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Bunny pooping/peeing question

Mervinius

Mama Doe
Hello.

I'm still trying to help my poor Pip and thought perhaps you could help with a toilet question....

So when Pip gets her strange gas episodes every 4-6 weeks it always starts with us noticing her lying down oddly or she will be on the toilet and she starts to stretch forward like she's uncomfortable and then lie down.

It says online it's very rare for bunnies to strain when pooping but this is what it looks like. I guess it could be gas passing?

I don't think it's when she's peeing because if she had bladder sludge or stones surely it would be everytime she pee'd? Also he pee isn't sludgy.

But I honestly don't know. She just did her strange toilet stretch, but she is eating and seems to be OK. There was a stringy poop and a double poop in the tray afterwards?



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Hello.

I'm still trying to help my poor Pip and thought perhaps you could help with a toilet question....

So when Pip gets her strange gas episodes every 4-6 weeks it always starts with us noticing her lying down oddly or she will be on the toilet and she starts to stretch forward like she's uncomfortable and then lie down.

It says online it's very rare for bunnies to strain when pooping but this is what it looks like. I guess it could be gas passing?

I don't think it's when she's peeing because if she had bladder sludge or stones surely it would be everytime she pee'd? Also he pee isn't sludgy.

But I honestly don't know. She just did her strange toilet stretch, but she is eating and seems to be OK. There was a stringy poop and a double poop in the tray afterwards?



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The stretching and lying down sounds like passing gas to me.

You're very observant and know her habits well :)
 
Hi Mighty Max.

Thanks this is what I'm thinking. Just need to work out if it's definitely the fur giving her gas. I think this is the case as it's always after she's eaten alot of fur. Then hope the panacur has stopped the fur pulling.

If not its back to square one!

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Hi Mighty Max.

Thanks this is what I'm thinking. Just need to work out if it's definitely the fur giving her gas. I think this is the case as it's always after she's eaten alot of fur. Then hope the panacur has stopped the fur pulling.

If not its back to square one!

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You really try so hard with Pip! I think you honestly deserve a medal :)
 
Hello.

I'm still trying to help my poor Pip and thought perhaps you could help with a toilet question....

So when Pip gets her strange gas episodes every 4-6 weeks it always starts with us noticing her lying down oddly or she will be on the toilet and she starts to stretch forward like she's uncomfortable and then lie down.

It says online it's very rare for bunnies to strain when pooping but this is what it looks like. I guess it could be gas passing?

I don't think it's when she's peeing because if she had bladder sludge or stones surely it would be everytime she pee'd? Also he pee isn't sludgy.

But I honestly don't know. She just did her strange toilet stretch, but she is eating and seems to be OK. There was a stringy poop and a double poop in the tray afterwards?



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Are Pip's poos ever an odd shape, oval rather than round and/or very large ? You can post some poo pics if you like !
 
Are Pip's poos ever an odd shape, oval rather than round and/or very large ? You can post some poo pics if you like !
Hi jacks jane.

No they are always big round and golden. Other than the odd double poop which she gets after eating all her fur. I'll take a picture in a mo for you [emoji6]

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Here's the poops. This is from both of them though. They do look at me oddly when I keep checking out their poop tray.
4f9f91bbea35735a1c32588a787f8147.jpg


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Here's the poops. This is from both of them though. They do look at me oddly when I keep checking out their poop tray.
4f9f91bbea35735a1c32588a787f8147.jpg


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Very photogenic poos :D

Did the 'episodes' happen prior to her being spayed (assuming she has been spayed) ?
 
Hello.

I'm still trying to help my poor Pip and thought perhaps you could help with a toilet question....

So when Pip gets her strange gas episodes every 4-6 weeks it always starts with us noticing her lying down oddly or she will be on the toilet and she starts to stretch forward like she's uncomfortable and then lie down.

It says online it's very rare for bunnies to strain when pooping but this is what it looks like. I guess it could be gas passing?

I don't think it's when she's peeing because if she had bladder sludge or stones surely it would be everytime she pee'd? Also he pee isn't sludgy.

But I honestly don't know. She just did her strange toilet stretch, but she is eating and seems to be OK. There was a stringy poop and a double poop in the tray afterwards?



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Hi. Poop is an excellent guide to bunny digestive health and the best digestive health is indicated by large, roundish, golden poops which show your bunny is eating lots of fibre. Fibre, and a lack of anything a bunny would not naturally eat, is what keeps bunnies' digestion working properly. Your bunny poop's looks pretty good in the photo you've posted but since you say your bunny has recently passed double and stringy poops that's not good. If you pull apart the stringy poops you'll probably find fur. This is ONE REASON why your bunny is finding it difficult to pass her poops. Her stretch means she's experiencing discomfort and/or pain. (Because they re prey animals bunnies don't show pain unless it is severe.) If ever you suspect your bunny is in pain and you need to take her to a RABBIT SPECIALIST VET, not any old vet because they are not trained in small animals!

By the way fur in poops slows and/orblocks her digestion which why she's in pain. It is caused because you and her partner bun are not grooming her enough - especially if she has long fur. (In their natural state bunnies live in groups and bond by grooming each other.)

