UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti..

That's fabulous news!!!!!
It can take a while with infections and head tilt. Good idea to keep her on
the meds for a while. Better safe than a relapse.

--
God Bless,
Arlette, Cocoa & Brownie in heaven (See us here)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11393346@N02/
Need a vet? Click here
<http://www.rabbitvet.net>
For Cocoa's body sling vids Click here
<http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=cocoa3c>
 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti.. 

This is such good news. Keep on top of her and make sure she is doing well.
And maybe Chicken is helping out by keeping her busy and distracted. Still
sending best wishes for her complete recovery. Carla Liza and Jodie.

--
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 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti.. 

On Feb 2, 12:09 am, jerkface <rotteng....TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:
>

Hi Lisa

I'm sorry Hoppie has tilt.

A member of Yahoo group The Natural Rabbit, Katy Hill has posted info
for another member today that may help - here's what she said (this is
crossposted with Katy's and the list-owner's permission) -

>>>
I've had one of my buns go through this!

Here's a couple of links - one is general info on headtilt (giving
possible causes) and the 2nd is about otitis media/ inner ear
infection (I know you said there's no indication of this, but there's
a picture of a rabbit's eye showing diagnosis through continuous
movement which may or may not be relevant to Lindsey)

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/head-tilt.html

and

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/otitis_interna_media.PDF

You mentioned that there's no indication of inner ear infection. Can
I ask what signs have been checked for? I don't think it's possible
to see the infection inside the ear because it's deep down. Has an
xray been done (probably too difficult given her condition to be
honest!). Has she any pasteurella signs? (discharge from the nose
and/or eyes, sneezing) or do you know if she's had a history of these
signs? My Lara had pasteurella signs for a few weeks prior to the
headtilt but I don't remember her having any signs while she had
headtilt, so it could be that you haven't seen this because she
wasn't with you at the time?

The EC test isn't 100% reliable, as I hear, so I don't know whether a
negative result proves that she doesn't have EC present. Might be a
good idea to give her a 28-day course of Panacur just in case?

The two main causes of headtilt are pasteurella/inner ear infection
and EC. But there are other causes, e.g. a stroke (take a look at the
first link above).

The main thing is to try and find out what caused the headtilt so it
can be treated effectively. Is your vet rabbit savvy? Does he/she
know anything about headtilt? This can make an enormous difference.

Have you tried heavy antibiotics? My Lara had pasteurella-induced
headtilt and had penicillin injections plus strong Baytril injections
combination for 10 days. Then when the constant injections became too
much she was given Azithromycin (Zithromax) oral which was a *wonder
drug*! This really sorted her out!

The other major drug seems to be either steroid injections (I think
you can have 3 total with I think 2 days between each one - but
please check) or NSAID, ie Metacam (oral). Either one of these are
essential as they reduce inflammation (of the ear in inner ear
infection, and of the brain in EC). In many rabbits (inc my Lara) use
of steroids for the full course followed by Metacam, or even just
Metacam alone, have stopped the spinning!! It can take a couple of
days to really get into the system but I *really* recommend this
treatment. But note, this only helps clear up the symptoms, not the
cause.

Sounds like you're doing a fab job re feeding her and making her
environment comfortable given her chewing! Lol, she sounds like a
fighter!! The main thing is that she keeps eating, if she stops
wanting to eat then this is a sign that she's given up. So keep
encouraging, encouraging... :)

Have you tried rolling up towels and placing them around her area for
protection against edges? Also, cushions and cuddly toys for her to
lean against and bounce off!

Could you put something padded beneath the newspaper and hay to stop
her banging her head on the floor when she rolls/spins?

Lara got a gammy eye when she had headtilt because she kept bashing
it on things, dragging it along the ground. She was given antibiotic
eye ointment and this seemed to help.

It's excellent that you're giving her 'out' time every day!! My
specialist rabbit vet insisted on this and it did wonders to keep up
Lara's spirits. It's important that they have time outside of the
enclosure to 'find their feet', work out which way up the world is
and learn how to move again.

