My new Bunny has a problem.

[Atryn]

Tonight after I went out to feed and water the rabbits and found one of my rabbits lying on his side drooling and breathing heavily, he’s unable to keep his balance and falls over when he tries to move. I have two rabbits in a fairly large room in the barn where they can run around free. I got him two weeks ago from someone on Craigslist selling him a meat rabbit so he hasn’t had much contact with people and is very shy but he has bonded with my other male and they get along great so I don’t think it is the result of them fighting, I don’t have much in the room with them that he could have fallen only a small wooden box where the bunny’s sleep it isn’t very tall. I brought him inside when I found him (a few hours ago) he has improved a little, he has been moving a bit more but he just falls over his breathing has slowed down a bit but it still sounds like hes having trouble and his drooling has almost completely stopped. I will be taking him to the vet in the morning to make sure he’s alright I’m just looking for an idea on what it may be so I know what to do with him tonight and how I could keep him comfortable until morning.
http://imgur.com/Vs7bhWV

[Bam]

The thing that comes to my mind is e. cuniculi, a parasite that causes symptoms that are sometimes referred to by vets as a “bunny stroke”. It is treatable with Panacur (fenbendazole) if you get to your vet asap. I think you should keep the bunny warm and comfy meanwhile, sick buns often get hypothermic.

(This may not be e cuniculi, I’m just guessing here, you will need a vet to diagnose him.)

e cuniculi is a very common parasite in bunnies and most buns never get ill from it, but if the bun has been subject to stress from f ex a new environment, a recent illness etc, it may trigger a “bunny-stroke”. It can give many different neurological symptoms.

Your other buns can be treated too as a preventive measure, it’s a de-wormer called panacur that you give for 28 consequitive days.

Your sick bun may need supportive measures too like sub Q fluids, pain-meds, a gut motility drug etc.

Please keep us updated.

[Atryn]

I took him to the vet this morning vet said it looked like he had head trauma just to keep an eye on him for a few days and should be alright. He is doing much better this morning no drooling and the heavy breathing has stopped but he’s still a bit wobbly. Not really sure how he hurt his head but I will be taking the wooden box out and putting in a large dog kennel so he can’t get on top of it and fall off.

[Bam]

Poor little guy! Sending him many recovery vibes (((((Atryn’s bun))))) So glad it’s nothing contagious. 

Thank you for saving him from being a meat-rabbit.

[tobyluv]

I’m glad that your bunny is doing better and I hope that he will be well soon. It’s wonderful that you saved him. Since he was intended to be a meat rabbit, I doubt that he has been neutered. If you want to bond your rabbits, make sure that both have been neutered first, and recuperated, before the bonding starts. It sounds like they’ve been okay so far, but you really don’t want any fighting to occur. Rabbits can severely injure each other when fighting.

[Atryn]

After he got a little better and was able to walk without falling over I let my other Bunny in with him and it cheered them both right up.
http://imgur.com/NakDs8g
Thank you for all of your replies and your concern for my little guy.

[vanessa]

What a cute picture 🙂 I’d keep an eye on him. E.C. is scary and transmitted through contact with spores released in urine. What could have caused the head trauma?

[Atryn]

There was a wooden box where they sleep in their pen i think he got ontop of it and fell off.

[vanessa]

Poor thing. Glad he is doing better.

[Q8bunny]

Aww… cutie pies! Glad he’s improving. (((Vibes))) from us for a speedy and full recovery.

[Author]

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