Satin Angora - Town of Fools - Labor - Facial Paralysis

Satin Angora - Town of Fools - Labor - Facial Paralysis Now in this episode we are specifically looking at the Satin Angora, but as the expression goes, I fell down a rabbit hole on the Angora's in general, so there is more info then just the Satin specifically. There are several other Angora breeds that I would like to do individual episodes about as well. The Angora rabbit (Turkish: Ankara tavşanı), which is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, is bred for the long fibers of its coat, known as Angora wool, that are gathered by shearing, combing, or plucking. Because rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals, their wool is an important alternative. There are at least 11 distinct breeds of Angora rabbit, four of which are currently recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA). They are gentle in nature, but they are not recommended for those who do not groom their animals. Their wool is very dense and needs to be groomed twice a week. I will be mentioning the other Angora breeds, but again I would like to cover them individually. History Angora rabbits, were developed during Roman times. The gene for long hair exists in many animals, and as it it recessive (in other words hidden in animals who are carriers) it can crop up unexpectedly in places. Heavily-furred (or wooled) rabbits existed during the reign of King Henry VIII (1509-1547). The Angora is said to have originated in Ankara (historically known as Angora), in present-day Turkey, and is known to have been brought to France in 1723. There is much controversy regarding the origin of the Angora rabbit. The story, according to generally accepted theory, goes back to the early 18th century, about 1723 when some sightseeing sailors put into a Turkish port then called Angora. The sailors found the shawls worn by the native women to be remarkable for their beauty, fineness and silkiness. So before the sailors left Angora they secured some of the Angora rabbits to take back to France. The French claim the Angora rabbits were first recorded in France in the Encyclopedia of 1765. In any event, credit must be given to France for seeing the commercial possibilities of Angora wool and for being the first to manufacture this type of wool into yarn. While there are two distinct histories, others believe that the thought that most wooly rabbits were in England, as there was a decree stating that 'English Silky Hares' should not be allowed to leave the country, or until smuggled out more likely. Whatever the case is, there seems to be no doubt Angoras ended up in France in the 1700s. The French quickly started breeding them for their wool and the modern day Angora rabbit was on it's way. The Angora rabbit became a popular pet of the French royalty in the mid-18th century, and Angoras spread to other parts of Europe by the end of that century. They first appeared in the United States in the early 20th century. A noted historian of rabbit breeds, Bob D. Whitman, mentions a purported origin of the Angora breed dating to ten centuries earlier: "It has been written that the indigenous Trelicians, which were small and frail people, first bred the Angora rabbit in the southern Carpathian mountains around the 6th century." This information has not been substantiated and Whitman acknowledges "we will never know for sure". Angoras first came to the United states around 1920, over the years, the American Rabbit Breeder Associated recognized, French Angoras (known for their commercial body type, and low matting coat), English Angoras (a much softer wool with beautiful ear and face furnishings), Giant Angoras (Developed by crossing Angoras with French Lops and Flemish giants). In addition, German Angoras, a non molting (shedding) bunny was popular in hand-spinning and fiber farms, for their tremendous yield. Prior to 1939, there was one breed of "Angora Wooler". In 1939 ARBA reclassified "Angora Wooler" into "English Type" and "French Type". In 1944 ARBA officially separated Angora rabbits into two breeds: English Angora and French Angora. Satin Angora The Satin Angora rabbit can trace it's linage to famous breeder John C. Fehr, who first created the satinized Angora back in 1930, but gave up on the project because he thought their fur was weak. Whereas the English, French and German angora breeds have their origin in a common European angora rabbit, the satin angora is a young breed created by a Dutch woman living in Ontario, Canada named Mrs. Leopoldina Meyer. Leopoldina Meyer was shown a copper satin doe that had a long, woolly coat. The wool was shiny and satinized, and Mrs. Meyer immediately fell in love with the little doe. She parted with $10 to obtain it. Enchanted