Worried about my unwell rabbit thats had a sticky bottom

Hi all

Im new to the forum but have been reading it for a week or so.

My rabbit had a sticky bottom about 10 days ago, i reduced all his food and up the amount of hay that he had and so went to the local pet shop and was said some alfalfa may help as well, so he has been having that as well and loves it.

His sticky bottom cleared up a bit but i have had to wash him which was great fun.

This morning went to put him out in his run and noticed that he needed a wash again as he looked very dirty on his bottom so went to wash him and noticed that he had some maggots there so i new i had to get him to a vets straight away so with help from my neighbour who is a animal live he took me to his vets after i had arranged to take him to one that i had phoned which he didnt recommend, so off to the vets we go and the vet takes a look at him.

The vets said he has a mass in his stomach area and has given me stuff for it, I also said that i had seen maggots so got some rear guard for that but because he has been scratching that area his has scratched it to being red and bleeding so have some cream for that but she also said he has a mite in the skin because he has what looks like dandruff I new he had a mite and had been treating it but the vet said needed something stronger. The vet asked if he had had a myxi jab which he hasnt but know has had done while we were there.

Here is the list of what i have
1 - fibreplex for the stomach (3ml twice a day)
2 - Dermisol cream for sores on his bottom (twice a day)
3 - Rear Guard
4 - Seleen Shampoo for mite in skin (once a week)

I have done the shampoo wash today and the rear guard once he was dry, then did the cream on his sores and have done the fibreplex as well.
I have been give some sample food from the vets to try and get him on a hi fibre diet as he was selecting what he ate from his old food and wasnt getting what he needed i have mixed some of his old food with the new i gave it to him this afternoon after i had finished with all his treatment and his has been very lazy and hasnt touched his food. my dad said when he feed him this morning he didnt want to eat much and hasnt touched his food this afternoon or evening. He has sat in the same place most of the evening and just been told he is now laying out so has moved.

Im just worried with him not moving much or eating that something else is wrong with him could it be that he is reacting to the myxi jab and the other treatment. He has been eating all the time with the sticky bottom but only stopped eating this afternoon.

can anyone give me some advice? Im seeing the Vet again on Thursday.

Im sorry for the long post but i thought as much information was the best to help. I feel a little bad about letting my rabbit get like this but the vet said it happens so fast i shouldnt think im a bad owner.

Sorry your rabbit is unwell but I really think he needs to see the vet again sooner rather than later. Could you give them a call and ask. Bunnies go downhill really quickly.

Please tell me the vet gave him something for the pain. If not, he's probably going into shock.
He must be kept indoors until he is healed. Hypothermia can follow shock.
He is unlikely to eat much while he is in pain, so will need to return to the vets if he hasn't had a painkiller.
Rearguard should not be used on the sores, so he is in danger of further flystrike.
If the mass is comprised of food/hair/faeces he will need extra fluids to help pass it.

I agree - bunny needs to go back to a vet tonight - if possible a better one! He will probably need fluids, gut motility agents and painkillers. I'm shocked the vet didn't address the flystrike and vaccinated for Myxi. If a bun is compromised I would not advise bathing it. Mite treatment can be given as a spot-on specifically for rabbits that would be a lot less stressful than a shampoo - sick buns should not be washed for risk of shock/hypothermia. Not your fault at all - think you need a better vet and your bun needs some proper attention tonight! Good luck

lilbun said:

Please tell me the vet gave him something for the pain. If not, he's probably going into shock.
He must be kept indoors until he is healed. Hypothermia can follow shock.
He is unlikely to eat much while he is in pain, so will need to return to the vets if he hasn't had a painkiller.
Rearguard should not be used on the sores, so he is in danger of further flystrike.
If the mass is comprised of food/hair/faeces he will need extra fluids to help pass it.

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He vet said it was a mass of faeces.
he hasnt got any pain killers. He does have 2 larger water bottles. He his an outside rabbit. After i washed him i dried him on a very low setting with a hair drier and i didnt put the rear guard anywhere near the sores.

I am affraid your Rabbit may have flystrike.

I am astounded that the Vet did not consider this given that you mentioned the maggots.
And a Myxi vac was given.........:? :shock:

You really do need to get him back to a Vet tonight as if I am interpreting your post correctly your Bun is seriously ill

Not wishing to distress you even more but here is some information about Flystrike

http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/flystrike_sep_05.pdf

Please keep us updated.

is your bun's diet compose of 90% hay?

