Causes of Head tilt in rabbits
Differential diagnosis
Micka, a female rabbit suffering from head-tilt, before (left)
and after (right) treatment with fenbendazole and enrofloxacin.
Alicia Perrotti
Ringo, a rabbit sufffering from head-tilt
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One sided head tilt (torticollis, wry neck) |
Bacterial causes |
Pasteurellosis, leading to otitis
media and interna (middle and inner ear infection). |
Listeriosis, leading to otitis
interna or media (middle and inner ear infection). |
Fungal causes |
Fungemia, e.g. Aspergillosis or
Candida albicans meningitis. |
Parasitic
infestation |
Cerebral parasitic worms, e.g.
Nematodiasis or Baylisascaris procyonis. Accompanying signs are ataxia
(loss of control of movement), circling and tremors. |
E. cuniculi, although it is not known if this CNS parasite is directly
responsible for head-tilt or is a side effect of some other health issue. |
Mechanical |
Heavy furred ears, as seen in rabbits belonging to the Angora or Belgian bearded breeds (photo below). |
Torticollis secondary to trauma.
|
Toxicity |
Insecticide |
Fertilizer |
|
Lead |
Deficiencies |
Vitamins |
Selenium |
Central
nervous system (CNS) |
Bacterial infection, leading to
otitis media or interna (middle and inner ear). |
Cerebrovascular accident, with rabbit
moving in circles if at all. Eating and drinking habits are usually normal.
It is the second cause of head-tilt after otitis interna in rabbits. |
|
Trauma of the face of head, with
brain damage. |
|
Vestibular dysfunction |
|
Cerebellar disease, with head tilt to
the side of the lesion. |
|
Lesions of the superior medullary
velum, with palsy (paralysis) of the nerve. |
|
Neoplasia (development of a tumor) or
abscess in the neck, ear or brain. |
Bilateral head tilt (torticollis, wry neck) |
Viral causes |
Herpes sp. viral infection is a suspected cause for bilateral head tilt
in one rabbit. |
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