Facial asymmetry, paresis

Causes found in rabbits

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Facial paralysis is typically associated with the seventh cranial nerve. Rabbits suffering from this condition exhibit an asymmetric face when viewed from the front. Depending on the extent of the damage, there is a possibility of ear, eyelid, third eyelid, or lip drooping.

Kim Chilson

Lop rabbit that has been diagnosed with paralysis of the facial nerve.

The causes of this paralysis are multiple, extracranial, intracranial, or intratemporal:

Extracranial causes can be, among others:

· Traumatic injury;

· Neoplasia (presence of a tumor in the brain).

Intracranial causes can be, among others:

· Iatrogenic injury;

· Cancer, ;

· Degenerative changes in muscles or nerves;

· Inflammation of muscles - myositis.

Intratemporal causes can be, among others:

· Traumatic injury, like temporal bone fracture or penetrating injuries;

· Chronic problems of teeth roots, abscesses;

· Bone damage, osteomyelitis, osteolysis, osteonecrosis;

· Bacterial infection, often outer or chronic middle ear infection;

· Fracture of the petrous portion of the temporal bone (also called petrous pyramid);

· Iatrogenic (inadvertently caused by the diagnosis or treatment of a veterinarian) causes;

· Various types of neoplasia (e.g. hemangioma, meningioma, carcinomas, arachnoidal cyst).

In rare cases, metabolic diseases are associated with facial paralysis. In such cases, facial paralysis is often observed on both sides of the face.

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