Head tilt and more

[bunbun691]

I've been lurking here and at other bun forums for a few days while dealing with a 5 year old sick bunny. I am posting here because this seems to be populated with the most knowledgable bun people. Trying to be brief, while still providing enough info, here's my situation. I took bun to the vet last Monday after noticing signs of head tilt the night before. She was prescribed Baytril, which after only 2 doses began to improve the tilting. By Thursday , she lost her appetite and just wasnt her usual naughty self. On Saturday I skipped a dose of baytril hoping it would improve her eating, and she began to tilt again. She also develope snuffles. I discovered, thanks to you all, that she might accept food by hand. Thus began the hand feeding, bits of veg, but also pellets soaked in water.I'm also sneaking the meds into her this way.The tilt disappeared within afew hours.She hasnt had a poo in about 48 hours or a pee in about 20 hours. I called the vet yesterday and was told the most important thing was to keep giving her the baytril.Last night she ate on her own for the first time since this started.This morning, after a great night she is tilting again but to the opposite side. I got her first dose of baytril in her but I'm worried she is backsliding,or perhaps the tilt is caused by something more serious than an infection. The issue here is that the vet she saw last week is off for a while and the one in her place isnt very savvy about rabbits. Does anyone have any experience with something like this?

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Yes, Yes Yes. i have lots of experience with a head tilt bunny.

First off I'll keep BunBun in my prayers-head tilt is a very difficult thing.

Secondly, I have to agree with the vet-the Baytril is VERY important to get into her. Especially if you saw her get worse when she went off it. Its very important not to stop meds in the middle. Everytime one of my buns has been on it, they go into stasis though like your bunny (stasis is like the not pooping etc. and excess gas) YOu can try baby gas-x for the tummy issues. My bunny's vet always said that they do tend to go off their feed with the Baytril and she was 100% right. Maybe get some oxbow critical care and syringe it into Bunny. Keep her drinking lots of water, maybe syringe some in. When my bunny wasn't pooping, I feed LOTS of green leefy's, wet, and that did the trick almost instantly along with the Critical Care. Also, maybe ask about injectable Baytril? they did that for mine because it was upsetting Jelly's tummy wayy too much. Also, the head tilt it soundsl ike is caused by and ear infection? I'd be sure to keep a very very VERY close eye on it. If it gets worse, BunBun could soon start uncontrollable rolling/vertigo, which is hard to deal with. Sometimes Baytril isn't a strong enough med. (at least it didn't solve it for my bunny)

 

[bunbun691]

Thanks very much for your reply. Ibought her some Romaine lettuce and baby food yesterday, butshe ate her regular pellets on her own.Today she has been hiding but I'm going to try to convince her to eat something again. If there is no improvement by tomorrow, she will go back to the vet. It's so upsetting because last night she really seemed like her normal self.

 

[Maureen Las]

My response to this is that baytril is just not going to be enough for this type of infecton and that she most likely needs a stronger drug or a combination of drugs and needs them for a lengthy period of time

Most bacteria in rabbits have developed a resistance to baytril due to over use.

My personal experience with this drug is that it will clear up an infection temporarily but that if the infection is more than very minor it often recurrs .

Many vets ( even many exotic vets) are fearful of using anything stronger on rabbits because of a rabbits delicate GI tract but many cutting edge exotic vets have found that drugs like oral azithromycin / Zithromax), injectable penicllin ( bicillin) , injectable Convenia, a drug called Zeniqen ( enrofloxicin family ), and even an older drug called chloramphenical are far more effective in actually eliminating the infection rather than allowing bacteria to linger in a low level "simmering" infection.

If your vet cannot prescribe anything other than baytrilI would look around for someone who can


http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets_maine.html

Sorry I cannot find a long list for your state !!!!

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

:yeahthat:
Baytril hasn't solved anything i've given it to my buns for. Jelly was on it for a lengthy time with head tilt and it didn't do didly squat. (sorry about my terminalogy didly squat! lol) Then Charlie was on it with Pastuerella and it didn't do didly squat once again. Once she got the injectible penicillin, that really seemed to help, but she didn't get a second dose soon enough and got resistent to that. =P
Anyway long story short, for head tilt I'd agree you'll probably need something stronger!

 

[tonyshuman]

Definitely get some probiotics as well. These are good bacteria that act like yogurt does for when we humans take antibacterials. Yogurt itself isn't good for bunnies due to the lactose, but they make probiotics just for rabbits. Many big pet stores sell Bene-Bac, either in a small mammal powder form or a dog/cat gel form. They are both the same product and will both work well. Another option if you're in a more agricultural area is a probiotic called ProBios. They make it in many forms, for animals from horses to cats to rabbits to sheep. The easiest I have found to administer is the horse product because it is a gel. The rabbit product is a powder and that doesn't work well with my guys. Some bunnies will eat it when it's sprinkled on wet veggies; most of my guys will not eat veggies with this stuff on them. Most of the forms you will find at the farm supply store will be the same but I would stick with either the horse gel or the small animal powder, depending on how you think your bunny will eat it. My guys like the gel forms of both ProBios and BeneBac and think they are a treat.

Secondly, I would look into a different antibiotic, in particular an injectible. It is not that hard to give sub-q injections and your vet can show you how. Penicillin G procaine/benzathine (aka bicillin) is a great product for ear infections. Since it seems to be hard to get her oral meds, the injectible might be a good one. Another good way could be the Convenia, which is every 5 days injected.

A final thing would be meclizine. It's for seasickness, and it would help her feel a lot better.