Paralyzed litter

[ollitos]

This litter is 5 weeks old and was weaned about a week ago.

Last night, we found one kit who seemed paralyzed from the "waist" down. No control over his hindquarters. Poop all over his coat. We cleaned him and checked him out. No signs of pain. He's eating and drinking fine. He just can't hop. He drags himself around and kinda flops over. I'm not sure if he's starting to become paralyzed in the front or not. It seems like he has zero muscle tone.

He was not injured when the rabbit tractor was moved. We are sure of this because now at least three litter mates are in various stages of the same paralysis.

Any ideas? Other rabbits are on the same pasture and are fine. We haven't changed feed. Poop looks the same.

Other than the paralysis, I can find no other symptoms.

 

[AmysMacdog]

Ollitos I'm so sorry this is happening. I'm hoping that what I'm thinking is totally wrong but
the only thing I can think of off the top of my head is Botulism. It is one thing that causes paralysis. I tried to google it but my computer wouldn't let me see the post. My apologies. Google it and see what you think. If memory serves me correctly wet weather is great for botulism spores and we've all had plenty of rain on this end of the country and does affect poultry, cows other livestock. Got my fingers crossed that I'm so very wrong.

 

[LauraNJ]

Have no idea but I hope you figure it out. It is depressing to lose kits to some unknown thing. Thinking good thoughts for the buns.

 

[MaggieJ]

There are a number of things that can cause this, including injury (rabbits sometimes freak out and injure themselves) and also the parasite Encephalitozoon cuniculi which also causes "wry neck". I have no personal experience of this, but here are some links for you to consider:

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html
http://www.permies.com/t/4978/rabbits/r ... gs-working
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f27/draggi ... egs-63307/
http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/ecuni ... m#SYMPTOMS
http://rabbit.org/hind-limb-weakness-in-the-rabbit/

 

[Miss M]

I'm so sorry, Ollitos!

 

[ollitos]

After reading many, many pages about EC, I really don't think that's it. There's no eye-darting, tilted head, stargazing or many other symptoms.

The only other think I can think is that the mother was dosed with Corid while she was nursing the litter.

 

[andyva]

These are the symptoms that I have heard described by several "old timers" around here. Dragging their hindquarters, followed by death. One of them even told me it was parvo. Maybe it is something sort of localized, (we are 150 miles apart probably, but that's not that far). I haven't seen this first hand, but I have heard it described over and over. I think it must have something to do with feeding on pasture or having cut forage provided. I don't believe it is parvo. Maybe it is listeria, but it acts like meningeal worm. I haven't found anything about this "mystery disease" here or anywhere else.
I hope that it is an isolated incident, let us know what happens.

 

[grumpy]

Olitos,

This is a throw from "deep" left-field".

Have you moved the tractor over some small
sprouts of milk-weed without knowing it?
This causes paralysis in rabbits with no hope for recovery.

something to think about.

grumpy.

 

[ollitos]

That is a definite possibility, grumpy. We will investigate tomorrow.

 

[DitchDoc]

I hope things get better in a hurry! So sorry this has happened!

 

[Jack]

Encephalitozoon cuniculi
It does more, it causes a wasting paralysis of rabbits, usually occurring in OLDER rabbits (as in more than 3-4 years old)
but it's not really well documented because research rabbits don't make it that long...

in kits/Jr.s it ALSO causes the eye lens to burst (pyrocastic) due to a healthy immune system walling off the parasite in the eye lens which the immune cells can't penetrate, then they multiply until the tissue fractures. On milk weed, would it kill the mother, or does it pass in the milk to more sensitive kits?

 

[ollitos]

The mother isn't with the litter.

I really don't think it's e. cuniculi but I'm taking one of the kits to work with me to ask my boss to check him out. I work for a vet.

 

[MaggieJ]

Good idea to take him to the vet, Ollitos.

All we can do is make guesses based on our own experiences and what we have read. I hope your boss can give you an answer.

 

[LauraNJ]

Glad you're able to get your vet to check him out.

They can test for e.cuniculi. If it is EC, email barbi brown as she has treated many rabbits and says she has only had 1 in a litter affected so if you have more then let her know so she can add it to her research. She has treated over a hundred rabbits with it and only lost a few.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

So sorry to hear of this, Ollitos!

Poor little bunnies.

I have no ideas to offer other than those already discussed (and the botulism one is totally new to me!), but I hope your vet can figure it out for you. :clover:

Please keep us updated.

 

[Marinea]

So sorry to read this Ollitos!

I hope it can be resolved soon, and with no losses.

(hugs)

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Poor things! I hope they recover. Best of luck!

 

[LauraNJ]

Did you figure it out?

Just wondering how the kits are doing?

 

[ollitos]

We lost half the litter. The first one who was paralyzed seems to have recovered. We're pretty sure it was the milkweed.

 

[LauraNJ]

Sorry about half the litter but glad you figured it out and saved the one.

I looked it up, I think I have milkweed near my chickens. I'll have to pull it tomorrow. No sense taking a chance.

Hoping the rest of your kits do great.