My rabbit has got head tilt, what does it mean?

Question

he has been given panacur by the vet, he is eating and drinking it doesn't seem to be bothering him. Is there anything I can feed him to help? The vet gave him a 20% chance of living but apart from his head slightly tilted he doesn't look or act ill!! please can some one give me some advice?

I am taking him for a second opinion at a different vets on Monday as the vet I took him to Friday didn't even take him out of the box let alone look in his ears!! Thank you all for your help.

Answer 1

I disagree with the vet. There's probably a 20% chance that the rabbit's head will straighten back correctly rather than the vet's assumption that it has a 20% chance of living, unless there are other things wrong with the rabbit.

There are three things that normally cause a tilted head: an inner ear infection, ear mites, or wry neck.

Now let's discuss those three.

An inner ear infection will often occur after a rabbit has a cold. If the base of the ears feel warm compared to other rabbits you have, it probably has an inner ear infection and the infection can be treated with antibiotics.

Ear mites look like a black scab down inside the ear. Ear mites are treated by suffocating the ear mites. This is usually done by using an oil of some sort. Mineral oil is often recommended to be used, but although it sounds irregular WD-40 does about the best job. Spray a small amount down inside the ear while covering the rabbits eyes. Then allow the rabbit to shake the ear mites out. Don't use a Q-tip, because you don't want the mites falling down inside the ear which would cause more harm. Repeat the treatment each day or every other day till the ear mites are gone. The rabbit's bedding is often thought to be the source of ear mites, especially since hay and straw can carry bugs easily.

Wry neck usually occurs to young rabbits that are still growing (normally 4 months or less old). Wry neck is usually caused by a build up of too much ammonia in the air where the rabbit is kept. This can be remedied by cleaning/removing the manure regularly and making sure that the area where you keep your rabbits has good air circulation.

I doubt your rabbit will die from what you described as long as it is treated properly. The head tilt may get better but will probably not fully go away after the problem has been treated.

I noticed that one person noted a reference to university documents. While university research as far as rabbit diseases is normally very accurate. They also normally list many rabbit diseases that are uncommon and probably aren't what you are experiencing. Also, the terminology can be quite confusing if you aren't experienced with interpreting it. The university you gather your research from can make a large difference too based upon how long the university spends on researching rabbits. Purdue University is usually a good source.


I've been raising a herd of about 150-200 rabbits for over 24 years.

Answer 2

Head Tilt Rabbit

Answer 3

I'm sorry your bunny is sick. If your vet is giving him panacur it would indicate that your vet thinks he is being affected by Encephalitozoon cuniculi or e.c. Your vet would have had to take a blood test and it takes about a week to get the results.

Head tilt can happen for a number of reasons in addition to e.c. - middle- or inner-ear infection
parasitic infestation of a nematode worm, Baylisascaris procyoni
stroke
abscess or tumor in the brain (intracranial abscess)
head trauma
Not to get your worried and there are treatment protocols available now.

Actually the outcome is much more positive - many buns live a long life after having head tilt - some always have a tilted head but can deal with that.
As long as he is eating, drinking that is a good sign. is he a good hay eater? Is he pooping normally?
This link explains head tilt and treatment
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/tilt.html
You will also find more articles here:
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html#tilt

Answer 4

Yes your rabbit has had EC or E Canuculi and has had head tilt. I am currently fostering a rabbit with it, who also still has a slight tilt but is hopping around, inquisitive and enjoying himself. He should have a good life but will be prone to EC again. If he is in contact with others, it might be wise to have them treated with a 30 day course of Panacur too, to prevent infection, and make sure you wash your hands before handling your other animals. Speak to your vet, though he will be ok, a friend cares for lots of sick, elderly buns.Keep an eye out in case he gets it again or starts rolling. If he starts rolling( like you would down a hill),or head starts tilting again, get him to the vets immediately . Don't wait, as rabbits can die very suddenly so immediate treatment is essential. Also check other vets in your area, perhaps you can find one with a special interest in rabbits. Other than that, keep an eye on him, plenty of good food, hay and veg and most of all keep enjoying him, lots of cuddles. He is special. Check out http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks. They have a good article on EC. Good luck with bunny

