Last Ditch Effort Before I Call a Vet...Opinions? Experience?

[MollyBunny]

Hi,

My rabbit Molly has had some sort of a digestion or urinary tract issue for the past few months. He was having some form of diaherra about a month ago, but that was helped with a food higher in fibre.

However, he is still passing "feces" that are unformed and watery - outside of his litter box. In his box are well formed droppings, and urine as well. Outside is a different story. There are smearings of something watery and brown, mingled with smeared darker brown (what seems like)feces. These "feces" have a bit more substance to them than the water surrounding it, but not much more. They are by no means any "dropping" (completely flat with the watery part that likely separated from it when it exited his system).

I'm confused as to why he would be passing both unformed and formed feces, however...

I'm not sure what to make of this, and our family is somewhat hesitant to spend the money on a vet for a rabbit, so I thought I would give it one last try.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Think that might be cecotropes that aren't getting eaten?

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

:yeahthat: Just what I was thinking.

 

[Maureen Las]

cecotrophs would be smeary and messy but not normally watery
What is the rabbit's diet in detail

 

[MollyBunny]

See edited post below..this was accidental.

 

[MollyBunny]

I was considering cecotrophs at one point, but not with the type of material he is passing now. (At one point in time, he was leaving black shiny blobs, which I now believe were just uneaten cecotrophs)

His diet:
High quality, high fibre (Oxbow Essentials brand) pellets
Unlimited timothy hay
Unlimited water

Note: we eliminated vegetables/fruit from his diet in hopes that the diaherra would dissipate. It hasn't, however.

Note: he is eating well - no really noticeable changes.

Any other info I will gladly supply!

 

[LakeCondo]

I would try probiotics to see if that helps. Ask at a health food store for one that works in the intestines, not just in the stomach. Capsules can be opened & a little dissolved in water; tablets would have to be crushed. vitacost.com has a good one.

Another thing would be to get a fresh pineapple & feed him a little each day for several days. It has enzymes that canned pineapple does not. As eliminating veggies & fruit didn't help, slowly reintroducing them shouldn't hurt.

 

[MollyBunny]

Does anyone have any experience with rabbit parasites? Perhaps it might be that?

 

[MollyBunny]

Note: I also wanted to add this...

When I am in my room where my rabbit is, he will make these "squeaking" (but not high-pitched noises), and I can hear him grinding his teeth a bit.

I'm not sure why this - and can't tell if he's happy or in pain...I don't think he's in pain; he's not hunching up...

Anyone have other experiences like this?

 

[majorv]

I would try probiotics also. Benebac is one that you might find in a petstore. You can also find acidophilus in a health store. It helps to replenish the good bacteria that's needed in a rabbut's gut.

 

[MollyBunny]

So...I did try mixing some of the powdered form into his water, but he doesn't seem to want to be drinking it...Any suggestions on ways I could encourage it?

Also...Is there danger of feeding too much?

 

[LakeCondo]

Try less at a time. If that doesn't work you could put it the powder on food he really likes or crush some pellets & mix it in. You don't need to worry about too much, even if he liked it.

The noises are happy noises.

 

[tonyshuman]

Some noises are happy, some are not. A bunny in pain will probably have their eyes bulging when they are making those noises, and a happy bunny will probably have eyes half-closed.

How old is the bunny? When and where did you get her? It could be a GI parasite.

 

[MollyBunny]

I was hoping they were just happy noises...thanks for confirming (no his eyes aren't bulging).

He is approximately six years old, and I got her from a 'pet store' that also sells farm supplies and other livestock and pet supplies. They are not a chain store. He has never been to a vet for a 'check up'.

Would there be other symptoms if it was a GI parasite?

 

[Maureen Las]

Is he ever outside?

 

[MollyBunny]

Yes. As it is winter here right now, he only occasionally goes out (when the temp is unusually warm).

He is generally living outside in the spring and summer.

 

[majorv]

If, when your rabbit is outside he's allowed to run around in the grass/on the ground thenparasites or worms are a possibility.

 

[MollyBunny]

I think I already know the answer to these questions, but

A) Probiotics wouldn't mask the symptoms of a parasite, correct?

Also...

B) Would there be any other symptoms associated with a parasite? I'm sure it depends somewhat on the type, but in general?

Note: He hasn't lost weight, and seems healthy otherwise...

 

[majorv]

A vet can usually confirm whether a rabbit has worms or not by examining their feces. They usually want a fresh sample. A rabbit can have worms and not be losing weight. As the worm count grows, though, they'll startshowingthe symptoms.

 

[Maureen Las]

I had a rabbit that I adopted a long time ago that was a stray ..meaning he was living outside until he was picked up by animal control. He had a fecal exam done and it came back negative but after his neuter surgery he passed a long piece of dead tapeworm. Tapeworm eggs often are not found in fecal exams. he was treated twice over a period of several weeks with Droncit( praziquantal) and that was the end of them .

Prior to being treated for the tapeworm he experience diarrhea when I fed him greens and I had no idea why? Apparently the tapeworm was irritating the lining of his colon.

Other types of worms may be seen in the poop or on a slide when a fecal is done. and the rabbit may lose weight

It is not difficult to deworm a rabbit. but you should see a vet . Panacur ( fenbendazole ) can be used for roundworms, pinworms etc and Droncit for tapes.