with its fur, she paired it with a French Angora and the result was a kindling of Satin Angoras. The Satin Angora was developed in the late 1970s by Mrs. Meyer of Holland Landing Ontario, Canada, who crossed French Angoras with rabbits of the Satin breed. In a litter of short-haired satin rabbits she found a longish haired bunny, which she later bred to a French angora. That is how she was able to bring the wonderful sheen into the angora breed. In 1987, the satin angoras were recognized as a new angora breed by the ARBA. Although the yield of wool may be improved, the breed is truly the royalty of the angoras. In addition to the sheen (for which the Satin is known), true red and copper pigments emerged in the new rabbits. In all "satinized" coats, the hair shaft has a semi-transparent outer shell that reflects light, resulting in deep color, high luster, and an extremely soft and silky texture to the hairs. The Satin Angora (like the French Angora) has no furnishings on the face, ears, or feet. The Satin does not produce as much wool as other Angora breeds, but this trait is being improved upon through selective breeding. While more difficult to keep groomed than the French Angora, the Satin is less difficult than the English or Giant Angoras. Because of the soft texture of the wool and the lower guard-hair count in the coat, matting occurs more readily. Daily combing is therefore recommended. Satin Angora wool is said to be stronger for spinning than other Angora varieties, but because of its slipperiness, it can be more difficult to spin. Other Angora rabbit breeds include: Chinese Angora, Finnish Angora, Japanese Angora, Korean Angora, Russian Angora, St. Lucian Angora, Swiss Angora, English Angora- ARBA, French Angora - ARBA, Giant Angora - ARBA, The Satin Angora - ARBA (which we are covering on this episode), and finally the German Angora - IAGARB accepted. In the 1944-1947 Standard of Perfection, the official names were listed as English Angoras and French Angoras. Prior to this the Standard was listed as 'Angora Woolers' without specifying a breed. The Satin Angora was accepted in 1987 and the Giant Angora was accepted in 1988. Thus the 1991-1995 Standard of Perfection brought four breeds of angoras for representation. Satin Angora description The French Angora is very similar to the Satin. Both breeds are on the large side of four-class rabbits and have commercial body type. Both breeds usually have "clean" heads and ears, meaning that the head and ears are covered with normal fur instead of wool. In fact, they both disqualify rabbits that have heavy furnishings on the ears, or wool below the ankle or hock. Telling the difference between a French and Satin Angora is a tricky problem for youth breed ID contestants, but here are a few things they remember: The Satin is slightly smaller, having a maximum weight of 9 ½ pounds compared to the 10 ½ pound limit on French. Also the French breed recognizes the broken color pattern, but the Satin does not. Obviously, Satins have sheen, but this is often hard to see in the wool. The best place to look for a Satin sheen, as well as the best place to look to identify the rabbit's color, is the head and ears. Here the wool is dense and short. The same amount of pigment is packed into each hair on the head as is spread out over each of the 2-5 inch long wool fibers, so it can be seen much better on the head and ear. The wool is softer than that of the French, so it requires more careful grooming. The Satin Angora is to have a medium length body with good width and depth. The sides should have a slight taper from the hindquarters to the shoulders. The head is to be oval with a broad forehead and somewhat narrow at the muzzle. The head should balance with the rest of the body. The ears are to be plain or slightly tufted, however tufting is restricted to the tips of the ears. Satin Angora rabbits have a commercial body type, with their sides having a slight taper from the hindquarters to the shoulders. They have relatively plain ears that can sometimes be slightly tufted and their oval head has a broad forehead and a slightly narrower muzzle. The wool of the Satin Angora is finer than the wool of the other Angora breeds. The wool is to be fine, soft and silky. There is to be a good crimp to the underwool. The Satin Angora wool appears to be 'shiny', which is known as sheen. The smaller diameter and clarity of the hair shaft provides a reflection of light that gives the hair a shining richness of color. The sheen is to be evident over the entire body from nose to tail. The junior buck and junior doe are not to weigh over 6 ½ pounds and have a minimum weight of 3 ¾ pounds. The senior buck and senior doe may weigh from 6 ½ to 9 ½ pounds with 8 pounds being