Bunny Paralysis/Grooming Issues

Question
HI, I have a 6 yr old spayed female dwarf lop-ear/angora bunny named Smarshmallow. About 6 weeks ago, it seems she has stopped eating some of her cecatropes, and I also noticed she started to fall over backwards more often as she was grooming. Now this past weekend, I noticed she was favoring her right hind leg, and it progressed to now kind of falling over sometimes. It seems she can still hop when she wants/has to, but in her cage more or less just kind of spins on her but around.  Now she wont even hop up in to her litter box and not urinates where ever in her cage. (I had moved her water bottle over her litter box as I thought it was leaking so much it was making the mess on the bottom of her cage, but it was the cecatropes - could this be why she wont use her box anymore?) We did cut down the front of her litter box to make it easier to hop in, but she still won't use it. I did take her to the vet today - that does care for rabbits.  She could not find anything of course without labs & xrays, which my husband does not want to put out the $$ for. So the dr said the conservative approach is to try pain med and see how she responds - the pain med she prescribed was Children's Tylenol.  But now I have read in some places never use this.  What do you know about it?  And if it's okay, do you know anything about dosage? I am concerned what the vet told me is way too much, but she said animals metabolize it way more.  She didn't think there was any fracture. Her appetite seems fine as well as her other poops.  It is so sad . . .might it be something that will recover in time?  I have also read about the Cetyl-M you have mentioned in other articles, but not sure if this is what she needs.  Thank you.

Answer
Dear Leona,

These signs could be associated with clinical manifestation of a parasite known as Encephalitozoon cuniculi.  Please read:

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-2/e-cuniculi.html

and for information on treatment:

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/treatment.shtml

We have used both Panacur (fenbendazole) and Ponazuril (toltrazuril sulfate) with good results, and sometimes have compbined the two drugs with even better results.  

Please also read:

http://www.rabbit.org/health/paresis.html

and

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/paresis.html

for further information.

I hope this helps.

Dana