Floppy paw after Myxi jab

[Gez&Flops]

Hi,
This is my first post, I was just wondering if anyone had heard of this happening before. We took our two six month old buns to the vet for a check up 2 days ago and the vet gave them their Myxi jabs and panacur for deworming and generally checked them over and said they were healthy (he’s a rabbit vet so I trust him). After we took them home they were both quiet but I assumed they were angry at us for taking them to the vets. After a few hours Flopsy was back to his normal self bouncing around and eating normally but Gerard was not. He was quiet, still and not eating or drinking.
After some convincing he started eating hay but it was clear he was leaning to the right hand side, he couldn’t move without turning in a full circle and was lowering his head down so I assumed it was head tilt. We called the emergency vets and they said not to take him as the vet on duty didn’t know anything about rabbits. We stayed up all night monitoring him and noticed that the whole of his right side was sort of not working (ear pressed against body, eye closed, front paw floppy). Over night after feeding him and giving him water he perked up and we took him to the vet first thing yesterday morning. By that point his ear was back to normal, his eye had opened and he was moving around a lot more.
The vet said that it might be related to the jab and the company who made it confirmed it could be a reaction. We’ve been monitoring him since and have to take him back tomorrow if it doesn’t improve. He’s a lot better than he was, alert and eating and drinking unaided but his right paw is still floppy, his just sort of holding it and when he’s sitting he tucks it under himself regardless of if his legs are out or not. The vert confirmed its not injured and if you force him to he will put weight on it but he’s choosing not to. He’s really quiet too, mostly sleeping but acting normally when he’s awake, apart from his paw!
I just don’t know what to do or if this is a permanent thing. We’ve only had them a month and half and I’m really scared that the jab has caused a serious issue but sort of know that sounds silly!

[Brambino]

Hey, hope Gerard gets well soon!

There are people far more knowledgable than me so I’ll leave them to advise.

Hope it’s a little comfort, my bun Bramble reacts badly to the vaccine too. She had the combined myxi/vhd. She was real quiet and lethargic for about 72 hours. Didn’t eat much or move much. Generally felt really sorry for herself. Definitely was not herself.

We called the vet the day after the vaccine who said it was likely a combination of the stress of the visit and the vaccine. She perked up and was her usual self after 72 hours but the vaccine really affected her so I understand your concern.

Let us know how Gerard gets on.

[Bam]

I’m so sorry to hear this. My bunny Bam had a reaction to the old myxi or the old RHV vaccine (they were given at the same time so we don’t know which it was), but he’s been doing very well on the newer Nobivac double vaccine. My Bam just got sores in his ears and around his eye though, but my vet agreed it was a reaction to the vaccine.

I’m glad the acute stage seems to be over. With neurologic incidents, it often takes some time (months) before full function is regained. With humans, you try to make them use the affected limb (often an arm/ hand) as much as they can, so the brain can “find” it again. Only time can tell if this is a permanent thing, but since he’s recovered so well and so swiftly from the first symptoms, I think chances are good that this too will improve.

This must have put much stress on him, so it’s not surprising if he’s a little subdued, but you should monitor him and make sure he eats and poops. Do you mind telling us what country you are in? (I’m interested in looking up the vaccine he was given.)

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