Disabled wild bunny in my yard

[KnottedYet]

Rabies isn't pretty. Please don't touch the bunny, and don't let your animals touch it either. Call animal control and tell them about the symptoms.

[Eden]

Totally agree with Knot - the bunny very well could have something catchy. Don't touch the bunny and do call animal control.

Seems this is pretty well studied in bunnies... but has a lot of causes..
http://www.rabbit.org/health/tilt.html

[WolfGirl]

Wow, thanks, guys...I didn't even think of rabies...was just concerned with the little guy. I called animal control and left a message, then read the link for head tilt. It brings up a lot of what I was thinking; vestibular issues or neurological. Now I feel a little bad about calling animal control, if that's it and not rabies. oh well. Poor little thing...

[KnottedYet]

Rabies is neurological.
It is a viral infection of the brain.
Rabies effects motor control and coordination.

The stereotyped "foaming at the mouth" only happens as the animal is on the verge of death and can no longer swallow (and they are producing a lot of saliva and tears).

Rabbits get rabies.
I used to work with a woman who did CDC rabies surveys. It is best to have animal control deal with the rabbit, whatever is going on with him.

[WolfGirl]

Thanks, Knotted...you'd have found the call I just got from Animal Control interesting though, because the woman swore up and down that rabbits cannot get rabies. Some brief searching (I'm trying to get some housework done) brings up that they maybe _can_ but typically _dont_?

At any rate, I won't be touching it any time soon, my cats are indoor beasties, and AC won't come to get it today anyway. I'll just keep an eye on it and see what happens.

[Zen]

Now I think I have rabies.

[KnottedYet]

Thanks, Knotted...you'd have found the call I just got from Animal Control interesting though, because the woman swore up and down that rabbits cannot get rabies.

The first rabies vaccines were developed using blood from infected rabbits.

Whatever infectious agent is messing up that bunny, don't you catch it and don't risk your cats catching it.

[tiva]

I don't want to sound heartless, but putting the rabbit out of its misery quickly is probably the kindest thing you can do.