the ideal weight. The Satin Angora carries the most points of all angora breeds on the wool, which includes density, texture, sheen, and length. The points for 'General Type' include the body type, head, ears, eyes, feet, legs and tail. Weight: 3.0–4.5 kg (6.6–9.9 lb). ARBA-recognized varieties: [Includes eight color groups. The color of a Satin Angora is determined by the uniform pigment on its head, feet, and tail. The Satin Angora rabbit is often used as a fiber animal, which means they are bred to shave their coat – a process that doesn't cause any discomfort. In order to take their coat, breeders brush the rabbit often or clip its thick coat using a pair of sharp scissors, which does not cause it any pain – like human hair, it always grows back. Although they are mostly used for this purpose, it is certainly not uncommon to have an Angora rabbit as a house pet, as they are very sociable, affectionate rabbits who love to cuddle with people and play with their own toys. Health Because of the length and abundance of their hair, Angora rabbits are particularly susceptible to wool block, a potentially-lethal blockage of the digestive tract. All rabbits ingest some of their wool when they groom themselves, but their digestive system is not able to pass that foreign matter. The length of Angora hairs compounds the risk of impaction, which can lead to death. Clipping their wool every 90 days is considered a must to prevent wool block in Angora breeds. Wool mites Cheyletiella parasitovorax is a skin parasite commonly found in Angora rabbits. Signs of infestation are flaky skin patches and fur loss. Wool mites reduce fiber yields and the resulting skin flakes are detrimental to the fiber quality. Wool mites may be treated with ivermectin or with carbaryl powder. Due to their thick, dense fur, Angoras generally do well even in cold temperatures. Should you keep an outdoor enclosure, be sure to install plastic or wooden walls on three sides of the enclosure to keep the draft out. Don't keep your Angora out when the temperature is too hot if your enclosure does not a way to keep them ventilated. A large wire cage that keeps them off their soiled bedding should be sufficient to keep your bunny happy. Their diets should consist of 4-8 ounces of daily pellets, depending on their weight and age, as well as a handful of hay for their daily intake of fiber. To help digestion, feel free to add a tablespoon of sunflowers seeds to their pellets and always make sure your rabbit has fresh water at all times. Your Satin Angora rabbit would benefit from daily outdoor activity time to soak up some much-needed sun…and to stretch out their muscles, of course! Always remember to always watch your rabbit whenever young children are involved. Temperament/Behavior Angoras, whether they are Giant, English, French or Satin, are docile creatures that have no problem being handled. Satin Angoras in particular have been bred as fiber animals, and so they are tolerant of stroking and grooming. All Angoras tend to be people rabbits who are clowns, and sweet. After all, unlike many bunnies bred strictly for meat purposes, Angoras have been bred to live a long productive life making wool. They must be easy to handle. Satin Angoras are inquisitive, active, and like all Angoras a bit clownish. It's wonderful having bunnies who come up for petting and greet you at the cage door every morning. Especially when petting them is like petting silk. The Satin Angora rabbit does well with other rabbits and also enjoy human attention. Should you have an indoor Angora, their temperament is comparable to a well-mannered cat – they will nap in any little corner of your home and will greet you at their cage door to be petted. They are also known to be little clowns and enjoy the occasional toy such as ball, piece of soft wood or even a pine cone. Angoras are generally happy bunnies that are incredibly friendly with everyone they meet, even strangers! They love to go outside to run and hop around, so having a backyard where they can get some sunshine is definitely a requirement. When they're indoors, they'll be the quiet, cuddly companion you've always wanted. Angora rabbit wool "[S]he earned her living by knitting rabbit-wool mittens and muffatees". Original text with this illustration from The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter (1904). Satin Angora rabbits can have white, grey, brown or tan fur, or a combination of these colors. A Satin Angora's fur is their pride and joy (the very reason why they are called "Satin" Angoras, after all) . Their wool is finer, softer and silkier than other Angora rabbits. The reason their fur looks like satin is due to a recessive gene that causes the casing around the pigment in each hair to be