Our 3 year old bun has developed loads of mucus!

[Runestonez]

Our 3 year old lop boy developed tons of mucus recently. We have had him to the vet twice in 2 weeks. It is REALLY bad! He leaves trails like a snail and globules about the size of large marbles. At first it was his poops that were encased in a really tough thick coating of mucus...now it just globs of mucus itself. His bottom and tummyare coated with the stuff and I can't keep him clean. He looks verysad today and has been drinking more water than usual! I already have a call into the vet...but as I said she is at a loss as to what it is and why it just started up. He doesn't seem to have gas but I dosed him with Ovol just in case.

We had a fecal done last week and it came back clear. No worms or anything...so we went back to the vet. Our reg vet was gone so the other vet saw him. We decided to do a shot of Ivermectin just in case it was worms and they weren't showing up in the fecal. He seemed to be clearing up and today it is worse than ever.

His 2 girls that live with him are fine and have not developed anything in the 2 weeks he has been ill either. I am very worried!!! He has a schedule that we stick to and nothing has changed recently, his food isthe same, no changes that could have thrown him off. No new veggies. Nothing.

Has anyone had this happen? How was it treated and what could be the cause??

 

[SnowyShiloh]

I don't have any advice for you so maybe shouldn't be posting, but I just wanted to say that I hope you figure out what's going on with him and he gets better SOON!! Good luck, little bunny!

 

[Runestonez]

Thanks SnowyShiloh!

Iwas OK before when I thought it was just worms...but I have to admit I am a little freaked now. I had thought I was at the point where I could handle most bunny emergencies that cropped up...maybe not.

Dani

 

[Phinnsmommy]

Oh no! This is very serious, he needs to get to a vet ASAP (which your doing ) I have never had it happen to me, but I know it is something thats wrong intestionally like enteritis (an inflammation of the intestional lining)

Ill be thinking of you guys!

 

[Ivory]

It sounds like she could have some kind of enteritis. Mucoid enteritis isn't seen in rabbits older than fourteen weeks, usually, but it could be part of a sort of "enteritis complex". It could be a Clostridium infection.

If it is enteritis, the bun needs to be treated. Perhaps give him something very fibrous to eat, see if he'll eat it.

If she's at a loss as to what it is, I'd get another opinion. I don't mean to say that your vet isn't good- but she may be missing something. Like enteritis.

 

[Runestonez]

I have been reading all the rabbit medical sites I can find...but nothing seems to correspond to what Bummer has.

In fact everything looks normal except for the masses of mucus. Even his poops are the same size, not runny, no blood whatsoever, good consistancy...just covered in scads of mucus.

I wish the vet would call back!

 

[Runestonez]

Ivory- I think the reason she wasn't looking at enteritis is because we have had him for a little over 2 years and he is never sick. This is the first time he has ever gotten ill...except for pin worms, and nothing has changed to throw him off. The bunns have a very strict schedule and their own room...so there wasn't any reason to consider something like Enteritis. I'm thinking about it now though!

I can't find any treatment recomendations other than fiber intake and fluids.

 

[Ivory]

There's enteritis, and there's enterotoxemia, enterotoxemia being a kind of enteritis. It's more specific, if you will.

Enteritis is inflammation and/or infection of the small intestine, and then there's enterotoxemia, which is more of an acute enteritis.

In rabbits, enteroteoxemia tends to be caused by a Clostridium or Escherichia coli infection, the problem is that if there's only a bunch of mucus, it doesn't sound like enterotoxemia. There would be other signs.

I'm actually a bit interested in this. Judging by the timeline you've given me, it really doesn't sound like enterotoxemia.

But it could still be a kind of enteritis.

*wonders*

I will have to consult something.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Oh gosh I hope he's ok.

This vet is definitely rabbit savvy, right?

 

[joeyred]

Try some of these links



http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/GI_diseases_main.htm



http://petcaretips.net/mucoid-enteritis-pet-rabbit.html

http://www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/mucoidenteritis.php






Hope he feels better soon

 

[Ivory]

Hello, joeyred, and welcome to the site.

It can't be mucoid enteritis- this condition only affects rabbits between the ages of 7-14 weeks of age. In older rabbits, excessive mucus is considered to be part of a "enteritis complex", not "classic" mucoid enteritis.

 

[Runestonez]

BoBBunny-yes these vets are very good! I don't really trust anyone else with our kids. The one we usually see is out on holiday until tomorrow, but the one we saw last week and this week is also very good. She is the type of vet who has an affinity with animals. She is genuinely puzzled as well.

Bummer is looking better now, running around like nothing is wrong. He used the litterbox and Itook a peek...his poops are completely normal except for the jelly. And he doesn't act like he is distressed at all. His behavior is bang on. He gets upset when he is dirty...he has a bit of an OCd complex with tidyness. But other than that...you'd never guess he is ill.

Enteritis is what I am thinking now...butit is up to our vet. They are very conscientious about the judicious use of anti-biotics. So I guess we will wait till this afternnon to see what she comes up with. I am stumped. Honestly...when I see this type of mucus with no other signs...I think worms. But I guess that is pretty much ruled out now.

He's eating fine and everything. Poor guy...mom hasn't a clue!:dunno

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Oh wow, I hope he is okay and you figure this out!ray:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Poor little guy! I know my bunnies are really worried if they get dirty or anything - kinda like a cat in some ways I think. I can imagine he's feeling a bit stressed by that part!

Good luck with the diagnosis. I just can't imagine what this might be.

Bo had a little mucus when I got him and he wasn't getting hay. I gave him hay and a few oats for a couple of days and he was fine.


I just read some info on what this could be and it suggest that thick mucus could mean he's a bit dehydrated. Try giving him fresh water via crock, syringe and if you want there are things you can add to his water to encourage drinking. I added a little cranberry juice - just a tiny bit - to Bo's when he was sick.

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Is there an update on Bummer? Poor guy!

 

[MsBinky]

I've dealt with mucuous in the poop when Wiggles had her emergency surgery. However she wasn't leaving traces of it or anything. Sounds like a serious case of enteritis to me but I'm not qualified to say for sure what it is nor how to treat it. Just keep your bun drinking plenty and eating hay as much as possible. I hope the vet has good advice. :hug:

 

[tundrakatiebean]

is it possible he went through stasis before this started happening?

I remember someone posting that after stasis a bunny was pooing mucas encased tiny poos...

I really hope we can figure out what's wrong so we can fix it! You'll be in my thoughts

 

[MsBinky]

Yeah that happened with Wiggles.

I was also wondering if there were other symptoms that could have been missed. I really hope your bunny gets better soon!

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I wish we'd get an update

 

[Runestonez]

Sorry for the late update! We have been having computer issues...again!

Bummer is back to his chubby self again!

I talked to our vet and since we had already done de-worming injections we decided it was most likely an over-growth of bacteria. We pulled Bummer off of everything except water and hay. Within 2 days he was pretty much back to normal...so we kept him on his diet for 4 days and then added his greens back in. He is fine again...so it was an over growth by the looks of it.

Thank you to all of you for your concern and for looking up references for us! It was very much appreciated!

Bummer says thanks too!