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Lump under chin? unsure, Help!?

poppy180

Warren Scout
Hi!

poppy was running about as normal this morning when i noticed that she has quite a lunp under her mouth. Took some photos - as you can see. She then started having lot of runny poo - not ones she doesnt eat but proper watery. I feed her dried, every morning, brocceali every other night and half a weetabix every other day.

shes not had runny poos for ages


phoned the vets - emergency as its a sat they said lots of hay and see if the poo hasnt stopped bring her in the morning and the lump may be an absyss or dew lap because of time of year and to bring her in the week for that. shes responding to us - have put her in her travel box but keeps rolling on her back so i can see how bad her bum is - do i feed hay all day, clean her up and just see how she goes - im so worried!!
Lump002.jpg



Lump001.jpg
 
I think they mean cut her down just to hay and water and nothing else which a bun can survive on so dont worry about not giving her her pellets or veg
 
Hello! With regards to the lump I have no idea but she definately needs to see a vet, her runny poo is diarrhea, with my bunny she is fed nothing but hay for a few days when this happens then after a while gradually introduce greens and a small amount of pellets, bunnies need to eat mostly hay as this seems to put their tummies to rights and it is what they would mostly eat in the wild. Also her bottom will need to be reguarly cleaned up until she is pooing normally.
 
Hiya. From the piccies (she's very pretty!!) it is hard to tell as what you say is a 'lump' actually looks like her dewlap. This is a soft fatty fold of skin that Does develop. But the photo may be deceptive. Has Poppy been speyed (the dewlap is effected by hormones) Has she put on weight lately. This would make her dewlap appear bigger. If what you say is a lump feels very soft and is not actually attached to her lower jaw but more around her throat I really think it is her dewlap. With regard to her runny poops I would NOT feed her ANY weetabix. It has far too much sugar in for a bunny. Concentrate on getting her to eat lots of hay. You could also reduce the pellet feed she has. The more hay she eats the less likely it is she will get runny poops. Rather than it being Veggies that make a buns poops runny it is often more likely to be due to too much carbohydrate/sugar. Jane and Buns xx
 
Awww poor Poppy, hope she feels better soon! The lump does look a bit like a dewlap (female bunnies, especially unspayed ones) can grow a large roll of fur under their chins, this is so they have somewhere to pull the fur out to line the nest if they have babies). Does it feel hard and like a distinct lump, or does it just feel like a fold of skin? I would be inclined to think that it is unrelated to the diarrhoea problem, unless it is an abscess.

I'd have thought that if she has 'proper' diarrhoea, then she needs to see a vet ASAP. In any case, she will need lots of fluids to replace those she has lost, so offer her lots of water (maybe try a bowl if she usually has a bottle). Give her plenty of hay to eat and keep an eye on her to check that she is eating - if she stops eating I would definitely take her to the vet.

In the longer run, I'd cut out the weetabix from her diet. Much as bunnies think it's yummy, it's really not good for them as it contains lots of added sugar, vitamins/mineral supplements designed for humans and other added ingredients. Have a look at this thread to see what tasty things you can offer your bunny as a healthy treat - some of the herbs are particularly good for this :D It's also better to feed a few greens every day rather than every other day, as this helps to keep her gut used to things - bunnies like routine!

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/tam/viewtopic.php?t=16619
 
thank you all

i started giving her weetabix on the advice of someone else but after readining your advice it makes sence to cut it out. we have given her a good clean up (which she doesnt like!) and i have put her back in her outside hutch for a bit as i had her out while i was cleaning it. She seems really good in herself, still running away and scrambling to get away when i hold her!

when she settles i will give the lump a feel to see what it feels like. She is not spayed yet, doing it in march so that could be why her hormones are all over the place - shes a teenager now i suppose!!! Was going to get a boyfriend for her when she has been spayed

all thats in her hutch now is hay and some newspaper - took out all the toys for a bit. she has had a tendancy to be shredding the paper so she could have eaten some of that!

i will keep you all posted on how she goes over the next 24 hours

thank you so much for the advice - its easy to think your being paranoid - especially as shes the first bunny ive ever had!

and yes shes sooo cute as are all of your bunnies!!
 
UPDATE

Good news - shes choping on hay in her hutch - must be a good sign will try to feel that lump when im feeling brave!!

Lump001.jpg
 
thank you for all your support

ive put her water bottle and a separate bowl for water in her hutch and shes eating hay

lump is still there - going to take her to the vets and get it checked just in case, but im not as worried now!

will take her at the start of the week
 
Hiya,

Female bunnies do have dewlaps, folds of skin sort of tucked under their chin. It's difficult to tell from the picture but it looks a little lopsided - it's possible she has an abcess/fatty lump in her dewlap and that's what's made the lump that you've noticed. You should be able to get a better idea by feeling it. If it just feels like a fold of skin then that's her dewlap, if you can feel a lump in it that's something that will need treating. You could also look for a small wound that could have been what caused an abcess.

Tam
 
Looks like a dew lap to me, but easy to tell just feel it if its hard then off to the vets. if its just fatty skin then its dew lap. val
 
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