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Peeing while sleeping?!

dex179

Warren Scout
Hi all

I have been doing a lot of trial and error for a while to understand why my mini-lop keeps getting a wet bottom. I thought it was arthritis so I bought a garden potting tray (very low, big tray) so he could hop in and out easily to pee. I put him on metacam and he still was getting a wet bottom. However it is clear to me that he does use him litter tray to pee.

I think I now know what the problem is....he pees while he's sleeping! Because he's in that hunched up position, if he just pees and doesn't move, his bottom gets wet.

What I wanted to know is - from the sounds of this what you think the reason for his wet bottom is, and if it's normal for rabbits to pee while they sleep? Is there another underlying issue that could be causing this?

I need to add that he is on a daily dose of Samylin (half a packet, meant for dogs) administered in his drinking water, which is a supplement to help him with his liver as previous blood tests showed that he was lacking something there, which was causing him to pee a lot. Could it be just that Dex is peeing a lot, and it just coincides that as he's sleeping he needs to pee? He does drink a lot of water...

He just turned 6 but if you've read my previous posts he has a lot of health issues which relate to his poor diet (never eats hay, rarely eats greens nowadays).

Thanks all
 
Hi all

I have been doing a lot of trial and error for a while to understand why my mini-lop keeps getting a wet bottom. I thought it was arthritis so I bought a garden potting tray (very low, big tray) so he could hop in and out easily to pee. I put him on metacam and he still was getting a wet bottom. However it is clear to me that he does use him litter tray to pee.

I think I now know what the problem is....he pees while he's sleeping! Because he's in that hunched up position, if he just pees and doesn't move, his bottom gets wet.

What I wanted to know is - from the sounds of this what you think the reason for his wet bottom is, and if it's normal for rabbits to pee while they sleep? Is there another underlying issue that could be causing this?

I need to add that he is on a daily dose of Samylin (half a packet, meant for dogs) administered in his drinking water, which is a supplement to help him with his liver as previous blood tests showed that he was lacking something there, which was causing him to pee a lot. Could it be just that Dex is peeing a lot, and it just coincides that as he's sleeping he needs to pee? He does drink a lot of water...

He just turned 6 but if you've read my previous posts he has a lot of health issues which relate to his poor diet (never eats hay, rarely eats greens nowadays).

Thanks all

It is not normal for Rabbits to wee in their sleep or to have a constantly wet bum. It may be that your Rabbit has urinary incontinence caused by a bladder problem eg 'bladder sludge'

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Differentials/Incontinence.htm

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/further-reading/urolithiasis/

Or a neurological problem effecting the innervation of the bladder -Encephalitozoon Cuniculi (EC). Rabbits with EC do not always show every symptom listed for EC such as the head tilt. Sometimes urinary incontinence is the only symptom. You mention that your Rabbit has been found to have an abnormal Liver function. EC can effect the Liver. Drinking a lot is another possible symptom of EC and you also mention that your Rabbit does drink a lot

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/disease/e-cuniculi/

https://www.dechra.co.uk/therapy-ar...cs-antifungals/disease-information/e-cuniculi

You need to get your Rabbit examined by your Vet again so I would call them today to arrange this. As your Rabbit is urinary incontinent he will be at very high risk of flystrike so you need to be ultra vigilant about this

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/illness/flystrike/

https://www.rabbitawareness.co.uk/tag/f10/

https://www.viovet.co.uk/F10-Produc...xM5OKSC9xfA66a7DokiurTSLhTIc8mmYaAkYfEALw_wcB
 
Thank you JJ again for your advice. I will sit down today and go through the articles you've sent me.

Regarding his liver - the vets recently did a blood test on him and it was fine, but I am assuming could be down to the Samylin supplements I am giving him. I am continuing to give him it just in case.

He is due a teeth check up over the next few weeks so I will definitely get them to have a look at it then. He's been in an ok mood recently so don't want to go him to vets and disturb his rhythm.

In the mean time, I am literally giving him a bottom wipe in the morning (while he is eating and distracted) and usually a proper wash in the evening. I suspect because he tries to clean himself a lot, his bottom is bald!
 
