Head Tilt: Causes and Treatment

[Carolyn]

Since Wry Neck or "The Head Tilt" is a huge fear of mine, I thought I'd bring it out into the open and see what you folks have to say.

I hope Gabby will contribute to this thread, as she has a rabbit with Wry Neck and has nursed Brice from a 6:00 tilt to a 2:00 tilt.

The more we learn now, perhaps the better we can battle it.

I came upon this summary in my readings and I really liked it. It's a short list of some of the causes of the head tilt. I'll start us off with that.



-Carolyn


* * * * * * *

Some of the possible causes of head tilt (known as wry neck) are:

1) Middle/Inner ear infection.

2) Stroke

3) Trauma. Such as a blow to the face, neck or head can cause an injury to the brain which can cause the rabbit to have a head tilt. Trauma even could result from a panic reaction. Depending upon the severity of the trauma, an anti-inflammatory might be helpful to speed recovery.

4) Cancer

5) Cervical muscle contraction. A 'muscle spasm' may cause a temporary head tilt.The situation will resolve itself once the muscle is relaxed.

6) E. cuniculi. A parasite. Signs preceding a head tild caused by E.cuniculi are tripping, dragging feet, tipping over. The symptoms may appear and then vanish for weeks or months prior to the head tilt.

7) Cerebral larva migrans. Round worms that live in the intestines of raccoons and skunks. A rabbit may acquire eggs from these works by eating grasses, food, or bedding contaminated by feces. There's no known cure for this.

8) Intoxication. This could be caused by ingestion of lead found in paints, imported pottery, or ingestion of a toxic plant such as the whoolly pod milkweed.

 

[Gabby]

Pasturella... that dreaded thing... ruptured ear drum, fluid on the inner ear.



good collection, of causes as well as possible treatments. and one mustremember to find the cause to be able to treat it correctly.

 

[Carolyn]

Greetings Gabby,

Is one cause more treatable than another?

Does a rabbit have more of a chance with an inner ear infection as opposed to another on the list?

-Carolyn

 

[Gabby]

Carolyn wrote:

Greetings Gabby,

Is one cause more treatable than another?

Does a rabbit have more of a chance with an inner ear infection as opposed to another on the list?

-Carolyn

certainly, and it also depends on how early you catch it, ones with aless severe tilt, tend to be "more cureable" than ones with a moresevere tilt.

Buns with a trauma to the next tend to retain the full tilt, they just learn to adapt to it.

some are very tempory, like a pulled muccle that resolves itself, whileothers like an inner ear infection take a while to treat.

Some can be and often are fatal.

Buns can come back from a stroke, lots of physical pherapyhelps, a great thing if a bun will tollerate it isaccupuncture. massages, and i have heard warm baths, where you "floatthe bun in water", keeping the head afloat with your hands, recomendedto be done by 2 people incase bun panics.

polyps in the ear can be another reason, they would require surgery.

Sometimes parasite take a heavy hitting with drugs to get riddof them.

Oh leisions on the brain, and other nerlogical problems could cause it.

 

[Gabby]

One thing a person shoud remember, treat as soonas possible, the soner you start treatment, the better the chances yourbun will makeit.

if you notice something that just isn't right with the way tey holdtheir head or they show the slightest abnormal unballence(not talkingabout the clutz buns out there) to keep a hawks eyes on the bun, and tonot walk but run to the nearest place that can help you.

ears swabs if possible, radiographs, blood drawn, and anything thatmight help ddecide the determining factor of the cause is well worthit, because if you treat for the wrong thing you are just wastingvalueable time... almost all buns with head tilt loose an interist ineating, do not let this fool you into thinking they have given up, helpthem get by and you hopefully will be rewarded with a bun who pullsthrough in the end. And also do not torment yourelfif they do not pull through, because there is a large numberof faltalities in head tilt, much is still not understoodabout it.

 

[pamnock]

Depending on the cause and treatment, I've had some completely recover -- and others not

Pasteurella appears to cause the most advanced symptoms, and the mostdifficult to treat. This may lead to secondary infections andthe immune system weakens and may be the cause of E. cuniculipopulation explosions sometimes associated with head tilt.

