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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Soft Stool; HELP!

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    • Robyn89
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        Hi everyone. I’m new to this forum. I’m trying to find some information about my rabbit’s condition. Rowan is a 4-yr-old male, neutered, mini lop (or possibly holland lop) who, for the past year or so, has had problems with his bowels. He tends to have soft stool that sticks to his bum. He has been to the vet and last summer was diagnosed with early arthritis in his lower back. He was started on Metacam and glucosamine/condroitin which seemed to help for awhile. Then the symptoms came back. I took him to another vet who didn’t seem to think it was the arthritis acting up as Rowan is young and has no problems getting around. He suggested I try deworming which I have been doing for the past 2 weeks. Again, at first it seemed to work but now his soft stools are back. When the vet examined Rowan he said that everything seemed normal with his digestion and suggested it could be allergies. He eats Martin timothy based food and timothy hay (doesn’t tolerate veggies well). I started increasing his Metacam yesterday from every second day to everyday. I am at the end of my rope. I don’t know what else to do with Rowan. Has anyone experienced this problem and what have you done to help it? Interestingly enough, I’ve been tracking Rowan’s stool patterns for the past 2 weeks as I thought I was noticing a trend. Sure enough one week he’s fine then the next week he isn’t. I don’t know if this has any significance.



        Please help if you think you might have anything to offer. I’m really concerned about my little fella.



        Thanks



        P.S. If this topic looks familiar, I’ve been posting on other forums to try and get as much info as possible


      • Sarita
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          Have either vet checked his teeth? I know this seems odd, but many times this can also indicate molar spurs or a dental problem. And Holland lops are notorious for dental problems.


        • Robyn89
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             Yes, I should have mentioned that. His teeth are fine. I have been reading in some posts about excess protein as a potential cause of Rowan’s symptoms. Does anyone know anything about this? I’m a first time bunny mom and I really don’t know a whole lot about these sorts of problems.


          • RabbitPam
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              http://www.allexperts.com/user.cgi

              Hi, I’m sorry he’s having this chronic problem and you’re getting conflicting info. Above is a link to All Experts: ask Dana Krempels, PhD, who is very experienced in all things bunny. I would copy and paste what you wrote to us and ask her to respond with her opinion.

              Since you are tracking and finding a pattern, is it possible to add to the tracker the exact food given and the time of day for each known feeding (understanding that bunnies graze throughout the day), and possibly what time you notice the soft stool appearances? What I’m wondering is if it can be traced to a certain food, hay, or treat, and if it appears to happen immediately, after a couple of hours (indicating that meal) or a day later. It also might be helpful to read the side effects of the metacam in case the pain meds for the arthritis are exacerbating the problem. But like Sarita said, it could be teeth, too.

              Maybe just a big dose of {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Healing vibes}}}}}}}}}}}}}} will fix the little guy.


            • Dee
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                Hi- Welcome to the forum! I’ve learned so much here and the peole are great. I’m not as knowledgable as many members here, but my bunny, BunBun (3 yr old dwarf something or other) has poop problems too. He will do fine for a while, then suddenly he will smell awful and here we go again. It doesn’t seemto bother him much- his appetite is always fine and he acts normal. But I think he might pull at his fur to get the poop off and irritate himself, which can’t be fun.

                So Rowan doesn’t get any veggies, right? If he gets any fruit or treats, I would try cutting those first, but since he has this problem, you might have stopped that stuff already. Some bunnies with chronic stomache issues need to be put on a pellet free diet. My bunBun doesn’t get any pellets, due to his tummy and bladder sludge. It did seem to help somewhat, but he’s been having problems again this past week. So you might want to try stopping pellets- but since Rowan doesn’t get any greens, he may need some supplements so he gets all his nutrients. Be sure to ask your vet about this.

                Another thing I have tried with Bun is giving him Benebac. It’s a probiotic sold in pet stores and it comes in tubes of gel or powder form. I use the gel tubes- it’s banana flavored and Bun loves it- licks it right off a spoon! He’s very picky so that was a syrprise. Now this isn’t a sure thing- sme people think it doesn’t help, while others find that it does. But I don’t think it can hurt. I noticed a real improvement, but now I’ve given it to Bun twice this week and still he has soft poop. It really is frustrating ho things seem to work, then stop after a little while. Have you brought a sample of Rowans’s stool to be tested at the vet? I think I’m gonna do that with BunBun. They can have parasites that give them stomach problems. I don’t know if Rowan has ever been outdoors, but Bunbun has before we found him. That increases chances of parasites, obviously.

