Head Tilt Recovery, now Paralyzed! Update on Bunbun Mochi Cloud, Need Help!

[twuffy]

Update:

I have been meaning to write an update about Bunbun’s (Mochi Cloud) miraculous recovery from severe head tilt but now something tragic has happened. Let me go back to the recovery.

A few weeks ago, we finished about 3 weeks of antibiotics with a few doses of Baytril but mainly ciproflaxin. There didn’t seem to be any change. The last day of antibiotic he also had these Swiss healers come to see him and they did a healing. He really responded to their presence and laid before them with his eyes closed and occasionally nudging against their fingers. By the next morning he was 50% better and by the end of a week he was 110%!! He was back to his old antics, breaking out of his xpen and chasing cats, running around my room, doing binkys and being generally hilarious. Maybe it was the antibiotics finally kicking in?

The night before last I secured him in his cage/xpen but I thought that I might need to change the setup bc we were suspicious that he might be jumping onto a counter and getting out. But I was tired so I went to bed. The next morning he was out of the cage, my son said he’d heard him rumpusing around under his bed that morning. I went to work and got a call that Bunbun had no movement in his hind legs and was crawling using his front legs!

He is completely paralyzed from the hips down. Incontinent. The vet thinks he has broken his spine. This is the same vet who said he had a head trauma, from which he recovered fully.

So, here are my questions:

Is it still possible this is the parasite? From what I see online, it could be, and the vet I am working with is willing to prescribe but doesn’t think it is and doesn’t think he would recover, I sent her the articles I found and you all provided me. Do I also treat for possible ear infection?? If it is either, could he recover?? And finally, any advice on caring for a paraplegic rabbit would be appreciated. I am wiping him several times a day, and just gave him a bath. He is going to need daily bathing for sure, but I don’t know how to keep his limbs healthy, etc.

Thank you for your support. I blame myself, for not getting his cage properly secured. He probably got out, chased the cats off too high a jump, or got into it with the dog (not likely as dog was sleeping next to son and I think he would have heard something). But I still wonder if there is another answer here…btw one of the healers said he had a brain injury AND a spinal injury, which at the time didn’t make much sense…

[Sarita]

Did the vet do an x-ray? If not, what would make the vet think he broke his spine?

Is he able to urinate on his own or do you have to express his bladder?

I would recommend that you get fleece to put down in his cage area – I buy mine from http://www.palacepet.com – they call them beds but they are just pieces of high quality fleece that you can just toss into the washer.

[Sarita]

Here’s a link as well with tons of good resources for a disabled rabbit:

http://www.catsandrabbitsandmore.com/disabled_rabbits

Including a link to sign up for a disabled rabbits yahoo list.

[kralspace]

I’m so sorry to hear about bunbun’s condition, it makes you feel so helpless I know. I have no advice, but plenty of prayers and bunny hugs for you both. I would like to hear more about the healers.

Keep us updated

[bunnytowne]

 I think you mean pastuerella causes head tilt.  Or is it e cunniculi I forget which is which.  Yes the one of these can cause hind end paralysis. 

An xray is in order to be sure the shape of bun buns spine.  If it is broken or not.   Ear infections.  The vet would be able to tell if that is a problem also. 

Poor BunBun.   In this situation you would need to give butt baths as needed.  Keep BunBun stil and calm til you and the vet know whether or not it is a spinal problem or a parasite problem.  Wouldn’t want to do more damage by her running about. 

There are wheeled things to put their hindquarters on so they can move around too.  Once  you know which problem Bunbun has you may need to get her one.  

[KatnipCrzy]

an x-ray will go a long way in determining the extent of damage to the spine and what the prognosis is, and how much pain the bunny might be in.  Did you vet give the bunny any meds for pain or spinal cord swelling?  If not, you need to see another vet anyway!

[Desma]

I am so sorry for your dear bunny. I will pray for him. God cares and knows when a sparrow falls to the ground. I have a kitty that has spina bifida. We had her from a tiny kitten and she dragged her hind legs because of the spinal injury that is a birth defect. She is 7 years old and we love her to death! She cannot walk on her hind legs good still but can hop like a bunny with her hind legs together.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’m so sorry to hear this *hugs* {{Healing vibes}}

I think you should,  if you can afford to-do diagnostics with your vet (X ray for SURE, blood samples fecal samples) do the works. Rather then treat for something that it may or may not be. If your vet gets stumped-ask him to consult with a rabbit specialist.

As far as I know there are a couple of causes of parlysis. One is E. Cuniculi, http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-2/e-cuniculi.html and one is trauma-ie. a broken back. (there are others, tumour, stroke etc) ; An xray would rule out or in spinal trauma, and blood samples can find E. Cuniculi. Neurological tests can generally determine where the ttrauma is be it a tumour or stoke.

I agree with Katnip onfinding another vet. You may like your vet and not want to hurt his feelings, but a parlyzed rabbit is cause for concern and I think he should have done an xray at the very least!! We can suggest vets for you if you are able to post what city/area you live in.

So furher testing is necessary-especially if it’s a break. Please keep us posted!

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