Cleaning bum of very struggly bunny

I have only had these rabbits for a few days and they are quite a handful because they've not been well. They have been a full-time job.

Ada is very docile if just sitting to be stroked, but struggles a lot if picked up.

I started cleaning her belly with some "small animal wipes", whilst she lay with her head against my stomach. This got most of it on that area except one matted bit. But her tail and vent area still need to be cleaned. She then refused to lie on her back any more and was struggling quite dangerously, so I had to put her back into the carrier . She also nipped me when I tried a second time to clean her on her back, which is the first time I've seen her do this (she's had a lot of handling over the past few days from different vets, and must be really rather stressed).

There isn't anyone around who's comfortable helping with this, and I can't hold her still with one hand now. I've read this thread...
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?294038-Any-tips-for-giving-a-single-handed-bunny-botty-bath&highlight=cleaning+bottom
The only thing I can work out which is possible considering how stressed and struggly she is - and the fact she doesn't know me well yet - is perhaps making her sit on some wet cloths and tugging them around gently. I'm also tired and stressed and I really hope not to have to risk a sopping wet rabbit for the first time ever at this time of night.

I used to clean our old bunny by cradling him like a baby in the crook of my left arm. I'd hold him over a bowl of shallow warm water and use wads of cotton wool to wash him with water from the bowl. Rinse well if you have to use any baby or pet shampoo and dry well with a towel.

I read your other thread about the problems you have had. Re Coccidiosis, I think the usual meds for that is Septrin but 1 dose wouldn't do much :? Was it something else, perhaps there is something I haven't heard of? There is a test for this, quite simple on their poops, did the vet do this?

I'm not so sure about introducing veg to these rabbits, I'd leave that to after 12 weeks in a healthy rabbit. IMO introducing a new food at this time would not be a good idea. Are you feeding them exactly what they were having in their last home?

You could try putting some Fibreplex on their paws so they lick it off, just on the top of a front paw. Baytril is rather bitter to taste, a tiny drop of ribena in the end of the syringe can help it go down.

Remember, whist at the vet you could ask him or the nurse to show you how best to give the meds.

Hooray, someone replied! Thank you.

The vet told me that the stuff he gave them for potential coccidiosis is off-label for rabbits, but it was recently shown to be effective by a study at Bristol University. I've just Googled; it must be this one: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/167/8/287.abstract

I don't see Ada being co-operative with this crook-of the arm washing method though. She'd probably wriggle until she turned herself around, and then try and jump on to the floor whilst I frantically try and move my arms to get a hold of her in the secure position of one hand behind legs, the other behind bum. It would be really stressful for both of us. I think I will have to go for it with cloths and an old plastic basin and see what happens.

If I do have probs with Baytril I will get Ribena, but so far the bunny who's been prescribed it, Beatrix, has been taking it ok - and I've already painted Fibreplex on her. (Today I asked the vet to be shown how best to give Fibreplex and he said that it would make little difference, and that he and a lot of other vets had complained to the manufacturer about the texture and delivery format of Fibreplex as it is difficult to give to most rabbits and he implied the firm may redesign it.)

They are getting hay and pellets from the shop* where I got them. Their favourite is the stuff that's supposed to be bedding hay! Timothy hay they can take or leave.

The plus side of all this is that I am getting a crash course in rabbit health info and syringe medicating.

* I'm sorry... I just went to the shop in order to practice handling rabbits when thinking of getting a pet, and I know it's not very ethical to buy them from shops. But these two were so lovely and strokable that I couldn't resist them.

How come you are washing her?

My Inca has a Urinary Tract Infection just now, she is a bit smelly and has a bit of skin irritation. I put about an inch of water in a empty litter tray with some dilute iodine in, then put her back feet in the water and wash her back end. I find that she doesnt get too stressed with this.

I then pat her dry as much as i can with a towel. She is an indoors bunny, so she manages to dry off quite well.

Hi Kermit,

Thanks for your reply!

I'm washing her because she has quite a bit of dried loose droppings on her tail and underside.

How do you hold Inca when she gets washed this way?

The main problem with Ada here is the very high likelihood of escape if I don't hold on to her with both hands or wrap her up in a towel.

Well, I have tried washing her. I have a huge amount of respect for her determination and stubbornness, but these are not easy qualities in a pet... What I could really really do with from a vet are some lessons in handling her.

Due to her struggling so much when picked up it looked like the only option was to deal with this in the carrier where she was already sitting, so after a tricky ten minutes chasing her with the wet cloths that I'd put all over its floor, I poured in a couple of cm of water... soon you could see stuff coming off into the water, and whenever her stance allowed, I wiped her bum with the cloths. Then she steadfastly sat in a tiny ball with her bum against the wall.

It would have seemed like a ludicrous enterprise if it weren't for the gravity of a rabbit being dirty. I then managed to towel dry her for a bit before escape looked imminent, despite her being very securely wrapped (or so I thought) and she had to go back in the cage as it was getting too much for both of us. Her lovely fur is damp, still. I really wish I'd bought some fly guard or a net. I just hope she will be safe due to being an indoor rabbit in the autumn.

