[Gpdd] HEALTH: Hershey's latest crisis

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

First I'm glad to hear her droppings are back to normal. You say she is on 
the same 3 meds still, I cant think of why any of the 3 would cause the 
symptoms of hind-end paresis, and nystagmus,  there are 2 causes as I write 
as follows. Take these seriously, the e.cuniculi  which I wrote about on an 
earlier article about a question about wry neck or head tilt but I dont 
think that was you. I'm sure everyone on the list wants to know that 
Hershey's dropping are back to normal (which since you are still giving the 
3 meds, may have been a flushing of parasites the flagyl killed) Please, 
Joanie, what has the vet said, you will have to talk to her about these 
current symptoms, dont wait till the next crisis comes, write us a couple 
lines every time something happens, including positive changes, OK?

I suspect Vit C deficiency, it often first appears as trouble with back 
legs, I asked if you are supplementing her, I suspect that all her dietary 
problems have not allowed her to get enough, the vet can give a shot or 
shots, they aren't expensive, I use chewable vit c tablets and teach to eat 
by nibbling one yourself, also you can put a piece in her mouth far enough 
back that she doesn't spit it out but she doesn't choke on it. Also you 
could smash it up, dissolve in a bit of water, syringe it up and feed it to 
her that way.  Vit C deficiencies are quickly cured and the piggy returns to 
health in a week or so, any one else chime in here with your own 
experiences. Give some everyday for life.

The biggest worry, and the one that accounts for both symptoms, would be the 
protozoan parasite e cuniculi which I warned about in a previous email, 
Flagyl will not kill it, use the link to www.medirabbit.com  go to 
neurological conditions, and medicines, also do a search on medirabbit to 
bring up more articles.  It can effect the spinal column, eyes and brain and 
can easily be fatal, there are 2 or 3 meds that treat it and will knock it 
back enough to become not apparent, its not completely curable as it pops up 
when immunity is compromised or old age sets in.  I sincerely hope its not 
e.c. The vet can do what's called a titre test, the results are an answer on 
a scale, where the lower end indicates lower exposure, the upper end 
indicates higher exposure, so its not definitive unless its very low (no 
exposure) or very high, pretty much a confirmation. It takes 2 or three 
weeks to get the results so most vets treat while waiting for the result to 
be safe as the parasite can kill her in that amount of time. The medicine is 
not expensive and it will most likely save her life if she has e.c.

Both conditions can be treated together and at once, both cannot be left to 
see if they can sort out themselves, also I attached an article by rabbit 
expert Dana Krempels PhD who is also the list owner for etherbun, and 
excellent listserve group for rabbit owners with medical and behavioral 
issues, its very large so they dont allow the social content we have here, 
and they cant address guinea pigs, you can reach Dana on www.allexperts.com 
See this article http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/tilt.html  it addresses the 
causes and treatment of head tilt, including the nystagmus and e. cuniculi

if its e.c., the fact of her earlier illness could have lowered her 
resistance enough for the parasites to "wake up" and become active. e.c is 
very common in rabbits, and most rabbits get it at birth from their mothers. 
Then the parasite will either become active or become dormant and can strike 
later in life and esp. old age when immunity is lowered. It is much less 
common in g.p.'s but I've heard its possible, has she every been with a 
rabbit, do you know her whole history, was she ever at a shelter or bought 
at a pet store, where maybe the breeder had he with a bunny or she stayed 
with one at a shelter, or are their wild buns in the yard? That would be the 
most likely route of infection.

Wrapping  up, get Vit C into her tonight, and twice a day of 50mg.  Read the 
article by Dr. Krempels, an talk to the vet tomorrow about both symptoms, 
take my email with you to the vet if you go.  Finally 80 to 85 deg F is too 
high a heat but I dont know that it can cause these symptoms, if she is a 
long hair type it's much worse than if she's a short hair,  keep her well 
hydrated as always and provide a wrapped bottle of frozen bottle at one end 
of the cage, if she spends her time close to the bottle you know she is too 
hot. I know money is tight and winter is near, but she needs to kept in the 
70's.

Best regards and healing wheeks, Sandy and Shipwreck Sam who hopes she 
recovers and joins him and the other pirates on the Black Pearl when she's 
well.

Good luck  Sandy