very thin lop/mucus

[JBOZE3131]

I have 2 rabbits...both females (according to the pet store), and I see a slit in both down there, so I assume they ARE both females.



I got the first one about 3 months ago and she seems fine. She never had any soft poop, no cecal pellets that went uneaten, I can't feel her bones- she's not too thin.



The second rabbit is a lop eared bunny, not sure what breed or if it's a mixed breed or what. I just know it's white and it has lop ears and is female.

I've noticed since I put her in with the first bunny that there has been softer poop...not covered in mucus, just softer. No liquid poop or anything. She's VERY thin- I can feel her ribs and her hips, etc. I've been feeding them both in the same cage- they get along well, sleep on each other and all. They have the brown pellets with mixed stuff in it- they're just plain brown in color and are from nunn better...I also feed them timothy hay, never added any veggies or anything yet. The new bunny with the soft poop has been here about 2 weeks I guess.

They both eat the hay, pellets, and the little O shaped treats. I've watched them both and they eat a lot. They both also drink a lot too.

Still, the lop is way too thin, not sure how old it is...but I have noticed she often gets poops stuck to her bottom cause of all the fur, which I have combed and even pulled some out near her bottom. I just tugged on it and it came out...I washed her bottom off earlier and dried it, just with a warm rag. An hour or so ago, I put them from the bigger cage inside (one my brother built that is long and narrow)...back to the regular cage they live in. 5 mins after I put them in, I checked the lop's bottom and a piece of poop was stuck there, I pulled it off and noticed mucus. Then where she was sitting, I noticed a clear maybe 3 inch long gelatin looking thing- sort of shaped like a worm that curled up. I called the pet store and the girl had no idea, called a second store and they had no idea what it was. From what I see, gelatin-like stuff in the droppings might be Mucoid Enteritis?? Will bunny be thin with this? I sloshed her around and I don't hear any water.

I just checked her- I have her in the cage alone....she is sitting there, not moving around alot. I checked her bottom and she had a piece of the pellet food (the bowl fell over and some were on the floor) stuck to her bottom with mucus on her bottom again. Thing is- I can only see one hole down there...not sure if it's her butt or genitals. It's hard to tell what the deal is- so I'm not sure if it's coming from her urine tract or intestinal tract- the mucus, that is.

I just thought it was coming from her dropping, because I've noticed she has softer poop.

That's all the info I can think of. Does this sound like anything in particular? What should I do? The lady at the pet store said to give her white bread and that would help with the diarrhea and help get things better in her gut. I'm looking at her now, and she's sitting there eating the pelleted food left on the floor of the cage in an area that doesn't have yesterday's news (this is what I have been using for bedding) on it. So, she's eating away, but is very thin...has the mucus (just started today), and soft poop since I got her. It's not been REALLY soft, but softer than the others in general, and a few days it was so soft it was smashed by their feet and I had to clean it out.



Any help/info. would be greatly appreciated.

 

[naturestee]

White bread? Is that lady crazy? Don't take any advice from her!

It could possibly be mucoid enteritis, but since it's been going on for so long I'm guessing not. This rabbit really needs to see a vet, or at least bring in some poop for fecal tests. This could be a bacterial issue, like mucoid enteritis (although that moves much faster), worms, or other parasites like coccidea. If it's worms then the other rabbit will need to be treated too. But right now you need a vet to diagnose the actual problem.

For now, cut out all treats. Also, as soon as you can get them some plain pellets with no stuff mixed in. The other stuff is all treats. It's high in carbs and fat and can cause intestinal problems as well as obesity and nutritional deficiencies (if they're free-fed the pellets, they eat the treats but not the pellets and don't get all the vitamins they need).

You can feed a tiny bit of rolled oats- the Old Fashioned Quaker kind- but I wouldn't suggest it right now based on how many other treats she's been getting. Oats can sometimes help with mild diarrhea but are also high-carb treats and should be limited.

