Flip-Flopping Doe! Help!

[jessie15273]

She has done this once before (that I have seen), but not as bad. I just so happened to be making a video when she started this time. I have to leave, will post more details later from my phone.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rBBLpBYfTE&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

 

[WildWolf]

I have no idea... But it doesn't look good to me...
Hopefully someone else will give you some advice!

 

[PSFAngoras]

Unfortunately, that looks like some kind of inner ear issue throwing off her balance. Typically it is due to an infection, and it could easily progress into wry neck. Pasturella can manifest in this way occasionally, but any infection can cause this reaction. I would suggest quarantine immediately so it doesn't spread, and trying to do some research and finding a plan of action from there.

 

[jessie15273]

If there was something wrong with her inner ear wouldn't it be like that lol the time? She snapped out of it in a couple minutes and went back to eating

 

[Miss M]

I wonder if rabbits can have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Basically caused by movement of crystals in the ears, and it can be very fleeting.

 

[Secuono]

Seizures?
QT her, give her some antibiotics for an inner ear issue and watch her more closely for possible other symptoms.

 

[Peach]

Looks like it might be a case of wry neck

http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/ecuniculi.htm

 

[cowgirl9768]

I have bred BEWs for a long time. I have run into this many times with rabbits I have acquired from other breeders. Your rabbit is having seziurse. BEWs are genetically prone but some other rabbit get them to from such things as parasitic infestation, impropper diet, toxic things in their environment etc... Often it doe not effect them after the seziurse (unless the cause of the seizures gets worse .... It can cause brain damage and paralysis but I've never seen it. I had mine diagnosed by an exotics vet. That I am specializing under... They need to be kept in safe cages with nothing they could injure themselves on. Watch her for any other signs of further damage. It can be genetic so I would not breed her. Watch to see if it is triggered by excitement too. My rabbits would do it at feeding, and when let out into play runs....You may want to sell, put down, or cul her depending on your purpose for her...

This page has a lot of good info but is written for pet owners so take what you want
http://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/neurological/c_rb_seizures
This one is good as well, but take it from a vet tech specializing in exotics... Seziurse are not as rare as this page makes them seem.
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/seizure.htm

 

[Cottie]

I wonder if rabbits can have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Basically caused by movement of crystals in the ears, and it can be very fleeting.

Glad you posted the name because I couldn't remember what it was called. :yeahthat:

It would require her to get just the right (wrong?) alignment/position in her inner ear, then everything goes haywire. With some jostling, it will go away and it could be days, weeks or months before another episode. Completely benign and harmless, but unfortunately it's suspected to have a genetic component in humans.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Poor bun! I have no idea, other than the ideas already presented.

You might try flushing her ears with hydrogen peroxide to see if it loosens up any debris in the ear. Maybe there is something lodged in one of her ears that is causing a problem.

I wonder if rabbits can have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Miss M doesn't really believe that- she just wanted to use "benign paroxysmal positional vertigo" in a sentence. :twisted: :roll:

 

[jessie15273]

All of my mini rex are related to her! She has had 3 homes. And is the grandmother of so many babies in South Jersey. I'll explain later.

__________ Sat Sep 14, 2013 9:32 pm __________

This doe is 4 years old, and came to a breeder in central jersey from Maryland. She bred her 2X and kept most does to start her herd. She was then sold to a breeder in South Jersey, and was bred several times with her. She sold a lot of rabbits to other breeders. I bought her March 2012, and have bred her 4 times since then. I Sold the first litter all to other breeders. I kept a doe out of the next litter and sold the next litter of 3 for pets. The most recent litter I kept a doe.

I only have 4 mini rex does, and one buck. One of the does (Andrea) is a daughter out of a doe from that first litter she had with me. I drove an hour away to buy a buck from a breeder, and had the option of 2. I knew one was related directly to Andreas Sire, so I got the other one. When I got halfway home and checked out the pedigree a little better, I saw that the buck i had bought (Merle), his sire was the littermate of Andreas mother!... Ill draw a picture!<br /><br />__________ Sat Sep 14, 2013 9:52 pm __________<br /><br />

I will be contacting everyone who I know has a rabbit out of her

 

[Dood]

I don't think it is wry neck or an ear infection.

I think it is a seizure from a tumor / parasitic growth the flares up once in a while putting pressure on her brain or nerves and causes these episodes.

This means it is probably not genetic (although it is a good idea to check if her offspring show symptoms) but she could pass a parasitic infection to kits if they were in her bloodstream when pregnant and decide to incubate in the fetuses.

 

[cowgirl9768]

I don't think it is wry neck or an ear infection.

I think it is a seizure from a tumor / parasitic growth the flares up once in a while putting pressure on her brain or nerves and causes these episodes.

This means it is probably not genetic (although it is a good idea to check if her offspring show symptoms) but she could pass a parasitic infection to kits if they were in her bloodstream when pregnant and decide to incubate in the fetuses.

It would be rare for parasites to get that bad but it possible.... I'm in I parasitology study class..... If you want to mail me a stool sample I can have a parasitologist that comes every few weeks to lecture look at it and give a diagnosis.

 

[Dood]

It would be rare for parasites to get that bad

The parasite just needs to encyst at the wrong spot so a heavy load is not necessary but would definitely increase the chances of hitting the CNS.

What program are you in that your taking parasitology?

 

[Miss M]

I wonder if rabbits can have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Miss M doesn't really believe that- she just wanted to use "benign paroxysmal positional vertigo" in a sentence. :twisted: :roll:

:chair:

 

[cowgirl9768]

The parasite just needs to encyst at the wrong spot so a heavy load is not necessary but would definitely increase the chances of hitting the CNS.

What program are you in that your taking parasitology?[/quote]

Yes, but almost every verity of parasite seen in rabbits do not leave the gi tract. There are a few exceptions... But generally, in rabbits, a parasitic infection shows minimal signs and when it does the signs are typically weightloss, anorexia, bloody stools etc... Only three of the well studied parasites have been clinically known to effect the brain and or nerviuse system.

But if you are suspecting a parasite I'd look into a few.... Encephalitozoon cuniculi, Toxoplasmida gondii, and maybe Sarcocystis cuniculi.

Encephalitozoon cuniculi would be you best shot.... Other then the three i listed above it would be a very very very rare parasite with little research to have an effect the nerviuse system or GI tract. Not to say it couldn't be because rabbit are an exotic speicies that has little known about them.

I am taking this course through CSU school for vet med and front range vet tech science study department. It is a branchedstudy program.

 

[Dood]

You are correct, many parasites do not develop in the intestines so they won't show up in stool samples. Instead the larva migrate through the stomach wall and wander around the body where they encyst and wait until the rabbit is eaten by a carnivor so they can compete their life cycle.

More info on nematodes in the central nervous system of rabbits- http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/ ... morphs.htm

 

[cowgirl9768]

This is correct, I what thinking parasites who's direct host are rabbits. Parasites with the intermediate host of a rabbit is different touché my friend.