Piecing together miscellaneous problems

I've got a bunny at the mo that is concerning me.

For a while he has been producing excess cecatrophes so I've been adjusting his diet and giving him Fibreplex. When he has no pellets but fibreplex its much better. He has a tendency to sit in it so gets it stuck to the base of his tail.

Yesterday I was grooming that off and the tail where it was looked a bit red and sore (possibly due to my grooming, I'm not very good!). I also noticed that his fur didn't feel 'right' (like maybe a bit greasier and looked rougher).

Being me I gave him some Metacam (in case his tail was sore). Today, no excess cecatrophes, fur looks better.

Can't help but feel there is no relation there but what, I don't know.

Indicates possibly he is in pain but there are no signs as to what it could be and no behavioural signs he feels anything other than wonderful (other than what I've mentioned).

Does anyone have any thoughts?

I was worried about his teeth at one point, but when he was neutered (two and a half weeks ago) they checked and found no spurs. But maybe roots?

double post

How long has he gone totally pellet free?

Poppy took 6 months of no pellets for her excess caecotrophs or stains on the bedding from them to disappear completely. Nino only took a few weeks of no pellets. Both arrived from the RSPCA totally overproducing foul smelling caecs. and even reduced rations did not clear it up, or a change in pellet.

In my experience re-establishing a good, robust caecal flora takes months - year rather than a few days. The more robust the caecum becomes and better balanced - the less likely the odd upset causes upset if you know what I mean. So I wonder if with this bun very tiny alterations/upset/stress/pain will be sufficient to tip the balance to upset his caecum.

Of course it could be pain related and not diet related at all as you say. The main ones that spring to mind are dental (which you mention) but also bowel inflammation and spinal pain such as spondylosis. Is this bunny very old?:wave:

Sky-O said:

I was worried about his teeth at one point, but when he was neutered (two and a half weeks ago) they checked and found no spurs. But maybe roots?

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I've always understood that if there are no spurs then root elongation is also unlikely as the two are quite closely related - abnormal growth seems to affect both ends.

p.s I groomed Poppy's bottom above her tail so heavily once I made her bald down there :lol: I'm not much of an expert groomer either. Mr PL does it mostly and seems to enjoy it. I hate getting the fur in my contact lenses! :roll:

:wave:

Thanks for the replies (all of them :lol.

He's a very young bunny, so I would hope spondylosis was not an issue.

He was pellet free only for a few days (but having a small amount of parsley when he had his fibreplex). I ddn't know it could take longer. I worry about him going only on hay and water (and parsley) for much longer than that.

He's due to go to his new home soon so I need to have fixed this as much as possible by then, or at least know what's causing it.

On the roots problem, I do have a bunny who has one problematical root point lol::roll but has never had spurs- but he sounds like an exception rather than the norm.

Sky-O said:

:wave:

Thanks for the replies (all of them :lol.

He's a very young bunny, so I would hope spondylosis was not an issue.

He was pellet free only for a few days (but having a small amount of parsley when he had his fibreplex). I ddn't know it could take longer. I worry about him going only on hay and water (and parsley) for much longer than that.

He's due to go to his new home soon so I need to have fixed this as much as possible by then, or at least know what's causing it.

On the roots problem, I do have a bunny who has one problematical root point lol::roll but has never had spurs- but he sounds like an exception rather than the norm.

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:lol:

How young? Poppy was a rescue so we weren't sure of her age but guessed around 4-5 months and we took her off the pellets, it was a worry at that age, but the mess her tummy was in we felt, was a bigger risk as she clearly was in terrible dysbiosis and potentially not absorbing anything much anyway in terms of nutrients. She had a very protruding spine and was underweight. She gained both weight and muscle on a hay/grass and dried herbs only diet and plenty of exercise, and after a couple of weeks I reintroduced veggies slowly but we soon found she was intolerant to the brassica family and too much veg also. It has taken years to build her up to tolerate larger amounts of vegetation. Our very rabbit savy vet told us that malnutrition happens over much longer periods of time and that we shouldn't worry about no pellets (or veg even) for 6 months as a time frame as long as she was having a good quality hay (which we do use - variety of grasses in it), grass and dried herbs etc. It certainly doesn't seem to have done Poppy any harm - she is a right porker now and it's all muscle (still no pellets). But of course it is up to you and I understand the concern. You must do what you feel is right, age dependent as well I do understand that. x

I've just realised how hypocritical that is with a pic of Poppy in my signature tucking into a huge brassica leaf! :lol:

Quick update- I think it was the hay. We are on a different bale now (first cut instead of second) and he's lost his excess cecatrophs and his boney spine and feels good and solid with proper normal poo, which is great!

Sky-O said:

Quick update- I think it was the hay. We are on a different bale now (first cut instead of second) and he's lost his excess cecatrophs and his boney spine and feels good and solid with proper normal poo, which is great!

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Good news!!! :thumb: