increase in water drinking

[MATH]

I've had Harvey for over a year, and he has never drank too much water. I always soaked his greens in water, and my vet says rabbits will/can go a while without drinking lots of water because in the wild they may not always be around large sources of water. Between the soaked veggies, noticing some water being drank , and no signs of dehydration I never worried.

In the last week, Harvey has been drinking more water than usual. In the past his water bowl might go down a little, but now 1/2 to 3/4 of his water is being drank. Absolutely nothing has changed for him/his environment. He also seems 100%, zero issues *knock on wood*. It has been hot in New England this summer, but it has been hot all summer, and only this week am I noticing this change.

Maybe I should be happy he is finally drinking more water, but it seems strange to me. Are they any illnesses/problems where a sign is an increase in drinking water? Thanks

edited to add info:

Location Massachusetts

Description (Breed, color, weight) unknown breed, brown, 7-8 lbs

Age about 2

Sex male

Concise Summary of the Rabbit's Condition: seems to be good



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / CHECK LIST: (Please fill in relevant info).

Fecal and Urinary Output good

- are the bunny's poops and pees normal? yes
- when did they last use their litterbox? today
- any unusual behavior? straining to pee? unusual litter habits? no
- what litter and/or bedding do you use? paper plates/hay

Medical History

- spayed/neutered? no
- has s/he been to the vet or been sick before? in fall for beginning stages of G.I. stasis, recovered next day
- is s/he on any medications? no

Diet

- what specifically does your bunny eat? plate of veggies morning and night (romaine, red lettuce, parsley, cilantro, mint etc.) 1/4 cup of kaytee pellets at night, free choice timothy kaytee hay
- when and what did s/he eat last? today
- any changes in the way s/he eats? (ie: not eating a particular food, odd chewing motions, etc) no


Other

- movement - any unusual movements? Is s/he hopping normally? nothing unusual
- is the rabbit molting? no
- any weight loss? no
- any sign of drooling? wet face? no
- runny eyes? no
- wet nose? coughing? sneezing? no
- is s/he breathing normally yes

Additional

- any plants, chocolate or other substances within reach? sometimes eats grass
- has the rabbit been outdoors? yes on grass
- any other pets? if so, have they been ill? no

 

[tonyshuman]

It may just be the weather. This isn't a huge change, and he's still young, so it's not extremely serious. An increase in water consumption can be caused by loss of kidney function, but that wouldn't be very common in a 2yr old rabbit. If it will set your mind at ease, a standard blood chemistry panel conducted by your vet should be able to find any loss of kidney function if that's what's going on.

 

[MATH]

Your reply makes sense. I just wanted to double check, how I worry! I should probably be happy he is drinking so much since I always hear of people complaining that their buns don't drink enough. Harvey has his annual check-up in August so if anything worsens maybe I'll have the blood test done. Thanks again!

 

[ra7751]

And a further suggestion on the blood work.....insist on a titer for E Cuniculi. This lab can't be performed in a vet clinic....a sample has to be sent out to one of the few labs that can titer this parasite. It will come back positive but you have to know how to interpret the labs in conjunction with clinical presentations.

Randy

 

[MATH]

Perhaps, your could explain a bit more. I don't fully understand your post. Why would I test for E. Cuniculi? I would also have no clue how to read a lab report. Would my interpret the report?

 

[ra7751]

Unexplained renal issues are usually the initial signs of an active EC infection. The two most common signs of the early onset of EC is urinary issues (usually some degree of incontenance) and some degree of paresis in the left rear leg....and this might be very hard to detect. Shedding spores from EC damages the kidneys and results in elevated kidney values. Most vets have never encountered or recognized the presentations of EC and will misdiagnose this condition as a routine UTI. While nearly every domestic rabbit has been exposed to EC and will titer positive, the titer is part of a complete examination of the renal system. If EC is in play, it is much easier to deal with early than it will be later. And EC may not come into play here but in order to get a complete look at things, a titer should be included.

Randy