Advice Please :( U/D Poo Pics

Mr had a dicky tum on Thursday evening had almost diarrhoea type poo, so I booked into the vet for good Friday and he appeared disinterested in his food. My usual vet wasn't there so I was seen by a young vet. He did seem quite bunny savvy although struggled with English (I think he was from Fiji) he prescribed metacam, antibiotics and antacids (not sure why) he also gave us some recovery food.

He checked his bum, ears and teeth very thourghly and said he had 1 slight problem with a different tooth to his last molar problem, he didn't think it needed surgery yet and was only slight and suggested trying to encourage more hay (mr isn't a big hay eater) he also weighed him and he has lost weight from his last visit 5 months ago.

Mr on Friday had a little bit of 'snot' near his nose which the vet noticed. Wilma has gained weight and quite a bit too. Wilma also has a bit of a wet nose with a clear snot.

Now I took both with me to visit family an hours drive away for the bank holiday weekend they both seemed very indifferent to food and I never saw them eating but it was gone come morning. Mr also did TINY dark black poos (wilmas seemed normal and dark gold)

Returned today and both are wandering round but neither seemed interested in any pellets although they normally go mad for them and neither rushed to rip veggies off me either. Mr seems very lethargic and was snuggled to wilma looking like a banana very bent in his middle. (hard to explain but he just looked a bit weird) not sure if he was just supremely comfy or possibly in some pain.

Also getting him to take meds is VERY hard even with two of us...any advice on the meds or ideas what could be up with the pair.....would one stop eating if the other was il??

We are both really worried for him as at times he seems himself but then others he seems very 'off'

To be honest, I think it sounds like he needs a dental. Barney's spurs are always tiny and the vet says they shouldnt have needed doing when he has dentals, I had a rexy bun here whose teeth definately needed doing yet she was eating fine. I think some buns are just more sensitive to pain than others.

Pain causes stress, and stress can trigger snuffles. B always get a snuffles flare up when he needs a dental. Dental pain can also be from tooth roots, which can cause snuffles or snuffles-like symptoms. Unfortunately the only way to check this is with an xray.

I take it he is pooing still yes? Was he checked for a blockage? Was he given a gut stimulant? Do you have recovery food?

No idea whats going on with Wilma though, it sounds like she is still eating fine just not enthusiasically? I'd get them both booked in with a rabbit savvy vet first thing tomorrow morning, but keep an eye on them tonight, as if they stop eating/pooing you'll need to take them to the emergency vet.

nessar said:

To be honest, I think it sounds like he needs a dental. Barney's spurs are always tiny and the vet says they shouldnt have needed doing when he has dentals, I had a rexy bun here whose teeth definately needed doing yet she was eating fine. I think some buns are just more sensitive to pain than others.

I take it he is pooing still yes? Was he checked for a blockage? Was he given a gut stimulant? Do you have recovery food?

No idea whats going on with Wilma though, it sounds like she is still eating fine just not enthusiasically? I'd get them both booked in with a rabbit savvy vet first thing tomorrow morning, but keep an eye on them tonight, as if they stop eating/pooing you'll need to take them to the emergency vet.

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Quite hard to tell if he is pooing as they share a little tray, have just emptied it to check and I've been following him around the house when he goes near the litter tray.

Got some critical care from the vet but haven't given it yet as he had been eating small amount of pellets and had some veg yesterday (laced it with metacam as syringe feeding was a nightmare)

No idea what gut stimulant would be

Sorry I must have edited my post as you replied, I added in the second paragraph.

A gut stimulant does what it says on the can, gets the gut moving faster, it is essential when a rabbit isnt eating properly, provided a blockage has been ruled out (if there is a blockage gut stimulants are dangerous). I'm surprised they didnt give him one, I'd ask about their reasoning on that when you take them back.

I'd offer a small amount of critical care in a bowl, see if he'll have some of that. Have you tried grating/chopping veg small and soaking his pellets in water so they go soft? This can help him eat if he is not eating because it is painful.

MikePalmer88 said:

No idea what gut stimulant would be

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Do you know the name of the antacid Mr was given? Zantac (ranitidine) is an antacid for humans but is used as a gut stimulant in rabbits - it works on a specific part of the gut though (I can't remember which but hopefully somebody else can elaborate).

KarenM said:

Do you know the name of the antacid Mr was given? Zantac (ranitidine) is an antacid for humans but is used as a gut stimulant in rabbits - it works on a specific part of the gut though (I can't remember which but hopefully somebody else can elaborate).

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Ill check the antacid now.

He has just destroyed some critical care and is licking the bowl up! Had to move wilma away so she didnt eat - she appears to be eating fine.

The anti acid is - Zantac Syrup and is to take 0.45ml 2 times daily


Antibiotic is Baytril.