Another thing you can do to help your bunny pass the fur she does eat is get hear to actually eat her own size in hay every day. To do this you'll need to find hay she likes - in the UK www.thehayexperts.co.uk is a good place to start. Important to cut out treats, only give a small amount of fresh, leafy greens and a tablespoon of quality rabbit pellets (not muesli) a day so she fills up on the hay.

You sound as though you're caring and trying to be a responsible bunny owner but bunnies are sensitive, complex animals and difficult/expensive to care for properly, which is one of the many reasons why so many rabbits live miserable lives and/or end up in animal shelters. If you want to be a really caring bunny owner you'll need to get insurance for your rabbits so you can afford quality veterinary care and ALSO learn how to care for your bunnies properly. A very, very good place to find out everything you need to know about looking after rabbits properly, even if you live in the USA is the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF): http://rabbitwelfare.co.uk

Love to you and your bunnies, hope you all live happily and healthily together for many, many years to come. [emoji134] [emoji195] [emoji195] [emoji173]
 
Very photogenic poos :D

Did the 'episodes' happen prior to her being spayed (assuming she has been spayed) ?
Hey. Just got back from work.

The gas episodes started when she got a very loud gassy tummy and wouldn't eat last june and we visited the ER vets.

she was spayed the march before that.

We are not entirely sure when she started eating pulling her chin fur because we didn't record it because we thought it was just normal grooming and it wasnt causing her problems early on. Maybe because it was baby fur? The earliest photo I have is April, but we think she has done it since we got her. However I can't be certain on that

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Hey. Just got back from work.

The gas episodes started when she got a very loud gassy tummy and wouldn't eat last june and we visited the ER vets.

she was spayed the march before that.

We are not entirely sure when she started eating pulling her chin fur because we didn't record it because we thought it was just normal grooming and it wasnt causing her problems early on. Maybe because it was baby fur? The earliest photo I have is April, but we think she has done it since we got her. However I can't be certain on that

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Hi Mervinius

Has your vet ever considered that Pip may have 'post spay adhesions'?

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?325309-Adhesions-after-spaying

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?464399-Post-Spay-Adhesions


It's quite common in rabbits, but may not be the cause of Pip's issues :)
 
Last edited:
Hi fcotham.

Sorry I didn't give more detail earlier because I know a few people on here already know about Pips issues.

Pip and Archie do go to a rabbit specialist and they are trying to help but are just as stumped as me.

Archie and I do groom Pip. However the problem is every 4-6 weeks Pip rips out her chin fur and eats it! She gets a bald patch the size of a 50p. Right under her neck. We have tried stopping her but she has learnt to do it when we are not around. Because of the amount of fur eaten in one go this causes a double poop and of course stringey poop! And then gas. To be honest I'd get a poorly tumny if it was full of fur!

We already get hay from the hay experts which they both love and we only give a few pellets and some natural forage. No treats allowed.

Pip has just done the biggest binky and is zooming around the lounge at speed, so I think she's feeling good tonight.

We have just tried her on a panacur treatment to see if that helps. Just waiting to see if the gas re appears in the next few weeks.

Thank you for all your info though. :)

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Here's another interesting link, that may or may not be relevant:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/s...gical-adhesions&highlight=post+spay+adhesions

Parsnipbun on here knows a lot about this sort of thing (I am sure she wouldn't mind you PM'ing her).

I do know that adhesions can cause recurring episodes of gastrointestinal stasis in rabbits.

Well just another thing to throw into the melting pot!
Thanks Mighty Max. I have had a gander and I think I've looked at this before. Thing is she doesn't actually get stasis as such.

Her poops stay lovely and round excluding the double poop. They don't get smaller or odd shapes and she certainly doesn't poop less. And her apetite is great right up until her lying down. Its much more sudden!
Eating all her pellets then lying in pain 5 minutes later for example.

Although there must be a slight slowing of her gut, because of the double poop.

When she originally had her first episode she had a blood test and the result was high. Which I've looked up online (cant remember where) and it suggests an obstruction which would tie in with her fur eating! It said if the blood test gave a lower result than normal it was stasis due to a slowing gut.

If only she could say "mum, I'm eating my chin fur because..... and it gives me a gassy tummy, so I refuse to eat food until you chase me around to get things moving again"

Bunnies so complicated, but lovely.




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Thanks Mighty Max. I have had a gander and I think I've looked at this before. Thing is she doesn't actually get stasis as such.

Her poops stay lovely and round excluding the double poop. They don't get smaller or odd shapes and she certainly doesn't poop less. And her apetite is great right up until her lying down. Its much more sudden!
Eating all her pellets then lying in pain 5 minutes later for example.

Although there must be a slight slowing of her gut, because of the double poop.

When she originally had her first episode she had a blood test and the result was high. Which I've looked up online (cant remember where) and it suggests an obstruction which would tie in with her fur eating! It said if the blood test gave a lower result than normal it was stasis due to a slowing gut.

If only she could say "mum, I'm eating my chin fur because..... and it gives me a gassy tummy, so I refuse to eat food until you chase me around to get things moving again"

Bunnies so complicated, but lovely.




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I'm really pleased it's not that :D

Not nice at all! xx
 
Me too. Perhaps I should just shave her so she can't eat it. Lol. She looks like she's been shaved for surgery at the moment. What a silly sausage she is.

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