6 week old rabbit might be dehydrated?

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This topic has 12sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 1 month ago by Q8bunny.

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- 03/01/2016 at 6:56 PM
  coulcat
  Participant
  5 posts
  Hi. I have a 6-7 week old netherland dwarfX rabbit. We have had him for 4 days and got him as a companion for our 10 week old rabbit – they are brothers, different litters. They are both kept indoors and the house has been kept relatively cool even though the last two days have been hot outside.
  
  The young rabbit seems lethargic often and has small, very dark poops. He has also lost 24g (326g to 302g) in the last 2 days. When he’s not resting he is active and curious and is still eating, though I haven’t seen him drink much. I have been feeding him wet grass today, but they have access to water, fresh timothy hay, grass and get treats in the morning – a small amount of carrot for the little rabbit and spinach for the older one.
  
  Both the rabbits seem to be getting along well – sitting next to one another and doing binkies and running about when they’re out on their play mat. But maybe the move and change in diet has upset the new rabbits stomach.
  
  I believe the breeder was feeding him cabbage, lettuce and carrots. Is it possible his stomach was bloated from this food?
  
  Should I be taking the little rabbit to the vet to be checked or should I continue to monitor him?
  
  I’d really appreciate any advice because I don’t want to leave it too late to take him to the vet if he is sick. I can provide any further information if it’s required.
  
  Thanks, Cat
- 03/01/2016 at 9:30 PM
  Sr. Melangell
  Participant
  1708 posts
  Hi Cat I would call the vet, he has lost weight and babies even human babies need to gain weight, a bunny that young needs a lot of care, if I had a little one I would contact a vet, bunnies are not sit and wait animals, they hide illness very well so predators don’t get them.
- 03/02/2016 at 12:50 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  16998 posts
  I too think the little bun needs to see a vet. 6 weeks is really too young for it to be separated from it’s mom, and a very young bun is very vulnerable. If it’s dehydrated it needs fluids quickly, a vet can give it sub Q fluids with vitamins or even intravenous fluids. In cases like this you can’t really wait and see.
- 03/02/2016 at 4:46 AM
  coulcat
  Participant
  5 posts
  Thanks for your replies Pinky and bam.
  I took little Rye to the vet this afternoon and the vet said that he is very young and perhaps his stomach flora has not completely developed. Also the stress of moving to a new home and that we might be feeding him different food may have contributed.
  The vet gave me some Critical Care recovery food we can make up into a loose paste for him. He has had two feeds of this and already looks brighter- he has also been drinking a lot more since the trip to the vet.
  The vet also found a lot of worms in their poop so we’re taking both Rye and Ollie back to be wormed next week and for a check up.
  Thanks again for your suggestions, Cat
- 03/02/2016 at 11:27 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  16998 posts
  Thank you for the update and the good news!
  Critical Care is excellent, it has all nutrients and all the fiber a bun needs. It’s really the best thing you can give to a poorly bun. He will probably feel even better when the deworming is done, too.
- 03/02/2016 at 7:41 PM
  Sr. Melangell
  Participant
  1708 posts
  Oh dear, someone say worms? bam I’m not sure but does coulcat need to get some medicine just in case (As a precaution) for herself? When we worked with animals in the centres we had to take a pill every so often if an animal had worms, just wondering?
- 03/03/2016 at 1:18 AM
  blubudgie
  Participant
  178 posts
  It probably depends on the kind of worms and whether it can be transferred from rabbit to human. I feel like its something the vet should’ve mentioned if it was a problem but maybe ask O__o
  My rabbit had pinworms once and I just made sure to wash my hands after handling her or touching her toys/litter. Vet never told me to take an meds, only my rabbit lol
- 03/03/2016 at 5:11 AM
  coulcat
  Participant
  5 posts
  Thanks Pinky and blubudgie, I will ask the vet about the worms when I go in to get the worming medicine for the buns tomorrow.
  I was just wondering what else I can feel Rye to help him gain some healthy weight. I have given him the critical care last night and today but he’s still lost weight. He’s eating well – lots of hay and grass and a little spinach and carrot – but he keeps “powering down” and lookout really poorly every now and then
  The vet also made a suggestion to mix in some of Ollie (our healthy 10 week old rabbit) poop in with the critical care to promote some healthy gut flora for Rye. She said she’d only heard of it for rabbits, and has only done it with possums and koalas. Has anyone heard of this for rabbits?
- 03/03/2016 at 6:03 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  16998 posts
  Feeding a bunny with GI trouble some cecals from another bunny is somewhat controversial. This is what Dana Krempels has to say about it, scroll down all the way to Non-prescription supportive measures and look under F. Cecotropes: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html
  
  Some bunnies benefit from a probiotic and there is at least one type that has been shown to help young buns gain weight. There are several brands of probiotics, f ex benebac. It has some of the good bacteria that your bun haven’t had the chance to establish in his gut yet because he’s so young. Here’s an article about probiotics in rabbits: http://www.vettimes.co.uk/article/beneficial-bacteria-in-pet-rabbits/
- 03/03/2016 at 9:49 AM
  blubudgie
  Participant
  178 posts
  My friend’s rabbit vet has recommended it before to my friend’s rabbit. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any of my rabbits cecals for her to use.
  She ended up just getting a probiotic from the vet which might be easier to do. But if you can find cecals from a healthy bun you could try it since your vet has ok’d it.
  
  How much has he lost since yesterday? If it’s not a lot its possible he may have just peed or pooped before you weighed him. Try to weigh him at the same time every day to keep it as consistent as possible. If he keeps losing weight I would go back to the vet.
- 03/07/2016 at 5:52 PM
  coulcat
  Participant
  5 posts
  Hi guys, just an update on little Rye. He finally gained some weight – not a lot, but it’s kept his weight consistent if not gaining. It’s made us very happy
  We didn’t end up feeding him Ollie’s cecals. Instead we are just feeding both rabbits lots of Timothy hay and fresh grass, with the additional of the critical care 4 times a day for Rye. We have been trying to weigh them at the same time every night, and since we are worming them at the same time every night this is easier. My partner also found a video of some bunny tummy massage. I was sceptical, but after trying it at every feeding for the last couple of days it seems that it’s helped Rye. Now he isn’t chattering his teeth and half closing his eyes EVERY time we feed him, just every now and then.
  I’ll make sure to keep you all updated. Thanks so much for all your advice.
- 03/09/2016 at 4:30 AM
  coulcat
  Participant
  5 posts
  Hi guys. Bad news again!!
  Rye has lost 13 grams today, he now weighs less than when we got him 10 days ago
  We don’t know what to do! We’ve followed the instructions of the vet and we’ve fed Rye some carrot just to get some food in him. We tried pellets but he wasn’t interested
  We see him grazing on the hay and grass, drinking water, feeding him critical care 4 times a day and he’s pooping and peeing and he seems happy and explorative but he just isn’t gaining weight
  Please, we are desperate for any help!
- 03/09/2016 at 6:09 AM
  Q8bunny
  Participant
  6345 posts
  Maybe you can ask your vet about some kitten milk or something similar? That would be very rich and nutritious as well, I imagine. I’m sorry to hear that his weight has dropped again. Chewie and I are rooting for you guys. (((put on some baby chub little Rye)))
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