Please, if anybody have seen this before - help me. One day my girl bunny all of a sudden started to shake her head. Non-stop. It does stop when she\'s active or is doing something, but wneh she\'s relaxed or just sits there - her head shakes up and down. Please, somebody help me!
Is it shaking like a tremor or is it shaking as in she is purposely shaking her head? If she is having a tremor-type shake, she could have some toxicity going on (moldy feed can cause this) or some sort of nerve damage. There could also be an infection caused by Encephalitozoon cuniculi - a parasitic protozoan. A vet can do blood serology tests to see if this is a possibility. This is best treated with ivermectin cattle wormer (injectable) at the rate of .1 cc/lb. of body weight. Given subcu, the injection should be repeated in 7 days. Piperazine wormer can be added to her water as a precaution against other types of parasites as well.
If she is actively shaking her head, she could have ear mites. Check to see if she has any sign of redness or scabbing down in the ear. If so, you can give an injection of ivermectin Repeat the shot in 10 days if necessary.
Good luck.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
So... Seems like I\'ll need to take her to the vet? It is a tremor, she doesn\'t do it on purpose, and I worry that she might have benn attaced by my male bunny - he\'s not very gentle with her.. If it is a nerve damage - is it treatable? Thank you.
You don\'t keep the two of them together all the time do you? That\'s really not a good idea. If the rabbits aren\'t neutered, the reasons are obvious. Even if they are, if one of the rabbits exhibits aggressive behavior, they can be unrelenting in their attacks on the subordinate rabbit. In a cage, there just isn\'t any place for the \"underdog\" to escape. Stress can indeed cause tremors...or even worse. If this is what\'s going on, you need to separate those rabbits immediately.
If you think it is possible there could be a different cause, a trip to the vet is still appropriate.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
I did separeted them yesterday, but seems like her tremors getting worse. It\'s only second day that she had them, but she\'s already shaking even when she\'s eating, and when she\'s laying down her whole body shakes along. I am so worried!
I used to let them run around together whole day long, but my boy just won\'t accept her, and now and them I saw him bite her. I hope I didn\'t let him hurt her....
I really recommend a visit to the vet.
Charlcie