Completely agree - can you dig out the yellow pages and find a vet open now?!! Your bun needs help tonight immediately. I would suggest you find a better vet or try a different vet - this one sounds dubious.
Vet priority now is to stabilise your rabbit by addressing the gut stasis immediately and the potential fly strike. Mite treatment can wait for now. Whilst you are waiting to go to the vet tonight - get your bunny out of the hutch and wrap him up in a towel and keep him warm on your lap - hypothermia is a risk. I hope you can find a vet to help you tonight - if they are good they will immediately administer sub-cut fluids, pain relief and a gut motility agent and treat the flystrike tonight. Good luck, I hope your bun is ok too

just got back from the vets

I have just been to the vets and my bun has been given some pain relief, anti-bioic, and has had some water.

before i went to the vets i rang them and she said had he got cold after the wash which he did but i had used a hair drier to dry him which helped warm him up but not enough, the vet adviced that i warm him up on a warm hot water bottle which has helped. it wasnt very hot but just enough to raise his temperature. he is now a bit more lively with that happening.

while at the vets he got the treatment that i have said and she felt his guts and said the mass of faeces has moved with help from the fibroplex, she took his temp which was raised a bit because of the water bottle but was ok now but after that he past some poo which was good and it looked normal so something must be happening.

I have been given something to help me feed him some water as i didnt have anything and have been told to check on him during the night and to take him back to the vets tomorrow.

Thanks for all the help i did get very worried but she said i had done the right thing to be on the best side. I will keep you all informed on how he is. I will be happy once he has eaten something. The fly strike wasnt infected and i had court it at a very early stage which was good but she has given him some anti-bioic just in case.

Back to the vets this morning

I have had to take him back to the vets and leave him there as the want to put him under as the vet saw something in or on his tongue that's why he may not be eating, they also going to more into the mass in his stomach. He did pass some normal faeaces even though he hasn't eaten anything or drunk anything that was before I gave him any water. The fiberplex is work which is good. They are going to give more pain killers and anti-bioic.

I'm really worried about leaving him there and bit upset that I won't see him again but I know he is in safe hands and they are doing. I got ring back at 3pm to see how it went.

Thanks for the help.

Sending lots of vibes for bunny. Let us know how he gets on.

thanks im welcoming all the help. I will let you know how he gets on. I got to ring in a couple of hours to see how he is.

hope he is ok??:wave:

Hope he will soon be feeling a lot better

Very very very sick Rabbit that may die soon

just had a phone call from the vets and has found some ulcers that are slightly infected on both sides of his tongue and on the tongue further down, he also has bad ears but needed cleaning.

The vet has put him on a drip while he was under and lots of painkillers and anti-bioics. when i go pick him up later i will be give some more pain killers to give him and antibiotics to give orally, also some liquid food to give him.

The vet says that he may be going into renal failure because having the uclers are a sign.

but im still looking on the good side that he will get better but its not looking good. Im sorry for the sad reply and its not better news but im very very upset and just want him to be better. Im planning to take the rest of the week off work to look after him and if he does die i want it to be in my arms.

thanks for all the support its very welcoming. I feel bad that i havent look after him and im sure your all thinking the same and i wouldnt blame anyone.

thanks again

Will said:

just had a phone call from the vets and has found some ulcers that are slightly infected on both sides of his tongue and on the tongue further down, he also has bad ears but needed cleaning.

The vet has put him on a drip while he was under and lots of painkillers and anti-bioics. when i go pick him up later i will be give some more pain killers to give him and antibiotics to give orally, also some liquid food to give him.

The vet says that he may be going into renal failure because having the uclers are a sign.

but im still looking on the good side that he will get better but its not looking good. Im sorry for the sad reply and its not better news but im very very upset and just want him to be better. Im planning to take the rest of the week off work to look after him and if he does die i want it to be in my arms.

thanks for all the support its very welcoming. I feel bad that i havent look after him and im sure your all thinking the same and i wouldnt blame anyone.

thanks again

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So sorry about this hope your bunny does improve. Its not your fault your bunny got sick. Quite a lot of rabbits including my Honey have teeth problems. I just feel it is a shame that your vet could not have dealt with this in the initial appointment when you took him first time.

Sending lots of vibes and hugs to you if there is anything you need help with let us know.

thats the funny things the teeth are fine. front and back have no problems what so ever. she thinks it might just the the gene pool that he has come from.

Just wanted to wish you both luck. He looks like suck a sweet bunny form your pic. You have done nothing wrong in the way you have cared for him which is backed up by the fact that you have taken him to the vet and found this forum to ask for help. Hope he makes it. :wave:

Sending lots of healing vibes for your bunny and hope he is soon well and back with you.

Thank you

Thank you for all the support and the good vibes.