Ive never had to give Mr any medicine ever not after spay or anything so not sure if these are good/right - like i say was a bit dubios about the vet

Zantac, as Karen M said, is a gut stimulant, so its good he's been getting that. Good that he has nommed his critical care as well! If he is eating it, it would be worth giving it to him periodically, to keep his gut moving - if he does need to go under GA you want his gut in the best possible shape beforehand. You could also mix some mushed up pellets in too to encourage him to eat his pellets.

What would happen without the Zantac??

He is still passing really really small poos like tiny

MikePalmer88 said:

What would happen without the Zantac??

He is still passing really really small poos like tiny

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I've never used zantac myself, but as its a gut stimulant it will basically be working to keep the gut moving, and possibly speed it up. So if it were stopped, it may mean that his gut would slow down further. Unfortunately, giving meds orally, when he has a slow gut anyway, isnt that efficient, as because the gut is in slowdown it doesnt absorb things as quickly/as well. It is better that meds are given by injection really in this situation, but unless you have training from the vet you cant really do this at home, which I imagine is why you have been given the oral meds.

I do wonder why he has been given baytril, did the vet mention what he thought the problem was?

Do you have any fibreplex or probiotics? That might be an idea. Fibreplex is fantastic stuff, its a fibre paste with prebiotics (possibly probiotics too cant remember) that can help the gut in times like these.

Small poos are worrying, but remember, small poos are better than no poos.

So mr still didn't run for his food this morning like he normally does....and this is what I was greeted with outside my bedroom door this morning...





In the last pic it looks like his poos are returning to normal size but still a bit mushy.


Also is it ok to put his meds in with critical care as syringe feeding is stressing him out a lot?!?!

Bump

I would really keep a close eye on him with vets advice (a good one, not like my experience) , Ozzies poos were tiny, then looked like that picture, then he did a load of normal sized & shape ones but still died this morning. He was only 2.

Ozbun said:

I would really keep a close eye on him with vets advice (a good one, not like my experience) , Ozzies poos were tiny, then looked like that picture, then he did a load of normal sized & shape ones but still died this morning. He was only 2.

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So sorry to hear that about Ozzie, similar age to Mr too. Binky free Ozzie.

How quick did he deteriorate??

He was eating before he saw the vet yesterday but started going spaced out, then he'd come round again. Yesterday at 1pm I knew he was in trouble but the vet said he didn't look bad. I think that they should have kept him in yesterday & given him fluids. Ozzie had gone off hay, which was the original reason I rang the vet, but he was still eating loads on Sat & Sun, romaine lettuce, pellets, herbs & I thought he was over the worst. He deteriorated after the vet gave him a painkilling injection & gut stimulant, but I must stress that she said his gut was EMPTY at the time. (even after eating lots) Ozzie could have had an underlying problem, he was treated badly for the first year of his life, with intermittent food, no hay & water running out. I'm no rabbit expert so don't want to scare you but I'd def keep in touch with a knowledgeable vet.I'd look out for that spaced-out thing, also he'd sit staring into space, then suddenly dart across the room, I think he must have felt pain. This was after a pain killing injection & vet told me not to give metacam. Sorry if garbled, I'm in bits. :-(

Looks as though his cecum was a bit impacted and has now cleared. I would probably get him reviewed by a Vet to insure that all feels 'normal' on abdominal examination.

Is he a good hay eater ? A diet low in long fibre (hay/grass) and too high in carbs (pellets etc) can lead to a sluggish cecum. Rabbits with Dental issues can also have problems with cecal impaction.

Thanks. He looked a lot bett in himself and seems to be run pining around a lot when my OH just left for work.

He isn't a huge hay eater, in fact hardly anything. No matter what hays we try.

I think the only way I'm going to get him to eat it is to fill the cage top to bottom and then he eats his way through it...seemed to work before.

MikePalmer88 said:

Thanks. He looked a lot bett in himself and seems to be run pining around a lot when my OH just left for work.

He isn't a huge hay eater, in fact hardly anything. No matter what hays we try.

I think the only way I'm going to get him to eat it is to fill the cage top to bottom and then he eats his way through it...seemed to work before.

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Has he had his teeth checked ?

What is his exact daily diet ?

Had his teeth checked by the vet on Friday...found no issues apart from a slight issue with one tooth which had a tiny spur starting.

Has unlimited fresh hay available to him (which his partner chomps all day)
Has roughly 25-30 science selective pellets around 8am
Fresh mixture of greens in the evening all regular ones he normally has broccoli, savoy cabbage, spring greens. Occasionally has carrot and his favourite apple (not all at once obviously)

Doughnut had zantac the other month. It just stimulates the gut so they pass their poops quicker.

I put it on a tiny piece of weetabix as I'm not good at syringing, she's too quick and it's stressful for both of us. she loves her weetabix, she only gets it when she's on meds but the rabbit specialist said it was fine and far better than stressing her out. They showed me how to give her meds but she was on a counter so all quiet and I could do it there. I said to them to put her on the floor, they then had trouble picking her up just like I do!