Wet bottom and back legs

A couple of weeks ago I found Sam very wet around his bottom and back legs so I bathed and shampood him and he was dry and cleaning him self the next couple of times I checked. He was also fine at his bunny MOT but yesterday I checked him again and he was wet in the same places and his back legs are starting to look a bit sore and the hair is starting to fall out - EC was suggested to me - does this sound like a possibility? I have just started their 9day course of Panacur and I had a look at this thread
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=37975 and one of the added links states Panacur as a treatment for EC. Would you advise treating him for the course and seeing how he goes or taking him to the vet first thing tomorrow? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

It can have 101 reasons...

When my older bunny had this, she had ultrasound scan to see whether there is any sludge, but there was nothing.

I eventually figured out that in her case it was dietary. Since I have put her on a new pellets (Spillers High Protein Pellets), she has been dry for the last three weeks or so! I or my vet don't know what nutrient it is that irritated her bladder, but it was something...

Vera

Sounds like EC, when you mention the MOT, were they vaccinated at this? If his skin is getting sore from staying wet it may be worth shaving the hair off in this area (he will get a lot colder from being wet). This way you can wash and blow dry the area and then apply some aloe vera spay to sooth the sore skin.

Try using vet bed or towels and hay on the floor of his accomadation so the wee goes through so he is not sat in it. Aubiose bedding may also be good under the hay as it is meant to push the urine down to the newspaper underneath leaving the top layer dry.

Thanks Vera, I know I'm imagining the worst case scenario :roll: I've searched through my "Rabbitlopaedia" and the symptoms it states as possible causes for urine scalding, apart from E.C, have symtoms such as blood in the urine which he doesn't have and arthritic problems - he's only a young bun and flicks his heels up at me when I have finished bathing him! His hocks too are a bit red but nothing to worry about so a bit stumped - he is absolutely fine in himself, eating and pooing all normal and his diet hasn't changed in the last few months :?

Freackles he wasn't vacxd at his MOT, not due yet, good idea re shaving the area tho, especially on his back legs as that seems to be the worst affected - I have some cream I've been putting on the pink areas - There is hay all over the floor and sawdust so I think he must be literally weeing down his legs as the bottom of his feet I haven't seen to be wet.

my alan had this too his was cystitis so could be that cider vinegar in his water cleared it up and now he has it now and again to stop it from coming back

I did wonder about cystitus - but my ever trusty book says the signs of this is blood in urine which Sam doesn't have. It does say though that adding ascorbic acid (Vit C) can acidify the urine which may help if he does - I'm guessing that's similar to what the cider vinegar does? Might be worth a try although I don't want to make the scalding any worse. I've rung the vets - in work so wanted advice as to whether to do a runner - but she said to bathe him again, clean up the area, put some fungicide on the areas getting sore and give the Panacur a few more days. So fingers crossed Sam doesn't have his bunny "the vet is now closed so now's a good time" alert on! :roll: :lol:

chloaster said:

I did wonder about cystitus - but my ever trusty book says the signs of this is blood in urine which Sam doesn't have. It does say though that adding ascorbic acid (Vit C) can acidify the urine which may help if he does - I'm guessing that's similar to what the cider vinegar does? Might be worth a try although I don't want to make the scalding any worse. I've rung the vets - in work so wanted advice as to whether to do a runner - but she said to bathe him again, clean up the area, put some fungicide on the areas getting sore and give the Panacur a few more days. So fingers crossed Sam doesn't have his bunny "the vet is now closed so now's a good time" alert on! :roll: :lol:

Click to expand...

I have another bunny that had cystitis for 18 months or so. After all the medication didn't work anymore, we put him on a vitamin C supplement and that was it. Never had any problems ever since (and that's about 3 years now). I must say though that Sunny never had any blood in his urine, but he was clearly in pain when trying to urinate.

Vera

Thanks Vera - will go on a vit C supplement mission.

Hope you get it sorted, Chloaster

Good wishes to you both.

chloaster said:

Thanks Vera - will go on a vit C supplement mission.

Click to expand...

Oxbow do a great vitamin C supplement...

I would suggest treating for cystitis or a UTI as a most likely cause. A treatment of bayril 0.4 for 7 days, Metacam for 5 days and a corticosteroid cream to protect the skin from urine scold (cut the fur down or have the vets shave it for you). It should clear up in no time, if not then I would start to look towards sludge and EC.

Hope all goes OK Chloe and I have some vit c supplement here if you need it

Thanks guys - have been adding vit supplement to his food, put protective cream on his leg and continuing the panacur treatment (that cream is disgusting! How come cats, dogs and horses can all take one pill and jobs done and rabbits have horrible cream for nine days? :x ) He has been dry for 24hours now so will be keeping an eye on him, give the Panacur a few more days and see if it all clears up. If not I'll get him to the vet for some more advice / Baytril - I have Metacam to hand, but he doesn't appear to be in any pain but just in case.

Blood in the urine does not always occur in a urine infection, usually this happens only when it is well established.

If you are using the panacur paste for the 9 days dose, this is the prophalactic dose and not the treatment dose for EC.

jrn1310 said:

Blood in the urine does not always occur in a urine infection, usually this happens only when it is well established.

If you are using the panacur paste for the 9 days dose, this is the prophalactic dose and not the treatment dose for EC.

Click to expand...

:? I didn't realise there were different ones! Think I will give the vet a call on Monday and get some advice. These buns are so complicated!!

Metacam is given because if it is a UTI/Infection then it is often painful and the straining to urinate is what causes the urine to stream down the legs (lop sided peeing). Therefor relieveing the pain removes the lkelyhood of urine scold and the wet rear end.

Just looking back and see you use sawdust as bedding. Although I am sure this is not causing Sam his current problems both sawdust and shavings are not suitable bedding for rabbits. There are two main reasons, the dust content can seriously irritate the rabbits eyes, ears and respiriatory system. We have had rabbits come into the rescue which appeared to have mixy due to them having swollen, weeping eyes from being on shavings. They will also be very sore if in contact with the urine scolds on his legs. Also even if the bedding is completely covered by hay when they wee on it it mixes with the shavings/ sawdust and gives off toxic fumes (you can see the shavings/sawdust turns red where it has been urinated on). These fumes attack the rabbits respiratory system. The rabbit may well not show any symptoms now, but the damage will be being done internally.

At the rescue and at home we use newspaper on the floor then litter trays. In them we put newspaper, then megazorb, then hay. There are a variety of bedding you can use instead of megazorb, carefresh, biocatolet, yesterdays news and aubiose. If you then have a problem with the floor getting wet where he is sitting then use towels or vet bed or cover with hay.

MEGAZORB is fantastic and an enormous sackful costs under £6.00 if you can get it from a local source, but even with the postage added on it works out at under £10.00 I think I used to pay about £3.00 for a tiny bag of Carefresh.

Yes, megazorb is what I use as I have guinea pigs as well so this works out most economical. It is a horse bedding so local horse feed suppliers may be able to order it for you even if they do not stock it currently.

The course of panacur for EC is 28 days. I had a rabbit with a wet bottom recently who had the whole course of panacur and still had her wet bottom :? However a course of antibiotics has cleared it up completely. She had no blood in her urine, but given that it responed to antibiotics it was almost certainly a UTI.