My rabbit is sick!

[sonia]

Hello everyone,i'm a new member,and i want youto forgive me for any mistakes because I am from Greece,and i cannotspeak English very well.I'll make an effort to be understandable.I havea two-year-old Lionhead rabbit,which i adore,but the latter days seemsto be a little (?) sick.From the time i bought him,i tend to take a lotof information about the rabbits from the internet,and from what i'velearnt my rabbit seems to have a hairball,because he makes long poopswith fur in them,or too small poops.This morning i found him havingdone 2 very big soft poops which i've never seen before.I have to admitthat he doesn't like eating hay.He eats a little of it when thepellets are gone,but when i refill his bowl with pellets he forgetsabout the hay.I now try to force him to eat hay by not giving him anypellets,and he eats more than the other days.Now he has a lot ofenergy,he is in a good mood,he is angry because i don't give him thefood he likes.I've read in the net about Laxatone and Petromalt,buthere in Greece we only have this product for cats and not forrabbits.Could i use this one with my rabbit?If so,how should iintroduce it to his diet?I brush him a lot so that he doesn't groomhimself all the time.I would like to add,that,apart from hay andpellets i gave him some products from Vitakraft such as YogurtDrops,but now it is two or three days that i stopped this.He doesn'tlike fresh vegetables at all,even if i leave some in his cage he nevertakes it.Unfortunately,here,in Greece the knowledge as far as rabbit isconcerned,is very limited,because people don't tend to have rabbits aspets,the necessary products for rabbits are not too many,the vets don'tknow what to do in case of emergency,they can't even do a surgery on arabbit,generally they have NO idea.Please give me any infos,i wouldappreciate it a lot!

Edit:Here is a picture of him!

 

[bluebird]

When a rabbit gets a hairball i syringe itmineral oil.you must be very careful to not get it in the lungs.I havefound most products for cats are also safe for rabbits.if it has bigsoft poops and a regular amount of them it probably doesnt have ahairball especially if its eating normally.I found my jersey wooliesoften passed poop with wool in them.fresh pineapple or papaya should befed to long haired rabbits.papaya tablets will also work.I also find ifyou decrease the amont of pellets rabbits will eat more hay.bluebird

 

[sonia]

Thank you so much for interesting in myproblem!Yes he eats normally and he does big mushy poops.I'll check outwhether my pet shop has the papaya tablets you mention and if not,i'lltry buying online Thanks again!

 

[naturestee]

Hi and welcome! :wave:

I am currently treating two rabbits for big, soft poops.Their previous owner fed them cheap, low quality pellets with no hay,and my vet says that was the problem. He has me feeding themhay with no pellets and slowly introducing vegetables. But ifyou are feeding hay then that shouldn't be the cause of theproblem. Are you feeding grass hay or alfalfa? Ifyou are feeding him alfalfa, you could try switching him to grass hayand see if it helps. If you can, feed him multiple types ofgrass hay so he gets some variety.

Also, are you sure they weren't cecotropes? They would looklike bunches of grapes, and are usually eaten by the rabbit.Sometimes they leave a few, though.

Have you tried feeding him pumpkin or squash? They have lotsof fiber and can be used to help with hairballs. Rolled oatscan be fed for the soft poops. Start with very small amountsto make sure they don't cause any problems. I would feed hima teaspoon or so a day once he gets used to it. Aside fromthat, exercise helps the bowels move and can help push hairthrough. Try to give him as much exercise as you can.

 

[bluebird]

I just wanted to say i use mineral oil as a lastresort if the rabbits not pooping or eating because it can be verydangerous if you get it in the lungs.I only suggested it because irealize in the country you are in as you said the vets may not beknowlegeable about rabbits.bluebird

 

[sonia]

Dear naturestee,thanks for welcoming me.I'venever thought about what you said about the pellets i use.They arecalled Cuni Indoors Nature by Prestige,and i preferred them because oftheir high fiber content.Maybe i should try feeding him freshvegetables too,i've never given him pumpkin.As for the cecotropes (youmean cecals,right?),no these poops are different,and not shiny ascecals are.I let him out of the cage almost all day,and there are timesthat he returns in his cage because he gets bored circling around allthe time!



Edit:I don't give him alfalfa hay,only grass hay!

 

[naturestee]

I doubt it's your pellets, or you would haveseen the soft poops earlier. It's probably from some kind ofdigestive upset, but it is treated the same way- hay, and lots ofit.

Veggies are good but start slowly. Some good starting veggiesare parsley and cilantro- they smell so strong that all of mine lungedfor them the first time they saw them. Mint and dill aregood, too, as well as dark green lettuce and carrot tops.Pumpkin is sweet, so if he likes fruit he'll probably likeit. I feed canned pumpkin, but you can also feed itfresh. Start with one thing feed it alone for a few days soyou will know if it upsets his stomach.

