Rabbit not feeling good

[Zont zo it]

Hi guys I've been posting so much in this forum since I got a rabbit and u guys have helped me alot. My rabbit which I got not long ago is I think not feeling good. He ate less then usual and some apple and watermelon. He is a bit lazy today although last night his poop and his behaviour was alright he was hopping around and marking literally everywhere. Today his poop looks like this and he is lazy. Not good signs ik. Currently trying to find a vet. His poop looks like this posting this so if I don't find a vet u guys could recommend medicines although I'm in Pakistan and the medicines here go by different names. Its alot of research. I'm very worried. I have stopped giving him other foods and giving him only hay and grass. He is quite picky about hay and will only eat grass that too of a certain type. Pls help.

 

[Zont zo it]

I have metronidazole if that works.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

it seems like he’s been eating too many sweet foods and not enough fibre. You’ve done the right thing by giving him hay and grass. If he is no longer eating, i would recommend finding a rabbit savvy vet and getting him too it as soon as you can (I’m not sure how easy that’ll be for you, as I don’t know what Pakistan is like). But if he is still eating, a hay and grass diet for at least a week, should help him get back to normal. I believe metronidazole is used for infections, so I don’t think that’ll work for him. I hope he’s okay x

 

[Zont zo it]

it seems like he’s been eating too many sweet foods and not enough fibre. You’ve done the right thing by giving him hay and grass. If he is no longer eating, i would recommend finding a rabbit savvy vet and getting him too it as soon as you can (I’m not sure how easy that’ll be for you, as I don’t know what Pakistan is like). But if he is still eating, a hay and grass diet for at least a week, should help him get back to normal. I believe metronidazole is used for infections, so I don’t think that’ll work for him. I hope he’s okay x

Thank you for replying his poop seems normal now. But he is still a bit inactive I think it's the Darn chicken feed he is addicted too. Although the previous owner says he hasn't had any problem with it. He is a breeder. He is eating all the sweets and feed but a little less then usual. Its getting warmer and they don't eat as much in summers but its the lack of activity which is concerning. The thing with grass/hay only diet is he recently gained health because I tried to take him off the chicken feed so I think he is going to be weak again.

 

[Zont zo it]

I think he has gas bloating or tummy ache.

 

[Zont zo it]

it seems like he’s been eating too many sweet foods and not enough fibre. You’ve done the right thing by giving him hay and grass. If he is no longer eating, i would recommend finding a rabbit savvy vet and getting him too it as soon as you can (I’m not sure how easy that’ll be for you, as I don’t know what Pakistan is like). But if he is still eating, a hay and grass diet for at least a week, should help him get back to normal. I believe metronidazole is used for infections, so I don’t think that’ll work for him. I hope he’s okay x

He is also not showing intrest in grass.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Maybe you could try sprinkling the chicken feed on the hay, as if it were forage such as roses etc. and maybe you could try out a few different grasses/hays.
If he’s got gas, you might want to try simethicone or infant gas drops. You should be able to find them at your local supermarket or pharmacy

 

[Zont zo it]

Maybe you could try sprinkling the chicken feed on the hay, as if it were forage such as roses etc. and maybe you could try out a few different grasses/hays.
If he’s got gas, you might want to try simethicone or infant gas drops. You should be able to find them at your local supermarket or pharmacy

I did research and I did try to find drops but the pharmacies closed its late at night here. He is pooping and poops seem normal now. He also peed. He is pooping alot which means there is no blockage but not eating.

 

[ArtistChibi]

Maybe he's eating when you're not looking? Keep an eye on his hay level.

 

[Catlyn]

Why would he get chicken feed? I have no idea what the situation with rabbits is in Pakistan, so i don't want to make any assumptions, but it seems like breeders over there are lumping rabbits in with chickens? As far as i know, rabbits and chickens couldn't have more different diets and nutritional needs (although both are herbivorous) so why are rabbits given chicken food, is still a mystery to me.
What cncerns your rabbit though. Do keep watermelon, apple, carrots, beetroots and whatever whatnot sweets (especially anything that contains milk, meat: those should never be fed to rabbits, and even grains and corn aren't that good) that isn't hay or fresh, clean grass, off of his diet for a good long time. Then, maybe after a week, two or even more, depending on if the issue is in your rabbit's food, his poops should be constantly stable again. His activity should return as well, but do be aware they're more couch-potato-esque during high noon. Only after that can you reintroduce all that sweet stuff, but never much, never too suddenly, and never at once. The most common measurements i remeber are 1-2 tablespoons (say 5-15 grams depending on what it is) per 5 lbs of body weight? So even with a big rabbit that is around 10-12 lbs (or 4-5kg) they should ideally get no more than a tablespoon of treats per day.
In your scenario though, until you find something of better quality than the chicken feed (maybe you have something from that green list, or avaliable to order online without outrageous shipping: Rabbit Food Comparision - Brand, Type, Nutritional Analysis ), try reducing its amounts slightly, and leave out any and all sweets for the time being. Of course he would be picky about his hay when he would normally get all those treats.
Hoping all the best with a diet change for the better.

