EC in rabbits are very closely related. The drug is Ponazuril and is marketed by Bayer as Marquis. It seems to show tremendous effectiveness in anti-coccidial treatments. It is quite expensive but seems to be much more effective than the other treatments. I have been wanting to treat EC with this drug for quite a while....and I know some of my vets (they are teaching vets so they are highly qualified) are interested too.
If this is EC....learn how to do sub-q fluids. EC damages the kidneys and being able to support the renal system is essential in maintaining quality of life. If you look in our blog, read Yoda's story. He fought EC for a very long time. We learned a lot and developed new protocols to allow him to have a good quality of life. He fought a brave battle for a long time.
Healing vibes to Shayze.
Randy
