We've been raising rabbits many years but I had a stroke a few years ago so only keeping the few older bunnies we still have (trying to remember what I used to know for helping the bunnies with illness). One of them had wry neck this morning so of course we isolated her and unfortunately no vet is open today. Been feeding her goldenseal and chamomile and dandelion tea to help with infection and relaxation. My daughter is gone for a dewormer too so we can add that to the mix just in case. Any other ideas would be appreciated. She is 6 years old but still seems perky even though this is going on. She hasn't eaten much either but has eaten her oats.
Wry Neck
- Thread starter Moon11RT
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RabbitsOfTheCreek
Netherland Dwarf Breeder & Well-known Member
Wry Neck by itself isn't a big danger. I've had a rabbit named Whilber who's had it since he was a week old (He's about two-three years old now) and the worst thing is that needed help cleaning when he would spray (He doesn't anymore)
the thing you need to figure out is WHY she has a tilt neck. Is it from E. Cunniculi or from a deep ear infection? They require different methods of treatment. And while you are trying to figure it out you need to make sure she's not contagious to other rabbits.
I have isolated her from the other bunnies just to be on the safe side. Because no vet is available for the weekend I have given her goldenseal and chamomile and dandelion tea to help with infection and relaxation (all herbs I've used often for infections and stress). My daughter brought home a dewormer called fenbendazole and I adjusted the weight measurement for my bunny and tonight a few hours later she is more active and eating a little more. Not sure which worked but I am happy she seems better. Thanks all for the info. I will be touching base with the vet on Monday anyway to perhaps draw blood and see what else needs to be done. Also, giving the other bunnies the same meds in smaller doses (maintenance doses) just to be on the safe side. 
If you have ivermecton on hand you can put some on her to kill mites. Coconut oil, a few drops in her ears will suffocate mites every day for 2 days then evey other day for a week then every month to keep mite free. Ivermecton acts faster but it only lasts a few days. I'm glad you will be taking her to a vet. We purchased a 6 week old tamook who held his head that way and stared off to the side. Took him to the vet and it was a deep ear infection of mites. He recovered just fine but still stares off sometimes.
She doesn't appear to have mites but there is a wax build up and so we are giving her Goldenseal as an herbal antibiotic (it's good for rabbits) and the fenbendazole for dewormer is supposed to help with all parasites (we make sure there's a couple hours in-between so there's no interaction/ shouldn't be anyway but just in case). I do have olive oil and coconut oil on hand so I can use that for her ears. Thank you. Seems the vet here knows nothing about bunnies. They didn't see any mites though. I don't think they look very well as my bunny was moving about a lot and wouldn't be still.
. She does seem perkier today though.Sounds like you are doing everything you can. I would still put the coconut oil drops in her ears, they can be way down in the ear drum and the drops will suffacate them. Heavy ear wax may be an indication. It is a good thing to do once a month anyway to keep their ears clear.
The photo is of another member's bunny they posted to show me how their bunny survived Wry neck and how well he is doing. I am hoping mine will do at least as well. She seems to be a little better but it's too early to really tell.
RabbitsOfTheCreek
Netherland Dwarf Breeder & Well-known Member
Whilber always runs in circles
Just an update: Only one of our bunnies is still being affected by Wry Neck. Working on massaging her neck to try and help her move it better in time. We'll see if it works. She does struggle some and has louder breathing I think because of how crooked her neck is. When we get her sitting up better she breathes just fine. Any thoughts on recovery. The meds have done their part and we got some probiotics for rabbits and vitamins to help build now. Thanks all. I was so scared and now I'm just worried for one which is still worry but reduced by 3/4ths. This forum was a blessing for this hard time. Thanks all.
Buknee
Bella Rose Rabbitry
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Can Wry/Tilt neck be passed on genetically? I have a buck with it. I was told it came from an injury when he was left too long with his sibling. He is now a year and a half old. He is completely healthy and it doesn't affect his behavior.
My experience with Wry neck was caused by a type of encephalitis which there are several types that mosquitoes can pass on. So my first reaction was no. But an injury, maybe, especially since you shay he is ok now.
What I know about the disease is that it would kill the rabbit, there is a very rare possibility it could recover but only with some serious medical care.
So if it is an injury, probably not passed along.
I'm rather tentative in this opinion though
What I know about the disease is that it would kill the rabbit, there is a very rare possibility it could recover but only with some serious medical care.
So if it is an injury, probably not passed along.
I'm rather tentative in this opinion though
Skeletal deformities can certainly be hereditary, and could result in wry neck. But all instances of wry neck I've encountered in my rabbits or those of others have come from Encephalitozoon cuniculi (an intracellular fungal parasite) infections or injuries. If it was me I'd ask about his relatives and if he's the only one with the condition, I'd assume it was an injury as reported. (I'd still keep a close eye on the spinal health of any offspring!)
Buknee
Bella Rose Rabbitry
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Thank you.
It would be no benefit to them to misinform me. We are trading lines to build our Cinnamons since they are hard to find in our area. He is the only one from the litter with Wry neck. I also have one of his sisters/littermates and she is perfectly fine. I have just never dealt with Wry neck before so no idea if it could be an issue.
From Previous Owner: "It didn’t show up until he was older, which is why we think it was caused from the injury. The injury was some superficial lesions on his back leg that have healed and his leg is fine. None of the other kits have had it."
That would make sense. A back injury could affect the neck/head carriage, or there could have been damage in addition to that which was visible.
If he had E. cuniculi, it might have shown up when he was older, but from what I've seen I don't believe he would have recovered on his own. We've saved a number of rabbits with the infection (all does, though, strengely we've never had a buck recover) but it takes quite an effort to pull them through.
Cinnamons, very nice! May we please see photos?
Buknee
Bella Rose Rabbitry
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kathylawrence005
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That would make sense. A back injury could affect the neck/head carriage, or there could have been damage in addition to that which was visible.
If he had E. cuniculi, it might have shown up when he was older, but from what I've seen I don't believe he would have recovered on his own. We've saved a number of rabbits with the infection (all does, though, strengely we've never had a buck recover) but it takes quite an effort to pull them through.
Cinnamons, very nice! May we please see photos?
I have a young rabbit with head tilted - how did you pull yours through it?
I am also concerned that it will spread to my other rabbits.
Where would they get the parasite?