Thank you JJ again for your advice. I will sit down today and go through the articles you've sent me.

Regarding his liver - the vets recently did a blood test on him and it was fine, but I am assuming could be down to the Samylin supplements I am giving him. I am continuing to give him it just in case.

He is due a teeth check up over the next few weeks so I will definitely get them to have a look at it then. He's been in an ok mood recently so don't want to go him to vets and disturb his rhythm.

In the mean time, I am literally giving him a bottom wipe in the morning (while he is eating and distracted) and usually a proper wash in the evening. I suspect because he tries to clean himself a lot, his bottom is bald!

That could indicate urine scald

https://www.houserabbitga.com/rabbit-urine-scald
 
Thank you JJ again.

Previously he had urine scald but I check it every day and it's not red. His skin is a pink colour. In the past he did have scald which made the skin bright red and I had to apply a steroid cream. I still apply this when I find redness.
 
Hi JJ

I have read the articles that you've very helpfully sent me, and I most suspect it is this:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen...continence.htm

I have noticed that his hind legs are probably not as strong as they used to be. In addition I have noticed a bit more recently that he has a mucus type fiber in his poo.

It could also be EC - however the vets did a blood test not too long ago and they concluded that his bloods were fine. That's why I don't think it's EC, but I will mention this to the vet. He is exhibiting some of the symptoms however - weakness in hind legs, drinking and peeing more often, sitting hunched up rather than relaxed and laid flat.

I was recently so concerned that his hind legs were weak that I brought him to the vets. They did a quick check where they examined him hopping about and they thought he seemed fine.

Thank you so much for your advice. I think I'll call the vets now.
 
Hi JJ

I have read the articles that you've very helpfully sent me, and I most suspect it is this:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen...continence.htm

I have noticed that his hind legs are probably not as strong as they used to be. In addition I have noticed a bit more recently that he has a mucus type fiber in his poo.

It could also be EC - however the vets did a blood test not too long ago and they concluded that his bloods were fine. That's why I don't think it's EC, but I will mention this to the vet. He is exhibiting some of the symptoms however - weakness in hind legs, drinking and peeing more often, sitting hunched up rather than relaxed and laid flat.

I was recently so concerned that his hind legs were weak that I brought him to the vets. They did a quick check where they examined him hopping about and they thought he seemed fine.

Thank you so much for your advice. I think I'll call the vets now.

Unless they did a specific test for EC it would not be picked up in a routine full blood profile

http://www.greendale.co.uk/cuniculi_disease.html
 
Thank you JJ I will mention that to the vets. I sent them an email with links to make it easier to explain. Waiting on a response from them and then I'll bring him in.
 
My experiences of bunny incontinence have always been EC related, more peeing as they went though, rather than sitting in it. I'm sorry I've nothing useful to say but lots of vibes for Dex
 
Hi long time reader of the forums. Great information. I've run in to this exact issue now.

My 5 month bunny pees/leaves a puddle of clear pee while he's resting. Not sure why. Vet says it's not an emergency and is only booking two months out. Can you suggest what I can do in the meantime? Did you figure why your bunny was doing this?

Thanks again!!
 
Hey bunnybot, welcome to the forum (officially)!

Sorry to hear your young bun is peeing whilst resting, that's definitely not normal. Is your vet rabbit savvy? If they are they usually state that they specialise in exotics. If not, are there any exotic specialist vets you can take your bun to? I'd say it's quite urgent they get checked out so they can get pain relief and the treatment needed.
 
Hi long time reader of the forums. Great information. I've run in to this exact issue now.

My 5 month bunny pees/leaves a puddle of clear pee while he's resting. Not sure why. Vet says it's not an emergency and is only booking two months out. Can you suggest what I can do in the meantime? Did you figure why your bunny was doing this?

Thanks again!!

Sorry to hear your bunny is going through this.

My rabbit still does this sometimes but maybe not as much as before, hard to say why. Now I lay down towels and fleece blankets so that when he does pee, it soaks in the blanket rather him lying in it.

If he is soaking in his pee, check for any scalding and check his feet in case of sore hocks.
 
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