 

[sonia]

bluebird wrote:

Ijust wanted to say i use mineral oil as a last resort if the rabbitsnot pooping or eating because it can be very dangerous if you get it inthe lungs.I only suggested it because i realize in the country you arein as you said the vets may not be knowlegeable aboutrabbits.bluebird

Ok bluebird,i will have it on mymind,ihope my rabbit is far from stopping eating or poopingat all.Thanks!

 

[sonia]

naturestee wrote:

I doubt it's your pellets, or you would have seen the softpoops earlier. It's probably from some kind of digestiveupset, but it is treated the same way- hay, and lots of it.

Veggies are good but start slowly. Some good starting veggiesare parsley and cilantro- they smell so strong that all of mine lungedfor them the first time they saw them. Mint and dill aregood, too, as well as dark green lettuce and carrot tops.Pumpkin is sweet, so if he likes fruit he'll probably likeit. I feed canned pumpkin, but you can also feed itfresh. Start with one thing feed it alone for a few days soyou will know if it upsets his stomach.

I'm so happy right now!I finally found people giving mespecific informations and suggesting me specific things!Can you believethat a vet had told me to give himno hay at all because itwill cause diarrhea?Thank God i haven't listened to him.And thank youfor your helpful guidance!I've read somewhere that digestive enzymewould help!Is that true?

 

[JimD]

Welcome to the forum sonia!

Sorry to hear that your bunnie is not feeling well.

It does sound like he my be deveolping a hairball or some kind of GI problem.

So far you're doing the right thing with giving unlimited hay (is ittimothy hay?). You can give him a limited amount ofpellets. Make sure he's drinking water, too.

The products I use are made for dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, horses,etc. They can be used safely for the bunnies as long as they areadministerd properly.

Laxatone and Petromalt are safe to use. You can apply itto the inside of his front paw and he will lick it off. Make sure tosmear it in a bit so he can't shake it off. He may not like it, but itwill help.

Fresh pineapple (not canned or processed)is said to help help in preventing or passing hairballs.Papaya (fresh or dried with no sugar or tablets) can also begiven. I give my bunnies a small piece of dried papaya once a week as atreat.

If you think he might be gassy or bloated you can give him infantgas-relief drops that contain simethicone. It won't harm him atall, and usually has quick results.

Canned pumpkin (not fresh) is a good source of fiber and willhelp to keep his system going. I don't know if it is availble for youin Greece. It might be a seasonal item this time of year. He might likeit. We had to use a syringe to give it to some of our bunnies.

~Jim

 

[sonia]

JimD wrote:

Welcome to the forum sonia!

Sorry to hear that your bunnie is not feeling well.

It does sound like he my be deveolping a hairball or some kind of GI problem.

So far you're doing the right thing with giving unlimited hay (is ittimothy hay?). You can give him a limited amount ofpellets. Make sure he's drinking water, too.

The products I use are made for dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, horses,etc. They can be used safely for the bunnies as long as they areadministerd properly.

Laxatone and Petromalt are safe to use. You can apply itto the inside of his front paw and he will lick it off. Make sure tosmear it in a bit so he can't shake it off. He may not like it, but itwill help.

Fresh pineapple (not canned or processed)is said to help help in preventing or passing hairballs.Papaya (fresh or dried with no sugar or tablets) can also begiven. I give my bunnies a small piece of dried papaya once a week as atreat.

If you think he might be gassy or bloated you can give him infantgas-relief drops that contain simethicone. It won't harm him atall, and usually has quick results.

Canned pumpkin (not fresh) is a good source of fiber and willhelp to keep his system going. I don't know if it is availble for youin Greece. It might be a seasonal item this time of year. He might likeit. We had to use a syringe to give it to some of our bunnies.

~Jim

Thanks Jim,your comments were very helpful!To behonest,he doesn't drink too much water,but i suppose this has to dowith the change on the weather.I don't give him too many pellets eventhough he would want it.You see my mistake was to do all of hisfavors,i couldn't just say ''no''.So i gave him as much pellets as hewanted till he stopped eating.I recently learnt that this was verybad,i used to think that as long as he asks for it he needsit and that as long as he doesn't eat hay,he doesn'tneedit.The hay is grass hay i don't know if this means that it's nottimothy does it?

 

[Mr. Stee]

Hi Sonia, Naturstee's husband here. Iwas wondering if you give water in a bowl or in a bottle.Some bunnies don't drink enough water because they don't like drinkingout of those upside down water bottles. If you use one, tryusing a heavy crock of water instead (the heavy crock is so he/shedoesn't flip it.) Also bunnies can live off of hay decently,even grass hay. I am always amazed at how decently two of ourrabbits can be healthy by eating mostly grass hays (in fact, I tend tosneak them a sprig or two of fresh herbs at night because I feel bad,but the vet (a good one) said to limit them to mostly hay for awhile.)
You are doing right by brushing him. how are his teeth andnails? As a suggestion, read the top picks at the top of theforum for more good info. And come back often to tell us howyou and your rabbit is. We here are rabbit slaves and love tohear how all those bunny masters are doing, even if it is half a globeaway.

