Wry Neck (e. cuniculi)

Wry Neck, or head tilt, is when a rabbit's head starts to turn to the side. The rabbit will also lose it's balance and be very unstable. In later stages, the rabbit will walk in constant circles, to one side. The rabbit's eye will typically dart (go back & forth), from one side to the other. Hind end paralysis can also be a sign of Wry Neck.

One initial sign can be a rabbit who goes off feed. Any time a rabbit goes off feed, they should be watched for signs of Wry Neck. If Wry Neck is caught early enough, it is easily treatable.

Wry Neck is most commonly caused by the parasite, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, or commonly referred to as e. cuniculi. This parasite attacks the brain and causes cysts on the brain. Which therefore causes all the above symptoms. Head tilt can also be caused by an ear infection. While this is not the most common form, in my experience, it is something to keep in mind. Wry Neck is often triggered by stress or dehydration, although it may show up at unexplainable times as well.

There are a lot of thoughts that swirl around online about how to treat Wry Neck. Over the years of raising rabbits, I have successfully treated several cases of Wry Neck. I have only had to put down one rabbit with Wry Neck over the years, but I believe that if I would have used the full treatment which I will mention below, I could've saved her. But, at the time, I did not know about the full treatment options.

What I have found to work the best for treating rabbits with Wry Neck are treatments for parasites:

-1/10cc per lb of Ivomec orally. Repeat in 7 days.

-20mg per kg (2.5 lbs) of Fenbendazole given orally every day for 4 weeks. Fenbendazole can be found as the puppy wormer, Panacur. Panacur is an over-the-counter medication which you can get at any vet. This is probably the most important part of treatment. Fenbendazole works *very* well to completely rid the rabbit of Wry Neck.

Yes, both the Ivomec & Fenbendazole are to be given, from my experience, to fully heal the rabbit.

A rabbit with Wry Neck is likely to go off feed and possibly even water. It is of utmost importance to make sure the rabbit is consuming a good amount of both water & feed (even if it's not pellets, it needs to be something nutritious). If the rabbit is not eating or drinking well, the treatment is not going to be as successful.

There are some who say anti-inflammatory medications should be used, but that is debateable. I have never used anti-inflammatoy medications and have never felt the need to use them.

If Wry Neck is being caused by something other than e. cuniculi, proper antibiotics to treat an upper respiratory infection and ear infection should be used. But, caution should be taken in treating a rabbit with an uppper respiratory infection, as it can be a sign of a more serious problems. In that case, the rabbit should be culled.