New to rabbitsonline....my bunny isnt acting like himself

[Saramc80]

I have an English Lop named Goofy. He is about 1 1/2 yrs old. My husband and I used to feed him some lettuce, basil, cilantro and carrots twice a day(breakfast and dinner) along with his regular pellet food and some treats. A few weeks ago we noticed that Goofy's bum was getting dirty with his poop and we would clean it up for him every few days....i called our vet and they said to stop giving him the green veggies. We did that and tried just carrots and some zucchini. That seemed to help. We gave him a bath this past saturday and ever since, he just hasnt seemed like himself. He was ok last night, but this morning didnt really want to come out and have his breakfast. He came out and sat under a table and then went back in his cage. I put his carrots and zucchini in his dish and he eventually ate it. Gave him some hay and he nibbled on that too....i had cleaned his cage but no new poop yet. Im wondering if he might have a hairball...from putting his fur back into place after his bath.
If anyone can suggest something. it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Watermelons]

Get him to a vet please.
Bathing a rabbit is very dangerous. If he hasn't been right since then, this could be a big issue, he could have something brewing inside, pneumonia is very possible from a bath.

And please no more carrots/zucchini as his main veggies. Go back to the leafy greens. Veggies like carrots are to be treated like a fruit, as a treat only or a rare addition to the diet.
If hes not eating as much or pooping, its best to hold back on all veggies at the moment. Just hay and water. If hes not drinking as much water, you can offer a bowl, and spike it with a smidge of apple or pineapple juice. Stores like petsmart/petco sell a product called benebac. its a probiotic, adding this may help his tummy feel better and help with the poop issues.
But a poopy bum could also be for other reasons. I would be inclined to have a fecal done at the vets and get him wormed.

 

[Saramc80]

Thank you for help! im calling the vet now!

 

[Saramc80]

soonest they can see him is wednesday...i hope he will be okay til then

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Sounds to me like there could be some stasis going on or pneumonia. I agree with getting the bunny to the vet ASAP. Is there any way he can see the vet sooner? Leafy greens would be much better than zucchini and carrots. You may want to try giving some simethicone for gas buildup; whether its a hair block or stasis this is gas.

 

[JBun]

I would suggest calling them back or finding another vet. You need to tell them it is an emergency and that he may have GI stasis and possibly pneumonia. He can't wait until Wednesday. Both are critical illnesses and can prove fatal to a rabbit very quickly. If you still can't get into this vet, you may be able to find one on these lists.

http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/finding-vet-13366/
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=484#.UZ8FPbx7LTo.twitter

 

[Maureen Las]

I didn't read that he has any symptoms related to a URI or pneumonia?? is he sneezing, snotty or wheezing? Does he have any nasal or eye discharge. is he breathing heavily? He may have been stressed out by the bath and he does definitely have GI issues going on.
Bathing a rabbit doesn't necessarily mean that he will develop an illness although there is usually no reason to give a rabbit a whole bath . At my shelter I have had to give half baths to rabbits coming in totally caked with mud. it was something that had to be done and none of the rabbits became ill. If a rabbit HAS to be bathed they should be thoroughly dried or placed in a warmer environment until they are dry. Is your rabbit an indoor or outdoor rabbit? Can you describe how you bathed him in more detail. Was he thoroughly dried?

This rabbit needs to be off greens, and all veggies off pellets, and on a good quality hay. While you are waiting to see the vet you can treat him for gas with simethicone . These products are marketed as gas drops for infants and the only active ingredient should be simethicone. Some trade names are Mylicon gas drops for infants and/or Gas X infant gas drops. I use a probiotic also although it is not part of the "gas protocol" . You can also give him some gentle tummy rubs.
The poopy butt is probably from carrots and zucchini and not enough hay . The most important food for a rabbit is high quality grassy type hay. Sound like the microorgansisms ( normal flora) in his gut are out of whack

 

[jemm]

Fingers crossed for you and Goofy hope he will be ok, keep us posted

 

[Saramc80]

Goofy seems to be doing a little better. There has been no sneezing, wheezing, snotty nose. No nasal or eye discharge. I have watching him lie a hawk and he has pooped and peed. His poop looks to be normal and feels normal...No more veggies....Only Hay and water....he has his salt wheel that he has been licking....we let him out last night and this morning and its as if nothing was wrong with him, playing and running around with me...still going to the vet tomorrow and asking all questions possible about GI/ pneumonia. I thank you for all who have commented....i will keep you posted

 

[Maureen Las]

I am glad that he is doing better. It would be best to keep him on the hay /water diet for now. You are doing a good job caring for him

 

[ladysown]

bathing rabbits NOT dangerous....if so all my rabbits would be dead.

He may have had an off day...rabbits get them,

keep him on hay, pellets and really safe greens like parsley/cilantro/carrot greens.

make sure his water bottle is working well.

 

[jemm]

Well done hope he continues to improve :highfive:

 

[doodlebugger]

Our vet always say that if they are eating and drinking, that is a good sign, but that you should be concerned if they are having running bowels. Also, if you go back to feeding leafy greens, stick with things like kale, or romaine lettuce, and don't use iceberg lettuce. Our vet said the absolutely best thing for the rabbit is clean, untreated grass from the yard. The important thing is to make sure it has never had any chemicals put on it. Make sure if you buy from a farmer's market that you ask if it's organic or if they use chemicals to keep the bugs away. Some people bathe their rabbits, but personally, we follow the advice of our rabbit savvy vet and only give butt baths if absolutely necessary.