Anyway that's enough from me for now. Feel free to ask as many
questions as you like.
I'm also into alternative remedies, but I didn't get chance to take
this approach much with Lara because she was at death's door with the
headtilt so it was time for all the big guns meds. That was what
saved her. BUT I did do some basic chakra healing - first time I'd
done this on an animal so I really was just winging it. Seemed to
help her though, so I'm sure any healing you can give her will help.
It's all about intent ;o)
<<<

I hope some of that's helpful to you.

Ros
 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti.. 

On Feb 2, 6:15 pm, RosL <roslyn.l....RemoveThis@googlemail.com> wrote:
> On Feb 2, 12:09 am, jerkface <rotteng....RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> .
>
> Ros

Just remembered, Katy said that if you want to ask her about any of
her info, her addy is kheditorial2@ googlemail.com (remove the space
after the @) and also the TNR list owner, Evonne, advises that (we are
presuming you're in the USA?)

>>> it would be advisable to add Bicillin to the mix..and tellher she can get it from feed stores or catalogs generally called Twin Pen. For a bunny 7lb and under dosage is .5 mls every other day for 10 days or till it gets better.<<<

Ros
 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti.. 

I am so relieved & happy to hear Hoppie is getting better. Keep up the
good work. :-)

Professor, The Jump, Zolo, Wizard, & Magic Brenda



jerkface wrote:

>Well, I am hesitant to say so lest I jinx her chances at recovery, but
>I think Hoppie is doing a little better after a few days on the
>Baytril and Ibuprofen. We started the meds on Monday, and now she is
>not as 'wobbly' as she was before, her head is not tilted nearly as
>much (sometimes it is perfectly straight) and she is no longer rolling
>over or walking in circles, so it appears to be some sort of infection
>and not a brain tumour/abcess like we feared. I don't want to say
>that she is out of the woods yet, of course, and we are going to keep
>her on the medication for a few weeks (or longer, as needed), but it
>seems that she is at least in stable condition at this time - no
>worse, and definitely a little better. She has even started eating
>pellets again, and growled/lunged at her pal Chicken when Chicken
>tried to move in on some of her delicious lettuce! ha ha (she was too
>dizzy a few days ago to even see straight, let alone protest against
>marauding lettuce-snatchers, so I am overjoyed, even if Chicken's
>feelings are a little hurt - oh well, I'm sure she'll get over it ha
>ha).
>
>Many thanks to everyone who expressed concern and sent warm wishes
>
>thanks again,
>
>lisa
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti.. 

thanks for the additional info... I have visited those sites when we
first found that Hoppie was sick and found the information very
helpful... as previously stated, right now our financial situation is
in dire straits, so additional tests and xrays and medications are not
an option. I already had to borrow money to do as much as we have
done so far. As much as we would love to do more for hoppie, this is
all we are able to afford at the moment, as I am collecting sickness
benefits from Employment Insurance due to a broken leg (which is only
55% of my regular income), and my husband was just laid off before
Christmas. I feel horrible that I can't follow this advice more
closely, but it is impossible. My only hope is that Hoppie gets
better with the antibiotics and anti-inflammatory we are giving her
right now. She is in high spirits and is eating well and things like
that, so we will just have to see how it goes.

thanks again,

lisa

and no, we live in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada :-)
 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti.. 

In Canada, bicillin also goes by the name Duplocillin. That is what Cocoa is
on.

--
God Bless,
Arlette, Cocoa & Brownie in heaven (See us here)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11393346@N02/
Need a vet? Click here
<http://www.rabbitvet.net>
For Cocoa's body sling vids Click here
<http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=cocoa3c>
 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti.. 

Thanks for posting all that great info Ros. When Rosie had head tilt, it
followed on her chronic respiratory infection that we never did beat -
bicillin, baytril and whatever else it was we tried.

I still miss that little pissy bunny. She would have been expected to be a
Disapproving Rabbit for sure - she disapproved of EVERYTHING! :-D

Laurie (and Rosie, no doubt disapproving of the word "pissy" from the
bridge)
 >> Stay informed about: UPDATE: Hoppie's battle with the dreaded 'Head Tilt' conti..