Bertie - metacam affecting output?

[susie bun]

Bertie is on metacam to manage his arthritis. The arthritis is thought to be quite mild. Not eating his caecotrophs was the trigger for his diagnosis, but although this has improved, he is prone to a splodge or two of soft poo most days. I'm wondering if the metacam could be causing this?

Bertie's hay eating is not quite what I would like, so this may also be a factor. It seems I keep buying the 'wrong' hay!

 

[bunny momma]

IME the Medicam is more likely to slow gut which would make poo firmer, not soften it.
I hope yiu can find out why Bertue has this issue, though a couple splotches each day is not a big concern, othwr than vetting stepped on or stuck to him.

 

[susie bun]

IME the Medicam is more likely to slow gut which would make poo firmer, not soften it.
I hope yiu can find out why Bertue has this issue, though a couple splotches each day is not a big concern, othwr than vetting stepped on or stuck to him.

Thanks. Most of Bertie’s poo is smaller and firmer. I have pro-fibre pellets I can give him to help his gut.
I don’t know what age Bertie is apart from more than 6 as he was adult when I adopted him in December 2017.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I have never had a Rabbit exhibit any problems related to Metacam. I suspect a poor hay intake is far more likely to be the cause of the soft poo. Are the ‘splodges’ fecal matter or cecal matter ?

 

[susie bun]

I have never had a Rabbit exhibit any problems related to Metacam. I suspect a poor hay intake is far more likely to be the cause of the soft poo. Are the ‘splodges’ fecal matter or cecal matter ?

He leaves caecotrophs if he doesn’t get metacam. The splodges are fecal, I think. His teeth were checked last week and ok, although need for monitoring.

 

[susie bun]

Update - Bertie’s splodges have stopped but he is now leaving caecotrophs. He’s on metacam daily but perhaps he is still not able to reach them. His mobility is excellent in terms of speed, especially when I am trying to catch him at metacam o’clock.

 

[InspectorMorse]

What is his exact diet now? I suspect he’s not eating his cecotrophs because he’s eating too many pellets and other foods because he’s not filling up on hay. Also, he could be developing moor spurs again. This often means the Rabbit stops eating all of their cecotrophs.

What brand of pellets does he have ?

 

[susie bun]

What is his exact diet now? I suspect he’s not eating his cecotrophs because he’s eating too many pellets and other foods because he’s not filling up on hay. Also, he could be developing moor spurs again. This often means the Rabbit stops eating all of their cecotrophs.

What brand of pellets does he have ?

He has Science Selective, mainly the house rabbit variety although I have mixed in a few of the larger regular Science Selective. He does have the beginnings of spurs again, but the vet thought we should give it a few weeks to see if I could increase his hay eating.

 

[InspectorMorse]

He has Science Selective, mainly the house rabbit variety although I have mixed in a few of the larger regular Science Selective. He does have the beginnings of spurs again, but the vet thought we should give it a few weeks to see if I could increase his hay eating.

It sounds as though too many pellets/lack of hay and the recurrence of molar spurs are the likely reason he’s leaving cecotrophs x

 

[susie bun]

It sounds as though too many pellets/lack of hay and the recurrence of molar spurs are the likely reason he’s leaving cecotrophs x

I'm really trying to encourage hay-eating. Gave him no greens this morning. His grandparents do his morning pellets but I will ensure he gets less pellets at teatime. I have also reduced his hay pellet supplements and forage, although I think apple leaves are good for dental wear?

 

[InspectorMorse]

I'm really trying to encourage hay-eating. Gave him no greens this morning. His grandparents do his morning pellets but I will ensure he gets less pellets at teatime. I have also reduced his hay pellet supplements and forage, although I think apple leaves are good for dental wear?

Hay is really what he needs most of, for his teeth and his GI tract. He only really needs one portion of pellets a day. Do you know how much your parents feed him ? if he’s having 2 portions then each one shouldn’t be more than an dessertspoonful. My Rabbits get no more than 10 SS pellets each a day. The rest of their diet is hay and a couple of handfuls of dried forage. They get one small portion of fresh greens too. I feed them a variety of hays. They all prefer soft hay as opposed to the stalky hay. I buy most of my hay from The Little Hay Company

 

[Omi]

I would also advise less pellets. I feed the standard Science Selective and give my two (one is a small giant breed) three small eggcups between them. I divide these up between four feeds a day. I also feed lots of forage, green veg and tree leaves. Apple leaves, indeed all tree leaves from rabbit safe trees are very beneficial for both teeth and digestion. I would not reduce his greens or forage, but I would reduce both his pellet feeds. Both my two eat loads of hay each day.

 

[susie bun]

Bertie is in a very bad mood. I know it is for his own good but all the same ....

He definitely prefers crunchy or flat stemmed hay. I tried him with Excel feeding hay this afternoon, but this caused great offence. Orchard grass has been better received and he loves 'Harvest Festival' grasses, preferably hand-fed.

 

[Omi]

Bertie is in a very bad mood. I know it is for his own good but all the same ....

He definitely prefers crunchy or flat stemmed hay. I tried him with Excel feeding hay this afternoon, but this caused great offence. Orchard grass has been better received and he loves 'Harvest Festival' grasses, preferably hand-fed.

Have you tried Bertie with the timothy hay from timothyhay.co.uk? It's really good quality and is very stalky.

 

[susie bun]

Have you tried Bertie with the timothy hay from timothyhay.co.uk? It's really good quality and is very stalky.

I don't think he has that one. Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I don't think he has that one. Thanks for the recommendation.

If you email the company they might agree to sending you a sample pack before you commit to making a large order

 

[susie bun]

If you email the company they might agree to sending you a sample pack before you commit to making a large order

I looked them up and all the boxes are quite large. I’ll try emailing them. I don’t grudge Bertie any money but it would be an awful waste if he didn’t like the hay.
I have just surreptitiously removed some of Bertie’s morning offering from his grandparents.

 

[bunny momma]

I'm really trying to encourage hay-eating. Gave him no greens this morning. His grandparents do his morning pellets but I will ensure he gets less pellets at teatime. I have also reduced his hay pellet supplements and forage, although I think apple leaves are good for dental wear?

My spouse usually does the morning pellets. I portion them in a bowl the night before so the bunnies do not get a more generous quantity than they should have.
When I read further,I see you addressed the grandparents' feeding.
My older bunnies are hay snobs. I am not in UK, so I tried the new Oxbow prime cut hay. It comes in two varieties.