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In pain and small poops but eating/drinking absolutely fine?

DemiS

Warren Veteran
For the last few days Elmo has seemed very quiet, he spends all day sat on his litter tray, and only comes out if I put food on the rug. He's not flopping out on his side as much, and sometimes looks a bit uncomfortable. I think he might be grinding his teeth too (he sometimes moves his mouth when he's not eating although I can't hear a grinding noise). If you heard this alone you'd probably think stasis, but he's drinking and weeing normally, eating pellets and hay as normal, the only digestive sign is his poos are really small but there are plenty of them.

The vet had a really good feel of his abdomen and said it felt fine, teeth were okay, tiny spurs on one side but his cheek and tongue weren't sore, vet didn't think a dental was necessary, and surely if it was a tooth problem he wouldn't be eating much? We're going to give him painkillers for a week and then check back with the vet. Does anyone have any ideas what it could be? He's 9 months old, neutered and vacced, never had a health problem and his brother is absolutely fine.
 
What is his water intake and wee output like ? Any sign of 'spotting' wee and/or straining when weeing ? Any loss of litter tray habits ?
 
What is his water intake and wee output like ? Any sign of 'spotting' wee and/or straining when weeing ? Any loss of litter tray habits ?

He's drinking plenty as usual, there was a small trickle on one of the puppy pads (outside the litter tray) a few days ago but I didn't think anything of it as I see them occasionally. It's hard to see output in the litter tray because he shares with his brother and it's covered in hay, but whilst I was cleaning them out yesterday he did have a big normal looking pee on the puppy pad where the litter tray is supposed to go. I didn't notice anything unusual whilst he was weeing, what does it look like if a rabbit strains to wee? Are you thinking cystitis?
 
Also if you do suspect cystitis is it likely to be caused by calcium? Because they eat a lot of kale and I just bought some readigrass because I thought it might encourage him to eat even more hay but I know they have calcium in
 
I was wondering if the discomfort was bladder related rather than GI tract related. I assume the Vet carried out a full abdominal examination including palpating the bladder ?

Is Elmo clean and dry underneath ?
 
She did spend a long time feeling about but she didn't say exactly what she was looking for, I wasn't even thinking it could be a bladder problem so I didn't mention it :( He is clean and dry underneath and his boy bits look normal (I checked in case there was a bit of hay or something stuck :oops: ). I think I'll lay off the veggies and readigrass. Can cystitis in rabbits be diagnosed with a urine sample like in humans? I'm wondering if it's worth me waiting for him to pee in an empty tray and getting a sample
 
She did spend a long time feeling about but she didn't say exactly what she was looking for, I wasn't even thinking it could be a bladder problem so I didn't mention it :( He is clean and dry underneath and his boy bits look normal (I checked in case there was a bit of hay or something stuck :oops: ). I think I'll lay off the veggies and readigrass. Can cystitis in rabbits be diagnosed with a urine sample like in humans? I'm wondering if it's worth me waiting for him to pee in an empty tray and getting a sample

It is best to let the Vet obtain a sample by manually expressing the bladder if it is possible to do so. The problem may not be bladder related at all, it was just a suggested possibility.

For information here are some links related to Urinary Tract problems

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/generalities/Sludge.htm

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/Miscellaneous/Cystitis_Ele.htm

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits/calcium-and-rabbit-food
 
Thanks Jane I really appreciate it. The little monkey seems much better this evening, he's coming out of the cage even in the absence of food and jumping all over the furniture which he hasn't been doing for the last few days
 
Thanks Jane I really appreciate it. The little monkey seems much better this evening, he's coming out of the cage even in the absence of food and jumping all over the furniture which he hasn't been doing for the last few days

It sounds like the painkillers are helping him so that is a step in the right direction. Time will tell if he had a temporary situation that will be resolved or if your vet will need to investigate for the source of any pain/inflammation.
Sending you both more positive vibes.
 
Thanks Jane I really appreciate it. The little monkey seems much better this evening, he's coming out of the cage even in the absence of food and jumping all over the furniture which he hasn't been doing for the last few days

That's OK. Maybe he had hurt his back at some stage (an awkward jump up onto/down from somewhere or a manic Binky for example) and was rather sore as a result. Hopefully he is on the mend now :)
 
He's still being a bit odd today, I left their carrier on the floor last night and one of them has peed in it, with vetbed it usually goes straight through but this has gone solid at the top and it's in small spots rather than one big one. I'm waiting for a call back from the vets, poor baby :(
 
He's still being a bit odd today, I left their carrier on the floor last night and one of them has peed in it, with vetbed it usually goes straight through but this has gone solid at the top and it's in small spots rather than one big one. I'm waiting for a call back from the vets, poor baby :(

Does it look sludgy ?

Sending more vibes for him xx
 
Not as thick as some of the images i've seen on google but definitely thicker than regular urine. I've never seen urine on top of vet bed before, it would normally disappear straight away but this is sat on top, it's still damp and it's from last night so it's definitely thick :( What do they usually do for bladder sludge?
 
He's also cleaning the area a lot, I can't see any dampness/sludge when i pick him up but maybe he's cleaning it up on time
 
I ended up going back to the vets yesterday, I showed the vet the thick crusty urine patches on their vet bed and she said rabbit urine can vary a lot but it's very possible it could be a urine infection so he's got antibiotics and some recovery feed just to get a bit more food in to him. I asked them to give him fluids too as I thought it would make him a bit more comfortable if it is urinary.

I've not seen any new patches but it's hard to tell because Elmo always uses his litter tray which is full of bedding and shared with his brother. He's still not his crazy self, he is still sitting a bit hunched up sometimes but he's fairly active and eating :) Usually the rabbits can be out all day and only leave a few stray poops but not long after I let them out Elmo did absolutely loads, they're getting bigger and more golden now so I'm guessing that's a good sign :)
 
Also the vet definitely had a good feel of his bladder this time, couldn't feel any stones. If there's not been much improvement by friday she said to take him back and they might xray him
 
Well it sounds as though his GI tract motility is improving,which is good news. Hopefully the abx will kick in quickly if he does have a UTI and he wont need to have any further diagnostics x
 
He's still doing okay, but when he was sat a bit hunched up my partner suggested maybe he's cold, my first thought was of course he's not cold the heating is rarely off at our house, but when I felt his ears they felt very cool to the touch, his brothers were warmer
 
He's still doing okay, but when he was sat a bit hunched up my partner suggested maybe he's cold, my first thought was of course he's not cold the heating is rarely off at our house, but when I felt his ears they felt very cool to the touch, his brothers were warmer

Can you post a photo of him when he is 'sitting hunched' ?

Re his temperature, is it just his ears that feel cooler than Cookie's ?
 
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