Cecal dysbiosis won’t or can’t eat hay

[Plodding on]

I have a 4 year old dwarf lop with Cecal dysbiosis. She has a permanent pooy bottom with lots of small and shiny caecotrophs. She has dental issues, from him viewing her teeth and also to her teeth roots leading to a discharge on one eye. She hasn’t had X-rays because she is so timid and frightened, we’re terrified of the consequences.

She is a bit overweight, again being fearful means she doesn’t move around a lot and she can’t really her bottom, though I don’t believe this is solely a weight induced issue. She won’t touch hay of any kind, which I believe is due to her teeth issues. She currently eats Science Selective, but have tried other foods, Excel, Oxbow, a no grain food and others, I feel like I have tried everything.

She loves veggies and herbs, but only soft foods, small pieces or carrots are ignored. Again, I’m certain it’s her teeth causing this. I’m not sure whether the veggies make things better or worse.

What can I do to mend this? She can’t manage hay, so what can I do? I give her a few pellets at a time so she doesn’t just gobble them up, but am terrified of her being hungry and having GI issues. I popped her in a run in the garden, but I am terrified of fly strike. I wash her bun before she goes out, but am so panic stricken I watch her bottom constantly and then am terrified I’ll miss one. She enjoyed it, but I nearly had a nervous breakdown.

I feel useless. Please help.

 

[JBun]

Why do you believe it's cecal dysbiosis? Are her cecals well formed blackberry like clusters when they come out, and just get left uneaten and smooshed and separated into pieces. Or do they come out already mushy and pasty?

https://bunssb.org/bunnies/guide-bunny-poops
Have you ever tried plain grass hay pellets with her? It's just chopped and compressed hay with no other ingredients.

 

[nutmeg1234]

That sounds like a really stressful situation! Firstly though, if you are aware that your bun has dental issues that might be affecting her eating habits, it would likely be best to find a rabbit-savvy veterinarian who can take care of that. From my personal experience as a former vet nurse, it is really difficult to correct rabbit eating habits if they have underlying dental problems, and a good source of hay in a rabbits' diet is absolutely key to good gut microflora. Finding the right vet will help reduce her anxiety (some will have rabbits-only waiting rooms and calming hormone diffusers) and in the long-run, the visit would most likely be beneficial in comparison to the short-term anxiety.

As for whether she should be able to go outside with a dirty bottom, if you are as vigilant as you are, I think it is highly, highly unlikely that she would develop flystrike. When I worked in clinic, those situations would only arise when a rabbit had been left to fend for itself outdoors for months at a time, with minimal human interaction. (And I live in Australia, where flies are everywhere in summer!) Rabbit breeds with short fur are also unlikely to develop flystrike since they have better air circulation in that region. Also, my own bun has had bouts of chronic dirty bottom in the past. He runs around our backyard all day long, and he has never had an issue with flystrike.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things in terms of keeping an eye on it and keeping her bottom clean. And if she loves being outside and it seems to reduce her anxiety, this is great! As I mentioned, hay or grass are key to any rabbit's diet, and if she is happy to eat the grass then all the better. Hope that helps.