rabbit looks like it is paralized on left side

Question
What could be wrong with my daughter's rabbit?  It looks and act like it is paralyzed on her left side.  She is tilting her head to the left and when I put her down on the floor she flops over.  Its like she has no control of her left feet.

Answer
Sara,

Well I haven't really gone through this but I will answer it as best as I can. I can five or six things that could be happening. If he NEVER moves, at all, check with a vet to see. He might be paralyzed or have an even worse disease.

1. Head Tilt - The head tilting to the side will often cause the rabbit to have trouble moving. They will often walk in circles and may be scared and unwilling to walk due to this impairment. If you let her on the floor alone for a while and she moves, watch to make sure her head is not tilted and she is not walking incircles or moving her eyes back and forth.

2. Stress - If your daughter insists on constantly playing with, and occasionally chases, the rabbit, it is probably very frightened of people. Unless it shows relaxed body language when laying down, it could be too scared of being chased, but usually in this case they hide.

3. Boring Rabbit - Your rabbit might just be a very boring rabbit. They aren't always boring, they just prefer lounging than exploring. Tempt his curiosity to get him to move.

4. Paralysis - Some rabbits wont move, some do, because curiosity and fright are very good reasons to move. If your rabbit drags this part of his body when moving, he is probably impaired.

5. Heat -A common reason for rabbit laziness is their wish to keep cool in hot weather. Supply your rabbit with an ice pack where it likes to hang out so it can go there for a little while when he's hot, but play with you when he's cool again. Also make sure he eats his food and water because it will help with this.

Things to check for further disease are his eyes, which should be bright and clear, not crust, wet or wall like, his nose which should be dry, his ears, which should be clean and soft, and check his body for lumps or irritated skin. Check his feet for any sores that could make it painful for him to walk. Clip his nails if they are too long. Make sure he eats, drinks, poops, and pees. If you have a lot of concern, consult and see a vet.

Krystal