(RIP) Rabbit has seizures on one side of face, anyone ever experienced?

[Amandamw]

I have an 8 year old dutch named Shakespeare, and he has naturally started to slow down over the last couple of weeks. He is normally a very active bunny who likes to jump and climb, run as fast as he can and in circles whenever you crinkle his treat bag etc... Lately he has been laying around, still has a healthy appetite, but generally is just keeping low key. About a week ago when I was getting ready to leave for work, he came running for his treats, had difficulty finding me, and ran into some furniture. When he finally did find me, I noticed that the right side of his face was all seized up. His ear was flat against his head, his eye was closed tight and his right whisker pad was curled up in a snarl. I took him to the vet, and he said it has something to do with his nervous system, gave him a steroid shot, and panacur to treat a possible parasite? He has had two seizures since the first, both only lasting about 30-60 seconds, and both occuring when he was excited about a treat or his dinner of greens. Has anyone experienced this with their bun, or ever heard of such things happening before? The vet said he was a healthy 8 year old rabbit otherwise. Help would be appreciated. Thanks- Amandamw

 

[Becca]

I think this shouldbelong in the infirmiry - A mod might come a move it so you will get more replies from experience people.

 

[JadeIcing]

Moved to the Infirmary.

 

[Amandamw]

Thanks for moving it to the infirmary, I am new at this whole thing and not sure what to do. All I know is that I am really worried about the little guy.

 

[Maureen Las]

I would guess that your vet suspects that your rabbit has e-cuniculi which is a protozoan parasite that is carried latently by most rabbits but is asymptomatic many times until the immune system is down (often when the rabbit is older) or sick with another problem.
I can give you some links to read re. this condition.
First of I would like to ask you if you have a vet that is truly knowledgeable about rabbits. ?
It is important to rule out other problems also before diagnosing e-cuniculi. This truly sounds neurological in nature but some rabbits do experience seizures.
The panacur is one attempt to inhibit the growth of the protozoa.

Please read these articles and when you talk to your vet you will be able to ask a lot of questions. If he cannot answer them it may be worth it to get a 2nd opinion.
I am not an expert on this condition but have never heard the illness presenting itself in quite this way before.
http://www.ontariorabbits.org/health/healthinfo10.html


http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-2/e-cuniculi.html

http://www.thebrc.org/health.htm

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html#ec

There are many individuals on this forum whose rabbits have experienced this condition ..so you may be able to get advice from them also.
I will also see if we have any articles on seizures in rabbits as I am wondering how the vet was sure of his diagnosis


http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=27900&forum_id=10
be sure and keep us updated on your bun

 

[Amandamw]

Thanks for the links and info. I have been trying to read as much as possible so that I am as informed as possible. It seems that these episodes are occuring when he gets excited. It just happened again when I got home and gave him his dinner. Then he is fine, like nothing happened. It is breaking my heart, it has been just him and I for so long, and I wish I had more concrete evidence as to what is going on.

As for my vet, i was given his number by the local rabbit rescue group, and he seemed quite knowledgeable. He isn't very optimistic, he thinks he may have a tumor somewhere we can't see or feel (his brain maybe ., but istrying to rule out the parasite by givinghim the panacur.


I am so glad that i found this site, not many of the people I know understand the whole house rabbit love affair I have. I try to explain it is like having a very hoppy cat.

 

[Maureen Las]

Oh Now i understand. that's sad
Try to keep him in an environment in which he can't hurt himself when he has a seizure and keep us up-dated

..

 

[Amandamw]

The article about loss of control in the back legs is kinda familar, he has been having some difficulty with them in the last week or so as well. He is still hopping about but has had trouble getting in and out of is cage, and when he tries to wash his face he occasionally can't keep the back ones straight.

 

[Maureen Las]

Maybe it is ecuniculi???

 

[Amandamw]

Update:

Shakespeare's episodes are more frequent, and seem to occur when he gets excited and greets me. His mobility has improved, but the odd thing is that he has started to run around the apartment, stops to eat, then runs around some more. He seems to be a little restless, i am not sure if this is a symptom of the e cuniculi, or a side effect of the medication. Any thoughts?

 

[Maureen Las]

I never heard of this as a side -effect of panacur which is also used in dogs and cats for deworming.
I think there is a possiblity there is something else going on with Shakesphere as it really isn't a symtom of ecuniculi either (as far as I know)
is he on anything other than panacur?

 

[JimD]

Amandamw wrote:

About a week ago when I was getting ready to leave for work, he came running for his treats, had difficulty finding me, and ran into some furniture. When he finally did find me, I noticed that the right side of his face was all seized up.