How do I learn to handle this houdini-bunny properly? She is a Rex, and so very clever and has very sharp claws.

Have you spoke to a vet about why she's getting the sticky bum situation? There can be various reasons from diet to a health issue.

With Mini I would usually use loo roll to take off the majority of it. It was quite rare that I would have to use water. Mini is ever so good though and will sit still for me the longest of my four. Do you have someone who can help you? If someone can hold her so that her back is to their chest with one hand on bunny's chest and one hand under bunny's bum that should help bunny feel more safe and give you access to the bum area.

Hi Elena,

Most of the answer will be in this thread:
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?315277-Feeding-Recovery-Formula-amp-meds-with-syringe

So, it's possible she caught a bug from the other rabbit, but isn't as ill with it (not watery), plus stress, plus food issues leading to ISS/ISC.

They were at the vet again yesterday and I actually asked him to clean her up because I knew it would be difficult, but he didn't. I'm not very pleased, but that place isn't going to be my regular vets anyway; the shop said I had to go there if they were to pay for their care (with it being a short time after I brought them home).

Oops, forgot to reply to the rest. All of my friends who have experience with small pets live pretty far away in other cities. A friend nearby has lots of experience with cats, but she is mega-busy and you generally have to arrange to see her a week or more in advance. I really need to have a strategy for being able to do this on my own. Even if I do get to know more people who are familiar with rabbits, they won't always be available.

I assume we are talking about Pets @ Home here? Really you should not have been sold a sick rabbit, I think I would feel a letter coming on....

I can only reiterate that you insist the vet or nurse shows you how to hold the rabbit while you clean it.

Whilst we don't endorse "trancing" IMO it is beneficial to upturn a rabbit in to a secure "shoulders back, upright position" holding back legs if necessary in your left hand while you deal with the bottom. Keep it short or give rests and start again if the job requires it.

Many rabbits will eat the fibreplex on something they enjoy, say, sandwiched between 2 Basil, Sage or Mint leaves, or on a Fenugreek crunchy, spread it out so it is not too mushy. Of course I wouldn't endorse feeding a new food to your bun with the runs.

Remember, even though the shop is paying for the treatment - (it is their fault you have poorly rabbits) they are YOUR rabbits and you call the shots. If you are not happy with the treatment (and I would ensure I saw the same vet each time for continuity) or if your requests such as to be shown how to give meds are not met then say so and insist, you can do it in a nice way, that they listen to you.

What area are you in? Maybe there is a rescue volunteer or an RU member who can lend a helping hand?

Just wanted to add that if the vet does suspect Coccidiosis then it would be wise to read up about it and ensure everything is being done that should be. There is a very useful thread on it in the Rabbit Care Reference Section. The little nasties are resilient to a lot of disinfectants etc, special cleaning and infection control needs to be implemented IMO. One of mine had Coccidiosis - she had about 10 days of Septrin (antibiotics) and thorough cleaning regime, hutches and all areas were steam cleaned, bleach cleaned and exposed to sunlight.

Hi,

Vet 3 said he would give any rabbit with gut problems this coccidiosis medicine as a precaution. I didn't get the impression he was sure it was coccidiosis. He gave it to both of them.

TBH I'm just annoyed that the emergency vet - or perhaps vet 2 - didn't give me Baytril etc for Ada as well as for Beatrix as the emergency vet agreed with my suspicion that she might end up coming down with the same bug too. There are lots of runny (but not watery) droppings in the cage this morning. And it smells terrible. Poor things.

Vet 2 was rather young and inexperienced and I'm glad they didn't see him on their second visit to that practice.

I have been cleaning the cage out daily anyway, but just been using that Johnson's green disinfectant spray.
They haven't yet been allowed to roam anywhere in the house, because of this problem.

It's also now rather hard to tell whether this latest stomach upset (Ada) isn't due to being moved around so much, because they've travelled every day for the past four days.

Yes, it is PAH. I can't quite get my head round complaining about living creatures as if they were faulty toasters. The rabbits only showed signs on illness approx 18 hours after I got them home... Perhaps they ought to have been observed / quarantined for a while after contact with some other sick rabbit, rather than coming to me. The rabbits have been taking up all of my free time and some work time, so I suppose a little compensation for that wouldn't hurt.

Update

Ada has had an injection of Baytril and been fed some recovery formula by the vet. She had lost 6g in weight since yesterday and 12g since Sunday. I have some Baytril to give her at home, and some extra so I can continue Beatrix's course for another few days. I've also got another cage so they can be separated for a few days. I expect the second cage will also be useful when they hit puberty. The vet washed Ada's bum, and I put some Johnsons Flystrike Protector on her when we got home. She is now tucking in to some Herby Harvest hay, which they both adore.

The vet didn't feel tests were necessary. If she doesn't get better, I will see about getting them done then, and probably with a very good rabbit vet in the area, rather than with this place. I really hope we can go for a while without having to rush them to the vet again.

In case Ada doesn't like the oral Baytril, I can give it to her with a little bit of apple juice that I have in the house anyway. On the plus side, she seemed to quite like the Recovery Formula.