                The weird thing is that when BunBun had bladder sludge and needed to be on antibiotics and Metacam for about 3 weeks, he had no poopy butt the whole time. I though that he was somehow “cured” either from the antibiotics or the Benbac, but then it came back later on . Maybe there is something that can be helped with antibiotics… but any meds, especially antibiotics, can be hard on a rabbit’s digestive system.

                I never heard that Metacam helps poop problems, but if both vets told you to use it there must be some benefit. I thought it was for pain and inflammation though, and can actually cause stomach upset. I would get a second opinion on giving Rowan Metacam- if he’s not in pain it may not be needed and could actually be doing more harm than good.

                If Rowans’s weight is normal and he acts fine, he is probably just a rabbit with a sensitive tummy. Of course you should keep trying to find a solution, but it seems to be a pretty common problem, so I wouldn’t worry too much. I’m in the same situation, so I will let you know if I get any info on it or find something that works, and you can do the same.


              • Robyn89
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                   Hi Dee thanks for all the info!

                  Rowan sounds exactly like your BunBun! First of all, I’d just like to clear up the reason Rowan is on Metacam. He has arthritis in his lower back which the vet thinks is why he was initially getting messy (because he was in pain and couldn’t reach his bum). Despite being on this medication (which I would like him to be off) he still goes through periods where he has soft poops. I am definitely going to try Benebac. I am also going to take your advice and cut down on his pellets. I’ve done this before and it seemed to help but I always end up giving in and feeding him more than he probably needs. The only treats Rowan gets now are Oxbow Organic Barley Biscuits which he has only once daily. They’re high  in fiber so I’m not concerned about them upsetting his digestion. The last thing I want to mention is that Rowan has only been outdoors a couple of times several years ago (he doesn’t like it). Even so we are treating him for parasites, just incase.

                  If I have any success with Rowan’s problem I’ll let you know! Good luck with BunBun.


                • Robyn89
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                     Thanks RabbitPam! I’m going to contact Dana Krempels asap. I’m also going to track his food/feedings as you suggested. It’s definitely not a problem involving his teeth. The vet said they’re perfect!

                    I know the long term effects of metacam can be detrimental to their health, however I’ve weighed the pros and cons and at the moment it’s better for him to be on it.


                  • jerseygirl
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                      Welcome Robyn. : )
                      Firstly, what a super cute bunny! ohmygoodness! (Though the avatar pic is too tiny. We will need to see more of him. )

                      I agree with all that the others have suggested. It’s a frustrating cycle and I hope you can finally break it. I also thought that his current med could be contributing to the current bout of soft poops. He sounds like a sensitive tummy bun. Was the first vet able to confirm arthritis? (Not sure how this is done, maybe xrays?).

                      What de-wormer is he on? Has he ever had his poop tested for coccidia?

                      One other thing I want to add/ask is what litter do you use? I know that seems unrelated but rabbits can eat their litter and that could contribute.


                    • Robyn89
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                         Hi! Thanks for your nice comments about Rowan…I think he’s pretty cute too

                        I didn’t realize that medacam could contribute to his problem. The vet took xrays and found early arthritis and these meds are supposed to help.

                        I’m not sure of the de-wormer he’s on. I threw out the package by mistake. I will try to find out though. He’s never had his stool tested for coccidia…should I have it tested? 

                        Finally, the litter I use is Boxo. He’s used this or something similar (i.e. carefresh) all his life. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t eat it. He’s never shown any interest anyway.

                        Here’s a larger picture of Rowan (one of my favorites!). He had these professionally done last year.


                      • jerseygirl
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                          What precious pictures! Love the loppy face!

                          He looks like he upset a birds nest. lol Is that a feather boa? The pics reminds my of that childrens book where a chick goes from animal to animal asking “Are you my Mother?” In this case a bunny instead of chick.


                        • Robyn89
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                            Haha, I never thought of it that way but yes, it does look like he upset a bird’s nest!

                            I called his vet today and the name of the de-wormer he’s on is Panacur. Is this something you’re familiar with?

                            Also, someone posted here about using Bene-Bac. Any idea where I can get some of this? I’m  in Canada and it’s proving impossible to find/order.