If you want to look through more info, check out this thread:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11935&forum_id=10

 

[JBOZE3131]

Yep, she said white bread...she said if it's a bit stale they like it better that way. She also told me to get some tea leaves - a pinch out of the tea bags and put it in the water and that helps with the soft poop.

No idea about that one either.

I have them separated for now...

I should note- she's nowhere near as active as the other one. If she gets out of the cage, I can always catch her...the other one is so fast, it takes me forever to catch her. This one- I put her on the door to the cage- it was open and lying out on the floor- I pushed her to see if she would run in...she jumped in, landed on her stomach and stayed there. I picked her back up. She moves around some- but not all fast or anything, which might be normal and fine, but now I'm very paranoid after that weird gelatin looking thing. I noticed a bit more gelatin like stuff stuff to one dropping stuck to her bottom and on her leg a little- had to clean her off again.

I read one site that said to give them pedialyte...is that a good idea? To make sure she's hydrated and has electrolytes and all.

I wonder how much the vet would cost? I don't have any money available until Thurs when I get paid...we took a hamster to a vet in town and it had a sore- it cost $70 just for that! I can't imagine how much a rabbit would cost to treat or even to look at.

 

[Pipp]

The mucus just started?

You really do have to get a poop sample into the vet, asap. Do you have a rabbit savvy vet close by? If it's ME or something like that, you don't have a lot of time. It could be something she's been carrying that is now appearing because of stress, dehydration or whatever.

How old is the bunny?

Personally I'd go for the Pedialyte,good idea to keep her hydrated, but that's a guess.I'm not sure about anything sweet with the 'poopy butt'.

IMO,the best thing you can do right now (other than getting a poop and mucus sample into the vet tomorrow) is to keep her hydrated.

Good luck with her.

sas

 

[JBOZE3131]

yeah. i only noticed mucus today. that one big lump and then a bit on her butt after that 2 times- i wiped her clean.

i got a bottle of pedialyte and shes drinking that...she drank for about 2 mins straight just now, but not very quickly like the other bunny.

i called the only vet i can find open this time of night (nearly 9 pm here)...and its $75 just to see the pet (which i dont even have) and whatever it costs to treat her, and you have to pay upfront. do they usually have vets that let you pay later? special clinics or something? that emergency clinic i called and the lady said at 12 am their exotic specialist comes in and he knows about bunnies and all.

i asked her what options they had for payment, but she said there were none outside of cash or credit upfront. ugh.

i dont know what to do now...i read that you should get unflavored yogurt to promote the good bacteria in her stomach...all i could find at the store was flavored low fat and aspartame sweetened yogurt. is that yogurt thing a good idea in general? if it is and i cant find unflavored, can a flavored yogurt be used?

 

[JBOZE3131]

sorry...forgot to mention. im not sure how old she is. id guess a few months maybe? she was at the pet store, but i have no idea how old they are when theyre put into the store. ive had her only 2 weeks or maybe a few days longer i think. so at least 3 weeks old.



i put her on the bed with me and shes walking around and sniffing stuff...moving around. but, i turn around now and shes just sitting up looking over to the TV, not moving.



exactly how do you go about taking a sample to the vet btw?

 

[Pipp]

Yogurt isnt' recommended anymore.Maybe Benebec or another probiotic. (There's a current thread around called Yogurt that explains that a bit better, it should still be on the first page or the Rabbits Only section, if not, the Infirmary section).

Emergencyvets always charge way too much.Where are you located? Maybe there's a rabbit savvyvet nearby that's open tomorrow, I don't know how much the test is, but maybe if you explain the situation they'll run the test without a visit and only charge for thetest.

