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Yoghurt for bunnies

elve

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Have just read on the 'gimmicks' thread that natural live yoghurt can be substituted for avipro probiotics :shock: Yet I thought (and so did Jane I believe) rabbits should never be given dairy products. It would account for the confusion the poor lady in the Philippines had with her rabbit as vet told her to give it yakult, and I told her no dairy - so which is right?
 
Again I have been advised by several Rabbit Savvy Vets that Live Yoghurt should not be given as it contains Lactose and Buns are Lactose intolerent.
I was also told that this intolerence means the Bun cant 'use' the good bacteria in the Live Yoghurt and so the whole reason for giving it (to boost 'good' gut bacteria) is negated. Not exactly sure about that fact but its what I have been told

Janex :wave:
 
If in doubt, do nowt - Avipro and Bio-lapis (pro-biotics) are widely available over the counter from your vet. I keep some in stock for when I need it, it's not expensive.

I won't give dairy to buns either - only humans eat milk products from other animals, it's just not natural!!!
 
Oh good - it was difficult with this lady in the Philippines though as her vet knew nothing and prescribed yakult - Jane's advice of acidolphus tablets from a health food shop, broken open was better and that's what the lady did in the end, having nowhere to buy probiotics for rabbits.

Fortunately our bunnies don't live in the Philippines :)
 
well I am not going to rule it out to be honest. There is soo much on the market for rabbits that has ingredients that are not rabbit tollerant it makes me wonder who it is that has said that certain stuff is un-safe for rabbits and why manuafacturers of items such as yoghurt drops and the naturals range get away with selling them if they are this un-safe:? :? :?
 
The same goes for all bunny treats on the market though - I'd never give any of them to my rabbits, but like parents buy their kids sweeties and macdonalds even though it's not healthy, manufacturers know bunny parents will want to spoil thier bunnies, so they cash in on that - totally unethical.
 
The same goes for all bunny treats on the market though - I'd never give any of them to my rabbits, but like parents buy their kids sweeties and macdonalds even though it's not healthy, manufacturers know bunny parents will want to spoil thier bunnies, so they cash in on that - totally unethical.

Completely agree Elve. How many wild Bunnies do you see eating yoghurt! :lol:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/yogurt.htm ;)

Janex
 
I feel that rabbit health and welfare is evolving all the time now and as more is discovered on what works then an open mind is a good thing. After all, go back a year and most people did not use infacol for bloat, who discovered that infacol works in fact, or buscopan, an item for IBS is, it seems working a treat on bunnies, Septrin, another childs medication which is also working on rabbits when baytril is failing. Manuka honey, sudocrem, the list is endless to what is being used on rabbits today;) . You only have to go back as far as the start of this forum to see how far it has evolved and I dont think any of these items have been tested on rabbits to know they are safe so some-one is experimenting somewhere or getting the advice from somewhere:lol: :lol:

Lets face it, most people who have children know what infacol or sudocrem is, those who have no children wouldn't know these items so it is a good thing that they are directed in the right way of finding them:D

A few months ago, it was discovered by wallnutwhip that goats milk was a better substitute to hand rear baby buns compared to what everyone was buying and that mum tends to not eat prior to the birth, how would any of us of knsuccess than the substitute milk from the vets or pet shops.

own this, she has given excellent advice from her experiences and judging by those who heeded her advice on the goats milk, it has been more of a success.

I suppose I am more inclined to keep and open mind now as most vets are still learning more and more about rabbits and who knows, in a few months time we might be being advised by our vets to give live yoghurt and not to waste our money on the manaufactueres pre/probiotic's;)
 
On the other hand I used to recommend rennies rapize fruit flavoured for bunnies with tummy trouble, as it was recommended on the guinea pig website by Peter Guerney, and I've used them a couple of times with success. However having looked at the mechanism of what stasis is I can't see that lowering stomach acidity with a rennies is going to help in any way, and could actually give a more favourable environment for the 'bad' bacteria - so now I'm not sure what to think about rennies :? Probably yoghurt would be less harmful as at least it's acidic, so matches the pH of a rabbit's stomach. However the article on rabbits by Anna Meredith says probiotics are probably useless as stomach acidity destroys the lactobacillus anyway :?
 
A Veterinary Specialist and my rabbit savvy vet have both highly recommended live natural yogurt , which is in fact superb for gut statis and keeping rabbits guts healthy.
Although dairy products are not recommended for rabbits, the lactulose in yogurt is heat treated and therefore very minimal.
The benefits far outweigh the negative effects, and I would not be using it if it had not been veterinary recommended.

If the lactulose was a problem, their delicate tummies would be upset, and in reality the bunnies who had chronic tummy problems in the past, never do anymore. I have used yogurt successfully on many rabbits now, and to very positive affect.
Best wishes
 
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Thanks for that input Adele :D


You are very welcome Elve:D Hope it clears up the confusion?
I know it is a worry trying out new things on bunnies, but if we ourselves try something and it works well then it is nice to be able to pass this information on to others.
Best wishes
 
I read an article which recommended making 'yoghurt sandwiches' as a method for getting rabbits to take a vitamin E supplement (powdered and only for those with a deficiency).
 
I read an article which recommended making 'yoghurt sandwiches' as a method for getting rabbits to take a vitamin E supplement (powdered and only for those with a deficiency).


Thats interesting Sooz:)
One thing I have observed(apart from the digestive benefits) after giving rabbits 2mls (maximum)of yogurt a day is their fur shimmers with health:)
 
is their fur shimmers with health:)

I wish it had that effect on my poor hair! :lol:

Apparently if you mix Vit E with water it loses its potency so the article suggested trying to syringe it crushed with yoghurt if the rabbit was 'Flopsy' or feeding it as a yoghurt 'paste' on bread if the rabbit was capable of eating by itself.
 
Hello - Just read your post - I dont think it would be a good idea because theres really no need to give it to them - But then again it depends on whether YOUR rabbit likes it not, Not on what any other people think :)

Keep us posted!

Diana.
 
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