• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

advice needed re diarrhea

Nicole+Alex

Warren Scout
hello I have two rescue rabbits, male Binky year and a half, female Smudge 9 months, both mini lops and castrated, house rabbits.

Smudge now has diarrhea we think she may have had a little last week too. Just been to the emergency vet who has given us some water solution and recovery food paste. But Smudge wont eat/drink it. And I dont want to syringe it as it will stress her out more.

She is running around a bit but is also a bit sulky in the corner, she is running differently to normal, kind of kicking out her back legs, but this may be as the vet cleaned her up and all her fur has gone funny with the water.

She is eating hay and drinking water, and we are going back to the vets tomorrow. Do you think I am doing the right thing? any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Also the vet thinks that as only one is ill that it may be something she picked up when she was younger as when she came into rescue she had bad diarrhea

Thank you, I'm very worried.
 
she has unlimited hay, a selection from carrots, broccoli, green beans, cabbage, mint, parsley, occasional piece of carrot and egg cup of pellets.

They are unformed poos which are wet looking.
Thank you.
 
Are they new buns? Have you had normal poos from this bun at all? If you have had normal poos before have you change the diet in any way?
 
no not new buns had Smudge since last September. not changed their diet, always introduce new things slowly. Now I think about it some of their caecotrophs have been on the wet side.

Smudge now running around more and constantly eating hay. but wont touch vet's drink/paste food.

Thank you for all your help
 
What pellets are they on? Some pellets/mixes can cause funny caecotrophs. I use SS for this reason (mature type as even normal adult caused a reaction).
 
If you are willing to spend a little more I would suggest using the mature as I have a bun that can't stomach even the normal SS. IT is higher in fibre so may help.
 
do you think it is ok not to syringe feed her?

why do you think she is running funny, it's kind of flicking her feet, a bit stompy?
 
it's not binkying, it's like exaggerated running like an equestion horse runs, sorry hard to explain. she seems happier though, the vet gave her an injection to make her feel better so maybe that is working.

Thank you for your advice as I have been really concerned as a work colleague had her rabbit go ill yesterday afternoon, and it died last night.
 
Flicking back feet out behind them can be a sign of disgust and contempt - i.e. she might be trying to tell you that she disapproves of all the handling and syringe feeding! My buns will foot-flick away from me after I've been handling them, take them to the vets or try to give them meds! Is she doing it all the time?

I would try cutting right down on the veg for a while and see if that helps, it may be that her guts have got out of balance and the veg is a bit too much for her to cope with at the moment. I would also cut out the green beans permanently as I have a feeling they can be very bad for buns. If you add some probiotics to the water that may also help to get her guts back into balance.
 
this forum is so great. I'm sure that is what the feet thing is, as normally we never pick her up and the vet was gently but did have to pick her up.

Hopefully it's nothing more serious than diet, we are taking in some samples tomorrow and they will test them.

I appreciate everyone's comments as this was so upsetting.
 
Back
Top