Iszy is having problems again! :(

[Lissa]

I really don't know what to do anymore. She simply refuses to clean herself and sits in her poop and pee all day long. She has other places to sit but she chooses to sit in her own feces. :? She was limping over the weekend so I looked at her butt again and it was full of poop and litter. I pulled a HUGE clump of it out. And the smell was terrible. I still think something may be wrong with her leg. Anyideas?

 

[JimD]

Oh man!!....some bunnies :X

Is she sitting in her litter pan?

....or just deciding to sit in her poop wherever it is?

To clean her easily, try cornstarch. .....m.e. found out about it and used it with good results.

~Jim

 

[Lissa]

She stopped going in her litterbox monthsago. I have no idea why.That's thebiggest reason we have her in a cage now.Shenowgoes potty in a corner of her cage and sits init. It's a very large cage so she has plenty of room to runaround.

I cut her nails thinking that maybe the limp was because her nails weretoo long. But this didn't help. I noticed whencutting her nails, however, that her nails were very brittle, unlikeany rabbits nails I've seen. They were very thin and filledwith this brown marrow-like stuff. It did not looknormal. The nails did not go straight down either.They are growing crooked. Do bunnies get nail infections?

In my opinion, I think that this poop thing is a symptom of a biggerproblem, but I'm not sure what. Maybe she stopped going inher litterbox because of her back leg?? Maybe she sits in herfeces and urine because doesn't want to move around anymore than shehas to?

I'm thinking that it isn't broken ora sprain. Sheis not active enough for it to be an injury. Perhapsarthritis???

I don't know what to do with her.

 

[JimD]

If the problems gets overwhelming, you may wantto consider a wire bottom cage. Maybe just temporarily. I know it maysound a bit cruel compared to what she's use to, but it may be the onlyway to get things under control.

When you mentioned her brittle nails, I though about diet. That might be part of the poop problem, too.
I just started to adjust Brindle's diet to have less protien in it, andI've already noticed some improvements....#1 She has less cecals andthey aren't as soft...#2 She's losing weight and she can clean herselfeasier.
What kind of pellets does she get?

My buns' nails are all a little different. Some narrow, some thick, some straight, some curved/hooked, some dark, some light,
...and sometimes I've notice a similar "marrow" from time to time. I don't know if it's normal, due to diet or what.
I clipped S'more's nails the other day and the next day I noticed thatshe had chewed of the top of one of the front ones. Looked like it bleda bit. I guess I didn't do a good enough job for her.
(NOTE: Wire botom cages don't seem to be as hard on the buns when their nails start to get long)

You may have to take her to the vet about the leg/hip/back/foot issue.Don't you wish they could just tell us what's wrong?!?!? Maybe it hurtsfor her to turn around to clean herself?...hurts to lift herleg?....arrrrgh.

My prayers and good thoughts are sent to you to help find a remedy to all of this.

~Jim

 

[Lissa]

Thanks Jim!

We use timothy-based pellets. We haven't changed anything in her diet recently.

As far as using a wire bottom cage, Jason did mention that, but Ididn't want to go that route. If she's having a hard timegetting around right now, don't you think that would make it even moredifficult for her?

I don't know. I'm out of ideas. I'm going to talkto Jason tonight and perhaps get her into the vet again thisweek. I want to know what happened to her leg.

 

[JimD]

Lissa wrote:

We use timothy-based pellets. We haven't changed anything in her diet recently.

I thought I remebered that you said you used timothy pellets. It was a thought anyway.

As far as using a wire bottom cage, Jason did mention that, but Ididn't want to go that route. If she's having a hard timegetting around right now, don't you think that would make it even moredifficult for her?

Too bad you don't live a little closer. I could lend you a smallWabbitat cage to try out. I use them for all of our buns and they dofine. You could be right about it making it difficult forher.....however she may not be wanting to move around regardless.

I don't know. I'm out of ideas. I'm going totalk to Jason tonight and perhaps get her into the vet again thisweek. I want to know what happened to her leg.

I think you're right. Try to find out what's up with her leg and then go from there.

~Jim

 

[pamnock]

Could be age/arthritic related and may respond to pain meds. Definately a visit to the vet is in order.

Clip the fur around her butt and wipe a little vaseline on daily to keep stuff from sticking.

The "quick" of the nail does extend down -- more so as the rabbitages. I've also seen many variations of unusual growthpatterns to the toenail as well as brittleness as the rabbit ages.



