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FORUM HOUSE RABBIT Q & A He cannot control his urine.

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    • SassyBuns
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        Or this is what i have been told by my local vet. That’s also the only vet in my area that specializes in rabbits, And i dont want to take my rabbit somewhere where they have no clue what they are doing. anyway, i have made a thread before about the fact that my little boy Benjamin, has swollen genitals, and urinates all over himself, and because of that i am constantly cleaning his bottom so he does not get burns from his urine. And something else that does not really help is the fact that he lives with another lion head that is always shedding so that is also sticking to his bottom. At this point he has gone through 3 bottles of antibiotics and nothing has helped, i am taking him in soon to get his bottom shaved and someone told me about an injection penicillin that the vet can give him. Now the vet has never motioned this to me so im going to mention this to him. I always feel so bad for him like im making matters worse Especially when i have to wash him. Does anyone know how i can keep him clean until i can get him into the vet?  


      • Wick & Fable
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          If he’s litter boxed trained, having a screen on top may help so the urine drains down, rather than him sitting in it. I know finances for rabbit-keeping are tight, but if this is a bladder issue, I think getting a thorough exam, perhaps an x-ray or blood work, or something more comprehensive may need to be done to pinpoint what exactly is causing the incontinence (inability to control urine).

          Has your vet considered cancers? Have you only been using the same antibiotic for 3 bottles, or have they each been different antibiotics?

          The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.


        • Wick & Fable
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            Also, what is Benjamin’s pee like (descriptors)?

            The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.


          • Bam
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              The swollen genitals concern me. Do you feel they’re swollen because he’s always wet down there or could there be sth else going on do you think? Are there any sores/scabs?

              Rinsing the urine off with saline solution (0.09% NaCl), then carefully patting the area dry and applying a barrier cream (diaper rash cream or bag balm or a beeswax cream) to protect the skin from wetness is what I’d try. A litterbox screen would be good and puppy pee pads for him to lounce on.

              Some buns get kidney problems from e cuniculi, a microscopic parasite that’s common in bunnies. It can be treated with Panacur, a dewormer.

              As for injections, rabbit syphilis is treated with penicillin G injections. But rabbit syphilis tends to give a different set of symptoms. Here’s some info from Medirabbit: http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Bacterial/Syph_gen.html


            • SassyBuns
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                He is not litter trained which makes matters worse. He has had this problem with his genitals since I got him. He was only 3 months old I got him.


              • Wick & Fable
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                  I really think you need to get an examine on his genitals. They should not be swollen.

                  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.


                • SassyBuns
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                    I am definitely going to be talking to the vet about it, and possibly be finding a new vet… I could be because it’s always wet I’m not completely sure because there is no scabs or sores. And if it is e cuniculi is it life threatening because I would feel absolutely horrible if he was sitting there with a life threatening parasite. And I will be trying the saline solution, and a barrier cream. On a rabbit website it said lots of rabbits have died from it and can get a severe head tilt from it, I don’t know if all that is true but it is worrying me. sorry for me jumping from one topic to another but I want to get as much information I can get to help him


                  • DanaNM
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                      Poor baby Second getting a second opinion from another vet. Him not being able to control his urine is the symptom of something, not the problem in itself. Is he neutered? Could something have gone wrong during his neuter? 

                      In between bum baths, you can use cornstarch to soak up the pee on his fur and then gently brush it out. 

                      . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  


                    • Mikey
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                        I dont mean to scare, but what you mention made me think of two things:

                        1) Something is stuck inside of his penis (a thin piece of hay, hair, ect). Its not entirely uncommon if he has been mounting or has been mounted. Usually if that happens, rabbits can pee it out but there have been cases recorded where a rabbit could not pee it out and it caused swelling, ‘bulging’, irritation, ect. Sometimes but not always you might find blood in the urine as well. Im not sure of what tests a vet can do to check this possibility, however.

                        2) Testicular cancer can show its early stages with uncontrolled urination and swelling of the testicles and penis area. Although usually common in older unneutered males, it is possible (although rare) for any male rabbit who is still intact to have testicular cancer. An ultrasound and blood test should be able to tell if this is a possibility.


                      • SassyBuns
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                          I did a little bit of research to see what exactly testicular cancer is, they said it is a tumor/cancer? In his testicals, the thing is, he is fixed? I don’t know if they can still get that if they are fixed… but I still will make sure to check with the vet about it.


                        • Mikey
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                            Oh ok, didnt know he was fixed. Yes, they cannot get testicular cancer if they have no testicles. So that is good But, there still could be something stuck inside of his penis causing his inflammation and irritation.


                          • Bam
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                              I think Mikey’s suggestion is good. It could be something local that’s causing an ongoing inflammation of his genitals. Rabbit syphilis gives sores, both on genitals and on the face – that doesn’t fit your description. E cuniculi doesn’t cause swelling, it affects inner organs that has a high blood flow to them (kidneys, heart, brain), that doesn’t fit the description either. Could he have some congenital malformation in his little penis? Something with his urethra or whatnot? I don’t know how a vet would diagnose that, but you could ask.

                              Has he been given Metacam? It’s an anti-inflammatory medicin that helps reduce swelling and pain.

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                          FORUM HOUSE RABBIT Q & A He cannot control his urine.