Head tilts and squealing

[Raz-thumper]

Hi
I wonder if someone can shed some light? I'm a new mommy to a5 week old dwarf bunny that we hit yesterday at our local pet shop.

Today I've noticed that she had been squealing a lot when she's in relaxed mode. The first instance she was lying in her box and started to squeal high pitched. My heart stopped! Only to get to her and see that she is fine. Picked her up, cuddled and put her back in her cage. Now I'm on high alert because I've never experienced this. A couple of hours pass and I notice that whilst she's in a relaxed state lying in her box she tilts her head back and when she looked straight ahead she began to squeal again. I rushed to her assistance, spoke to gently and stroked her. She seemed calm. Tune has passed, she's been eating, drinking, doing bunny binky jumps. Again, whilst in relaxed mode she tilts her head back, brings it forward and squeals.

I hope someone has experienced this and can help. I'm so worried! Even though I've had her for a short while, she's occupied a space in my heart.

Thanks

 

[Lionheadloady]

Hi! If she is still not doing good( I know nobody wants to hear this) but I would take her to the vet. I have a seven week old Holland lop and he was making wheezing and clicking noises I thought he had a respiratory infection but went to the vet and everything seemed normal. I would say better be safe than sorry, as they are so fragile at this age. Hope she is ok! Good luck!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Yeah!

 

[JBun]

If you can catch a video of her doing this and post it here, that might help us determine if this is a health problem or just an odd behavior of hers. It could be something like a seizure or it could be simply that she is a very deep sleeper and is startling herself awake(hence the squeal).

If in doubt, it's always best to have your rabbit checked by an experienced rabbit vet.
http://www.rabbitvet.net/Africa&AsiaRabbitVets.htm

 

[Binky]

The head tilt is indicative of E. cuniculi, which will have terrible consequences if left untreated. Please get your bunny to a vet (familiar with rabbits) immediately. The treatment cannot reverse symptoms but can stop things from getting worse. The treatment is a 21 or 28 day course of oral medication (Fenbendazole, or Panacur). It's easy to administer since it is a liquid that is fed by syringe.
E.cuniculi is very common in rabbits and is diagnosed with a blood test. The test and the medication are not expensive. If you have other rabbits, my suggestion is to treat them all, as it is easily passed from one to others.
Please have your bunny retested a few weeks after treatment...Just to make certain the treatment was successful.

The squealing is another story...I've only known rabbits to squeal when in pain. Please get your bunny to a rabbit-knowledgeable vet asap!

Please keep us updated, and I hope your little one is feeling 100% SOON!

 

[Preitler]

A couple of hours pass and I notice that whilst she's in a relaxed state lying in her box she tilts her head back and when she looked straight ahead she began to squeal again.

I don't think this "tilt" is the same as we are used to refer to as "head tilt" as the telltale symptom, it's not sideways, right? Anyway, a video would be really useful, also for seeing a vet - she wouldn't do that there.
I would associate putting the head back in the neck with troubled breathing, but only because my rabbits wth Myxo did that when it got bad, but that definitly isn't what is happening here. Never heard of something like that. From the short description it sounds more like catching breath for screaming...

Edit:
Actually, I haven't heard a rabbit squeal of pain, they react quite or confused to that, only in some kind of panic - like when a fox attacked my buck, or when picking up some kits - most do nothing, others simply are squealers. So, having a bad dream doesn't sound completly off to me, he would grow out of that.

 

[majorv]

Five weeks is very young and so you need to check with a vet what might be going on. The problem could be from a number of things so best to get it checked.

Very young rabbits tend to squeal much easier than grown rabbits, and not just from pain.

 

[Imbrium]

Regardless of whether or not the odd behavior is a quirk or a symptom of something serious, I think a visit to a qualified exotics vet is in order if your bunny is indeed 5 weeks old. Selling a rabbit that young is incredibly irresponsible (and in many areas, illegal) on behalf of the pet store. Rabbits shouldn't be taken away from their moms until around 7-8 weeks old (*maybe* six for the largest kits if it's a particularly big litter, to let the others catch up). At her young age and with the stress of being re-homed (twice, no less - once to the pet store and again to be with you), she's particularly vulnerable.

Oh, and Preitler's suggestion of bringing a video of her odd behavior with you on a vet visit is an excellent one! I'm sure the vet would find it very helpful (a video's worth a thousand words, after all).