Thank you, wonderful furry pals!

Wow. I am overwhelmed by your generous wishes and purrayers for Simone, and your suggestions and thoughts. They must be working because this morning, he actually ate a turnip green from my hand!

The last two nights he has begrudgingly eaten the concoction of water and powdered nutrients from a syringe, occassionally nibbling a strand of hay or a stem or two of cilantro. (And his two daily papaya tablets.) But today he ate a turnip green, and seems to be eating a little more hay. At least the eating is improving, and maybe that's an indication Simone is feeling a little better.

Baytril must taste really awful. While Simone doesn't care for anything in a syringe, he protests the medication even more. He hates Baytril with a passion. Even through all the forcefeeding and medicating, Simone remains a gentle bun. He kicks and thumps, but never does he try to bite.

That said ... after the syringe is put away, you would be amazed at the looks he gives. I did not realize how many ways a bun can say "SCREW YOU" with his eyes! Or in his words, hrmph!

Vertigo

Simone thanks his friends for the prayers and thoughts. His vet has diagnosed him with head tilt caused by inner ear infection. No tests were done, but the diagnosis is based on signs of head tilt, vertigo (dizziness), some trouble with balance, and inside one of his ears seems to be inflamed. He recommended that Simone be given a broad spectrum antibiotic for 10 days, and we should see improvement in about 3 days. He said Simone has a good chance of recovery because he is still fairly young (just over five years) and he drinks his water. He fed Simone crushed food through a syringe.

I have mixed feelings on this - most of the websites I find on head tilt and inner ear problems say antibiotics are recommended for a whole month at the LEAST. Ten days seems insufficient by this description. Some of them make it sound like the prognosis of the bun returning to normal is terrible, others suggest his chance for recovery is good. I'm banking on that one, but just want to be sure I don't screw it up.

This is a new vet and I don't want to overwhelm them with challenges and questions, but they also didn't mention cecotropes. (Fi, don't tell Simone you read that or it might embarass him.) If he has trouble eating, he might not get his cecotropes and that would be bad! However, the vet didn't mention if I need to somehow help him with this.

I feel terrible for not always giving Simone the attention and time he deserves. If I had paid closer attention to him over the last day or so, I would have noticed changes sooner. One positive about this, however, is it might help Simone and Mama reconnect a bit. It just really sucks for Simone. He's gotta be really confused and puzzled by all of this.
- Mama

Concern

Simone stopped eating sometime yesterday or last night. This morning he was lethargic and only moved if I touched his stomach or feet, then he hopped away. He doesn't act like he hurts as his teeth aren't grinding or anything, but he is not himself.

He will only eat papaya tablets, and even those he ate hesitantly.

I took him to a new vet, as his regular vet is off today. A friend at work and our regular vet's office said this new place is wonderful with bunnies and exotics. Simone is there and might not be seen by the doc until this afternoon, but he will get fluids and some attention this morning.

It would mean a lot to Simone (and Mama) if his wonderful friends whisper a tiny prayer for him when they have a moment. I am thinking he will be okay but who knows until the vet calls with an update.

- Mama