translucent rather than opaque, like most fur. This gives their coat a distinctive sheen or luster. This gene also causes the diameter of each strand of hair to be smaller than normal wool. This means that this rabbit also produces some of the finest wool of any rabbit breed. The incredible softness and the sheen make this fiber a very special thing. Satin-Angora fiber is a luxury fiber and not easy to find. The satin factor is based on a simple mutation and is passed on recessively. It changes the structure of the hair: the hair shaft is thinner and translucent, the color pigments are in the inside of the hair. The shaft reflects the light, the wool becomes shimmering and shiny. It looks like spun glass! The diameter of the hair is even smaller than normal angora wool and it looks and feels like silk. It is a little bit more slippery than normal angora fibers and is preferably spun with some extra twist. A great deal of natural colors is a temptation for hand-spinners. Angoras are bred mainly for their wool, which is silky and soft. At only 11 microns in diameter, it is finer and softer than cashmere. A healthy adult Angora's wool will grow approximately 3 centimeters (1.2 in) per month. Regular grooming is necessary to prevent the fiber from matting and felting on the rabbit, which causes discomfort that can lead to pain and even infection. Angora wool is harvested (plucked or shorn) every three to four months throughout the year. The coat needs to be monitored after 6 months of re-growth, as it may tend to "die" and easily mat. Angora wool may be gathered periodically by hand-plucking the hairs within the coat that are being naturally shed. A full harvesting is done by shearing the coat with clippers, often while the rabbit sits atop a groomer's turntable. With each clipping, 12 ounces (340 g)—and up to 18 ounces (510 g)—of wool may be harvested from a Giant Angora. The wool accepts dye readily, and is 8 times warmer than sheep's wool, soft, and lofty. No bunnies have to be harmed to produce the fiber, instead they are groomed and their coats are either sheared or plucked (where the currently shedding fiber is removed by hand), approximately 4 times a year. From the experience of Satin Angora breeders today, the satinized wool is not weak; it is perhaps stronger than normal angora fibers. While the satin hair shaft is narrow and translucent, the collagen cells are more densely constructed, lending more strength despite the more fragile appearance. Judges award up to 60 points on wool alone: 20 for density, 15 for texture, 10 for length, and 15 for the distinctive sheen of the satinized wool. TIPS FOR GROOMING ANGORAS by Pat Glenn from the National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club, Inc website which has some great information on Angora's, and I encourage you to visit the site. A link to it will be in the show notes. Many times Pat has had people tell me how much they love to look at Angora Rabbits and how soft they feel, but they wouldn't want to go to all the trouble of grooming one. Pat thinks they're missing out on a beautiful, personable bunny and grooming can be as much trouble as you make it. As far as tools, a soft slicker brush such as Evergentle or ones used for cats, a metal comb and, in case of tough mats or for shearing, a pair of sharp short blade scissors. Also, strange as this may sound, a hair blow dryer with a high cool air setting, or a Shop-Vac on exhaust can really cut grooming time. From Pat Glenn's experience, the French Angoras are possibly easiest to groom, because they don't have the facial wool nor do they have the woolly feet. Their senior wool has more guard hairs and helps them be less matting. The English Angora has softer wool and that adorable fluffy face and those woolly feet. The muffs (side face wool) and bangs and tassels (long hair on the ears) probably will need gentle grooming with your slicker and comb two or more times week depending on how heavily furnished your bunny is. It's easier to keep the pesky mats out than get them out once they start. The Satin Angora, in Pat's brief experience with them, can be tricky to groom. They have beautiful intense color, but the hair is fine and seems to attract mats, especially in the young coat. Several long-time Satin breeders have told Pat that they clip the coats of the young when they are 6-8 weeks old to help encourage a more groom-able growth. Because of the fine hair shaft, the Stains don't look as "fluffy" or appear to have as much density. Pat has had several Satins, that when you are done grooming them, they start licking themselves all over. This pretty much undoes a lot of your grooming. Pat has not had a great deal of experience with Giant, but their massive coats can be gorgeous. In