How can I help my rabbit

Question
I found my rabbit lying on her side having what looks like spasms. Took her to the vet who said she may have eaten something poisonous and gave her antibiotics since Sunday. But she is still lying on her side unable to move and still having spasms. What do do? This does not look like poisoning. In any case there was nothing nearby for her to eat other than her food. She is normally a very active rabbit.  

Answer
Hi Joan,

please know I am not a vet, but what that vet did was wrong.  Antibiotics do not counter poisoning.  Antibiotics fight bacterial infections.

My first suggestion is to go to a good rabbit vet immediately.  She could have an infection in the brain/inner ear that is causing her to have spasms.  She could have a back injury or a pinched nerve or something - some kind of physical injury.  But only a good rabbit vet should see her so you get a proper diagnosis and can start effective treatment.

If you don't have a good rabbit vet, go to:

www.rabbit.org/care/vets.html

and find a House Rabbit Society-recommended vet in your area.  If you can't find one through this, call up your local vets or shelters and ask them if they had a tough rabbit case, who would they go to?  Once you find a good rabbit vet, call them and tell them you're coming in with an emergency rabbit case, so they know you're coming.

If she hasn't been drinking much, you can try syringe-feeding her some water (if you have a feeding syringe (no needle!).  Slowly, just make sure she gets it down slowly, you don't want her to choke - and you will have to make sure her swallow reflex is working.  If you have any vitamin drops for animals (since she isn't eating/drinking the same) you could put some in the water.

Let me know how it goes, write back anytime.  I'll pray for your little gal.  

Lee