 

[SirLawrence]

@Catlyn , not to worry, in another thread the original posted said s/he put the rabbit on a better diet, and in short, agreed with you.

 

[Catlyn]

oh, sorry, i'm not up to date with this poster's previous threads. @Zont zo it What did you change it to?

 

[Zont zo it]

Sorry I missed some symptoms. The other day his urine was cloudy and brown and beige. And today he is hunched back and whenever I move him there is pee and the legs are wet which makes me think its cystitis or something related to the bladder. I couldn't find a vet for him rn. Hopefully if he survives by tomorrow I'll take him to a vet for sure.

 

[Zont zo it]

oh, sorry, i'm not up to date with this poster's previous threads. @Zont zo it What did you change it to?

Oats because he is weak and seems underweight and veggies

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I did research and I did try to find drops but the pharmacies closed its late at night here. He is pooping and poops seem normal now. He also peed. He is pooping alot which means there is no blockage but not eating.

Pooping is definitely a good sign

 

[JBun]

Sounds like he does have a UTI and/or bladder sludge. You'll want to make sure the vet prescribes a rabbit safe antibiotic like smz/tmp or enrofloxacin. You'll probably also need meloxicam for pain and inflammation. Then it would be good for the vet to also do sub q fluids to rehydrate your rabbit as well as helping to flush the bladder.

Depending on what's found during the exam, the vet may also need to xray the bladder. If your rabbit isn't eating on his own, he'll also need to be syringe fed. Hopefully the vet will have an herbivore recovery food like oxbow critical care, but if not you may need to get creative, as your rabbit will need to be properly force fed until he wants to eat on his own again. I know your options are very limited there, but hopefully you can get the help your rabbit needs right now.

http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Urinary_tract_infection

 

[Zont zo it]

Sounds like he does have a UTI and/or bladder sludge. You'll want to make sure the vet prescribes a rabbit safe antibiotic like smz/tmp or enrofloxacin. You'll probably also need meloxicam for pain and inflammation. Then it would be good for the vet to also do sub q fluids to rehydrate your rabbit as well as helping to flush the bladder.

Depending on what's found during the exam, the vet may also need to xray the bladder. If your rabbit isn't eating on his own, he'll also need to be syringe fed. Hopefully the vet will have an herbivore recovery food like oxbow critical care, but if not you may need to get creative, as your rabbit will need to be properly force fed until he wants to eat on his own again. I know your options are very limited there, but hopefully you can get the help your rabbit needs right now.

http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Urinary_tract_infection

I'm trying to find a vet in my area I have found 2 but I don't think they will do x rays or anything I'm trying to find better ones but I am afraid these 2 are my only option. His pee seems normal colored now but he is pretty much not himself rn. Not eating, not active. Every breeder I asked here is telling me its a gas problem or stasis. I guess they are saying this cuz this is the only common disease their rabbits get.

 

[Zont zo it]

Took him to a vet. He checked his temp said he has fever and gave him some injection and some antibiotics. I don't think he will make it.

 

[Shmibunny]

If it's a UTI and the antibiotics work, the bunny could bounce back and feel so much better in a matter of hours or a day (as long as it hasn't developed a gut slowdown.) Until then, keep the bunny well hydrated, fed if you can, and monitor their poops. If the first antibiotics don't work and the bunny's symptoms continue to worsen, another could be tried.

I've dealt with several UTIs and usually Trimethoprim&Sulfamethoxazole (a.k.a. Bactrim, Ditrim Duplo) worked well, but on a few occasions we had to switch to enrofloxacine (a.k.a. Baytril, Exoflox) because the symptoms returned and/or the course of medication was too short.

What antibiotics did you get and for how long? A 7 to 10-day (or even 14) course of Bactrim or Baytril twice a day orally usually does the trick. The vet could possibly do a dipstick test on the urine to see if it has blood (cheap and fast, I keep sticks at home at all times). An ultrasound/X-ray can show if there is a stone or sludge in the bladder or other abnormalities, but it won't exactly fix anything.

The poop in your first post could be mushy cecotrophes which can indicate a tummy upset or a gut slowdown, but that may just be a temporary thing and not the real problem here, especially if normal hard fecal dropping still keep coming.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Took him to a vet. He checked his temp said he has fever and gave him some injection and some antibiotics. I don't think he will make it.

How’s he doing?