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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A update: now he’s acting odd, not eating normal dinner re:Please help – mushy poop

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    • Ali925
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        Hi all,

        I have had my bunnies for around 2 years now and I’d like to think I’ve figured them out.  Well in the case of Blu, my almost 2 yr old male, I still get stumped.  He’s always had a sensitive system and I’ve always given him less pellets and even less greens than my other bunny who seems to tolerate everything in larger quantities much much better than him. 

        He doesn’t eat a ton, so if I don’t hold back on the greens/pellets, I know he won’t get as much hay as he needs.  He’s a great hay eater, and often will go straight to his hay instead of his salad.  So the point of my post:

        Lately he’s been having not just extra cecals but scattered mushy poop, almost toothpasty like, and some just globs, and it stinks reallly bad and it’s making a mess almost daily.  I have tried to see if different greens affected him in the past, but I never get much conclusive, so I had decided to back off the pellets a few months ago.  He currently gets 1/2 tablespoon of timothy pellets in the AM and 1 tablespoon in the PM.  Plus a cup of greens AM and a cup of greens PM.  Problem is, he’s sorta lazy and also good about rationing his food.  So occasionally if he is too tired, and I don’t feed him early enough, he’ll sleep instead, then be finishing the greens as I’m getting dinner salads ready.  His issue I think is when he has a salad and then scarfs down his pellets…so I’ve tried spacing it out to get him to eat his other stuff first, so that he’ll just take his time with the pellets.  I could go on, but the point is, I’ve been trying different things and I just can’t figure it out.  It’s making me feel awful, so I wanted to see if I could get any advice.  I don’t want to start restricting or completely cutting too much out so that it’s a shock to him, but I have a feeling the pellets are to blame, even though he gets so few.  Perhaps it’s the greens but he doesn’t get too many of those either.

        I don’t know what to do…and I feel bad bc he must not be enjoying it either…and finally is this something I should contact my vet for?  I have thought about calling several times, but part of me believes it’s likely dietary since he’s always been like this, just never this bad.  Oh and I have to mention he’s acting completely normal otherwise, still eating, etc..playing, being his usual self.  Just leaving me a lot of mess to clean up….

         

        Thanks everyone…sorry this is so long, I’m just really unhappy with this and a bit exhausted right now, so I got a little rambly…


      • Sarita
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          I would start with the pellets first. The majority of my rabbits get no pellets and they don’t mind. You have to give it awhile though once you take the pellets away.


        • Ali925
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            Thanks Sarita. So it’s okay to go cold turkey with them? I was afraid to completely remove them right away but I agree they’re likely the problem. I know he’s going to hate me now! He already doesn’t get that many. But just a brief history, I changed him to timothy pellets when he was a baby bc the alfalfa ones were too rich for him to handle. So he’s always had an issue with them. Poor guy didn’t even get alfalfa hay bc I saw how it was to rich for him as well..and he LOVED it. I guess it’s just like people, some just can’t handle certain foods, it just makes me feel bad.

            I appreciate your quick response.


          • Sarita
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              Don’t feel bad – he will soon forget that he doesn’t have his pellets. Pellets are higher in protein than vegetables or greens and it is usually the culprit.


            • Ali925
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                Sarita, thanks so much again for your input. I have eliminated the pellets since Wednesday night and immediately saw a change..no more mushy poop at all. But I haven’t consulted a vet on this yet, so I wanted to see if you could let me know your opinion since some of yours are pellet free.

                Do you think it’s worthwhile to keep pellets just to a minimum (maybe half of what I used to give) to provide any extra nutrients he might miss in the greens (in case I can’t always have the necessary variety? Sometimes it’s hard to do so)

                And also if I remove completely I should increase his greens right?

                Finally I feel bad because when I give Oreo her pellets, he hears it (they sit side by side in their separate pens) and I know he’s looking for his. I finally took the bowl out, but he stills runs to where they used to be when it’s about the time he’d get them…his little face makes me feel so bad! But I know this is in his best interest of course. That’s what made me think maybe I could try giving just a small amount, maybe a half tablespoon a day? Or just let it go completely?