Excessive use of antibiotics can also lead to "super germs" that are resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Pam

 

[Dwarf_Angel04]

I've only had one rabbit come down with wry neck.She was fine one day.. and the next day she was at 8:00... rollingaround and couldn't stand up at all! I decided she was too far gone andfor being 3 yrs old and a retired brood doe it was just best to put herdown. It was a hard decision but on that had to be done for her health.:?That rabbit had me crying cause I felt so bad for her. I'mnormally very strong when it comes to putting animals down because Iknow whats best for them and their health. Wry Neck is awfulto watch a rabbit go through. :X

 

[LuvaBun]

Carolyn, thanks for starting this topic. I tooworry about head tilt, and as there are so many causes, I think to beforwarned is a good thing - Jan

 

[Carolyn]

Thank you so much for your help in teaching us, Gabby and Pam.

I've already learned some valuable information from what you've shared in this thread.

Jan, I too, don't like to think about it, but it's best to bring it outinto the open than run from it. At least when we hear thingssuch as Gabby said - to run to the doctor, not walk - it's key becausenow I will do just that and not question myself.

-Carolyn

 

[bluebird]

I have been told there is a drug that stops theparasites from migrating to the brain stopping one cause of wryneck,Ivomec given every three months.bluebird

 

[pamnock]

I've found Ivomec to be very effective in some cases.

Pam

 

[Stephanie]

What are the different degrees and what exactlydo they mean? In the various posts I've seen mention of 2:00, 6:00 and8:00. I assume the higher the number the worse the case is. Is it sortof like the face of a clock in compared to the tilt? Only thing I canthink of, not knowing what the numbers stand for.

 

[Carolyn]

Stephanie wrote:

What are the different degrees and what exactly do theymean? In the various posts I've seen mention of 2:00, 6:00 and 8:00. Iassume the higher the number the worse the case is. Is it sort of likethe face of a clock in compared to the tilt? Only thing I can think of,not knowing what the numbers stand for.

Yes, the tilt of the head is the way it would be read on a clock.

I've also heard that Ivermectin works in some cases -largedoses of it and assuming you're treating the correct cause of the tilt.

-Carolyn

 

[Carolyn]

Example: This is a picture of Brice with a 2:00 head tilt.

For more information about Brice and his and Gabby's miraculous battleto this horrible disease, refer to:http://hometown.aol.com/savagerabbit/Brice.html

-Carolyn

 

[Gabby]

Carolyn wrote:

Example: This is a picture of Brice with a 2:00 head tilt.

For more information about Brice and his and Gabby's miraculous battleto this horrible disease, refer to:http://hometown.aol.com/savagerabbit/Brice.html

-Carolyn

AWW there's my wittle mon

 

[Gabby]

pamnock wrote:

Depending on the cause and treatment, I've had somecompletely recover -- and others not

Pasteurella appears to cause the most advanced symptoms, and the mostdifficult to treat. This may lead to secondary infections andthe immune system weakens and may be the cause of E. cuniculipopulation explosions sometimes associated with head tilt.

Excessive use of antibiotics can also lead to "super germs" that are resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Pam

tHat is one reason why it's important to know what is causingthe head tilt, so the right drug is used, and not abused.Also, that people remember to use the drug as long as theyare instructed to do so, because stopping when the symptoms dissapearcan cause them to come right back with a vengence.

 

[gjsara]

i reamember reading his story it made me cry!!!! hes tooo cute!!

sara

 

[LuvaBun]

He's my hero is Brice - Jan

 

[Stucilme]

I'm sorry to hear that. My mini lop,Bubba, has a recurrent tilt. He is on his fourth goaround. He usually recovers in about a week or two.He loses no interest in food and eats well. The earlier hegets on antibiotics the lesser his symptoms. If treated inthe first day, he doesn't have any falling over or circlingincidents. He just started penicillin last night, I havegotten pretty good at giving injections. I am scheduling himfor an MRI at the University of Illinois. He has already beenthrough testing for Ensephelazoia (?sp) a brain parasite that most bunstest pos. for even if not in their system. Thankfully notBubba though. His vet has referred him to the U of I eventhough we drive an hour and half to take him to a great vet, they justcan't do a bunny MRI. Wish us luck. Looks like my$20 impulse bunny is going to be a little more expensive than I told myboyfriend he would be. He's only 2 and has had a broken legtoo. Pray for Bubba. Thanks all. I'llgive you any info. to help you out.:?

 

[Carolyn]

Welcome to the forum, Stucilme,

I shall definitely include Bubba in myprayers.

I truly hope he gets better. The little one sure has been through a lot of trial and tribulations.

-Carolyn