Please help

maryflynn · Mar 7, 2005

Okay,

Just sent a thread about sexing buns. my heart just stopped as when checking them on one of the black buns i found something that im sure is not good.

to the side of the penis was a split in the skin, there looked like a small yellowish lump inside the fold and it smelt a bit off.. im so so so worried, have just boked a vets appointment straight away for ten past five. wHAT ON EARTH COULD HAVE caused this? (sorry caps) i clean them very regularly n they eat n poop fine, cant believe one could be ill. please give me ideas

Diddeen · Mar 7, 2005

you havent found a scent gland have you? Do you mean like an abcess or just a lump of yellow smelly stuff?

maryflynn · Mar 7, 2005

i dont know

the only thing why i dont think its a scent gland is bcos when checking all the other buns, no one else had a split like that, its like another pocketin the skin n smells fusty when i looked. if it is a scent gland wouldnt i have found that in the others? What would an abcess mean? and what does it look like?

Adele · Mar 7, 2005

It sounds like a scent gland area, some of our Bucks get a bit smelly and inflammed around their glands.(most bunnies are fine, but you get the odd one that seems to have a problem with this, probably as they cannot reach to clean themselves properly so I have to clean the area for them)
I think it is important for the Vet to rule out something else, but please do not worry, it may just be that the scent gland is a bit blocked and needs cleaning up.
Please let us know what the Vet says, good luck with your appointment

maryflynn · Mar 7, 2005

Thankyou Diddeen and Adele,

We are leaving in two mins and will let u kno, i hope its just that but u hear alsorts and with them being so young i just worry

speak soon

Tamsin · Mar 7, 2005

Here you go, piccies: http://hometown.aol.com/roniebunny/ng.html

Its abit like cross if the bunnies on its back head facing towards you then you have the anus at the top, then penis/vulva at the bottom and the scent glads either side, all roughly the same distance apart.

The scent glads are hidden in a fold that runs left to right so unless you gently pull it apart you won't spot them and even if you do it will only be really noticeable if they are dirty. If you go back and look on the opposite side on the little bun you'll probabkly find a matching bit

The vet will hopefully put your mind at rest

Tam

Diddeen · Mar 7, 2005

simba's scent glands always stink! After cleaning them once ive not gone near them again.. nearly knocked myself out the first time with the stench!!! They never looked red or inflamed.. just STUNK!

maryflynn · Mar 7, 2005

Okay then a tad sheepish now re my panic trip to the vets

:roll: :roll:

The vet confirmed they were indeed scent glands.......i just panicked as the others didnt hav such prominent ones ..or as stinky! the yellow stuff is there bcos this particular bun isnt as proud on the old cleaning as the others :roll: :roll: she said ot to worry as (tamsin)they were symmetrical! haha.

I feel very foolish and indeed am the crazy rabbit lady

maryflynn · Mar 7, 2005

just to add thankyou to everyone and esp Tamsin for the pics!!!

Adele · Mar 7, 2005

maryflynn said:
I feel very foolish and indeed am the crazy rabbit lady

aawww there is no need to feel like that, I have made the exact same mistake in the past, but it was only because I was a new Mummy Bunny and needed to learn things from scratch.
I am just relieved for you that your mind is now at ease

I clean the scent gland area each week with a cottonbud dipped in warm water, or a baby wipe attached to the end of the cotton bud.
This prevents anything building up in that area and smelling.
It is the smell that can attract flies in the Summer, so it is important to keep your bunny clean.
The scent glands are often missed though, so make sure you clean under all the folds of skin in the delicate area :wink:

Tamsin · Mar 7, 2005

Yep, we all have our little panics as we learn and its better to get them checked out than worry. I've had to explain several times to people people with different animals nope you don't have to worry about that lump, she is actually a he and thats perfectly normal

They there is that 'oh god he's having a heart attack' panic you get when they first flop for a nap and you rush across only to get a dirty look for disturbing them :lol:

Ahh, isn't learning fun :shock:

Tam

bunnylove · Mar 7, 2005

Tamsin said:
Yep, we all have our little panics as we learn and its better to get them checked out than worry. I've had to explain several times to people people with different animals nope you don't have to worry about that lump, she is actually a he and thats perfectly normal

They there is that 'oh god he's having a heart attack' panic you get when they first flop for a nap and you rush across only to get a dirty look for disturbing them :lol:

Ahh, isn't learning fun :shock:

Tam

:lol: :lol: :lol: yep!

Diddeen · Mar 7, 2005

how do you do it without being knocked out tho Adele?? believe me simba's are potent

Adele · Mar 7, 2005

Diddeen said:
how do you do it without being knocked out tho Adele?? believe me simba's are potent

By wearing a clothes peg on my nose :?: :shock: :lol: :lol:
or hows about getting a paper face mask from Boots, that may curtail the whiff to some extent!!....I know what you mean Dideen about being nearly knocked out by the smell, I could do with breatheing pure oxygen in afterwards on some occasions !! :lol: :lol:

Diddeen · Mar 7, 2005

hehehehe i just leave them well alone now... :lol: does it get less potent after they have been neutered? or no change

Kerri C · Mar 7, 2005

EEEEH well this is a subject I have just learned about too!! :shock: I didnt even know bunnies had a scent gland there!! I know my male pigs have (Ross used to be particulary smelly

), and Hampton my pig gets a greasy gland at the bottom of his back which he wipes on the floor when hes walking along (LUVLY!!). I have to bath him quite a lot, but within a few days its back as greasy and irritating to him as ever.

But I never knew bunnies did!! Must be lucky that none of them have ever smelt bad up to now!! :lol:

Diddeen · Mar 7, 2005

Kerri.. i didnt smell simba until i parted the gland then phooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nearly knocks ya out!! :shock:

Kerri C · Mar 7, 2005

Diddeen said:
Kerri.. i didnt smell simba until i parted the gland then phooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nearly knocks ya out!! :shock:

Sounds horrific!! :shock: EEH you've made me laugh though!! :lol:

maryflynn · Mar 8, 2005

Yeah, id never noticed it before bcos im always picking them up n cuddlin them, ..rubbin my face in their fur n never smelt anything but a nice bunny sawdusty smell, when u find it n open it it stinks!!!!!!! :shock: :shock: im a bit nervy about cleaning it tho cos they wriggle if u ..touch themdown there hehe... poor little mites, all this being messed about with!
:? :lol: :lol:
I will leave it a while till i clean it as im hoping he will wonder what all the fuss is about n have a look himself n think.. whoa!!!!!!!! im a bit pongy!!!!!! and sort it out himself! :wink: :roll:

Caz · Mar 8, 2005

I found Zeus' just after he was done and gave them a good clean and yes it truely stinks - I have never smelt anything like it and hope to never again! :?

I leave them for him to clean now as he seems to do quite a good job - I think he just couldn't lick the area while it was sore, which is why it built up that time in Zeus' case!

Caz

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