It's good that she's drinking the Pedialyte. Is she eating a lot of hay?

sas

 

[JBOZE3131]

imin evansville, indiana. ive never been to a vet outside of going with my gf who has a sick hamster. i think i mentioned that above? i forget.

she wasn't eating a lot since ive watched her. i put her in the cage and she was eating the pellets...she drank the one time i saw her, as i mentioned.

she has hay in her cage- its hay-kob, is that just hay thats been hand picked? i couldnt find info outside of sales sites online.

i have her on the bed and she pooped...its soft, but not so soft i can smoosh it. well, i can, but id have to press hard, so its softer than the other rabbits poop, but not liquid soft or anywhere close to it. thats why im confused- it should be HARD right? the other bunny has hard round pellets...this one on the bed is round, fairly uniform, just a bit soft.

 

[Pipp]

jboze wrote:

sorry...forgot to mention. im not sure how old she is. id guess a few months maybe? she was at the pet store, but i have no idea how old they are when theyre put into the store. ive had her only 2 weeks or maybe a few days longer i think. so at least 3 weeks old.

i put her on the bed with me and shes walking around and sniffing stuff...moving around. but, i turn around now and shes just sitting up looking over to the TV, not moving.

exactly how do you go about taking a sample to the vet btw?

Ugh. If she's that young, it's very likely M.E. or something like that. If she's from a pet store, could have been taken away from her mother too young. They're far more susceptible.Do you have a pic?

I'd contact the pet store, I don't know what kind of medical treatment they have access to, but they really should help you out on this. The bunny's had a problem from the get-go.

When I collect poop samples, I just try and get them as fresh as possible and stick them in a old, clean prescription bottle or something like that. You'll need the poop, the mucus and a cecal to show a vet if you see one. Especially the poop, for testing. If you can't get fresh ones, I think you have to refrigerate them if it's more than a few hours, but I could be wrong about that, I'll have to look it up. (I've asked about that myself).

sas

 

[JBOZE3131]

i take it back. she pooped 3 more times and its pretty soft, but its been pretty soft for 2 weeks since i got her. and it doesnt smell good. which i read isnt a good sign i believe.

shes hopping all over the bed tho, so shes not all slow and lethargic where she looks sick. again- confusing! agh!

all of the droppings feel a like they have a little musuc on them, but again- thats been the case since i got her. i called the pet store and even went there and the girl said i should just call a vet- she didnt know, and she was the one who knew about rabbits. they seem clueless.


here are 2 pics of her

not a very good camera, but thats what i could get with it...



I read on another site to listen to her stomach. I can hold her an inch away from my ear and hear crackling- sort of like rice crispies cereal and the noise it makes. Not THAT loud, but I CAN hear it an inch or 2 away from my ear. Not sure if that means anything. I have to work tomorrow at 2 PM. So, I'm wondering if any local vets are open on sats and what hrs. Maybe the yellow pages have ads...will check there now.

 

[Pipp]

Best treat her for M.E. regardless.

Here's a recent thread, although sorry, it didn't have a happy ending.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=14578&forum_id=16

This link is in that story, but it's one I particularly like:

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

Also, Pam Nock's post was, as always, good advice:

Mucoid Enteropathy is a common and very serious illness in young rabbits (this is considered an emergency situation and a vet visit is advised ASAP). Supportive therapygenerally includes:

1.Rehydration (Lactated Ringers Solution (LRS)at the vets is best). Pedialytefor children is a good rehydrating solution to use at home. Products such as Re-Sorb for animals is also available at many feed stores.

2. Antibiotics.Rabbits are often started on antibiotic therapy to treat secondary bacterial infection. The condition can often be brought on by stress and/or viral illness. For home use, tetracycline is often administered for ME outbreaks.

3. Pain medication. (a small amount of baby aspirin can be given at home).

Pam

As always, we're pulling for yourlittle baby. ray:

sas

 

[Pipp]

Are any of these ones close to you?

Ramsey
Dr. Ronald Smith
Smith Animal Hospital
Hwy. 64E
Ramsey, IN
812-347-2748

[align=left]Jeffersonville
Dr. Melanie Roberts
Allison Lane Animal Hospital
1660 Allison Lane
Jeffersonville, IN
812-283-4910
[/align]
[align=left]Bloomington
Dr. Jim Koch, DVM
Bloomington Vet Hospital
115 N. Smith Road
Bloomington, IN
812-339-6115
[/align]
These ones are Exotics Vets, but that means they could work with snakes or birds and not know much about rabbits, but worth a call..

