spondylosis in rabbit?

Question
My 8 year old netherland dwarf female has been very gradually losing her balance and mobility in her lower left side.  She moves around quite well although it appears that the position of her leg is different than the other suggesting to me that she is compensating on one side. If she is left to sit she will teeter to one side and occasionally falls over if you come up to her and she wants to move away quickly.  She will right herself quickly and hops quite well.  My friend is a vet and although she does not treat rabbits, she thinks, based on description of symptoms, that she has spondylosis. SHe has given me metacam to see if it improves her symptoms and it does seem to give her better agility. One other condition that has also been going on is that she seems to have lost control of her kidney function and bowels as she no longer uses her litter box well and you will see urine just spray out her back end as she hops around.  This has actually been going on for longer than the movement issues.  I thought she was either getting old and lazy about her litter box or that there was potentially some nerve damage.  She has otherwise had few medical issues.  I adopted her at 3 years of age and she was spayed at 5 years.  She had her last checkup about 9 months ago and had good teeth etc.  She is a good eater and drinker.  Are there other supplements I can safely give her?  She is about 1.2 kilos.

Answer
Dear Anita,

We have a big bunny with spondylosis who has similar signs to your bunny's.  But the further complication of kidney problems and loose bowels suggests that this might be something more sinister than simple spondylosis:  Encephalitozoon cuniculi.  Please read:

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

and especially the article linked there by Dr. Susan Brown.  If this is E. cuniculi, treatment with toltrazuril sulfate and/or fenbendazole can help arrest signs, and allow some recovery.

If this really is spondylosis alone, then metacam will help.  We also have found that Cetyl-M has given our big Vash a LOT more mobility.  He has improved noticeably since we've been giving him about 1/2 tsp twice a day in a little sandwich of banana slices.  :)  You can find Cetyl-M here:

http://www.smartpakequine.com/ProductClass.aspx?productclassid=2455&cm_mmc=paidf...

and the small bucket ($41) would last a lifetime.  Your vet might want to buy it and give it a try for other clients with creaky dogs, cats, etc.  

I hope this helps.

Dana