                Thanks again, I appreciate it!! I hate how difficult this can be sometimes!


              • Monkeybun
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                  If he gets all excited at pellet time, you could maybe save some of his greens for then, and when you give Oreo her pellets, you can give him the greens so he isn’t left out

                  And yes, completely pellet free means he needs more veggies to get the necessary nutrients.


                • Ali925
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                    Okay good idea..I have been trying to sneak them when he’s preoccupied .. he’s hard to fool though! I guess I’m just worried about giving enough variety.. I try hard to do that now, but some weeks the grocery store just isn’t loaded with as much as I’d like… So far he hasn’t been eating the extra greens which I guess just means he’s eating more hay (based on the litterbox contents lol) which I think is a great thing.


                  • Ali925
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                      So I thought it was all figured out..no pellets in days and then today lots of mushy poop again ! I had a feeling there were some greens causing this, but wasn’t sure bc I never made it through the trial and error. I always thought cilantro was a possible culprit, but again never tested for sure. Now I also think red leaf might be a problem too. In the past few weeks I have been buying it more frequently since it’s been really good lately (sometimes the food store isn’t as reliable as I wish so I pick whatever veggies look freshest, etc, red leaf isn’t always available)..so that’s been in the back of my mind that recently I’ve been feeding him more of it. He’s not crazy about romaine, which I usually have a lot of, so I tend to give him more of whatever else I buy, hence lots of red leaf lately.

                      I also think another problem is he just doesn’t eat that much overall, so if he gets too much of anything (greens, pellets, etc), the less hay he’ll eat..although an excellent hay eater. And now that I cut out pellets I’ve tried giving him extra greens and he doesn’t even always finish them. So I hope that’s not the case, and that I can continue to give lots of greens, as long as I can find the ones that don’t bother him. I was reading the trial and error of Bailey on the BB site under diet, and it makes me think Blu is in a similar situation. Tonight I decided to give him only red leaf…just to see. I hope it doesn’t make him too miserable, but I really want to see if that’s one of the culprits. I’m getting so discouraged!

                      Any feedback is welcome.


                    • Sarita
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                        Well, I know he’s fairly young but he is a lop and they have dental problems. Many times mushy poops is the result of dental problems…just a thought.


                      • Ali925
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                          Oh really? I didn’t really think of that..since he still seems to eat as much as he always has. His weight is exactly the same as it’s been for months so I guess I just assumed if it were teeth he would show other signs? I guess a vet visit would be a good idea just in case whether it’s that or something else? Although they’ve never mentioned any problems with his teeth, but of course it’s always a possibility. I just know he’s always had some dietary issues so I’m hoping it’s just some tweaking what he eats to solve this.


                        • Sarita
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                            It’s really just a shot in the dark…but worth considering. Many times dental issues may not be so obvious and truly it may not be dental at all since it usually occurs when they are older unless it’s a genetic problem.


                          • jerseygirl
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                              Definitely worth keeping in mind the dental thing.

                              I think you might be on to something with the veggies (lettuces) though. I’ve been reading about buns that have these chronic mushy poop problems doing better on hay, limited pellets and just herbs.

                              Another thing to consider is if anything has changed in your water source. Not just because of their drinking water but also what the greens are washed in.


                            • Sarita
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                                Also how many days? It can take more than a few days to discover what the problem is.


                              • Ali925
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                                  Thanks for your responses, but now I’m worried bc he’s acting strange tonight. He was laying in his hut he sleeps in during the day when I brought dinner out.. Usually he’s sitting where his dinner plate goes waiting for it. Or at least being a nut scratching at the floor or throwing things. I tried to coerce him and he just ran away and hid/laid down. So I opened up his pen to let him out to play, he came out but not with his usual spunk. He went straight to the spot where he usually flops and just laid down. I even held out a few pellets, and he should have jumped at me for them..instead he sniffed them and walked away. I am getting nervous now bc this is how it started when Oreo went through her stasis episode. Sometimes he’s just sleepy if something interrupted his sleep during the day, and this has happened before that he scared the crap out of me, I called the vet, only to have him eating and normal in an hour. But knowing that I changed his diet so drastically I was afraid of this. Or that his recent mushy poop issues were a sign of something else.