Answer 5

The fact that your vet gave him Panacur(e?) means that he probably suspects Mycoplasmosis, which also affects the lungs and immune system. .Keep his cage as clean as possible! Make sure you're not using cedar bedding and stay away from pine if at all possible because the very oils that make them smell good to us make them harmful to rabbit's lungs. Also, rabbits are so hard to help out compared to rats and other rodents susceptible to myco because their droppings contain so much ammonia. You should stick your head all the way in the cage occasionally to get an idea of what he is breathing and when to clean it, especially if there's very little air flow in there. Depending on how well they are cared for, animals with myco can live pretty well. But Mycoplasmosis is very contagious to other rodents!! His condition will gradually worsen but you can watch and see when it's time to go. Just keep in mind that his balance is a little off so it helps to lower his water bottle or use a water dish and to not rearrange his house too much or he will run into things! Good luck with him.

Answer 6

My rabbit had a tilting head when he had a severe ear infection. It was an ongoing problem and despite expensive treatment it permanantly damaged his sense of balance and was always tilted!
He lived a happy normal life otherwise.
If he is eating and acting normal don't panic.

Answer 7

Does your vet normally see rabbits? You should be sure that this vet is rabbit savvy. I would go for a second opinion you can find a vet here at http://www.rabbit.org Here is a website that should help explain head tilt to you more.

Answer 8

Hi there, the 1st thing that came to mind was a Middle Ear Infection? Has the vet ruled this out? Has he always had a head tilt?

Answer 9

It takes long-term antibiotics, usually over a period of several months, but take heart - it CAN be cured. The reason I know a bit about it, is because we suspected our first rabbit of having it, so I researched it. Because this is such a common condition, it is fortunately well-recognised and well-understood, and so can readily be treated. As long as your bunn is eating and drinking - eating and drinking are the key signs of wellbeing in a rabbit - she's not suffering as much as you are with your seeing her this way.

I've personally known several people whose bunns had 'head tilt', also know as 'wry neck', or inner ear infection, and they are each better now. One of them had such severe head tilt that her head was sideways and her eye was literally touching the ground, and she couldn't stand up at all without falling over - she needed intensive nursing for a couple of months, during which her humans kept her in her hutch/cage surrounded by towels so that she wouldn't fall over as easily ... and now she's cured, and since then has been healthy enough to become a mother bunn.

I'll quote to you from one of my favoured rabbit health books, "Rabbitlopaedia: A Complete Guide to Rabbit Care" by Meg Brown and Virginia Richardson:

"HEAD TILT or WRY NECK

"The sudden onset of a head tilt is a quite common occurrence in rabbits.

"Signs: The rabbit suddenly develops a tilt of its head to one side. The twist may be so dramatic that the eye on the downward side might touch the ground. The rabbit will lose its sense of balance and may twist and spin if picked up.

"Cause: There are various causes, but infections of the middle and inner ear are most common. Head trauma from a fight or fall can also cause a head tilt. Bacteria or a parasite "Encephalitozoon cuniculi" can migrate from the inner ear to the brain and cause various neurological symptoms.

"Treatment: Whatever the cause, treatment is symptomatic. This usually involves a long course of antibiotics if infection is suspected, and corticosteroids if swelling of the brain is suspected. Recovery is slow, but if the rabbit is able to eat and drink, it should be given plenty of time to recover with long-term antibiotics. The rabbit should be kept in a confined and comfortable area and handled as little as possible, because as soon as it is picked up and its feet leave the floor, it will lose its balance and start spinning. The down-side eye may need special care, bathing and eye cream, if it is touching the ground."

The good news is that, because this is such a common condition, it is well-recognised and well-understood, and so can readily be treated.

Eating and drinking well are very good signs, and show that there is real hope that your bunn will recover. These answers might also help you -

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArMnEmU.Isnd8s_iTB5s2O0jzKIX?qid=20060821015513AAocYTF

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtjIx8xCv283o1LR0SWskBbsy6IX?qid=20060618160218AA9PSQm

Very, very best of luck to you and your bunn.

Answer 10

Not sure, but I have a client whose dog has head tilt and... after thousands of dollars and much testing they have found that it is neurological, possibly from a stroke.
Take good care of that lil' bunnylove.