James

 

[BunnyMom]

Welcome, Sonia!

Your bunny is so cute!

The Timothy hay is definitely a good idea. I learned about ityears ago when my bunny was having digestive problems. Thebreeder I got my bunnies from said to only feed them pellets.Well, I had three fat, lethargic bunnies! When I startedfeeding them lots of hay and only a little pellets they all lostweight, were more active and Jellybean's digestive problemsdisappeared. My bunnies now dive for the pellets right awaytoo, so I only give them a small handful each after they've eaten someof their hay.

I buy my timothy hay in a mini-bale from Heidel Hollow Farms inPennsylvania. You can order from their website - I think it'sbale-in-a-bag.net, or you can do a search on Heidel HollowFarms. It's much cheaper than buying it at the pet store.

 

[sonia]

Mr. Stee wrote:

Hi Sonia, Naturstee's husband here. I waswondering if you give water in a bowl or in a bottle. Somebunnies don't drink enough water because they don't like drinking outof those upside down water bottles. If you use one, try usinga heavy crock of water instead (the heavy crock is so he/she doesn'tflip it.) Also bunnies can live off of hay decently, evengrass hay. I am always amazed at how decently two of ourrabbits can be healthy by eating mostly grass hays (in fact, I tend tosneak them a sprig or two of fresh herbs at night because I feel bad,but the vet (a good one) said to limit them to mostly hay for awhile.)
You are doing right by brushing him. how are his teeth andnails? As a suggestion, read the top picks at the top of theforum for more good info. And come back often to tell us howyou and your rabbit is. We here are rabbit slaves and love tohear how all those bunny masters are doing, even if it is half a globeaway.

James

Hello Mr. Stee,i give him water in a bottle becausei'veread that the waterremains cleaner in thisway!I think i'll try to switch to a bowl to see whether he startsdrinking more!I trim his nails often,but i think that he keeps them ingood condition by his own-they never need too much caring.His teeth arealso fine,never had a problem with it.I'll read the top picks too thankyou!Be sure that you will learn our news often!

 

[sonia]

BunnyMom wrote:

Welcome, Sonia!

Your bunny is so cute!

The Timothy hay is definitely a good idea. I learned about ityears ago when my bunny was having digestive problems. Thebreeder I got my bunnies from said to only feed them pellets.Well, I had three fat, lethargic bunnies! When I startedfeeding them lots of hay and only a little pellets they all lostweight, were more active and Jellybean's digestive problemsdisappeared. My bunnies now dive for the pellets right awaytoo, so I only give them a small handful each after they've eaten someof their hay.

I buy my timothy hay in a mini-bale from Heidel Hollow Farms inPennsylvania. You can order from their website - I think it'sbale-in-a-bag.net, or you can do a search on Heidel HollowFarms. It's much cheaper than buying it at the pet store.

He is adorable isn't he?Look,if timothy hay is so good i'lldo everything to find it.I'm not sure that we have in our pet shopshere in Greece to get,'cause i always see alfalfa hay everywhere igo,but if we don't,i will buy from where you suggest!Thanks a lot!

 

[Mr. Stee]

Grass hay is good. Timothy grass hayis the most suggested, but other grass hays are good as well.Alfalfa is good only for bunnies still growing, then you should switchto a hay that isn't so leafy (*edit*-the reason is alfalfa is too highin calcium. This can then give your bunny kidneystones). usually, a good visual cue is, the less leaves inthe type of hay, the better. But straw is not hay (wheatstraw) and should be avoided. Oat straw is good tasting tobunnies and is ggod in fiber, but isn't nutricious enough to be fed onits own.
what is considered "grass hay" common in stores is the second best foryour bunny if timothy hay isn't found. We also feed ourbunnies something labeled as "orchard hay" as a change upoccaionally. This is just another name for grass hay.

Another thing wild and domestic bunnies alike go crazy for is appletree bark. During the winter, you have to cage your smallapple trees because bunnies will eat the twigs and young bark for theflavor and nutrition. Domestic bunnies are nodifferent. A good and healthy treat for a bunny is a smallapple tree branch. That is if you can find them. Itake them from my neighbors tree with his enthusiastic permission (hedoesn't want the trees anymore).

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Hi Sonia,

Sometimes too much protein can cause soft poos. Check theprotein content of your pellets. I switched my rabbits to a14% protein pellet and we have no more soft poos.

Your bunny is very cute!

Laura

 

Welcome Sonia

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=7329&forum_id=1

In this thread there is a lot of usefull andhelpful information readily availabe , read throughit and click on different linksat teh end of the pages I thinkYou will find a lot of helpfullinformation , and who knowsmaybe you acn rint off copiesand send it to a vet, maybe then the Vet willstart to learn how to treatrabbits >? Just a thought.

 

[sonia]

Guys,thank you all,i really appreciate yourinterest,me and my little Jo are grateful!He did his first normalpoops a while ago having passed two-three days with unnormal one!And heeats hay like crazy now that he got into the cage!