                          • Sarita
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                              I’ve used Panacur before so I know it’s safe.

                              I would ask your vet about Benebac – most vet offices carry this.


                            • Sarita
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                                Okay, so how many pellets does Rowan get and have you tried removing those from his diet?


                              • Robyn89
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                                   I’m giving him a quarter cup now but this is down drastically from before. So, we’ll see how it goes with less pellets.

                                  I tried calling my vet’s office but Bene-Bac is impossible to get! I tried ordering on the internet but 2 packages which are only $5 each would cost me $55 to get shipped here. Do you know if rabbits can use the kind that’s meant for dogs? I found Bene-Bac gel 15 g on a canadian website that I could probably get much cheaper.


                                • Sarita
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                                    It’s the same thing – they don’t make one especially for rabbits.

                                    Do you have any feed stores near you? They may carry benebac as well.


                                  • Robyn89
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                                      http://www.petonly.ca/PetAg_Bene_Bac_Dog_Gel_p/115-99542.htm
                                      Is this okay to give? I have seen a small animal version but it’s only out of the states. Sorry for all the questions but there’s really no one in my area of the country who knows much about bunnies.


                                    • KatnipCrzy
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                                        Metacam is an NSAID which can cause GI upset- it obviously did not cause the initial bout of mushy stool since he was not on it previous to the first episode.

                                        What brand of pellets do you have him on?  The brand may not agree with him- a certain ingredient.  Many of the timothy based pellets are still quite different in all the ingredients they contain.

                                        I agree about the coccidia- it is a microscopic parasite that many, many bunnies have- it can cause mushy stool and can flare up at times due to stress or the bunnys immune system knocking it back and then it flaring up again.

                                        I love lops- all 3 of mine are lops- and your guy is ADORABLE!


                                      • Robyn89
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                                          Hi KatnipCrzy,

                                          Rowan eats adult formula Martin which is timothy based. His vet did suggest that if nothing else works we can try changing his food. He said Rowan may have allergies to something in the pellets. The only problem is getting a good quality brand of food where I live. There are very limited options and so far I’ve found Martin to be the best and only real option.

                                          Regarding the coccidia, if he does have that would the Panacur he’s currently taking clear it up?

                                          P.S. Your bunny in your profile pic looks very cute


                                        • Sarita
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                                            Panacur would not cure coccidia. Coccidia would require a sulfate based medication like albon. Panacur is a dewormer.


                                          • jerseygirl
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                                              I’m surprised you are having trouble finding bene-bac. I would have thought most large petstores would have it. You can get it in a powdered form too. Look into which lasts longer and if you have to order it online, then at least you can get the one you can store for long term use.

                                              If you do have Rowan tested for coccidia and it’s positive, ask the vet if toltrazuril (also called ponazuril) is available also. This has proven effective and treatment time is shorter. Panacur is often used to treat rabbits for another parasite (E.C.) that is also really common though poopy butt is not a normal symptom for that one really. That’s more common with coccidia.

                                               


                                            • Sarita
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                                                The thing with benebac is there is not guarantee this will work – the active ingredients found in the stuff are not significant in the rabbit’s cecum.

                                                I don’t think I would rule out arthritis either – my rabbit Mango who is about 9 years old was diagnosed with mild arthritis at around 4 years old as well so it’s very possible it is a bit of a motility issue. Mango has also had poopy butt problems since he was about 4 years old as well and still does. He is on a pellet free diet as well. We’ve done fecal tests on him and nothing has ever shown up, so I know your frustration. We did panacur and metronidazole (for possible giardia) and everything else under the sun.

                                                Hopefully you will get an answer.


                                              • Robyn89
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                                                  Thanks Sarita, I think I’m going to order some Bene-Bac anyway and give it a try.
                                                  Unfortunately, I live in a house with family who are not so understanding towards Rowan’s condition. They look at it as more of a health hazard than anything (even though I’m constantly vaccuming and scrubbing the carpet).
                                                  Just curious, what do you use as pain control for Mango’s arthritis? I’ve been using Metacam but I am quite concerned about long-term use. Also, how do you keep him clean? Rowan ends up getting himself in such a state that the vet has to shave him. He’s not the easiest bunny to handle either and I’m not aggressive, but I’m going to have to find a way to keep him clean. I can’t afford $75 a pop to shave him.

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                                              Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Soft Stool; HELP!