#e.cuniculi

I’ve always thought it would be adorable if one rabbit was aware of another rabbit’s ‘head tilt’ condition. Like the one rabbit just cares so much that he wants to help the other just view the world from an upright position. If you try rotating a ‘head tilt’ rabbit’s head back upright, the rabbit will just fall over.

Head Tilt Quick Notes!

Head tilt can be caused by many things including ear infection, stroke and commonly E. Cuniculi.

E. Cuniculi is a parasite that affects a rabbits nervous system. A rabbit can get this parasite in utero or from contact with infected urine. The parasite starts its way through the blood stream affecting many organs and ultimately making its way to the brain. Medication can be prescribed to help the immune system combat the parasite but it can not be eradicated. On medication and with some learned caregiving, your rabbit can still live a full happy life. 

What is it?

E.cuniculi is a tiny single celled protozoal parasite, which has to live inside a host cell in order to survive. E.cuniculi primarily infects rabbits and is a significant cause of disease. It is also important to rabbit owners as just occasionally it can infect humans, especially if they are immuno-compromised. Infection has been diagnosed in rabbits in Europe, Africa, America and Australia. In the UK the parasite is common in laboratory and pet rabbits, but rare in the wild rabbits.

How can I tell if my rabbit has E.cuniculi?

If the kits are infected during pregnancy, spores are able to cross into the lens of the eye. Later on in the rabbit's life the spores multiply and erupt causing cataracts and lens rupture resulting in inflammation within the eye (uveitis). This is a serious condition and is painful to the rabbit. Clinical signs in adult rabbits include:

Neurological disease - head tilt, unsteadiness, weakness of the hind legs, neck spasm and urinary incontinence

Kidney disease

Eye disease