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any advice on dirty bottom mini lop

J

Jacquiepoppins

Young Bun
Isabella my 2 year old mini lop appears to have trouble keeping her bottom clean. She has been to vet on many occasions who thinks that because she has a particularly snubbed nose she is unable to reach to clean properly. I have noticed that there are often uneaten ceceaum poos in her hutch. Does anyone have any ideas??
 
Jacquiepoppins said:
Isabella my 2 year old mini lop appears to have trouble keeping her bottom clean. She has been to vet on many occasions who thinks that because she has a particularly snubbed nose she is unable to reach to clean properly. I have noticed that there are often uneaten ceceaum poos in her hutch. Does anyone have any ideas??
Click to expand...

Can you describe what you feed her in detail? and does she have any health issues such as dental disease or spinal/gait problems? :wave:
 
She has grass in the morning first thing. She then can graze during the day in the garden. Hay available at all times. tea time is a handfull of mixed bunny feed with brocolli - have found that other vegetables/herbs can make bottom loose. Surprisingly she has no dental problems. Her litter tray always has large formed normal droppings which always surprises me considering how messy her bottom can become.
 
Jacquiepoppins said:
She has grass in the morning first thing. She then can graze during the day in the garden. Hay available at all times. tea time is a handfull of mixed bunny feed with brocolli - have found that other vegetables/herbs can make bottom loose. Surprisingly she has no dental problems. Her litter tray always has large formed normal droppings which always surprises me considering how messy her bottom can become.
Click to expand...

How large a handful? Have you considered switching to a high fibre pellet instead? They tend to be far less starchy - often the main cause of caecal dysbiosis. A high fibre pellet would be something like Science Selective or Allen and Page or Oxbow Bunny Basics - the extruded pellets are generally considered a better feed than the mix and most buns ONLY need an eggcup full once per day. However, any dietary changes must be made very gradually over several weeks.

Some rabbits can not tolerate rabbit food at all and do much better on a hay/veg only diet (grass and weeds included of course). Brassicas - such as brocoli are renound for causing caecal upset also. If it were my bun I would consider trying an alternative feed, cutting down the portion and upping the hay and more astringent wild greens such as dandelions, plantains, safe tree leaves and weeds and steer away from the commercial veg with a bun with a sensitive caecum. Establishing caecal flora balance can take many months so you may not see an immediate improvement.
This is an excellent article:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=3012&S=1&SourceID=43 :wave:
 
This might help for the plants:
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/safefoods.htm - safe herbs and plants at bottom.

There are lots of threads in the diet section on what is safe from the wild to feed, and a current thread in rabbit chat called 'drying herbs for winter' although all can be fed fresh equally.

Easy ones to remember are:
Apple tree leaves and branches
Pear tree leaves and branches
Hazel " " "
Hawthorn " " "
Willow " " "

and then easy weeds are:
dandelions,
plantains - ribwort and greater
groundsel
shepherd's purse
mallow
sow thistle/milk thistle
clover
nipplewort
chickweed
wild strawberry, cultivated strawberry, raspberry, blackberry leaves etc.
jerusalem artichoke leaves

That should keep you going :wave: Just remember one new thing at a time and gentle introduction with small amounts first. I would also just go hay and grass only for a few days - week until her excess caecotrophs settle down, and the reintroduce the greens.
 
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