                                  I’m going to try to give it some time, although I’m freaking out. But I really hope he decides to eat something soon. There’s poop in the litterbox and I know it’s from sometime between this morning and now bc I put fresh litter in this morning. He’s just sitting in place staring..and usually he’d be trying to bite/chew everything and running around like a spaz. Or at least showing interest in food. I really hope I’m overreacting.


                                • equalsign
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                                      When my bunny recently went through stasis he had mushy poop/cecal smear just before (and after) he stopped pooping altogether. He started acting withdrawn and lethargic too. I’d start changing his litter box really frequently so you can moniter his poop. Does he live in the same area as your other rabbit, or does he have his own area and litter box? I’d keep a strict eye on him. Maybe get some bene-bac too. There’s debate as to how much it helps, but I’m not one to take those kind of risks as it at least won’t hurt to give them to him. If he gets perscribed antibiotics the probiotic (bene-bac) could help restore good bacteria and help prevent tummy ache. I’d wake up really early to check on him and be prepared to call your vet and schedule an appointment as soon as they open.

                                     

                                    I wouldn’t freak out just yet. If it is stasis you’ve caught it early and he will most likely recover with intestinal motility drugs, antibiotics, ect. If it’s a blockage instead your vet will probably be able to feel it, and may choose to do x-rays. If there’s nasal discharge, a fever, or troubled breathing your vet probably won’t miss it and will likely want to do bloodwork. 

                                     

                                    When my bun wasn’t feeling well and had smear he stopped cleaning himself. You may want to check to make sure he’s not a mess. 


                                  • bunnyfriend
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                                      Have you taken him to the vet for this (sorry if I missed that somewhere)? If not, it might be a good idea just to be safe.


                                    • jerseygirl
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                                        {{{Blu}}}

                                        Has he been drinking at all? Is he acting uncomfortable in the tummy, like when they get a bit of gas?


                                      • Ali925
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                                          Hey everyone, thanks for your concern/advice. Sorry I’m so late to respond, but it was a long night for me…took Blu to the ER vet shortly after writing last night bc he was clearly in pain and felt a lot colder than usual. I knew I had nothing to help him get through it and didn’t want to take any chances. It was GI stasis, his tummy was distended and very full, his temperature was lower than usual (around 98) so I was right thinking he was cold and clearly his tummy wasn’t feeling good.

                                          I’m so glad I caught it so fast, he responded really well to the treatment. (Sub q fluids, motility and pain/anti-inflammatories) Also had to syringe feed him when I got home, i.e. squirt it wherever he would lick it off bc he was really fighting it! I’ve had a really rough day today, work was crazy busy and all I could think about was getting home to check on him..but I just wanted to give everyone a quick update.. Thanks again !


                                        • jerseygirl
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                                            Good move on getting him to the vet. I’m happy to hear he responded well and hope he continues too.
                                            {{{{{Blu}}}}}


                                          • Sarita
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                                              Glad you took him to the vet. Might recommend you make an appt. with your regular vet to discuss his current problems and see where you need to go from here.


                                            • Ali925
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                                                Thanks Jerseygirl I appreciate that. And thanks Sarita, I spoke with my vet..the emergency vet notified them of everything so they called to check on him. But they didn’t think it was necessary to see him as long as he was doing fine. I was ready to bring him, but I figure I will monitor him and see how things go. If I can’t resolve the issue of course I’ll bring him in..but a big part of me thinks it is certain greens affecting him and the stasis was likely due to his shedding or partly due. I just didn’t want to start experimenting again with greens until I knew he was 100% recovered from the stasis, which it seems like he is. He’s eating like a madman and munching on lots of hay which makes me happy! His appetite went into full force when he started feeling better! Thanks again…you guys are great.