Pam

 

[Lissa]

Thanks Pam! She will be 3years old in September. Do you think it's a little early forher to be experiencing these things?

 

[m.e.]

Well, if it's notage related, then it could very well be genetic, congenital, a disease,whatever. I think this time your instincts are right, and all of thesesymptoms add up to a larger problem. Limping is a huge sign,especially in a young rabbit (does she have access to high places thatshe could have jumped or fallen from and landed the wrongway?A past injury would explain the reluctance to cleanherself)

I really don't mean to alarm you oranything :hug1 I just think it would be wise to see if thevet can help you get to the root of this.

As far as the wire-bottomed cagegoes,I bought one for my rabbits over a year ago. They haveaccess to a large excercise pen as well, but even their litterboxeshave grated covers because of Peanut's messy butt issues. I think Iunderstand how you feel about the wire bottoms - it seems cruel. Itseems too much like...well, a cage, and less like a bunny home.I felt like a bad bunny mom just for buying it.

But honestly? It's mostly psychological.My rabbitsfrequently choose to sleep stretched out directlyon the wire ratherthan on my bedroom floor. Really, theydon't mind it as much as we do. They've got grass mats in there withthem and they're pleased as punch. Never noticed any mobility issueswith the wire floor, either.

Hope you can figure our what's going onwith your little girl (and Iszy, stop worrying your mom, she's gotenough on her mind! :nono)

:kiss:to both of you.

 

[RebeccaUK]

I have the same pooey-bum problems with Twinkleas she is splay-legged and finds it impossible to cleanherself. The vet says she is becoming more lame the older shegets and we have to do the cleaning for her. The vet isconvinced that she isn't in too much pain though as she is a normalrabbit in every othe rrespect - racing round and binkying. Ido struggle to keep on top of it and have to admit that her bottom areaoften looks terrible - there's almost no fur down there - it's hard tokeep on top of it but I do try.

Please let us know about Iszy

 

[pamnock]

Lissa wrote:

Thanks Pam! She will be 3 years oldin September. Do you think it's a little early for her to beexperiencing these things?

She may very well be approaching middle age, so age related ailments may be something to consider.

It is possible for younger rabbits to suffer from arthritis orspondylosis. I would certainly find out what's going on withher leg. Pain management may be the key in her recovery andenjoyment of life. The fact that she's stopped using goodlitter habits at this age may be a sign that she's suffering from pain.

Pam

 

[Lissa]

She doesn't have access to any place up high soI really doubt that this is an injury. That's why I'mthinking arthritis. I'm going to get her an appointment thisweek to get an x-ray and see what's going on inside her leg.Thanks everyone! At least now I have some ideas for thevet.

 

[Lissa]

By the way, does anyone have an article on rabbit arthritis that I can read?

 

[m.e.]

There are several articles here :

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html#arthritis

 

[Lissa]

Thanks m.e.!!

 

[m.e.]

No problem, I just hope you can figure out what's going on. Keep us posted!

 

[edwinf8936]

I think she is telling you something, you just have to figure out what it is.

Mine has abondoned the litter box. I thinlk Bunny and Miniand Al have a territory thing. Mr. Z is in a room by himselfand uses his. Bunny has nerve damage and cannot get in thelitter box too easy, she used to be real good. She does havebout of where she has poo caked on her. Most the tiime it isfrom diet, like when I give her something good because her poops aresmall. The other two I think just have toomuchspace. They drive me nuts sometimes.:shock:

Ed

 

[Lissa]

How old are your bunnies Edwin? I take Iszy toget an x-ray at 4:30 today. I just can't afford to keeptaking her to the vet.

 

[naturestee]

Poor Izzy. Let us know how the vetvisit goes! I'm with Jim on the wire floor too. Orat least maybe a wire grid on the litterbox?

 

[edwinf8936]

Bunny is about 5-6. Mini is about 5, Al about 4.5 and Mr Z about 3.

Bunny went to a more specialized vet. She has some bone spurson her spine, but the nerve damage could be from anything.There is not much we can do for her but make sure she staysclean. She seems content and not in any pain. Ihave to watch so she does not get sore spots. She cannotstand on her rear lergs and clear herself like others do.Also it is hard for her to scratch her ears with her hindleg. She does like to sit in my lap more.

Ed