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rabbit has smelly wee and fur

H

helend

New Kit
Can anyone advise me please, my French lop Daisy, age 6 and a 1/2 seems to have really strong smelling wee and it has made her fur go all matted around her back end. In addition she has a tendency to sit in her poo after she's done it so that gets stuck too. She has had this problem on and off since the summer. I brought her in the house and tried to wash it off and clean up today, is there a special way to wash her apart from lowering her back end into a bowl of tepid soapy water? I also tried to trim off some of the matted fur. End result: traumatised bunny. She is already traumatised enough as I lost her companion 3 weeks ago today :cry: so I'm really struggling here. Strangely enough I never really noticed the strong smell when there were 2 of them in the hutch together. Can anyone help?:cry:
 
Get her a boyfriend as soon as possible. This can easily be psychological problem.

Rabbit can get emotional stress from losing a companion. So with the bonding of a companion, you need to get her to smell the body of her companion for about 1/2 hr., then look around in one of the rescue centers in your area, and get him a new bunny companion.

Get yourself a rehome bun in your area, many rabbits are waiting for months in a small living area inside a rescue center, waiting for a good
home.

here's a list of rescue center in UK

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/centres.asp

or go to the Rabbit In NEED section and see who's available

Or post in the rabbit in need section, many members w/ rescue centers will response to you

========

To clean a bun's bottom, let your tap water running, hold her, i.e., her back is facing you, put her bottom at the warm tap water, let the water clean the pee hole. Don't use soap, just warm water will do

To cut the matted fur, just use a electronic razor, do not use scissor, you can cut her skin, as their skin is very thin.
 
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first of all I would take her to the vets to make sure that the strong smelling wee is not related to an infection. When you say the poo gets stuck, does that mean her normal hard round poo or her caecotrophs? She should be eating the second & if she's not then her diet may be a little rich in protein or calories and/or she may be having difficulty eating them possibly due to weight or teeth problems. Again a vet will be able to reasure you on that score. He will hopefully also be able to get the matts off her.

Once you have sorted out her health problems then start looking for a friend for her.
 
I would definitely advise a vet check to see that she hasnt got a urine infection which would cause smelly wee and also for it to dribble down her legs and make her sore.
It sounds like she has uneaten ceacotrophs that are sticking to her underside too as I would have thought that normal round hard poos that bunnies pass should not stick. Ceacotrophs are normally eaten straight from the anus by the bunny so you dont usually get to see them. It may be a diet too high in protein with give them excess ceacotrpohs that they then dont eat that hang around and are smelly and sticky.
Bunnies may also not eat them if they have some sort of problem that is preventing them from reaching their underside to eat.
I am sorry to hear you have lost your other bunny and that she has lost her partner :( I would definitely however try and get to the bottom of her health problmes with a vet visit before you do introduce a potential new partner to her. Though a new friend once she's well may make her happier again.
Good luck, do keep us posted as to how you get on x
 
Hey everyone, thanks for all your advice. Yes she is spayed, and I try to give her a diet with lots of timothy hay and forage, she also has a lot of fresh hay to eat as well. Last week I did an experiment by not letting her out on the grass in her enclosure and this seemed to improve things too as she can't eat the wet grass. I've tried cutting down on the amount of fresh food she's getting as well. I think it's the caecotrophs getting stuck on her as there's a lump of squashy squidgy poo which attaches itself to her bottom and then some of the harder poos get attached to that. Since I stopped her going out she's only got like it once and the smell's not so bad either, although I'm going to get her checked at the vet's just in case. I've also been considering getting her a new partner and will be getting a re-home rabbit when I do, so I'll let you know my progress...;)
 
Definately needs a vet check as she could have a urine infection. I am not sure where abouts you are but if you are not far away from me I don't mind you bringing her over and I will help you clean her up and shave her so she doesn't get in such a mess:D.
 
Thanks for your kind offer but I think I'm a bit far away, we are in Bradford area. The local vet is only up the road at Haworth so I have an appointmaent there:D
 
Just a quick update: Daisy has been to the vet, she hasn't got a urine infection but the vet said she has osteoarthritis in her spine and rear legs which is stopping her from grooming herself properly, so she can't eat her caecatrophs or clean herself properly (hence her messy behind). I got given some Metacam which is actually for dogs ! because they don't make anything for rabbits apparently. This is supposed to make her more flexible and vet reckons I should see an improvement by Wednesday which is when she's booked in to go and have her matts clipped off her fur as it's got all stuck. I am also to give her a bottom bath every day. So feeling a bit better now there's some action to take. Will keep you posted :)
 
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