Jeffrey Mills, DVM
PO Box 144
Ramsey, IN 47166
Phone: 812-347-2748
Email:[email protected]

Janice Raab, DVM
East Side Animal Hospital
4125 East Morgan Avenue
Evansville, IN 47715
Phone: 812-477-3826
Fax: 812-477-9955
Email:[email protected]

Scott Thompson, DVM
East Side Animal Hospital
4125 E. Morgan Avenue
Evansville, IN 47715
Phone: 812-477-3826
Email: [email protected]

 

[JBOZE3131]

the ones in evansville are the only ones close. bloomington is 2hrs away and ive never heard of the other city.

 

[Pipp]

jboze wrote:

I read on another site to listen to her stomach. I can hold her an inch away from my ear and hear crackling- sort of like rice crispies cereal and the noise it makes. Not THAT loud, but I CAN hear it an inch or 2 away from my ear. Not sure if that means anything. I have to work tomorrow at 2 PM. So, I'm wondering if any local vets are open on sats and what hrs. Maybe the yellow pages have ads...will check there now.

This is a new one on me, but I've never had to deal with this. I'd make sure you have a baby gas med handy, though. And it may also mean they'll really want you to bring in the bunny and not just test the poop, so...

Make sure you tell them you have another bunny.

And I still think the pet store should refund your money andgive it to a vet for a credit to take a look at the bunny,If the baby dies you'll be wanting a refund regardless. If the vetsays she's not sick, then you pay, if she's sick,the refund goes towards her care. Talk to the manager. Be polite but insist).

What other areas are close to you? What are the area codes? I was going by the 812 code.

http://www.indianahrs.org/Links/veterinarians.asp

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11601&forum_id=9

sas

 

[Pipp]

The East Side clinic is on the Ferret list, the guy's either a good promoter or he know small animals. At least it looks like a big operation, and it's open until noon.

Worth a shot.

Hours of Operation
East Side Animal Hospital operates on the following schedule:
Monday and Thursday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8:00 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – noon

Payment Options
Payment is expected at the time of service. We gladly accept VISA, Mastercard, Cash, Personal Checks, Money Orders, and Traveler's Checks. In addition, we do offer financing through CareCredit. Please click the link below for more information.

[align=center]4125 East Morgan Ave
Evansville, IN 47715
Phone: 812477-38268 Fax: 812-477-9955
[email protected][/align]

 

[JBOZE3131]

looking thru those lists, the only ones close are the evansville ones.

Janice Raab, DVM
East Side Animal Hospital
4125 East Morgan Avenue
Evansville, IN 47715
Phone: 812-477-3826
Fax: 812-477-9955
Email:[email protected]



i emailed that lady and asked her if she treated bunnies (just to dbl check) and if she did, was there any way i could bring her in and make payments for whatever it costs. i mean, i seriously have NO money. so i told her that and i guess ill see what she can possibly do.

my dad came home and came down here after i told him...he felt the poop, as shes still on the bed and pooped again- he said he feels no mucus. problem is- my hands are usually sweaty most of the time, and maybe i was thinking i felt mucus. i repeatedly asked him and he said- no mucus in it, and he said it felt hard. its hard to say HOW hard it is...its not soft enough to melt in my hand or smoosh without some force, but the thing is- its softer than the other rabbits poop. the first rabbit has poop that is rock hard. plus its almost ALL perfectly circile and this bunny is a bit softer and not always perfectly circular.

anyhow, he says no mucus and its hard to him. so now i feel like im being paranoid. i didnt worry until isaw that gelatin-like stuff that she passed. this is frustrating, i tell ya.
----------------



by the way, i applied for that care credit card and it said i wasnt approved. i even had my gf do it but she had her purse stolen and she put a fraud alert on her credit file, so she thinks thats why it said they couldnt approve her immediately and would send her info in 2 business days.
----------------------



i see that this e mail address [email protected]isnt found. i got a bounce back that said the inbox wasnt found.

