Blood in urine and straining to pee

[RebeccaUK]

Tonight Benjamin has been urinating for a longtime - he seems to be straining to pee every couple of mins.I've read the past posts on red urine which indicate that I shouldn'tpanic but nevertheless I'm worried.

He has been out in the run eating dandelions and grass for approx 4hours this evening - do you think that might be the cause for thereddish urine? It just worries me that he seems to bestraining to get pee out every couple of minutes.

 

[ayglnu13]

Has he beendrinking a lot ofwater?

~Amy

 

[RebeccaUK]

He NEVER drinks much water - he's an odd bun andonly tends to have a few sips a day - well thats all I ever see himtake. My other bun is water mad but his urine is always quitethick as he doesn't like to drink an awful lot. Do you thinkI should be worried?

 

[ayglnu13]

http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/health/sick.html

Blood in the urine, strainingto urinate: The two may or may not go hand in hand. While certainfoods can turn urine red, actual blood in the urine can be a sign ofcancer, bladder infection or urinary stones. If your rabbit isstraining to urinate or is "leaking" puddles outside the litterbox, youshould be concerned. You may also notice "urine burn," caused whenurine-soaked fur keeps the skin underneath damp and irritated.Antibiotics maybe needed, so take your rabbit to his veterinarian.



http://www.ontariorabbits.org/health/healthinfo4.htm

Urinary Tract Problems



http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?specie=Small_Pets&story_no=106

Bladder Stones



Bladder stones can occur in rabbits, likein many other pets. Signs include frequent urination, straining tourinate and blood in the urine (red urine). The stones may be felton examination by your vet, or seen on X-ray. Treatment involvessurgical removal. As this is a serious problem, preventing the diseaseis crucial. Diets high in pellets may contribute to stone formation andshould be changed to one that is lower in pellets and higher in hay.



I do belive a vet visit isthe bestsolution

~Amy

 

[pamnock]

I agree with Amy -- the straining is not normal and a visit to the vet is most certainly in order.

Pam

 

[cirrustwi]

I have to agree, a visit to the vet sounds likethe best idea. If it is indeed blood, you can tell becausethere will be swirls of red and clots as the blood clots. (Idon't really know how to describe it.) Red/orange urine isnormal, but straining isn't. I would be concerned.

Jen

 

[naturestee]

I agree on the vet, too. Here are a few morearticles if you are interested. The top one says that if the bun isstraining to pee but can't it should be taken to the vet immediately.If it is straining and peeing, it needs to be taken but it can waittill the next day if needed.

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-1/red-urine.html
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=514&S=5&SourceID=43

And a note on misdiagnosed bladder stones:
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/nostones.html

Best of luck!