Middle ear infection and head tilt

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This topic has 2sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 8 months ago by Cocoa_26.

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- 07/06/2020 at 9:00 AM
  Cocoa_26
  Participant
  11 posts
  Hi everyone,
  
  I have an 8 yr old dwarf bunny named Cocoa. He was recently diagnosed with a middle ear infection that’s causing him to tilt his head, mostly when he eats or lays down, and a sore hock :((. His appetite was normal until I took him to the vet about 4 days ago. The vet prescribed some antibiotics and ear drops and as soon as I gave it to him his appetite has decreased significantly. These past days he’s eaten a few greens and a little bit of hay. You know rabbits go crazy for fruit and he doesn’t want any of it which I guess is fine, I know we technically shouldn’t give that to them, but that’s how I know he is not ok. The vet said to stop his antibiotic and put calendula ointment on his hock instead, but to continue the ear drops. After I stopped the antibiotic, he started eating again but when I went for the ear drops, which he HATES, his appetite decreased again. I’m giving him critical care now. Idk why this is happening. He doesn’t like being picked up so idk if the constant handling to give him the drops is stressing him.
  Has anyone experienced the same behavior change with their bunnies while on this medication. I would greatly appreciate any tips or fist hand experiences with having a bunny with an ear infection or sore hock. Most of the information I’ve researched doesn’t seem to have a great prognosis 🙁
  
  Thanks in advance!
- 07/06/2020 at 9:12 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17029 posts
  I’m sorry you are going through this. Inappetence is a common side effect of antibiotics in buns. You may have to syringe him critical care for the duration of medication. Even antibiotic ear drops can affect appetite. What is the name of the ear drops?
  
  Some buns can benefit from an antihistamine to relieve the dizziness/possible nausea that can come with an ear infection. (It’s not really known if rabbits can get nauseous, because they cant vomit.)
  
  Ear infections can heal. It can take quite a while though. Sore hocks can most definitely heal. My bun had a sore hock last winter, it healed but he had to have his foot wrapped for a while. I put vetbed mats and fleece blankets on the floor for him.
  
  This is a good article, I used those instructions for wrapping my buns foot:
  
  http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sorehocks.html
- 07/06/2020 at 11:46 AM
  Cocoa_26
  Participant
  11 posts
  Thank you so much for your reply Bam! It gives me a little bit of hope. I feel terrible that he’s going through this and there isn’t much I could do 🙁
  
  The ear drops are called Synotic. The other antibiotic was Azithromycin but the vet said I could stop it and try the calendula ointment instead.
  
  I’m going to see if maybe I can wrap his foot, I also though it would help, but I wonder why the vet didn’t say anything about it. My apartment is carpeted btw.
  
  I’ll continue with the critical care and will take a look at the link you sent me. Thank you so much again!
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