ease of grooming they would probably be between the French and the English. The following suggestions will work for all four breeds and you can make adjustments according to your bunny and what works best for you. Make sure you have a bag, paper sack or some kind of container to put the wool you clean from your grooming brush. If you spin, this gives you more wool, if not, it helps keep the place clean. Start with the underside of the rabbit. If you're a one person groomer, this can be accomplished easily with the help of a chair for you to sit on. Remember gentleness and firmness works best on all critters. Take the rabbit's ears with your hand and take hold of the back of the neck area, then gently turn the rabbit over supporting its back with hour other hand. Sit down and place the upside down rabbit's head between your knees with the feet facing you. Do take care because those feet can pack a punch if they kick out. Place the head far enough between your knees that you can comfortably hold him snugly. Practice make this easier for you and the rabbit, and usually when they feel secure they are not upset and jumpy. Now you can groom the tummy, the feet and legs. Now on to the top half. It helps to have some kind of small table near, waist-high so it saves your back. If you have too large a space, the bunny may want to hop away and explore, making it take longer to groom, and more frustrating. This is where the blow dryer or Shop-Vac comes in. There are also pet blowers like are used in dog grooming shops. These are smaller than a Shop-Vac, making them easier to transport, and maybe a little quieter. The can be ordered from pet or rabbit supply catalogs and usually start at $90. Angoras are wool bearing animals and you want to keep that wool on the rabbit and as unbroken and mat free as possible. By "blowing" the rabbit with the previous mentioned items, it helps to get rid of any dust or dander and help blow out the shedding hair before it can bet caught in start making mats. This is also healthy for the bunny's scalp; it lets air get down in, particularly if the rabbit has a very dense coat. Pat thinks blowing is gentler on the rabbit and cuts down on grooming time. Pat does use the slicker to help lift the wool as they blow; this also helps "capture" the shedding hairs. Make sure when blowing that you give the bunny a good going over, especially in problem areas behind the front legs and around the rump. If you notice mats developing, you can work on those specific spots with brush or comb. The rabbits don't mind the blowing and it has helped keep those nice show coats longer. Of course, don't forget the faces on those English and Giants. Don't use the blower here much; it irritates the eyes, and avoid blowing it into the ears. Get in the good grooming habit and you'll enjoy your lovable, exotic Angora, and may all your bunnies be mat free. National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club, Inc. The National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club, Inc (NARBC, Inc) was first organized as a specialty club for Angora breeders in 1932 with the AR&CBA (now the ARBA). The NARBC, Inc still remains a chartered National Specialty Club with the ARBA. Who ever has seen a satin angora rabbit in its full fleece or has spun its silky shining wool is fascinated by the magic of this wonderful breed! Since Satin Angoras are a new breed, there is a lot of room for improvement, and nothing is more challenging than something that can be considered a work in progress toward perfection. Word of the week: Labor The Fools of Spring (An English Folktale) by Amy Friedman and Meredith Johnson According to a great many people, the men of Gotham were wildly ridiculous fools. Perhaps that is so. But it is possible they were actually wise and just pretended to be foolish. I say this because once upon a time, King John announced that he wished to have a castle built in Gotham. He wished the men of Gotham to build it for him. Naturally, the men of Gotham worried about the cost of such an extravagance, and so they talked among themselves about what to do. The king's royal messengers arrived one day to scout out the village. It was spring when they came -- a beautiful, sunny day, and they walked everywhere, admiring the look of Gotham. They seemed to think this would be a fine place for a castle, until they came upon a circle of men standing around a great white hare. They were talking to the creature, so the messengers stopped to ask what they were doing. "Ah, we have a message to send to a friend in York," one of the men explained. "And no one wishes to travel all the way there," said another. The messengers did not understand. "What does that have to do with this hare?" they asked. The men