Help! Sick rabbit no emergency vets

[L606]

Hi all

joined the site to get your help. I have a very sick rabbit who is tilting head to the side and one ear is down. Screams when we touch it Clearly some sort of ear infection

no emergency vets will take him! The ones that see rabbits are at capacity. I’ve called everyone in 3 hour radius.

he can get in tomorrow, but I don’t want him to be in pain tonight! He hasn’t ate all day and I’m worried about stasis on top of the ear pain. Is there anything I can do to help him through the night?

Baby pain meds or something? I feel so bad

 

[Jackrabbit]

What does it look like? Could you post pictures of it?

 

[MaggieJ]

I have no first hand experience of head tilt, but I have read a bit about it over the years.

This site provides some information.
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/symptoms/head-tilt-in-a-rabbit
This site is useful for treating head tilt ("wry neck") when it is caused by the parasite Encephalitazoon Cuniculi (usually abbreviated to E. Cuniculi).
https://barbibrownsbunnies.com/wryneck/
It could be that or possibly an inner ear infection. For pain, I suggest giving the rabbit a good handful or twigs from a willow tree. The inner bark provides a substance much like aspirin and the rabbit will safely self-medicate. Willow leaves and branches are also an excellent, safe rabbit food.

If the rabbit won't eat the willow bark or you can't get any, aspirin can be given to rabbits. Information here:
https://rabbits.life/aspirin/
Hope this helps!

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I have a rabbit named Whilber who had Wry Neck, UT it doesn't put him in pain and he's one and a half years old and very happy. If it is Wry Neck, it shouldn't be in pain, but wry neck can't be cured. I agree with @MaggieJ though, give it some willowThis is a picture of Whilber about maybe 7 months ago I think

 

[MaggieJ]

Some people say wry neck can be cured. You might want to read on Barbi Brown's site.

Since the rabbit is in pain, willow or aspirin should help it through the night. It can go to the vet's tomorrow for a diagnosis.

 

[MuddyFarms]

Could it be ear mites? That can be painful and cause the ear to flop over.

 

[MaggieJ]

Could it be ear mites? That can be painful and cause the ear to flop over.

Good thought, MuddyFarms! At least with ear mites there are visible signs, so it's easy to check for.

@L606
Are the ears clean inside or is there crusty, scabby gunk in there?

 

[L606]

Good thought, MuddyFarms! At least with ear mites there are visible signs, so it's easy to check for.

@L606
Are the ears clean inside or is there crusty, scabby gunk in

What does it look like? Could you post pictures of it?

Could it be ear mites? That can be painful and cause the ear to flop over.

It *could* be. But his ear does look pretty clean to me - as best as I could see since it hurts him for us to touch it.

 

[L606]

Some people say wry neck can be cured. You might want to read on Barbi Brown's site.

Since the rabbit is in pain, willow or aspirin should help it through the night. It can go to the vet's tomorrow for a diagnosis.

I don’t have access to any willow tonight. Have you given aspirin before ?

 

[MaggieJ]

I don’t have access to any willow tonight. Have you given aspirin before ?

I've never used aspirin, but if you google aspirin for rabbits you'll find information. I think it should be safe since it is a similar substance to willow bark, but we have willow trees and I prefer to let rabbits self medicate if possible.

If the rabbit were mine and was in a lot of pain, I think I'd chance it.

 

[White's family farm]

Rabbits also have a high tolerance for Ibuprofen, so that can work for pain as well.

We haven't had any experience with wry neck, but I've heard vets can sometimes get it under control (usually over a couple months with monitored antibiotics, depending on the cause).

 

[Preitler]

I used Ibuprofen too to get my boy through the weekend, and additionally to the Metacam when things got really bad. I used children drops, easy to dose and when put on a little pellets and oatmeal he just gobbled it up.
Dosage is 2-10mg/kg, according to medirabbit, the mentioned side effects are more of a long term use issue:
http://www.medirabbit.com/Safe_medication/Analgesics/safe_analgesics.htm

 

[arachyd]

It could also be a neck injury. Definitely give some sort of anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen or willow which would help with an injury as well as pain from mites. It won't hurt to treat for mites just in case. With wry neck they tend to circle and progressively lose the abilities on one side of the body but not cry out in pain because it affects their brain.