 

[Pipp]

jboze wrote:

anyhow, he says no mucus and its hard to him. so now i feel like im being paranoid. i didnt worry until isaw that gelatin-like stuff that she passed. this is frustrating, i tell ya.
----------------
by the way, i applied for that care credit card and it said i wasnt approved. i even had my gf do it but she had her purse stolen and she put a fraud alert on her credit file, so she thinks thats why it said they couldnt approve her immediately and would send her info in 2 business days.
----------------------
i see that this e mail address [email protected]isnt found. i got a bounce back that said the inbox wasnt found.

Welcome to the world of rabbits. Frustrating can be the word, yup! They really don't do a good job of telling you when they're sick.

I still think you should tell the pet store the bunny has had 'poopy butt' since you got her, and now blobs of mucus,all signs ofillness,and that you'd like THEM to have her poop tested.They must have a vet that gives them a discount. One would think.

Talk to the manager. Worth a shot. And I think the Scott person at the East Side clinic is the current vet. Tell then all you really want right nowis for them to stick the poop under a microscope to rule out M.E.Maybeapost-dated check? Can your dad maybe gurantee the payment by givingthem his card number to be used if the check doesn't go through?

If thevet doesn't work out, make sure you follow the instructions on the site -- keep her hydrated,gas free and pain free and watch for lethargy (although she's already somewhat lethargic, something else to mention to the pet store).

Good luck!

sas

 

[JBOZE3131]

thanks so much for all the info.

im finding it very confusing...as she was hopping around a lot, but then shed be all still and lie down. i see her now and shes sitting there chewing away on the pellets left over from earlier and i think the hay as well. ive been comparing her level of energy to the other bunny...but, i ask myself, is the other bunny just overactive? is the loppy more subdued due to the breed? is loppy just a calm girl compared to most others? i was thinking earlier- i saw that gelatin thingy and i freaked...started reading every site i could find, signed up for this forum, called all the pet stores in town, called the 24 hr vet place right away, etc. but when a person is ill, they can say- hey, give me 4 pounds of bacon and let me sit on my butt all day and they could be fine even if suffering an illness. bunnies, on the other hand, cant tell you whats wrong soit could be a million diff infections or maybe nothing at all. if only bunnies could speak!

actually, a friend of mine offered to pay for it with her credit card and ill pay herback, so ill be taking her to the 24 hr clinic...they said since i was coming after 12 am to see that specific doc that theyd charge me 70 for the visit and whatever other costs for treatment, tests, whatever.

so thats taken care of- will go there in an hr. i put herback in the cage, she was hopping around the bed, came to me and snuggled next to my neck (little did i know she was PEEING on me!) got some droppings in a plastic bag- no more mucus or anything else. put her back in the cage and she started eating the hay and shes currently drinking the pedialyte very quickly. i took a swig of that stuff and WOW- gross. she seems to like it tho.

my gf bought this bunny (it was gonna be hers but i became attached and the bunny got attached to my other rabbit- at least i hope that them sleeping on each other is attachment!) she didnt keep her receipt, but im going to call and talk to a manager if we find out it is sick, because like you mentioned- if its had the butt problem from the first day home, theyve got to be somewhat accountable for that issue. well, thats sort of what you said, right?

i guess ill find out in an hr when the doctor sees her. thanks again for all the info, ill be sure to post again when i get back and see what the deal is.

 

[Pipp]

actually, I wouldn't do that unless you know they're really rabbit savvy. I think someone PM'd you a name of a Rabbit vet, hopefully they're open tomorrow. I'd check there first. Cheaper and a better bet healthwise!

sas

 

[Pipp]

Just checked with the person in your area, and it looks like the East Side clinic is the rabbit savvy place. The 24-hour clinic isn't very good at all.

Can you get to the East Side clinicin the morning?

sas