of Gotham laughed. "I caught this hare today," said one, "and as you know, hares are swift, so we thought we'd let him carry our message." "This hare?" the messengers asked. "He's to carry your message to York?" "That's right," they said, and the man who caught the hare tied a sealed letter to the hare's neck, leaned in close and whispered, "First you go to Nottingham, and then you take the main road to York. My friend lives near York Cathedral. When you get there, you'll see three houses. My friend's house is the middle one, white with ivy growing on the walls. Give him this letter," he finished, and he set the hare free. The others stood and watched the hare run across the field, and some of the men cried, "Stop! Stop! You must go to Nottingham first!" The man who had caught the hare laughed. "It seems he knows a shortcut," he said. "Hares are clever that way. He's likely avoiding the highway for fear of dogs." "Of course!" the other men of Gotham agreed. But the messengers shook their heads, and one of them whispered to the other, "These men are fools." "You mustn't judge everyone on just a few," said the second messenger. "Let's go meet others." So they walked on, and before long they came to another cluster of men who were building a fence. "Good day," said the messengers. "What are you doing?" "We're building a fence for a cuckoo," said one of the men of Gotham. Another man quickly explained, "Cuckoos are the finest singers, but they come to us only in spring. After summer, they fly away." The men of Gotham explained to the messengers that they had decided to take matters into their own hands. They caught one of the birds, and now they were building it a squared-off fence near the middle of the village. "Here, we'll keep the cuckoo, so we'll be able to listen to his singing every day, all day," one of the men said. "Everyone will enjoy his song all year long!" The messengers thought the men were joking. They shrugged and walked away. An hour later, after they had toured the rest of the village, they returned to where the men had been building the fence. It was 6 feet tall, and every crack and crevice and corner was stuffed with brush and branches and twigs. "No bird can get through this fence!" the men of Gotham announced proudly. The messengers stared as the men of Gotham carried their cuckoo to the enclosure and put it inside the fence. "Now you'll stay and sing all year for us!" they said to the cuckoo. "If you refuse, we'll give you no food or drink." Naturally, the moment the men let go of the cuckoo, it flew away, up and over the fence and off into the wild blue yonder. The men of Gotham shouted, "Come back!" But it was too late. They looked at each other and agreed: "Next time, we'll have to build a higher fence." "We will!" they all agreed. When the messengers heard this, they hurried back to see their king. "Your majesty," the first messenger said, "the villagers of Gotham are fools. You want nothing to do with them, sire." "They're idiots!" said the other messenger. "The greatest fools I've ever seen," agreed the first. They told the king the tale of the cuckoo fence and of the runaway hare, and the king listened closely. Still, he thought the village could be the perfect place for a nice, big castle, so he sent more messengers. Each one returned with a tale to tell of the fools of Gotham. "You've never met such fools!" all the messengers said. "They drowned their church bell to hide it from their enemies." "They tossed all their salt fish into their pond, thinking it would spawn more fish." "They crushed a watch because they heard it ticking and feared it was evil." With each day, there came another story of the madness of the men of Gotham, and so the king gave up his plans, and from then on, no one bothered the village. People steered clear, and everyone spoke of the men of Gotham as the greatest fools in the world. But I still say it may be that the men of Gotham were not fools at all. After all, they didn't have to pay for the king's castle. They didn't have to suffer other fools. What do you think? Were the men of Gotham the wisest men in the world, or were they fools? Weakness/Paralysis of the Facial Muscles Due to Nerve Damage in Rabbits Facial Nerve Paresis/Paralysis in Rabbits Facial nerve paresis and paralysis is a disorder of the facial cranial nerve — a nerve that originates in the brain (as opposed to the spine). Malfunction of this nerve can result in paralysis or weakness of the muscles of the ears, eyelids, lips, and nostrils. Moroever, an inability to move the eyes and facial muscles may result in a decreased secretion of tears, leading to additional pathology of the eyes. In rabbits, facial nerve paralysis sometimes occurs after a dental or ear infection. Dwarf