wry neck in my NZW buck :(

[wsmoak]

I went out yesterday afternoon and noticed my NZW buck with his head tilted to the right, slowly hopping around in circles in his cage.

Uh oh. I isolated him and came inside to look it up... wry neck.

I'm watching him but will probably cull. He was only here to fill time until I can grow out more Californians.

Unfortunately he was right next to my one adult Californian buck. :/ No problems there so far, and as I understand it, this is caused by something that's in the environment and it just depends on their immune system whether they have an issue or not.

The NZW's are from a commercial rabbitry, bred for generations in a climate controlled building. I've stuck them out under the trees with wild birds and chickens running around, so I'm not surprised to be having more trouble with them.

The Californians are from a young person who shows, so they will naturally have been exposed to more things. So far so good with those!

-Wendy

 

[BlueLove16]

try apple cidar vinegar in the ear? <--i would get second opinion. had my aunt tell me this but not sure how well it works

 

[wsmoak]

Maybe the ACV is for ear mites? I don't think that's what this is... it really looks neurological, his balance is way off and his pupil isn't right either.

Poor little guy. I'm still reading up, sounds like some combination of dewormers and antibiotics has been known to help... but I really don't want to breed him even if he does recover, so he should probably go.

-Wendy

 

[ZRabbits]

Sorry to hear about your buck. I remember reading about another case regarding meat rabbits and did a RT search.

first-case-of-wry-neck-t9896.html?hilit=Wry%20neck

Ivermectin was used, but sometimes it just doesn't work and you have to go antibiotics. Just like you read about.

Wry neck never gets better without treatment. Maybe it is time for him to go?


Karen

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Maybe the ACV is for ear mites? I don't think that's what this is... it really looks neurological, his balance is way off and his pupil isn't right either.

Poor little guy. I'm still reading up, sounds like some combination of dewormers and antibiotics has been known to help... but I really don't want to breed him even if he does recover, so he should probably go.

-Wendy

Honestly? I would cull him....wry neck can be caused by e.cuniculi, which is a neurological parasite. It can also be caused by ear mites deep in the ear canal, or an inner ear infection, but with the pupil asymmetry, it sounds like e.cuniculi.....

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I really don't want to breed him even if he does recover, so he should probably go.

That is what I would do if he were mine. I feel for you- I know how easy it is to get attached to your first rabbits.

I had to cull my original herd sire due to an abscess which was hard to do because I thought he would be with us for a very long time. But I felt that risking my herd over an emotional attachment was irresponsible, even though Hubs and the Pups were horrified that I would cull him without "giving him a chance".

They have come to understand my stance now, and hopefully the same will be true in your situation if you are experiencing the same kind of resistance from your family.