Vibes for Sparky please u/d cautiously optimistic...

She woke me up at 4.20am with a rhythmic thump-thump-thump. I thought she was under the bed playing with a slipper. I said 'Sparky!' in a stern tone of voice and it stopped... for a few seconds, so I got up to sort her out.

She wasn't under the bed, she was at the foot of the bed, circling and disorientated with her head weaving about  The thumps were her inside back leg because she was dragging it rather than picking it up properly.

I picked her up, realised I couldn't do a lot with her while I was in the nuddy  and popped her on the bed while I got a dressing gown on. Where she promptly did the hugest widdle ever  I woke her Hudad and took her downstairs. As she sat in my arms her head was still weaving a little for a minute or two but that soon calmed down. We tried to give her some Panacur but she is so headshy she wanted nothing to do with it, so we injected it into a mini shredded wheat and popped her in a carrier with it. By this time she seemed fairly normal again, sitting upright, having a bit of a wash and eventually eating her Panacur / mini shredded wheat.

When she seemed 'normal' again I popped her back upstairs, went back to bed and lay and worried about her for a couple of hours  

I'm going to get her into the vet later and book a double appointment so we can thoroughly explore what we need to do to try to get a diagnosis and some possible treatment.

She's such a special little tinker and I am ever so worried about her. Lots of Hopper vibes would be very welcome


Sparky's Humum

Oh I wish they could get to the bottom of this for you. Sending lots of hugs to you and vibes for her.    

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear she is poorly.

Ill be thinking about you today and sending millions of vibes for my favourite little lady x

My heart sank when I read the title of this thread.

This must be neurological in origin. I know I have read on medirabbit that diazepam and/or anti-epileptics can be useful in rabbit seizures I wonder if they would be worth considering. I guess it is a case of getting to the bottom of what is going on.

But loads of vibes for Sparky and for the very worried Humum and Hudad.  

My heart also sank

Fingers crossed for answers and something to make her better.

Keep us posted

We've been to the vets. Eyes, ears, nose, chest, temperature, gut sounds all normal. The little porker weighs 2.2kg (she's not really porky at all but at least she has a little weight in reserve should she need it). There was no way the vet was getting a look at her teeth  but then no real reason for concern there either - she is eating and pooping fine.

We let her run around the room and you could tell she was listing a *tiny* bit to one side. When the vet was rotating her head she objected to it being turned to the left past a certain point but not to the right.

An X-ray is unlikely to show anything clearly enough for a firm diagnosis, the best option would be a full CT scan but I don't know where this could be done so it could be a fair journey. And around £1000  and it's likely that anything it showed could not be cured, although it might help decide on a symptom-management strategy.

For now she's on a 28-day course of Panacur just in case. She's had an injection of an anti-inflammatory - colvasone - which apparently would be more effective in the head area than Metacam. It's just a case of seeing how she does over the next couple of days, trying to decide if the anti-inflammatory seems to be beneficial and giving the Panacur a few days to start being effective, if it is an EC-related problem.

Honestly, if you had seen her in the vets you wouldn't think there had ever been a thing wrong with her. Ears up, eyes bright, head bobbing and wanting to explore everywhere  I got my own back by having her claws clipped  - best put that manicure appointment back again, Sparky

Oh, and thanks peeps - I'm sure you all know how invaluable you all are at times like these  

Oh God Sparky don't do this to me !  

I'm sending all the Vibes I can muster that someone can get to the bottom of this for you and
come up with answers. One of our customers has just had a CT scan on their rabbit I will find out where it was
and how much it was but I think the nearest place to you would be the Small Teaching Hospital at Liverpool University
they do all sorts including CT scans

http://www.liv.ac.uk/sath/services/imaging/

Just found this place and it's in Wigan and they do CT scans http://www.northwestmricenter.co.uk/

Fingers and paws are all crossed for you here as you are such a special girl and mean so much to us xxxxxx

For Humum and Hudad        

Sending mega meag vibes for our special little lady. lets hope the panacur makes her better  

Oh no, so sorry to hear Sparky is not doing good. I really hope they find out what is wrong, I know she is such a special little girl. It is heartbreaking. Many mega vibes from us and Dougal.

     

oh no!
sending lots of vibes to sparky                

Our customers that had a CT scan on their bunny had it done at Croft Vets in Cramlington , but it's in Northumberland so may be to far for you but we could always help if you decided to go there.

They are highly recommended and the person they saw was specialist vet Reike Hettrick at Crofts but she said it was about £1,000 the scan  

http://www.croftvets.co.uk/branches/a-e-hospital

Oh no Sending lots of vibes for the precious Sparkles  

Thanks for all the vibes peeps, she has seemed fine all day. In danger of overdosing on banana chips until I told her Hudad not to take any notice of the big, sad eyes, but otherwise fine.

Thanks for the info Maysie, there are a couple of options in Lancashire and about £1000 seems to be the going rate for CT or MRI - we're not going down that route just yet though.


I've looked up the anti-inflammatory she was given and am a bit concerned that it is a steroid and could suppress her immune system further  I'd want a much more detailed chat with the vet about it before I allowed her to have another...

Poor little Sparky, I do hope she gets better soon. Lots of loving vibes are on their way.

Hugs

JO xx

Big hugs to Sparky
I hope things improve soon...sending loads of get well vibes!!
Debs
x

Glad to year she as perked up bless her. Such a worry though... I think you will find yourselves sparky watching over the next few days.

Sending you all lots of love, I know how stressful having a bunny so poorly can be- and not knowing the cause is so horrible. Xxxx

Glad she seems better in herself I have been thinking of her all day

Top up of the old magic vibes for her xxxxxx

and for you both     

I'm sorry I missed this, Just wanted to send a load of vibes for Sparky

Oh, no!  Sparky precious  , you must get well!  Sending all the vibes I can for you to get better!  Saying prayers too.  You MUST get better.  The sooner the better.  

Just yesterday I was showing Rory your pictures on Facebook.  My computer has died so I was using the tablet.  He looked and looked at the pictures.  Then the one that was the whole picture made him get up and look behind the tablet trying to find you.

I was able to compare the two of you closer and you have much longer ears than he.  I hadn't noticed that before.  His ears are very short.

Rory says:
OH, beautiful Sparky, please get well!  Take your medicines like your humum and hudad tell you too.  Good job on the banananana chip ploy.  I use it to get more fenugreek crunchies!  Remember, all buns look up to you.  You are an icon for the modern pampered house rabbit.  And I we all love you!  
Love, Rory

Many  to Sparky's Humum and Hudad.

How is she today hun?

Hugs

Jo xx

She seems to be normal (well, Sparky-normal  ) although she was a *tiny* bit wobbly on her feet at treatie time last night. I think that might have been all to do with the timing though

Vibe top up for the incredible HRH Princess Sparky!  

gentl wrote:Vibe top up for the incredible HRH Princess Sparky!  

I'm not a ship   

You'd be HMS if you were a ship. HRH stands for Hoity Rude Hopper.