# Tiliting head to one side?



## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

My rabbit is 4 months old and has suddenly started tiliting her head to the right side. SHe is still running around and eating, but what can it mean? is it serious?

So worried about her


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2010)

Get her to the vets as soon as possible, a head tilt could be early signs of E.C which if left untreated can be fatal.


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

Can I ask what EC is?

I have absolutly no cash until the end of next week, will the vet still see her?


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Go to a vets ASAP! It sounds like head tilt, which as Bernie said is a sign of E.Cuniculi. Its a parasite that affects the rabbits brain and can cause severe long term problems. One of mine recently suffered with it and even though I got her to the vets early she had to be put to sleep even though we got rid of the E.C she was left with incontinence and was brain damaged.


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

Oh no

Thank you.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Read this about E.cuniculi to see more of what it does.


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

I am so worried, hubby says we will have to wait until Monday as we have no spare cash to pay a £50 call out tonight

I just read up on it, it says it won't affect humans unless immune supressed, so my kids will be ok won't they?


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Yeah they'll be fine. Nearly all rabbits carry the parasite without anyone even knowing. Think of it as a bit like the cold sore virus in that nearly all of us carry it but it rarely shows itself unless we're feeling under the weather in other ways. It is very important to get it treated as soon as you can though and not put it off. The sooner its treated the best chance bunny has to recover. I took mine to the vet the day I noticed she was ill with it and I still lost her.


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

Thank you.

How do they treat?

Is it our fault? We have 3 other rabbits who are about 18 mths old and all are fine.

So sorry.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

All the rabbits you have will need to be treated as its highly contagious between rabbits. The one thats ill will be given a 28 day course of panacur and any in direct contact with him/her will have the full 28 days as well. If the other bunnies are completely seperate as in they are indoors and ill bunny is outside for example then they will be given the short course of 9 days. You should also bleach the living area's and any toys that can't be bleached should be thrown away near the end of the course to stop it coming back.


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

Thank you so much for your help xxx


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2010)

Kammie said:


> All the rabbits you have will need to be treated as its highly contagious between rabbits. The one thats ill will be given a 28 day course of panacur and any in direct contact with him/her will have the full 28 days as well. If the other bunnies are completely seperate as in they are indoors and ill bunny is outside for example then they will be given the short course of 9 days. You should also bleach the living area's and any toys that can't be bleached should be thrown away near the end of the course to stop it coming back.


Sorry Kammie I will have to disagree with the 9 nine day course, as the life cycle of e.c is 21 days so a 9 day course imo is a waste of money. I would suggest putting all your rabbits on the 28 day course as e.c is soo easy to spread.

To the OP can you not call your vets and explain the situation? Most will understand that your rabbit needs to be treated as soon as possible so will allow you to pay at a later date.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

oh no! I hope there ok, if you cant afford the vets then you should really think about insurance or setting aside some money. The PDSA will help if you go to them, but your rabbit really needs to see a specialist rabbit vet.  if you cant afford this then speak to a rabbit rescue centre who can offer advice/take them/provide treatment


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## helebelina (Nov 11, 2009)

How is bunny? Did you get them to the vets? :frown:


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

Hi, 

Sorry I haven't been online, 3 children keeping my very busy these holidays

Yes, we got her to the vet yesterday morning. We spoke to the vet at the weekend and he advised Pancur for rabbits to start, so we started that and then she was seen yesterday. He said it is EC He said it's quite bad too, even though we only noticed she was at the weekend

She keeps on having fits, the vet says they are not actual fits, but she is getting frightened as her balance is off.

She has to have 28 days of the Panacur, she has had a steroids jab from the vet too. 

He said to seperate her from the other rabbits we have, and they will need a 9 day course of Panacur. HE said it is actually very hard to catch so the should be ok, so we will treat all just incase.

It is awful seeing her having these fits in her hutch, she panics and shakes, and then lies there for minutes after, I always think she has died, it makes me cry We have to keep a close eye on her, he said as she is eating and drinking and can walks it's a very good sign she may recover, but also be prepared that she may deteriorate, but he said we are on the ball and she may stand a chance.

She is only 4 months old, I feel so sorry for her

Thank you all for your help at the weekend. I just pray my little girl makes it.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

Sweetie said:


> Hi,
> 
> Sorry I haven't been online, 3 children keeping my very busy these holidays
> 
> ...


I have everything crossed for you and the bun, I know how hard EC can be. Make sure to give the panacur everyday and don't miss a day or you may be back to square one. On day 21 of the panacur bleech her hutch and run (if the run is on grass move the run but still bleech the run itself) and any food bowls/bottles. This is to kill off any of the parasite that will be in her living space so she doesn't catch it again after the course has finished. Any toys that can't be bleeched (wooden toys that she would chew) have to be thrown out.


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

Thank you Kammie.

We shall do that, thank you. 

The vet said she may make a full recovery, or she may never be the same again, it is hard to know.

Will she ever be able to mix with our other 3 rabbits again? We have put her in a hutch on her own for now. Our other 3 have a large hutch with large run attached. Hubby bleached it and the bowls etc at the weekend.

The vet reassured my husband that our children or us are at risk, is that the case? I am just concerned for them, seeing just how ill our bunny is


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

sending lots of healing vibes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xx


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

If she makes a full recovery she'll be fine to go back with the others. But remember you'll probably need to rebond them as they won't remember her. 

You and your family are perfectly safe.


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## Sweetie (Jul 4, 2010)

Thank you all.

Well she has been on the panacur 8 days now, she saw the vet and had a steroid jab last week aswell. Today she is still having seizures and her head is tilted to the left alot more than it was, it is practically a 180 degree tilt now Does this mean she is getting worse? brain damaged? Her eye doesn't seem to be working at all on that side.

She is eating/drinking but it becoming abit harder for her with her head like this.

I don't know what to do, if she is getting worse is it kinder to put her to sleep


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