                                              • BinkyBunny
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                                                   Good news to hear that he seems to be making a strong recovery. I know this must have been stressful l for you. 

                                                  One thing to keep in mind with what I did with Bailey’s diet — is that she had her poo tested and her teeth checked to rule out parasites and dental issues.  For whatever reason we could never get to the bottom of why she had chronic poopybutt.   It just seemed that her digestive system — the bacteria always seemed to be unbalanced.   Whether it was due to her crooked spine and if that caused a low grade stress or pain on her that may have caused this (as stress can cause issues too) or if e.cuniculi caused this, I don’t know for sure. I do know that I was able to at least minimize her poopybutt (though it never completely went away.).  She would just have it less often and not as severe.   And I got really good at bunny butt baths — could clean her off within a few minutes and she got used to it and would lie still.   

                                                  One thing that helped even more is when I figured out how to prevent her from scarfing down her greens and small amount of pellets.  I forced her to have forage for them by scattering them about or putting them in a bag that she had to work at to get to.

                                                  If poopybutt continues with your bunny, I would recommend that your vet do fecal test and have your bunny’s teeth checked to deal with or rule out issues that may continue to cause problems regardless of diet changes. 


                                                • Ali925
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                                                    Thanks so much for your response BB. I apologize for being mia..the weeks are extremely busy for me and I’m finding it hard to get on here as much as I used to! Anyhow, thank you for taking the time to advise.

                                                    It was incredibly stressful, although I was so fortunate that it was so short-lived. He has been like a different bunny since then! in a good way.. He was always super hyper and high energy. I noticed over the weeks leading up to his stasis episode that he seemed a bit more lazy/less rambunctious than usual. Still active, but just less spunky. So I feel like it was something coming on and just culminated that one night. He has not had any messy nasty poop since then, and I have stopped pellets completely. He seems to be eating well, finishing salads and eating his hay. My only concern is that every morning it seems there is one completely intact cecal in his litterbox. Nothing messy, and only 1 a day…but always 1 in the morning. I of course keep worrying, but I feel like maybe the greens are just too rich for him?? although odd, since they’re just greens…this was without any treats, etc..just hay and greens. So I don’t know what else would cause extra cecals. If he wasn’t eating his cecals I think I would see a lot more than one, right?? So it’s hopefully safe to assume he’s eating the rest and just has an extra ?

                                                    I also was lucky that he didn’t seem to be messy at all on his bottom, just left the mushy stuff behind. I think he’s probably not as sensitive as your Bailey was, and actually he did have his teeth checked at this visit and nothing bad was noted. He had a fecal test back in April and it was negative. Of course it could always change, but since he seems to be under control now I think I can just keep an eye on it for now.

                                                    Good point with spreading out the greens…I always tried that with the pellets, but then realized no matter what the pellets gave him issues. I just feel bad since he loves them, and has to listen when Oreo’s drop in her dish! They know the sound…so he runs to his spot where the dish would be. But I would much rather have a healthy bunny. I will most definitely make a visit to the vet if things get bad again.

                                                    Thanks again.


                                                  • MimzMum
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                                                      Good to hear your bun is doing so much better. I have a minirex with chronic poopybutt who can only eat hay (timothy or meadowgrass) and no veggies, pellets or treats. The only greens he gets are fresh, pesticide free dandelions from my yard and only during spring and summer. The rest of the year we struggle keeping him stable.
                                                      The extra cecal could be his stomach still normalizing from stasis, too much sugar in his bowel, or a sign of too much other carbohydrate still in his diet. Occasionally too, some bunnies just don’t eat all they produce. Something to watch, sometimes bunnies take two hops forward and one back recovering from stasis. I notice difference in consistency of cecals too: they can be properly formed and yet if the smell or color/size are different from normal, there may be unresolved issues in bunny’s tummy.
                                                      Sounds like he’s doing much better though. Good for you spotting it early!

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                                                  Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A update: now he’s acting odd, not eating normal dinner re:Please help – mushy poop