Head tilt or a stroke?

[WildThumper2010]

So I wanna preface this my saying I’m taking my little guy into a bunny vet later this afternoon...but I’d like to get some perspective from other rabbit owners.
I have an 8 year old dwarf mix, and just the last day or so I’ve noticed is head is kind of tilting to one side and it looks like the one side of his cheek is drooping...as much as I hate to say it, it looks like what happens to someone’s face when they’ve had a stroke. But I also know that head tilt is fairly common in rabbits.
I’ve been able to touch his face and there doesn’t feel like there’s a tumor or anything but could be something going on inside...
I guess I’d just like to hear that if it is a stroke or head tilt, there’s a still a good chance he’ll be able to live a happy healthy few more years or so. I know the odds would be better if it’s head tilt, but if he had some kind of stroke...I really don’t know what the next step would be

 

[WildThumper2010]

I also wanna say that whatever has happened/is happening, it’s affecting the way he walks as well. Idk if that’s common with head tilt? Or if that means something else.

 

[Blue eyes]

Do you have a photo showing his tilt? How is he having trouble walking?

 

[WildThumper2010]

I don’t have a photo...but his walking...He is able to do it, his step is just heavy. I thought he was thumping at me at first.

 

[JBun]

I would only say a stroke if the whole side of the body has decreased fuction and not just drooping in the face. Decreased function would usually be significant difficulty using the legs on the affected side. If it is decreased function you're seeing, stroke can have a variety of causes.
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Stroke_lagomorphs.htm

If it doesn't look like decreased function but more loss of balance, along with drooping in the face and the head tilt, it's most likely going to be head tilt caused by an inner ear infection. Vestibular disease can cause balance problems that might be what you're seeing. It can also affect the facial nerve resulting in facial drooping.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Otit/otitis.htm

 

[WildThumper2010]

Thanks for the replies! Doctor said there’s some kind of mass under his chin and jawline, near his lymph nodes. Sent me home with antibiotics in the hopes it’s just an infection.
But also noted that she wouldn’t be able to remove it because of the location, and that his heart had “dropped beats”...which I’m assuming isn’t good because she threw around words like heart disease. Because of that they wouldn’t be able to put him under anesthesia...so let’s hope the antibiotics work

 

[Happy Hollands]

Can't be positive without photos, but I went through a similar situation recently with one of my rabbits. She is near and dear to my heart because I've had her for many years. It seemed like it happened overnight too, I see your reply about what the vet to say so this is more for future reference and other bunny owners!
After extensive research, talking to my fellow rabbit owners, and a few phone calls to the vet, I narrowed out some causes and decided that it had to be E.C. or something deep in her ear. I immediately ordered Panucur Rabbit warming paste online and fed her the direct to the mount as well as olive oil in her ear - each treatment for each different possible cause. I am 90% sure could cause was E.C., So for future rabbit scenarios this is what I would recommend if you do not have a vet accessible! Her head tilt is basically gone and she is thriving! Just takes time and patience.

 

[Morgan Mayon]

Possible causes of head tilt (also known as torticollis or wry neck) are:

Middle/inner ear infection (otitis media /interna)
Stroke (cerebrovascular accidents)
Trauma
Cancer (neoplasia)
Cervical muscle contraction
Encephalitozoonosis
Cerebral larva migrans
Intoxication
A diagnosis as to the cause of the problem is frequently made after elimination of other possibilities. Lets examine these one at a time, starting with the one thought to be most common.
Treatment needs to be aggressive and prolonged. If exudate (pus) is found deep in the ear canal, a culture and sensitivity should be done in order to determine the bacterial agent and which antibiotics will be most effective in eliminating the infection. However, if it is impossible to access the bacteria in order to do the culture, many veterinarians will opt to treat with one of the antibiotics usually successful in curing an inner ear infection, such as enrofloxacin, chloramphenicol or penicillin G procaine with benzathaine. If no improvement is noticed after 4 weeks, a change in antibiotic is recommended.