Ronnie has head tilt

[Maureen Las]

Supplemental fluids would be subqutaneous injection of fluids which can be done at home. It is not that hard to do and you can ask your vet if you could have some bags of lactated ringers solution and an IV set-up and needles. We have a video in the library of someone giving subqutaneous iv fluids.

In the meantime see if he can take pedialyte out of the syringe. I am giving beau the flavored kind because he loves it and drink enormous amounts at one time right out of the syringe
Your vet is prescribing the penicillin so that's good.. randy always believes in using a combo of drugsYou can bring this up to your vet when you go.
it is often difficult to get the vet to do exactly what Randy and his team does at sabrina's. They are working purely with exotics all the time whereas a lot of vets treat other domestics.

I am giving beau only one antibiotic right now and he probably should be on 2 but my new vet won't do it.
Just do what you are able to do. Right now the treatment protocol is really quite good.

 

[NZminilops]

Just popped in to say that I hope Ronnie continues to improve, I still can't believe this happened to him . He's such an awesome bunny and I hate seeing him not well.

Every time I see Sakura I think of Ronnie, she's even got as funny little moutly line thing going on above her nose just like Ronnie now, so I think she's thinking of him too .

Warm fuzzy happy thoughts coming your way ink iris:

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Today has been an interesting day. The Pen G exploded backwards out of the needle and landed on me, Chris, and Ronnie. The vet tech had no idea why the needle malfunctioned like that, but we went back to re-learn the injection process. I actually wasn't there the first vet visit so this was my first time learning. Chris is allergic to Penicillin, and the vet tech was upset with him for administering Penicillin shots while being allergic to it. I'll be doing the shots from now on.

Ronnie was cleaned off so as not to ingest the Pen G, and Chris didn't have any allergic reactions so we're all ok. The vet tech was pleased with Ronnie's ability to move around and regain his balance so quickly upon being placed back into the carrier.

Ronnie is doing alright, but he's a little depressed. His head is still tilted to the degree it was yesterday, but he can jump in and out of his cage and run around the room no problem. The one time that he always falls over is when he does that rabbit shake (you know the kind that dogs do when they are wet?). Ronnie shakes off after we are done administering meds and handling him, and he loses balance every time and falls. Other than that he keeps upright 99% of the time.

Ronnie isn't eating much on his own so we are giving him Critical Care. He's maintaining his weight but he looks depressed. Today we put his food in the bowl (filled to the brim for easy access) with a sprinkle of oatmeal on the top and he got excited like he used to. But then when he realized that his head was on crooked and that he had to grab his pellets sideways, he got upset and gave up. He won't take a pellet if I put it under his nose but he will usually take oatmeal. He will eat hay on his own.

We left Ronnie's cage door open for about 9 hours today. He'd come out for about 30 seconds and then go back in to lay down again. I assume he is still disoriented and scared which is why he only came out in 30 second spurts before going back in his cage. Later on in the night he came out for longer periods of time and was running around and looking at me...then loafing outside of his cage like he did when he was well.

So I guess the gist of it is, physically he's looking pretty good for a tilted bunny, but emotionally he's looking like a very sad bunny. I spent a lot of time petting him today and watching him run around.

I took some pictures which I'll post in a few minutes after I upload them, but I'm pretty sure he's tilted about the same degree.

 

[Maureen Las]

After you watch him for awhile you may be able to figure out a way to prop his food up so that it is in the right position for him to eat easily. This may make a big difference in how he feels about eating.

it sounds like you are taking excellent care of him ..although he does sound a little depressed
Please make sure that Chris is careful with the penicillin as my dad is allergic also with extreme reactions.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

angieluv, I will have to try that tomorrow with the repositioning of the food bowl. Wednesday night I tried to replace Ronnie's old food bowl with a little dish we bought at the pet store and he peed in it :X. The little dish was so nice and fit the pellets perfectly, as well as being low to the ground for his tilt but I guess Ronnie only likes/understands his old food bowl :?. So it's something I have to work with to fill it to the right level and get it to the right angle.

Here's some pictures from today (Day 3) as well as a video I took today of Ronnie running around. He looks so sad in the pictures, but keep in mind that Ronnie has always had a special talent for looking pathetic . I hope he's not quite as sad as he looks!

 

[JadeIcing]

You could feed more so the pellets are higher up. Slowly increase.

 

[TinysMom]

I've had a severe ear infection off and on for the last couple of weeks. At first it was one ear - this week it turned out to be the other ear.

I think I've learned a lot about how head tilt rabbits feel. I was a bit dizzy and off balance and so I can really feel for their dizziness.

But what surprised me - was how I didn't want to eat or drink. You see - whenever I ate or drank - it HURT. I can't explain it - but as my jaw moved...it made my ear hurt really bad and so I found myself getting dehydrated (thus making the dizziness worse) and feeling hungry - but unable to eat because it hurt so bad.

I wound up snacking on shortbread cookies (and vanilla wafers) cause they were soft. They also settled my stomach with the super duper antibiotics I was taking.

I say all this to say - I can understand why he's not eating well and I understand now why mine so often have lost weight when they have head tilt. If it is at all related to the ear - I'm betting it is really uncomfortable to eat.

I have found that Wedge LOVES Romaine lettuce - and I soak it in water before he gets it. He also loves banana and he will eat that too. (He'll also eat oats and his pellets - but its almost like it hurts his head to eat his pellets - not his teeth -but his head...).

