My brave little girl

[LurcherGirl]

Charlie is my 8 1/2 year old lionhead girl. She is my very first rescue rabbit that I adopted 7 years ago, so she is super special to me.

About 3 months ago, she went completely blind within days. 2 months ago, Charlie had a very severe lung infection. It was touch and go. She was on antibiotics for 4 weeks and to my astonishment made a full recovery!

However, last night I noticed that she was a little unsteady when hopping and although she was eating, she didn't seem as keen as usual. This morning she was a lot worse, she kept running into corners squeezing her head into the corner... her legs seemed uncoordinated at times, when she groomed herself her front legs crossed over and she'd loose balance. Twice she had something like a seizure where she shook and moved and trying to run completed uncontrolled.

I took her to my vet's this afternoon, who checked her over from top to bottom, let her hop on the floor (and sure enough she ran into a corner again) and when he checked her ears (as she seemed sensitive around them), she had another one of those seizure like episodes. She also tried to groom herself and the vet saw how her legs crossed over very strangely.

My vet agreed with me that it looked like she has a neurological problem of sorts, the most likely causes would be EC or a head trauma. The latter unfortunately possible as she is blind and could potentially have run into something when out of the cage.

My vet gave Charlie a steroid injection and gut motility drugs (as in the morning, she wouldn't eat anymore either) as well as Baytril and Panacur to take home. He wasn't hopeful though, and I must admit, it was my gut feeling too! Although I would never continue treatment for my pets if there is no hope and they are in pain/uncomfortable, we wanted to give Charlie at least a chance and see how she was going to do over the week-end!

After I got back from the vet, I soaked some Allen & Page pellets (and wow, don't they soak well... perfect for syringe feeding). Charlie took the pellet sauce quite keenly from the syringe without me even having to constrain her!
A couple of hours later, I offered her some rocket salad, spinach and cos salad... and she ate, and ate, and ate... It was such a joy to see!

Now, just about 20 minutes ago, I gave the bunnies their dinner (pellets) and Charlie ate very keenly. She is like a different bunny, moving around the cage, eating all the time, well coordinated, not going into corners, happy in herself...

I can't believe the change in her! I know that the steroids are masking things, but right now, she doesn't look like she is going anywhere soon! She is such a brave little girl!

[LurcherGirl]

Unfortunately, when I got up this morning, I found Charlie more or less collapsed. She can still hop with a major effort, but with no coordination. She has eaten some pellets, but is resting again now... I do think that we may have come to the end of the road after all! I will of course be taking her to the vet this morning and see whether further steroids will make a difference, but I think I know the answer... :cry1:

Vera

[LurcherGirl]

My husband and I went to the vet. I was sure we weren't going to bring Charlie back home! However, hubby said we should try another round of steroids seeing that she responded so well last time. I think the vet wasn't too sure about it, but we decided to go ahead with it.

I have no idea what he injected (well, obviously the steroids), but it's flipping miracle stuff. By the time we got home, Charlie was "up and running" again, drinking from the syringe and eating pellets and greens and some hay for England! I can't believe the change in her. She was quite literally at death's door this morning, and although still slightly wobbly (more a little weak than wobbly actually), she is active, well co-ordinated, seems happy and content and is eating and drinking well.

So it looks like little Charlie will remain on steroids probably for the rest of her life, however long this is... may be days, perhaps and hopefully weeks even! She is such a darling and such a fighter.

[LurcherGirl]

I just talked to my vet again. He said the steroid injection should last 5 - 7 days. We'll see how Charlie is once that wears off again. My vet is not keen to repeat the process too often, he says it's not a long term solution! I will have another chat about it if and when it comes to it, but I am not prepared to send her to the bridge just yet if there is something that gives her such a good quality of life... even if it may just be for a short while!

Vera