A good hare day should be every day! But when your bunny’s head is tilting, it can turn your world on its ear. Head tilt, also known as wry neck, is when your rabbit’s head leans to one side. If severe enough, your fuzzy friend won’t be able to walk or stand up straight. It’s a common condition in rabbits that we see often in VEG hospitals across the country. So, let’s talk about the signs of wry neck and why it is important to seek help!
SIGNS OF WRY NECK:
Head turned at a 90º angle
Often cannot walk or hop
May roll around the floor continuously
Rapid eye movement – also known as nystagmus
No appetite or cannot eat - when rabbits are afflicted by wry neck, they often do not eat, which can make a beloved bunny very sick in a very short amount of time
WHY DO RABBITS GET WRY NECK?
Rabbit head tilt can happen for many reasons including:
Crystal or stone formation in the ears
Ear infections
Inflammation
Parasites
Systemic infections
Toxins
Trauma
Other less common causes
WHEN YOU SHOULD HOP ON OVER TO VEG
You’ll definitely want to bring your rabbit to the ER for wry neck. Any of our VEG animal hospital locations can provide immediate triage on your little fuzzy friend. Don’t delay, as wry neck in rabbits can cause discomfort and lead to trauma. To your bunny, it feels similar to vertigo, or as if you were to spin around 20 times and then try to walk straight. In short, your bunny has the spins and looks to you to save them.
It is important to get your pet rabbit a physical examination to try and determine a potential cause, treat identifiable underlying conditions, and teach you how to take the best possible care of a rabbit in this condition.
SO, WHAT WILL MY VET DO FOR WRY NECK?
Perform a physical examination
Diagnose based on physical exam findings. Your vet may recommend minimal bloodwork to evaluate hydration. If an eye injury (secondary to the head tilt) is suspected, they may want to stain the eye to look for any injury to the cornea. This can happen when your pet is rolling around and/or has its head turned to the side with an eye is against the floor
More advanced diagnostics may be recommended based on physical exam
HOW IS RABBIT HEAD TILT TREATED?
Anti-nausea medication
Some species with vertigo (room spinning, whirling sensation) feel dizzy enough to vomit. But here’s an interesting fact: bunnies do not vomit. What?! Yep, it’s true. But they can show signs that they are nauseated, so a veterinarian may want to help relieve the nausea. For example, your vet might give your rabbit Meclizine, a motion sickness medication. It won’t hurt your bunny and might offer relief.
Epley Maneuver
This is an exercise that may help mitigate the symptoms of vertigo, and in some cases, can rapidly improve your rabbit’s overall condition.
Hydration support
Fluids can easily be administered under the skin of a rabbit. We call this subcutaneous fluid administration. At VEG, we do this in the hospital and can teach you how to do it at home until your bunny is drinking on their own again.
Nutritional support
We can teach you how to syringe feed your pet. We like to use any number of herbivore supplemental feeding formulas meant for rabbits until your bunny is eating on its own again. You will still need to let your rabbit have constant access to hay and water even though we are supplementing!
Eye lubrication
We recommend that you place lube in the eyes every 4-6 hours. With head tilt, your hunny bunny might scrape an eye on the ground or bump it into something. A lubricant will protect the corneas from trauma until your pet can keep itself upright on its own.
Secondary treatments
VEG or your primary vet will treat any identifiable underlying or concurrent conditions (e.g., ear infection, corneal ulceration).
At-home surroundings advice
A well-padded confinement and material for secure footing is needed until your pet bunny is able to navigate their surroundings.
HOW DO I CARE FOR WRY NECK AFTER THE VET VISIT?
Once your rabbit is discharged from the vet, it will need your commitment to their care. You should know that head tilt can recur, so be on the lookout for signs and symptoms. The good news is, if you can provide supportive care during the first critical days, prognosis is excellent in most cases.
Clinical signs will usually resolve within a few days to a couple of weeks. Some bunnies will have a mild head tilt that remains, however most will return to normal activities, eating, and drinking. If you are not comfortable with at-home management, you may consider hospitalization for the first few days until your bunny is out of its critical state. At VEG, you can stay with your pet, even overnight.
CALL VEG—WE’RE ALL EARS
While it looks like a hare-raising situation, don’t panic, VEG is here to help! Remember, there is an underlying cause that needs to be addressed, and your bunny will not improve without proper treatments. If your rabbit has wry neck or any emergency, call VEG. A doctor can answer your questions right away.
VEG has locations all over the country with emergency vets who are available 24/7 to help you and your pet. When you come to VEG, our team will provide necessary supportive care to stabilize your rabbit’s condition, and you can be rest assured that your pet will get the proper care they need. So, here’s to a hoppy ending!