breeds and lop ear breeds tend to be at increased risk of developing facial nerve paresis and paralysis. Symptoms and Types Findings associated with ear disease Head tilting Ear and lip drooping Pain (especially when opening the mouth) White, dull, opaque, and bulging tissue within ear History of ear infections, especially vestibular (or inner ear) infections Other symptoms Excessive drooling Food falling from the side of mouth Facial asymmetry (i.e., face appears lopsided or uneven) Rubbing of the eyes Cloudy cornea, eye discharge and redness Inability to close the eyelids symmetrically Collapse of nostril, nasal discharge Trouble walking or keeping balance (if nervous system is affected) Causes Inflammatory — middle or outer ear infection, tooth abscesses, inflammation of the nerve directly due to bacterial infection Injury — fracture of the surrounding bones, or direct injury to the facial nerve Tumor — brain tumor Toxicity — botulism poisoning Unilateral or bilateral ear disease Diagnosis You will need to give your veterinarian a thorough history of your rabbit's health and onset of symptoms. There are several possible causes for this condition, so your veterinarian will most likely use differential diagnosis, a process that is guided by deeper inspection of the apparent outward symptoms, ruling out each of the more common causes until the correct disorder is settled upon and can be treated appropriately. Your doctor will begin by differentiating between one-sided and symmetrical disease, facial nerve paralysis from pure ear infection, and will also look for other neurological weaknesses. X-rays of the ear and skull bones will be taken to look for masses or obvious swellings, while computed tomography (CT) can be used to allow for better visualization of the internal structure of the ears and skull. These visual diagnostic tools will identify the presence of a tumor. Standard laboratory tests include a complete blood profile, chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis. Your veterinarian will be looking to identify the presence of an infection, and the type of infection, which may show up in the course of the blood and urine test analysis. More often, the blood and urine analyses are usually normal If the symptoms appear to be neurological in origin, a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be taken for analysis, and can be helpful in detecting brainstem disease Treatment Rabbits are usually seen on an outpatient basis, but inpatient hospitalization may be required for the initial diagnoses and evaluations, or if your rabbit is severely ill. Depending on your doctor's findings, surgery may be required. But treatment generally consists of flushing and cleansing the ear, or ears, with cleaning solution, swabbing with cotton swab, and vacuum suctioning any debris from the ear. Artificial tears may also be used to prevent the eyes from drying. Living and Management It is important that your rabbit continue to eat during and following treatment. Encourage oral fluid intake by offering fresh water, wetting leafy vegetables, or flavoring water with vegetable juice, and offer a large selection of fresh, moistened greens such as cilantro, romaine lettuce, parsley, carrot tops, dandelion greens, spinach, collard greens, and good-quality grass hay. Also, offer your rabbit its usual pelleted diet, as the initial goal is to get the rabbit to eat and to maintain its weight and nutritional status. If your rabbit refuses these foods, you will need to syringe feed a gruel mixture until it can eat again on its own. And unless your veterinarian has specifically advised it, do not feed your rabbit high-carbohydrate, high-fat nutritional supplements. Discuss eye care with your veterinarian, since the eye on the affected side may need lubrication due to loss of tear production. Also, keep in mind that the other side can become affected as well. Monitor your rabbit, and report any changes to your veterinarian if they should occur. If your rabbit is exhibiting severe head tilt, you will need to support its head in a suitable position to prevent choking. Muscle paralysis is usually permanent, but as muscle healing and thickening develops, a natural "tuck up" may occur that reduces the facial asymmetry (lopsidedness). Other than the change in outward appearance that this paralysis can cause, most rabbits are able to tolerate this nerve deficit and will adjust with little difficulty © Copyrighted

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Satin Angora - Town of Fools - Labor - Facial Paralysis is an episode from Hare of the rabbit podcast by Jeff Hittinger.

This episode is 40:01 long.

This episode was published on Sep 28, 2018.

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