This reminds me so much of Tina's Apollo.

He was frightened by a possum and ran into a screen door.
After that he would get seizures where the one side of his face would contort.....we called it "possum-face".
It was quite definitely an injury induced neurological condition.

Shakespeare may have hurt himself in a way that's not readily detectable.

We'll keep you both in our thoughts and prayers.

 

[Amandamw]

Thank you both for your responses. Shakespeare was given a steroid shot to help with the inflammation as well.

As for the opossum face, it has started to occur when I give him his medicine as well, mostly I believe because I am touching his face. What was the outcome with your rabbit? Didhe live a healthy life with this condition, or did it eventually effect his more in a negative way? Did you have to geta certain test done to diagnosis this that perhaps i should suggest to the vet? Is this something that is harder on the owner than the rabbit?

I appreciate all of your thoughts and suggestions, it has started to put my mind at ease.

Oh and he really does not like taking that medicine, he is freaking out now every time I try to administer it.

 

[Maureen Las]

I can't answer the questions about Apollo because I wasn't on the forum when that member discussed it.

How is Shakesphere today? Are you able to give him his meds ?

 

[JimD]

Apollo belonged to another member....her name was Tina.

Apollo survived the "possum face", but later succumbed to a fierce bout of GI stasis.

 

[Amandamw]

He has been very low key today, and was not happy when it came time for the medicine. He didn't even come out of hiding when I came home like he usually does. I brought him to his evening dinner of greens, and he is eating at least. He hasn't been doing much of anything other than eating and sleeping today, perhaps he expended all his energy yesterday running abround like a mad bunny.

 

[Amandamw]

UPDATE: Shakespeare's appetite has gone, he is barely eating anything at all. He goes from being very calm and quiet to rushing around the apartment searching for I know not what. He has started to try and locate me when he is about to have one of his episodes. He freaks out everytime I give him medicine, and looks quite rough. He is drinking water though. I left a message with the vet today to see if the medicine might be making him ill. I am afraid I am going to come home from work and find that the little guy is no longer with us.......

 

[Maureen Las]

I think that it would be scarier for him to have the whole apt to himself while you are gone. Could you get an xpen or a series of them and make a padded enclosure for him while you are gone?? It must be traumatic for him to have episodes while you are gone.
This is a very sad situation...
maybe you should consider a 2nd opinion on his diagnosis?

 

[tonyshuman]

This is such a sad situation. I want to give you support in caring for Shakespeare. It must be unbearable to see your friend of 8 years running around uncontrollably and seizing. I don't want to sound uncaring, but from what you describe, it sounds like the discomfort from his injury may be more than he can bear. Seizures are very difficult to deal with, and I don't know if they can give antiepileptic drugs to rabbits. It does not sound to me like EC, but it is good that your vet is treating for it just in case. Panacur is by no means benign, but I don't think it could be increasing his seizures. I would most likely expect brain damage from running into the furniture, or a brain tumor, as the cause of this.

A guideline many people use in deciding the best treatment for sick bunnies is the three A's: appetite, affection, and alertness. If he is not eating, not craving your attention and affection, and not alert, his pain is probably more than he can deal with. However, only you can make this decision and you may see that he wants to fight this. I only bring it up so that you consider it. Best of luck and my hope is that when you get home he's eaten all his food and comes bounding up to you for snuggles. ray::hugsquish:

 

[Amandamw]

I don't know what to do. I have been putting him in his cage (which is fairly large) when I leave for the day. I didn't close it this morning, but when I came home he was still in there. He didn't eat anything.... I got him out of his cage and he was still alert enough to chew on my hair and the blanket I had him in, and alert enough to run away kicking his heels behind him.

He then went and settled down under my papasan (his favorite hide out). I got him a dish of water and a few greens. He snubbed the greens, and drank quite a bit of water. It doesn't appear that he has had much of a bowel movement today or that he urinated. I hate to give all the gorey details, but I just don't want to make a decision and regret it either way.

I spoke with the vet and he said that he isn't very optimistic, he thinks that Shake might have a tumor. He hasn't had a seizure yet today though....The vet suggests putting him to sleep, but I just don't know.

The rabbit I had as a kid died during the night, and I have to say that I didn't take care of him like I do Shakespeare. In fact age and education have made me very aware of the less than pleasant life i gave my first bun, and i have tried to make amends with the life I have given Shake.

The apartment I live in now is quite small, and I have done everything possible to rabbit proof it. Anyways, all that aside, I am not sure what to expect. When do I know that he is not going to make it?