Super nervous and tiny poos - prospective foster bun...

I went to see a possible new husbun for one of my girls who lost her partner just before Christmas, at a rescue today. I went to have a look at a boy ahead of him getting his final check from their vet on Tuesday. I wanted to check him over for myself before going ahead and introducing my little lady to him.

I'd been warned that he had a dental 2 weeks ago, and that he is a very nervous bun.
Well, nervous was the understatement of the year! Poor love is absolutely terrified!
He is 6 years old, had been bonded previously but the doe had died a fair while ago so he's been alone for some time. He was recently returned to the rescue as the person who had him is no longer able to look after him. Reading between the lines, I suspect there was a little neglect/crappy diet going on, and little handing of him.

Fortunately, I'm not looking for a "people bun", I just need company for my lonely girl who is pining away, so hopefully he will settle down a bit once bonded and in his permanent home.

But, something far more worrying is his poo. His poo is tiny, really tiny, and rock hard. I showed them to the staff, who I dont think had noticed them. The suggestion arose that perhaps it was because of the crappy muesli he was being fed, and him being too shy to come out to eat his hay.
I checked all the other buns, and not one of them had poo I would be proud of. (well, obviously not me, my bunnies! ).
In fact the only time I've seen poo that small and hard was from my bun with liver and lung cancer on the morning he had to be pts. :-(
My girl goes into stasis from time to time, and even then her poos when they restart aren't that small.

I'm worried that he may be suffering from something more sinister than just bad food.
I'm going to email ahead of his vet check, and ask them to check his gut as well as he teeth which is what he's booked in for, but am worried that I dont know enough to ask the right questions.

I'd love to know what you more experienced bun people make of this, and what else I should raise with them?

He's spayed, and had his jabs, and seems outwardly healthy, but just terrified.

Thanks very much.

Chronic GI tract hypomotility can occur in any Rabbit with Dental Disease and one eating a poor diet. Also, if he is living in a state of stress all the time this too will effect GI tract motility.

Whilst there are other health problems that can effect gut motility, it seems most likely that for him it is a combination of Dental problems, poor diet, stress and probably lack of exercise.

Trying to establish the degree of Dental problems he has now may give you some idea of prognosis. Given his age it may be that damage already done cannot be reversed. But trying to at least improve his diet, treat his Dental problems as and when required and improving his quality of life by trying to minimise his stress may mean his gut function improves.

If he were to remain an exceptionally nervous Rabbit and were he also to require frequent Dentals then you would need to consider how fair it would be to put him through so much. Some Rabbits cope perfectly well, others do suffer due to their total intolerance of 'hands on care' In those cases just because treatment is possible it may be that it is not right for that Rabbit to put them through it.

I hope the Vet can offer you more comprehensive information and advice about the Bunny xx

Thanks Jane! Was hoping you would be around.

The dental he's just had was his first ever, so I'm hoping that it may just be a lack-of-hay-one-off dental. You've cheered me up a little, in that the diet, lack of exercise and stress can be improved once he's here hopefully, and I'm used to watching dental buns for signs of problems so thats not too much of a worry.It's just the worry that I can't take on another very poorly bun at the moment. (Stuffing my house bun alone has cost over a £1000 in vets fees in the last 12 months, and I promised my family that I wouldn't "get another Stuffy" whilst I still have him, which is reasonable I guess.) Hence the reason for fostering, not adopting.

I completely agree with you about not putting him through more than he can cope with though,and if dentals do become regular, I will have to consider the unthinkable. :-(


I have reservations about the bonding process too. If he's this stressed already, I can't imagine how he'll cope with anything other than an easy bond. I guess I have to weigh up the stress of bonding against the comfort and companionship he'll gain if the bond goes well.
I need to do the best by my girl, but not if it harms another bun. :-(

I took a pic of Nervous Buns poo next to Stuffy's poo, who is also a dental bun but gummy as well, to see if they really are as small as I thought they are. They are! :-( His is the small one at the bottom of the picture, the big ones are Stuffy's and the little ones at the top are Blackies from the day he died. (Yep, I have kept my Bridge buns poos! I found them a couple of weeks after in a pot and couldn't bear to throw them away. )

I'm off to think some more. :-(
Thanks again. X X

Update: Decision made!

I'm taking him!
He's got the all clear from his vet, they think that the stress is the problem, so I just have to hope, pray and cross everything I have two of that he can cope with bonding, and that he settles down afterwards.

The bonding is being done at the rescue and starts on Sunday. It can't happen quickly enough for Lottie. She looks so alone rattling around in her shed now.

Lonely bunnies are heartbreaking, aren't they?

I saw Nervous bun again today, and am much happier that he will probably be ok. He's still terrified, still has tiny poo, but bondings looking good so fingers crossed that his gut improves once he gets home.

I have left my girl with him to be bonded, which would be a lot more worrying if it weren't for an RU member looking after then both.

Thanks Hele! :wave:

X

:thumb: Aww hope everything works out well with the bonding. Nervous bun sounds like he deserves a loving home and family x

Kittycat said:

I saw Nervous bun again today, and am much happier that he will probably be ok. He's still terrified, still has tiny poo, but bondings looking good so fingers crossed that his gut improves once he gets home.

I have left my girl with him to be bonded, which would be a lot more worrying if it weren't for an RU member looking after then both.

Thanks Hele! :wave:

X

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How's he doing now? I do so hope that a loving home brings the poor lad out of his shell Lottie will look after him I'm sure

I know everyone loved seeing Lottie again, though you rehomed them before I started at the rescue so I didn't know her.

I shared out the hazel twigs and they were very much appreciated!

Lovey to meet you and your (very rabbit savvy) daughter, good luck bringing John around