Are there any softer veggies that Ronnie is used to - like lettuce or something - that you could use to entice him to eat?

Just a thought....I know I'm going to get some watermelon this weekend for Wedge. He won't get a lot at a time - but it will give him fluids and it is sweet and from past experience I'm learning that will encourage him to eat more.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Peg, I had never thought about the pain he might be in but it does make sense. I can't even recall a time when I've had an ear infection so I can't relate to what he's going through :?. But it does make sense that it would hurt for him to chew up harder foods...in fact he was grinding his teeth a little bit before he got his pain meds today.

Unfortunately both Billy and Ronnie are the pickiest eaters I have ever seen. I went through a process of trying fruits and veggies with them and they turned down everything except parsley and celery. It seems as though they hate eating wet foods, and they cringe and turn away if I put moist fruits or veggies in front of them. I think Ronnie is actually MORE picky than Billy is...all of the things you'd think a bunny would like (apple, banana, pumpkin, lettuce, strawberry, tomato, pineapple, etc) he's turned down in the past.

I guess the one good thing is that he's really easy to syringe feed and he takes down the Critical Care no problem. I will keep the soft foods thing in mind though, especially if I'm at the grocery store anytime soon. Even if it doesn't work, the way I see it is the more suggestions the better. I'm glad that so many people have stepped in to offer up advice and ideas because a lot of these things just don't cross my mind.

Robin

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Just wanted to add that if I do find something that he will eat I'll make sure to keep the portion small if he's not used to it. Ronnie's always had a really strong digestive tract but better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Maureen Las]

In the pics he looks really sad (and cute too)

On the video he looks like he is moving around really good...

 

[tonyshuman]

oh dear. I'm glad he's getting better but I hope he cheers up. Does he have a stuffed friend to spend time with? I know he's a humpy bunny, but maybe he'd like to snuggle up with somebody.

Healing wishes...

 

[polly]

Big hugs and nose rubs for Ronnie poor wee guy he does look a bit sad I have had a couple of my buns go through head tilt and recover. Alfie one of my house buns had it a few weeks ago its funny how it always seems to hit when the seasons are changing!

I find giving excise and plenty of cuddles down on theri level really helps and one thing mine never refuse is a rich tea biscuit if you can get them over there wheetabix is good too I will hold my hands up and say that what is usually a treat they get more of if they arent well. Alfie had 2 sets of injections of an anti inflammotory with an antibiotic injection at the same time and lukily that was enough to sort him out. I hope Ronnie is feelign better soon

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Hi guys,

I only have time for a quick update tonight. Ronnie is still tilted the same as yesterday, and moving around the same. He's eating his hay and drinking his water but refuses treats, oatmeal, and pellets so we are still feeding him Critical Care. Ronnie was much happier today and spent a lot of time out of his cage loafing and running around. He even started to run circles around my legs again...

 

[myheart]

Little Bay Poo wrote:

... He even started to run circles around my legs again...

What a trooper!! At least you know he still luvs you! :biggrin2:

Keep getting better lil' guy!!!!

myheart

 

[Maureen Las]

Little Bay Poo wrote:

Hi guys,

I only have time for a quick update tonight. Ronnie is still tilted the same as yesterday, and moving around the same. He's eating his hay and drinking his water but refuses treats, oatmeal, and pellets so we are still feeding him Critical Care. Ronnie was much happier today and spent a lot of time out of his cage loafing and running around. He even started to run circles around my legs again...

I hope that he has maybe started eating on his own...:?

otherwise he definitely sounds a little better

 

[Elf Mommy]

Just wanted to let you know that Ronnie is our featured rabbit in the caption contest this week! Hope he's feeling better very very soon!

Minda

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Elf Mommy wrote:

Just wanted to let you know that Ronnie is our featured rabbit in the caption contest this week! Hope he's feeling better very very soon!

Minda

Aww, thanks! Glad to know that so many are thinking about Ronnie and pulling for him to get better

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Day 5

Ronnie, albeit tilted, is acting a lot more like his bunny self. There are certain things that he doesn't do as much...for example he's started running circles around me again but will only do a few and then will hop off somewhere else. He also doesn't have any interest in humping things at the moment . Ronnie is moving around very well, and almost looks like a normal balanced bunny when running. Chris had a hard time catching him for his meds today! That's a big improvement from day 1 when Ronnie was more or less limp and didn't struggle at all, let alone run away

In terms of food, Ronnie is eating his hay and drinking water. He even ate a little bit of oatmeal that I sprinkled on top of his pellets today. We are still giving him some Critical Care throughout the day (6 cc morning, afternoon, and night) to make sure that he gets enough calories to keep going strong. He hates the Critical Care more than the Pen G shots and will hide his head in the bunny burrito to try to escape it! Chris and I always start laughing uncontrollably when he does this because he looks so cute...I wish I could get it on video but I don't want to put Ronnie through any more bunny burrito time than he already has.

We let Ronnie run around the whole apartment today and he looked almost like he did before he got sick. The only thing that gives it away is the slight tilt, but I think it's even a little better today than yesterday. It's so hard to tell though because depending on if he's loafing, sitting, or running, he tilts to different degrees.

That's all I can think of for now...will update again tomorrow night.

Robin

 

[Maureen Las]

not a bad update for the little guy

 

[JadeIcing]

Thought I would mention some bunnies get passed the illness but still have a tilt. It can sometimes go away with time. Than some have a slight tilt just when they are resting. Than some show no signs of a tilt at all.