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Head tilt
wry neck
The rabbit tilts its head to one side, loses balance, circles and falls over. The main causes are middle or inner ear infection (often after pasteurellosis) and the parasite Encephalitozoon cuniculi, which spreads in urine. Early treatment improves the chance of recovery, so do not wait.
When to call a vet
See a vet
A vet chooses the treatment — don’t give medicines yourself. Until then, give first aid.
See a vet the same day you notice the tilt, especially if the rabbit has stopped eating
Symptoms
- The head tilted to one side
- Loss of balance, circling, falling onto the side or rolling
- Eyes flicking rapidly from side to side
- Difficulty eating and drinking, and weight loss
- Sometimes pus from the ear, head shaking or weak hind legs
What to do
- 1 Move the rabbit to a separate low cage with soft bedding so it cannot hurt itself when it falls
- 2 Put food and water within easy reach, and help it eat by hand if needed
- 3 Keep the space quiet and slightly dark to reduce stress
- 4 E. cuniculi rarely infects people, but anyone with weak immunity should not care for the sick rabbit
- See a vet the same day you notice the tilt, especially if the rabbit has stopped eating
What not to do
- Do not put anything in the ears without a vet — the eardrum may be damaged
When it strikes
No seasonal pattern; usually seen in older young stock and adults, often months after infection — E. cuniculi picked up from the doe's urine, or an ear infection following snuffles.
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Prevention
- Catch snuffles and ear mites early and treat them with a vet
- Regularly remove urine-soaked bedding and keep feeders and drinkers free of urine
- Quarantine new rabbits
- Ask a vet before keeping an affected rabbit for breeding
Causes
- Bacterial infection of the middle and inner ear, often after snuffles or pasteurellosis
- The parasite Encephalitozoon cuniculi, spread in urine and from doe to kits
- Untreated ear mites
- Head injury