Tilting Head And Dragging Back Legs

[DawnyD]

Just back from vets - mrs fluffy boots had a tilting head yesterday and then this morning a gunky eye. By time we were at vets we noticed her dragging her legs - still some control and can feel - plus wet bottom suggesting she has lost control of bladder. She has had anti biotic injection and anti inflammatory and we are back to vet tmw but it doesnt look good for her.... anyone else experienced this?

 

[Eriathwen]

Sounds similar to Bramble when I first found her tilted over from her e.cuniculi. The lesions from the parasite cause neuro damage, she struggled with walking although didnt lose complete use of any legs, the nerves in the left side of her face were damaged, she became blind in that eye and could not blink, meaning it became gunky. She was given antibiotics and metacam but only really began improving once she was put on panacur. Something I would ask your vet about. I'm not saying its 100% whats wrong but it sounds similar.

I hope shes feeling better soon could be a few things though, infection, stroke... well done for getting her prompt vet treatment!

 

[Wiebke]

I agree with @Eriathwen .

You and your vet have to work through the list - stroke, ear infection that has gone into the brain or e.cuniculi. It is often not quite easy for a vet to work it out, but I sincerely hope that it can be done!

Make sure that clean and change the areas your piggy is sitting in most at least twice daily. Also wipe the bum regularly gently with a damp cloth and if necessary apply bepanthen cream to prevent urine scald. Ideally you switch to vetbed bedding in those areas.
Also check the foot pads on the back as well as the weight bearing front feet regularly for signs of infection caused by limited mobility and the inability to take weight off the front feet.

 

[DawnyD]

Thank you both. The vet had been thinking inlammation in brain/stroke etc but she has just left a voice message saying to seperate the gp's so she may well now be thinking it could be this.

Thank you for the advice...

 

[DawnyD]

@Eriathwen - did the weakness in legs and blinking improve with the panacur? Or the symptoms just didnt get any worse?

Off to vet this morning and will be asking her about the ec and panacur.

Thanks

 

[Eriathwen]

The blinking didnt improve quickly, but it has improved, she became unwell mid December and only this week am I noticing that shes blinking better, although she still needs her eye drops. Everything else did improve about a week into the panacur, then she had another 'episode' a few weeks later but that time the leg weakness and head tilt improved in a matter of days. I think it will depend how quickly they get treatment.

Other than a slight squint and small tilt of the head you wouldnt know anything had happened now though, shes improved a great deal, so there is hope. It took a lot of syringe feeding to get her there however as she wasnt able to feed herself.
Oh and I forgot to say last time to keep an eye on the incisors, Bramble needed hers burring down every week or so when the nerve damage caused her to chew only on one side as they became uneven. Which put her off eating. Hope everything goes/went well at the vets!

 

[DawnyD]

Thats great thank you - vet was thinking same so we have anti biotics, anti inflammatory and the panacur....

Back in a weeks time - all fingers crossed. Though in meantime tge gps are seperated and nibbles is very upset by it!

 

[Eriathwen]

Everything crossed by the next vet visit shes as back to her old self as possible! Poor Nibbles though (amazing name!)