Is there something wrong here?

[mira]

Well, Rosie has completely abandoned her litter training abilities, and today, she peed right in front of her litter box(like, some ran UNDER the litter box, thats how close she was). When I went to clean it up, I noticed:

• It smelt stronger than usual (*I think*), I actually gagged, though,that COULD have been because I have to pretty much crawl into her cage to get at it :?It was also I think, slightly nastier smelling
• It was much darker in color.. an orangy-yellow, and there seemed to be *almost*a red twing to it (her pee, I know for sure, is usually yellow *lol* like most things)
• The urine was not clear, it was actually fairly cloudy

My poor baby was also sneezing a LITTLE bit, not much to be too worried about, but, still. I dunno, I'm just gonna put out a wild guess and say it MIGHT POSSIBLY be a urinary tract infection? My reasons for this is,the other day my dad (even though he was really tired) went out to do something nice for me and get my rabbit shavings, he brought homea pine/cedar mix. I know these softwoods cause urinary tract infections...though she wasn't living in them for that long.... Could it be what I think? If so.. are urinary tract infections bad?

(I'm really grateful my dad got be them and all,but I didn't have the heart to tell him they were no good.. :cry4

Can anyone help? I'm worried about my baby..

EDIT: I just read something that said loss of litter box habits is a possible sign of a urinary tract infection.... just a little random not for myself

:hearts

 

[Rabbit Hutch]

It could be a UTI....I have had a few experiences with mine.

One lost his appetite and his urine would make you GAG......even the vet didn't want him there longer than he had to be - it was nasty smelling....antibiotics cleared it up pdq.

Another seed outside the box and ended up diagnosed with bladder stones.

It's best to take her in for a check if the smell is bad.

The color thing is not such a big deal as often their urine ranges from clear, white to red....depending on diet etc

 

[gentle giants]

It's possible, although I don't know much about uti's in rabbits. I know when my cat had one, she stopped using the litter box. Started using my clean laundry instead, that was not pleasant!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

You could check this thread out and just keep a watch and see how it goes. If more symptoms start to appear,check the thread and see if they start to match up. Could be nothing. The urine will change in color rather frequently though.

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12052&forum_id=10

 

[mira]

Thanks.

Something else I just noticed: she's not eating her palettes. She used to gobble them down like crazy. She's also not drinking much water.She's not being herself lately.

 

[Rabbit Hutch]

Time to go to the vet.....

 

[mira]

:?Agreed. Unfortunatly, it is nearly11 pm, and the vet is not open. I will get her to the vet if things do not improve early tomorrow, whether my mom feels like taking me or not.

I'm really nervous. :sad:

 

[Pipp]

Get her drinking as much as you can -- maybe try diluted juice (cranberry would be great), or if she still won't drink a lot, syringe feed her some water.

How old is she?

I think concentrated, smelly (?) urine is also a sign of dehydration.

Poor bunny!

Let us know how it goes.



sas

 

[Pipp]

Oh, and don't worry too much about the litter. I don't think it causes UTI's, just long term use of the really heavily scented stuff in a poorlyventilated area may cause liver abnormalities. Just using it in the litter box on occasion and not for bedding is okay.



sas

 

[mira]

Oh, dehydration? :expressionlessI suppose that is possible... But, she has water available... why isn't she drinking!!! Silly baby!ullhairYes, as you can see, I get crazy worried about this kinda thing) I'll try the juice (funny,when I told my dad she might have a UTI he jokingly suggested cranberry juice)

She is, I'd say a prox. a year now.

 

[mira]

She was using it for bedding... only like, two days though.

:hearts

 

[Pipp]

Whena bunny isn't feeling well, they tend to stop drinking. I havea dwarf with molar spurs, and when they start acting up, she doesn't drink, and when bunnies don't drink, they don't eat. Silly rabbits.

Bottom line is the dehydration isa symptom of something else,but hydrating her with diluted juice (maybe 1/4 juice, the rest water and hope she'll drink it), Pedialyte (andrink for hydrating kids)or syringing straight water can buy you some time to see a non-emergency bunny-savvy vet on Monday --assuming that the regular vet isn't open on a Sunday.



sas

 

[Haley]

It sounds like it could be a UTI, but as Pipp said, it could also just be dehydration.

You could also try adding a little bit of vanilla extract to her water..just a touch to flavor it. If shes not drinking much, put some in a syringe and force her to take it (might have to wrap her in a towel for her to let you do this ).

Is she eating and pooping normally?

 

[mira]

Ok. I'll check on her today, see how she is doing. Hopefully she is feeling better.

And, she is pooping ok, but eating... she's eating her hay, but not her pelettes, and thats not normal for her at all.

:hearts

 

[Haley]

hmm that is weird. At least shes eating the hay,but I would try to get her to eat some pellets. Do you have some canned pumpkin you could mix in with some crushed pellets? That might entice her.

Just keep an eye on her poops today to make sure they are normal..and get her to drink as much as she will for now.

 

[mira]

Rosie has been acting far better. In fact, she seems less moody than usual. She didn't eat or drink in the morning, so I tried the juice again. No luck. A while later, I decided to watch some TV with her, I brought her,herwater and herfood up with me, just in case she changed her mind and felt like eating and drinking, finally.

She did drink, long and hard, too. It was weird. She ate her hay, and when she was done that, she gave her heavy ceramic food bowl a goodtoss and scattered her pelettes ever where:?She had eaten this food before.. I don't know what her problem is.

I noticed late last night, also, she seemed to be having some trouble urinating. She'd lisf her tail and bum high, and just sit there.Nothing. However, today she peedon my bathroom floor (a lot!):Xand the smell has gone away (and itis back to the color it usually is, also, it is much clearer).

Today, she's been producing a lot of cecal pellets :?I don't think I gave her anything that would throw her off, just a tiny bit of apple.. but that was early in the week, some celery (which she loves),and a bit of cucumber... but nothing to an excessive amount... just a tiny bit of each.

But she's much better now. Yay!

:hearts

 

[naturestee]

If she's not eating her normal pellets, it could be a molar spur problem. Often when that starts the rabbit will stop eating one type of food because it hurts. Some stop eating pellets, others will stop eating hay or certain veggies depending on what hurts the most. She'll need a vet.

Does she have a water bottle or a bowl? If she has a bottle,give her a bowl too. Many rabbits will only drink what they*have* to out of bottles because it doesn't feel natural, but will drink much more from a bowl. If she likes it, you can offer her a little canned pumpkin. It's a yummy way to get more fluids and fiber into a not-feeling-right bunny. Just start off very small because it's a new food for her.

 

[mira]

No, I don't think I do have any pumpkin, perhaps I should stock up

Ok, thank you, naturestee. I'm just so confused at to why she keep schucking her food bowl around (maybe it hurts that much *lol*...which itsn't at all funny, but... yeah...):?She just tossed it off the very top shelf of her cage, she's lucky it didn't break. (I usually don't put it there, I just set it there fora moment to clean up some other pelettes she spilt, it nearly hit me,too :X).

Yep, she uses a bowl. She seems to be drinking fine now. Its just food,she's usually a pig-bunny, so I'm gonna force my mom to take her to the vet tomorrow.

(Which I'm excited about, this would be the first time for her at the vet, and I might be able to get my mom to schedual her an appointment to get her spayed while we are there, sweet... )

:hearts

 

[Haley]

How's she doing today?