Blind bunny

Re: Blind bunny

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 14 May 2015 16:51:01 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

Thanks Marie, owners have talked to the children and have decided to put the rabbit to sleep .

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Sorry to hear that but perhaps for the best if options were limited.

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]I would want to do at least a blood smear and PCV before reaching for fenbendazole as if chronically immunosuppressed you can make things worse with panacur.[/quote]Interesting I wasn't aware of that - what is the pharmacodynamics of that?

[/quote]

Bone marrow suppression is well reported as a side effect of benzimidazoles- I believe it is something to do with the inhibition of tubule formation affecting precursor cell division but don't quote me on that! It is not a predictable response and seems idiosyncratic though incidence is hypothesised to increase with dose. Anecdotally it appears more common in rabbits than cats/dogs but maybe that is because we give 28d courses more routinely.

Marie

Re: Blind bunny

Kate Richardson — Thu, 14 May 2015 13:02:23 GMT

Thanks Marie, owners have talked to the children and have decided to put the rabbit to sleep .

Re: Blind bunny

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 14 May 2015 10:45:08 GMT

Re: Blind bunny

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 13 May 2015 20:39:04 GMT

We are seeing more and more resistance in rabbit culture samples so I would be hesitant to suggest one antibiotic over others. Blind treatment is less than ideal, but you already know that! If forced then I would look at broad coverage with selection of antibiotics with minimal side effects - enrofloxacin and metronidazole is my empirical combination when I am stuck with empirical therapy.

I would want to do at least a blood smear and PCV before reaching for fenbendazole as if chronically immunosuppressed you can make things worse with panacur.

Marie

Re: Blind bunny

Kate Richardson — Tue, 12 May 2015 15:03:43 GMT

Thanks Marie. I will talk to the owners, but I don't think they have the funds to do much. Bunny is in very good shape otherwise and has no history of teeth problems and its mouth looks great- hasn't been seen for several years. If they wanted to trial antibiotics (without any investigations) what would you recommend? and would you suggest treatment with fenbendazole as well?

Re: Blind bunny

Marie Kubiak — Tue, 12 May 2015 13:50:02 GMT

Bacterial infection would be top of my list especially if this rabbit has a history of dental/ear/respiratory infections - extensive abscesses can be present in the brain in rabbits with minimal signs until an acute crisis develops when vital tissues become involved or infection/inflammation breaks out of the capsule. E cuniculi rarely causes acute deterioration but is a consideration either as a primary or secondary pathogen. Tapeworm cysts and herpes simplex are also possible but uncommon.

Neoplasia is surprisingly uncommon in rabbits compared to domestic mammals (other than the uterine adenocarcinomas) but I have seen central forms of lymphoma cause acute pathology. Hepatic encephalopathy, coagulopathies, cardiac disease with thrombus formation and CVA, hypertension, toxin ingestion and trauma are also differentials.

I would look at measuring BP, doing some basic bloodwork and considering EC serology if all looks ok on general and ophthalmic exam. If you have access to MRI and the owner is willing to fund this then I would consider advanced imaging as one of the most useful tools if bloods are ok as little else will get you a good idea of what is going on centrally.

Marie

Re: Blind bunny

Kate Richardson — Tue, 12 May 2015 11:52:35 GMT

Owner's mobile isn't responding so I haven't been able to speak to her yet! Any thoughts on further diagnostics or even trial therapies? How likely are infectious or inflammatory causes?

Re: Blind bunny

Marie Kubiak — Tue, 12 May 2015 09:45:51 GMT

Healthy bunnies can completely lack a menace response and have a sluggish PLR so ophthalmic assessment of blindness can be misleading and any illness/stress in rabbits will inhibit actively seeking out food but they may still be tempted with treats placed nearby. Certainly yours sounds like a central lesion which would support the apparent clinical concerns with vision. What does the owner see with the seizures?

Re: Blind bunny

Kate Richardson — Tue, 12 May 2015 09:07:10 GMT

It was difficult to tell if truly blind in consult as menace absent but I recall is pretty unreliable in rabbits? Pupils were responding to light albeit slowly. and couldn't get the rabbit to move around much on the floor. But owners have since reported the rabbits is now having fits, so I suspect a central lesion.

Re: Blind bunny

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 11 May 2015 10:04:56 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]fairly sudden onset [/quote]Depends how sudden fairly is! You have to think E. cunicili and brain tumour as well despite lack of other apparent symptoms.

Re: Blind bunny

Stephen Courtney — Sat, 09 May 2015 23:08:10 GMT

Stroke? I believe they are prone to heart attacks like people get - coronary thrombosis - so perhaps equally likely to CVA type problems.

Also is it really blind or just obtunded ...not always easy to tell. Do you have PLRs, is there a menace or a dazzle reflex, etc.

An acutely blind animal in a familiar environment should still be able to smell food and go to it.